Page 47 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings 2: The Finale
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I got other shit I need to be doing. I already talked to her and let her know I was moving into Brick’s house. We’re separating, but she still wants to go through with this whole surrogacy shit, and with the stipulations in my pops’ will, it seems like I have to go along with it too. You need the money, so it works out for everybody in the end.”
“Except it really doesn’t. Listen, I’m sorry about the other day. The thing with Blaine . . . it didn’t mean anything. I was caught up in the moment and my emotions and . . . I was weak.”
“You good, mama. You only been half in this to begin with. Been pushing me away from jump,” he tittered. “I get it, and I ain’t even gon’ hold it against you.”
“So what happens now?” I asked, relieved that he wasn’t going to be stubborn in all this. “Can you just come over so we can talk?”
“I can’t do that. I’m at the air strip. I got some business I have to handle out of town. I’ll be gone for about a month.”
“A month! What kind of business you got?”
“The kind I can’t talk about. You good though. The condo and the cars, they’re yours. You need them to get around, and I ain’t the kind of nigga to give some shit and take it back because shit didn’t work out how I wanted.”
“The car and the condo are great, but what I want is you. Us.”
“Right now, I can’t give that to you. I need some space to figure some shit out.”
“So that’s it? You just hop on a plane and run from this?”
“Shit should be familiar. It’s what you did to me all those years ago,” he rebutted.
That was like a slap to the face. Tears stained my eyes, and my hand trembled as I gripped the phone. I’d had some hateful things said to me, and Juke stayed throwing shit in my face, but Ivo’s statement right now had split my heart open. Sniffling, I swiped under my nose and nodded.
“Wow. I guess I know how you really feel. Have a safe trip, Ivo.” I quickly ended the call before I broke down into tears speaking with him.
Normally, if we had a fight, he would text or call right back. I stood at the dresser, staring down at the display of the iPhone, waiting for it to light up, but it never did. I plugged it into the charger after a few minutes and decided to go take my bath. Maybe this was for the best. It just hurt that now he had officially made the decision to leave Jordan, but, in the process, had also eliminated me.
Once I turned into a prune and the bath water had gotten cold, I got out, handled my oral hygiene, and moisturized my body. I grabbed the pink satin pajama set from my drawers and put them on before pulling the covers down on my bed. By the time I curled up to my pillows and turned on my side, I could barely keep my eyes open. My last thoughts were of Ivo and the future of this whole situation.
Cambrie
“What’s your daddy like?” Piaget asked, swinging her feet while I tied Rogue’s shoes as he sat on the small bench in the front entryway beside her.
“Well, he can be stern, but he’s so funny. If he’s being stern, it usually means you messed up. He’s pretty cool otherwise.” I finished with Rogue’s shoe and slowly stood.
I heard keys at the front door before the knob turned, and in strolled Nadia with Tavi and Saga. Locking eyes with her, she immediately scowled, and I gave a slight eye roll. She’d been keeping her distance for the most part, but neither she nor Tavi was happy about me and Staten dating.
“Nadia,” I greeted her in my best sugary sweet tone.
“Cambrie,” she replied, closing the door behind them. “They’re just here to grab a few things and we’re heading back to the main house.”
“Hey, Saga. Tavi.” I smiled in their direction.
“What’s up? Where y’all going?” Saga queried.
“Cambrie made dinner for her daddy, and we’re going to take it to him and visit,” Piaget declared.
“For real?” Saga lifted a brow as if he was interested.
“Yeah. I promised I would, and your daddy suggested we all go for a little bit.”
“You wanna come?” Rogue craned his neck and peered up at his big brother.
Saga seemed torn. His gaze drifted from me to his mother as his father came ambling down the steps. Staten was casual in denim 501s and a white button-up Polo shirt. I loved that he dressed like a man and not like the rest of these dudes out here. Even the older ones were trying to keep up with the young niggas in the tight jeans, shirts, and big ass clown shoes.
“No, he doesn’t,” Tavi answered for her brother. “We’re going to the arcade.”
