Page 30 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings 2: The Finale
“This ain’t what you think it is,” I sighed, water still dripping off me onto the bathmat.
“No?” Cambrie queried with a cocked brow.
“Don’t be stupid, girl. It’s exactly what it looks like,” Nadia taunted.
“You right. You came in here trying to throw the pussy at me, and I said no. End of fucking story. Get the fuck out of my room, Nadia!”
“You want to throw away everything we are, everything we could be for a bitch you don’t know shit about, Staten? Really? I want you to think real long and hard about that too. She betterbe fucking worth it!” Nadia tried to push past Cambrie, but she shoved that bitch into the door and got in her face.
Nadia wasn’t no punk bitch, but she wasn’t a match for Cambrie.
“That’s the last bitch I’m going to be from you. I’m willing to be cordial, even respectful, until you come at me wrong. Now I gotta get disrespectful like you, and I don’t want to show my ass around these kids like that.”
“You think I can’t see your type?” Nadia pushed herself off the door and searched Cambrie’s eyes. “You can come in here on that mother earth, nurturing bullshit all you want. This ain’t nothing but a come-up for somebody like you. I don’t give a fuck about your credentials or none of that either. I know a hood rat when I see one.”
“I bet. Looking in the mirror is always eye opening,” Cambrie clapped back.
I half smiled because she wasn’t wrong. Nadia was raised in the Bluffs in the projects and could get grimy with the best of them. The more I upgraded her life, the more bourgeois she became. She was one of those people Marcella always said forgot where she came from. Cambrie was humbling her in this moment, and Nadia flinched from her words.
“You are the help!”
“Nadia!” I barked, making them both jump before taking a step back and facing me. “This shit ends right now! Don’t ever let me hear you talk to her like that again. Cambrie is a part of my life now. Our kids aren’t in any kind of danger around her, and she’s not going anywhere. So deal with that shit or move the fuck around!”
“So you’re just going to let pussy blind you to this?—”
“Tread lightly,” Cambrie reminded her.
Walking up, I stepped between the two of them to play referee since it seemed neither of them was backing down.
“Get out.” I aimed a finger at the door just as Tavi emerged in the doorway.
“Daddy, what’s going on?” she asked, her bright brown eyes skimming each of our faces.
Just what the fuck I needed. With my hands on my waist, I bowed my head.
“Why don’t you tell her, Staten,” Nadia encouraged, using the opportunity to play victim once again and make me the bad guy in the situation. “Tell her that you don’t want to be with me or be a family anymore because you want to be with the nanny!”
“Stop putting fucking words in my mouth!” I belted, getting in her face. “I don’t want you. Let’s make that perfectly clear. I love my children and would do anything for them except sacrifice my own happiness. I may have love for you as their mother, but I’m not in love with you Nadia, and we will never be together again. Tavi, that is something you are also going to have to accept.”
“But . . . it’s not fair! Mommy came here because she loves us. How come you can’t see that?” my daughter cried.
“Life ain’t fair, baby girl. I’m always your daddy though, whether I’m with your mama or not. That’s not going to change.”
“But you want to be with Cambrie? You in love with her? Why? Why can’t you just give Mommy another chance!” Tavi demanded with tears streaming down her face.
“I’m not about to sit here discussing grown people situations with you! I said what I said, and that’s it!”
“I hate you! And I hate her too!” Tavi shot daggers at Cambrie and stomped down the hall.
“I hope that makes you happy.” Nadia turned to me with narrowed eyes and a snarl on her lips. “I’ll be spending the day withmychildren. You’ve made it clear that the only person you’re worried about around here is you and her.” Nadia hadthat same glare in her eyes when she looked at Cambrie before she turned to go.
I moved closer to my bed, dropping on the foot of it and lowering my head into my hands.
“I’m sorry,” Cambrie whispered, shaking her head.
“For what?” I asked, reaching for her wrist and pulling her toward me. “You ain’t got shit to be sorry about.”
“I can’t help but feel like this is my fault.”
