Page 60 of The Impossible

“How do you figure? What if it’s a boy?”

I smiled. “I’d be ecstatic, but I feel it. You’re carrying our daughter first, Nic.”

I was running on the treadmill when the music in my ears was interrupted by the sound of my phone ringing.

I squeezed the tip of my headphone, continuing to run.

“Yo.” I mustered through burning lungs and a need to slow down but I was pushing it.

“It’s been handled.” I recognized the voice as Winston, the mayor.

“Good.” I double squeezed the headphone to hang up, then focused on my run. I had been slacking the last few weeks. Between adjusting to being here with Nic and settling into our life together, there wasn’t much time. Not to mention, I had a whole ass family to knock off to make sure she and my unborn were safe from their bullshit.

With Chief Logan out of the way, O’Leary was in a rough spot, which left him not only unprotected but spiraling. We had a meeting coming up Friday. I intended to let him stew. He didn’t know what was coming, but he would, and by that time, it would be too late.

I was done with my workout and wiping sweat from my face when my phone rang again. This time I looked to see who was calling. It was Otto.

“Yo,” I answered, continuing into the house.

“I thought we said we weren’t gonna do it that way.”

I knew exactly what he was referencing. “We didn’t. Found a different way.”

“I’m at the front. Open the fucking door.” He hung up on me before I could respond. His rude ass was lucky I was headed that way because I for sure would have left him outside.

When I opened the door, I also smelled food, which had me moving toward the kitchen with his mad ass in tow.

“I thought we said we weren’t gonna handle it that way, Hon?”

“We weren’t and we didn’t. Nigga still alive, ain’t he?” I walked up on Nic flipping pancakes and kissed the side of her face. “Good morning, beautiful.”

Otto shook his head. “What’s up, sis? But you know what I mean.”

I shrugged, then slid into the nook. “He’s breathing.”

Otto shook his head.

“Otto, do you want breakfast?” Nic asked, rounding the island and bringing my plate to me.

He slid in across from me and nodded. “Hell yeah, I came at the right time. At least I can get a meal since somebody isn’t listening to a word I’m saying.”

She laughed right before she set my plate down. “Everything?”

“Yeah,” he responded. “How do you think this is gonna go? You just baited him.”

“Nah I didn’t. I took away his only way out of this mess. Plus, you know Logan had it coming after everything that happened. He should be glad he got his name dirtied and not engraved.”

I dug into the eggs on my plate, then stuffed the fork into my mouth. From Wednesday to Saturday, Nic gave Alysia and the chef the time off. She said she could cook and manage her own home and wanted it to just be us. I understood that and craved moments when I knew it was just us. Not only that, ever since Nic cooked for me that one time, I craved her cooking and that intimacy more than anything.

Otto shook his head. “So what is your next move?”

“Finish what they started. And make sure my wife is safe walking through any door she decides. Just make sure that meeting is scheduled.” I grinned, then reached for my orange juice.

My brother and I talked for a minute before he got the itis and found a room to sleep in. He knew there was no talking to me when I made up my mind about something, so thankfully he gave up on the lecture.

I took a call from my father in the room, then a call from Curr letting me know everything with the casino was good. He asked if I could pass the word to Otto. I would when he woke up.

“You’re letting your hair grow.” I stepped behind Nic in the mirror while she brushed her hair.