Page 158 of Own It

“Yeah, well I can’t be sure what I’m gon’ do. You keep bringing the shit up, though, and I might just smoke you. You’d deserve it if yo’ ass is lying.”

Though he was quite brash, I agreed. Anyone who would lie about something like this and continue to, after seeing how much Rakim clearly loved and held his brother close to his heart, deserved death. It would be a cruel trick to play.

Rakim dropped me off at home, telling me he’d be in touch in a few days when we got the results.

Using my key to enter my apartment, I quickly looked to my left when I heard footsteps approaching. Seeing Mylo, I froze before focusing back on unlocking my door.

“I have work to do.” I threw out the first thing I could think of as Mylo walked into my place behind me. He was too quick for me to close the door on him.

Shutting the door behind himself, he said, “Téa, what’s the issue?”

Dropping my purse, I yelled, “The issue is that I am pregnant by one man and fucking his . . . shit, I don’t know. What the fuck are you to Zaire? I know it’s more than friends!”

“We was cool, more like associates. Rakim and I are more like friends, and Zaire is just his lil brother.”

“Okay, well still. I shouldn’t be fucking a random man while pregnant, but I especially shouldn’t be fucking a man who was so close to its father, even if indirectly.”

Mylo’s sexy face twisted up, so I prepared myself for his rebuttal.

“Zaire is deceased, so it ain’t like it really matter whether you fuck or stay celibate while pregnant with his kid. Secondly, from what I’ve gathered, Téa, you wasn’t even his girl. Y’all fucked once, and that was it. You making it sound like you was this nigga’s main bitch or some shit.”

Mylo’s words felt like a punch to the gut. I wasn’t sure why, but him denouncing me to be some one-night stand and nothing more hurt me. Though I did only fuck Zaire one night and we weren’t in a relationship, I’d felt something with him. I could tell the feeling was mutual by the conversations we had after. Had he not overdosed, I could guarantee we’d probably be together.

Mylo’s insensitive ass didn’t understand or care about that.

“Yeah, this isn’t gonna work. Mylo, I want you to leave me alone and for good. What happened between us was a mistake, and I pray this can stay between us, but if you feel the need to tell Rakim that we had sex, then go ahead. Doesn’t change the fact that this is Zaire’s baby, so I couldn’t give less of a fuck.” I shrugged.

“Téa—”

“Go. Please. And do not come back. I think I gave you the impression that I liked you or wanted more, and I don’t. I’m lonely, yes, but the only person who can cure that is my child’s father.”

I knew my words would be hurtful to hear, but I didn’t care. It was partially true, but I also said it because I knew it would get Mylo out of my apartment and life.

My hormones were out of whack, and my mental wasn’t up to snuff, so engaging sexually with another man, one connected to Zaire on top of that, just wasn’t wise. Typically, I would drink or pop a pill when I felt off like this but I couldn’t do that to my child.

Mylo gazed at me with a disheartened expression before turning to leave without another word.

Oddly, I would’ve preferred he curse my ass out than nothing at all.

SEVENTEEN

rakim

MYKONOS . . .

With all the shit I had going on, I knew even more was bound to hit the fan, but before it did, I wanted to do something nice and private for my girl.

So when Daylin told me she had a passport but had only used it once on a terrible trip to Mexico, I knew I not only had to add some stamps to that shit but erase the one international trip she had from her memory.

Admittedly, I didn’t vacation like that either. Anytime I had to leave the country, it was for business. I saw no value in taking time off just to look at the fucking water or be by my lonesome. All I would do was become swallowed up by my thoughts, and whether I was in the US or Italy, the shit didn’t feel good.

I also hadn’t met a woman that I felt comfortable enough with to fly out the country. Majority of the time, when you spent too much fucking time with a woman, she justifiably began to expect more from y’all’s relationship, and I wasn’t on that prior to Daylin. Dinner, movie, conversation, and a couple sex-filled nights together were all I was willing to proffer. By saying that, bae-cations were off the list.

“I’m so excited!” Daylin bounced in her seat as our driver pulled up to Cavo Tagoo, the hotel we’d be staying in for the next two weeks.

“You don’t even know where we going.” I touched her exposed thigh. “And stop bouncing like that.”

“Why?” She halted, adjusting the dress she’d changed into while the jet made a stop to refuel. When I looked at her body, she sucked her teeth.