Page 103 of A King’s Obsession

"Ma, what the fuck?" I cried, pressing both hands against my face.

The last time I'd seen my mother, I'd caught her in bed with my boyfriend. I'd walked out of that apartment so angry I couldn't see straight, swearing I was never coming back. And now the next time I saw her, she'd be lying on a cold table somewhere.

I grabbed my purse and started throwing everything inside. My charger, wallet, glasses case. I couldn't think straight, couldn't remember what I'd picked up or what I'd left behind. My hands were shaking so badly that I dropped my car keys twice before finally getting them into my pocket.

I hurried out of the room, barely remembering to pull the door shut behind me.

By the time I made it to the parking lot, tears were streaming down my face again. I climbed behind the wheel, tossed my purse into the passenger seat, and punched the address Montae had given me into the GPS.

My phone started ringing.

Ezra.

"Not now, nigga," I sobbed, declining the call before throwing the phone onto the seat.

I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my fingers ached.

The first hour of the drive was a blur. I kept wiping my face with the back of my hand, blinking through tears as the highway stretched ahead of me. Every few minutes, I'd catch myself shaking my head, still trying to convince myself that Montae had gotten something wrong.

My mama couldn't be dead.

Not like that.

Not underneath some fucking bridge.

At one point, I had to pull into a gas station because I was crying so hard I could barely see the road. I sat there with the engine running, my forehead resting against the steering wheel as I tried to catch my breath.

"God, please let this be a mistake," I whispered.

But deep down, I knew it wasn't.

I stayed there until I could see clearly enough to drive, then got back on the highway.

By the time I reached Rosemont, my head was pounding and my stomach felt like it was tied in knots. I followed the GPS through streets I knew like the back of my hand, finally pulling into the parking lot of the medical examiner's office.

For a moment, I couldn't make myself get out of the car.

Then I looked at the building.

Somewhere inside was my mama.

I grabbed my purse and hurried through the entrance.

The woman behind the front desk looked up when I approached. She was older, with glasses resting low on her nose and a soft expression that made my throat tighten before she even spoke.

"Can I help you, sweetheart?"

I swallowed, gripping the strap of my purse.

"Um... somebody called me about my mama." My voice cracked. "They said I needed to come identify her."

The woman's expression changed immediately.

"What's your mother's name, baby?"

I told her, struggling to keep my voice steady as she typed something into her computer.

"And your name?"