Page 123 of A King’s Obsession

“Ezra. Don't.”

I clenched my jaw and looked away, letting the nurse finish checking Ashlynn's monitors. The last thing I needed was security dragging me out of the hospital before I got a chance to talk to my wife.

My wife.

The same woman who'd just run out of the room thinking she'd been sleeping with somebody else's husband.

Fuck.

Once the nurse was satisfied that Ashlynn and the babies were doing all right, she reminded us to keep the noise down and stepped back outside. I was still trying to get my head together when Ashlynn called my name.

“Ezra.”

I turned toward her, finding her glaring at me through tear-filled eyes.

“You stupid motherfucker.”

“Ash, I—”

“No, don't Ash me.” She shifted against the pillows, wincing as she tried to get comfortable. “You had that girl thinking she was somebody's mistress, and the first thing you do when you finally see her is question who she's been fucking? Are you out your motherfucking mind?”

I rubbed my beard, feeling the sting of her words because every damn one of them was true.

“I ain't know she was pregnant.”

“And whose fault is it that she ran from you in the first place?” Ashlynn demanded, her voice cracking with frustration. “You better tell her about that marriage, Ezra. I'm so sick of this shit. I swear to God, if you don't tell her, I will.”

Yara's head turned toward me so fast I knew I was about to catch another round of bullshit.

“Wait a minute. What marriage?”

I looked at Malachi, hoping the nigga had enough sense to keep his mouth shut.

He looked toward the ceiling.

Motherfucker.

Yara folded her arms, narrowing her eyes. “Ezra King, what the hell did you do?”

“Ain't nobody got time to explain all that right now,” I muttered, glancing toward the door.

“Try me.”

Malachi sighed, rubbing his forehead before answering for me. “He married Jru without telling her.”

For a second, Yara didn't move. She just stared at me, her lips parted like she was waiting for somebody to tell her we were joking.

Then she walked straight over and smacked me upside the back of my head.

“OW! Woman, what the fuck?”

“I TOLD YOUR ASS THAT WAS A BAD IDEA!”

“Yara, goddamn!”

“Is that shit even legal?” she demanded, standing there with her hands on her hips like she was somebody's disappointed mother.

“It's handled.”