Page 97 of A King’s Obsession

The line went quiet.

I tightened my grip on the phone.

“And before you get to fucking lying, nigga, I know who Ezra’s wife is.”

Chapter 20

I sat in my truck with the phone against my ear, trying to figure out how my wife knew about paperwork that had nothing to do with her.

“Hello?” Ashlynn screamed into the phone, her voice loud enough to make me pull it away from my ear.

“Huh?” I muttered, still trying to figure out how much she'd overheard.

“Nigga, if you can huh, you can hear. What the fuck is going on, Malachi?” She wasn't playing, and I could hear the frustration building with every word.

I closed my eyes.

“And what happened tonight? Who was that bitch in his office wearing lingerie? Why the fuck did Jru leave that club crying?” She fired off the questions without giving me a chance to answer the first one.

“Ashlynn, calm the fuck down. I’m on my way home. We gonna talk.” I rubbed my forehead, knowing damn well that wasn't the answer she wanted.

“Yeah, you better.” Her voice dropped, but somehow that sounded worse than the yelling.

She hung up before I could say anything else.

I looked at the phone, then started the truck. Somehow, E had pissed off his woman and mine. Talented motherfucker.

By the time I reached the main road, I was sweating like a hooker in church. I wasn’t the nigga who slipped papers into a restaurant agreement and married somebody without telling her. Why the fuck was I headed home feeling like I’d done it?

I’d told E to go get his girl. Pursue her. Take her somewhere. Buy some fucking flowers. Regular shit.

This nigga apparently heard, Go commit to that woman on paper before she can argue.

I knew once he told me. Had called his ass crazy, too. But knowing he’d done it and being the one who did it were two different things. Hopefully, my wife planned on recognizing that distinction before I got through the front door.

Then there was Simone. The woman had come around while we were getting Vice together, showing E some shit for the building. Next thing I knew, I walked into his office and she was on her knees. He sent her home, and as far as he’d told me, that was the last of it.

How the fuck she’d turned one afternoon into permission to show up whenever she felt like it was beyond me.

My phone rang as I pulled into the driveway.

E.

“She ain’t at the house,” he said the second I answered, sounding like he'd already searched every damn room. “She at yours?”

“Ashlynn said she came through and left. I just pulled up.” I shifted the truck into park, looking toward the house.

“Left where?” His voice sharpened immediately.

“I don’t know yet. Nigga, you got me in some deep-ass shit. My wife chewing my motherfucking head off, and I ain’t even made it to the door.” I glanced at the front entrance, already dreading the conversation waiting on the other side.

“What she mad at you for?” E asked, sounding genuinely confused.

“Apparently, being your fucking friend.” I put the truck in park. “She knows about the paperwork.”

He went quiet.

“Yeah. So you need to make this shit right. Let me go in here and find out what’s going on.” I grabbed my keys, ready to deal with my own household before he dragged me any deeper into his mess.