Page 2 of Koda's Love

She stopped talking because she didn’t have anything else to say. She knew we didn’t have anything special. We never even had real conversations about ourselves. The only thing she knew was that I ran our family’s hotel, and she knew I was the middle child of three. That wasn’t a secret, given that my brother was the chief of police, and our hotel being the best one in SunriseValley. She didn’t even know my favorite color, or any of that simple shit. I damn sure didn’t know about hers, because I didn’t care.

“Exactly. You and I both know that there is nothing between us. I can’t give you what you need, and I think we need to cool off on this shit.”

“What?” she asked as her eyes stretched.

“Yeah. You obviously want more than I can give, and I don’t want to hold you back from finding that.”

Anger filled her face as she stepped back. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, but I’d check it when I left. I already knew it was probably one of my siblings or my mother asking me to pick something up from the store.

“Get out! And don’t think about coming back when you want your dick sucked!”

Her reaction wasn’t warranted, because I never gave her false hope of anything going further than what it was. I told her from the beginning I wasn’t into relationships. Even if I were, she wouldn’t have been my pick after the way we met. Yeah, I was good off her.

“I won’t.” I made sure I didn’t leave anything behind, even though my keys and my phone were in my pocket.

Tamika screamed at me as I walked to the front door, but I didn’t pay her any mind. There was nothing she could say that would make me change my mind or feel sorry for her. It wasn’t my fault she got her feelings involved.

When I made it to my SUV, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check my messages. It was just my brother telling me that he and his family were on their way to my parents’ house. My sister was probably already there helping my mom prepare dinner.

My family meant the world to me. My older brother was my best friend, and I was happy that he’d found love. He also gave me my first niece, and I loved that little girl so much.

After cranking the engine, I pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward my destination.

About ten minutes later, I pulled up to my parents’ house and pressed the code to open the gate. My parents’ house wasn’t a huge mansion or anything, but my father insisted on getting a gate. He was adamant about my mother’s safety, and he didn’t play about her. He always said if anyone ever made it past the gate, they wouldn’t make it back out. Everyone in our family had our gun license and kept a few guns around our places. I was more of a knife collector, so things could go either way with me.

Before I could even get to the front door, my mother had it open. Mia Bishop was really my heart. She never made me feel like a middle child, and I loved her for that.

“About time you got here,” she fussed as soon as I hugged her.

“I’m on time.” I kissed her cheek, then released her.

“According to whose time? Everyone else is already here.” She grabbed my hand, and we walked into the dining room where we had our monthly dinners.

I smiled at my brother as he held his ten-month-old daughter, Karisma. He tried his best not to mess with his assistant, since the last time he did that, it didn’t turn out well. Things were different with Mycah, though. They were truly in love, and I was happy for him. I wanted to hold my niece, but I needed to wash my hands first. Even though I didn’t do anything with Tamika, I still touched her hair and her neck, and I wasn’t trying to give my niece germs from anywhere.

“What’s up, everybody?” I spoke to everyone at once.

When Karisma heard my voice, she tried to crawl out of her father’s lap, but I told him to hold her while I went to the bathroom. I quickly relieved myself and washed my hands, then went back into the dining room.

Karisma was already crawling on the floor when I entered, and I went straight to her and picked her up.

“Hey, baby girl.” I kissed her cheek, then moved my head back because she tried to snatch my glasses off. “I don’t know why you always do that.” I chuckled.

“She gets me all the time,” my brother said.

Everyone in our family wore glasses or contacts except my mother. My sister, Karma, wore contacts most of the time, except when she was home.

“I know she does.” I tickled Karisma’s stomach, and her giggles bounced off the wall. She was always so happy, and I loved her innocence. I wished she could stay that way, but I knew that wasn’t possible. I prayed some knucklehead would never hurt her feelings, because I didn’t want to have to do something to someone’s son. “What’s up, Pops?”

My dad sat at the head of the table and smiled as he looked at our growing family. Knight Bishop taught my brother and I how to be gentlemen and how to treat women. I just hadn’t found anyone worth showing that too. I wasn’t even sure what I was looking for, but I knew I’d find it whenever it found me.

“I’m good. Loving having my kids here and my new daughter-in-law.” He glanced at Mycah. “And, of course, my grandbaby. Everything is all I ever wanted it to be.”

“Now we just need you to settle down,” my mom said as she entered the dining room carrying a tray of food.

I played with Karisma, ignoring my mother. She started pressuring me about settling down the minute Kairo told us that he’d proposed. I wasn’t sure why she thought I had to follow my brother’s lead, because I didn’t. I had never been a follower,and I wouldn’t start now. Things would go the way they were supposed to.

“Please don’t start with that. I’m happy for Bro and My, but that ain’t for me.”