Page 96 of The Don’s Virgin Obsession

I wasn’t.

The room got quiet outside the shower, except for the music still playing low and water hitting the tile.

“I’m serious,” I said again. “Take y’all shit and go.”

Neither one of them argued after that.

By the time I got out of the shower, the room was empty again. Bottles everywhere. Weed smell heavy in the air. Birthday balloons still tied to the gift Sade gave me, sitting on the counter.

I stared at it for a second before sitting at the edge of the bed with a towel around my waist.

The room spun a little.

I looked out at the city through the penthouse windows.

Thirty-six years old and a nigga still ain’t know how to be happy.

$$$$$

I woke up the next day, throwing up.

The room was bright as hell, sunlight cutting through the windows, while my head felt split open. I barely made it to the bathroom in time. Liquor, bile, nothing but bullshit coming up while sweat ran down my back.

I sat on the cold floor, breathing hard for a minute before looking up at myself in the mirror.

I looked fucked up.

My phone was buzzing, and texts were piling up. I ignored all that shit and grabbed the blunt off the sink anyway. The first hit made me cough harder than usual. I looked at my phone finally.

Five missed calls from my mother.

Eight from Vanessa.

I frowned.

Damn. I forgot all about breakfast at my parents’ house.

I pushed myself up off the floor and grabbed a warm 7 Up from the kitchen counter before checking my phone again.

V Baby: CALL MOM ASAP.

Something in my stomach dropped lower than the liquor already sitting there.

I called my mother back immediately.

She answered on the first ring.

“Son.” Her voice sounded wrong.

“I overslept,” I said, rubbing my face.

“Come to Cedars.”

My hand stopped moving.

“What happened?”

“Your father collapsed this morning.”