Page 110 of Full Court Press

“Boy, hush.” Nia waved me off. “But I’m glad you’re back, Piper. I know we had our differences in the past, so I’d like to apologize for the way I acted. I wasn’t in the best mental space back then, and I took my frustrations out on you both. Seeing you guys’ connection made me a very jealous person, but I realized he was never mine to have.

“He was my best friend, who had a vulnerable moment with me, and it produced that beautiful little girl in there. That was all it was supposed to be between us. He found his person in you, and I see how much he’s still crazy in love with you.” That pulled a smile from Piper and me that made Nia turn her lip up playfully. “Ugh, y’all so ugly right now.”

We laughed as Piper stepped closer to her.

“It’s water under the bridge now, Nia. We all had to grow up to realize our poor decisions, and I appreciate your honesty and apology. All is forgiven.” Piper held her arms open, and they embraced.

“Thank you,” Nia replied, wiping the tear from her eye then letting her go. “Well, I gotta go. Y’all have fun on y’all’s trip. I wish I could be on an island sipping margaritas and letting my hair down.” She giggled.

“Come with us,” Piper offered.

“Oh, hell nah⁠—”

“I don’t want to be on the island with you anyway, lil’ ugly,” Nia said, putting her hand up to stop me from talking. I didn’t take offense, because this was how we interacted now. Just like when we first met.

“Don’t listen to him, Nia. If you want to come, I wouldn’t mind, and I’m sure Kiy wouldn’t either. Besides, having someone there around my age will be good for me. We can get drunk and gossip.” Piper made a silly face, which caused Nia to laugh.

“Only if it’s okay with him. I can close my shop down and pack my shit before sundown.”

“Do yo’ ass even have a passport?”

Nia wiggled her fingers at me. “Been had one, FYI. Try again.”

“And what about Rick? You just gon’ leave him out?”

“His job is remote. I’m sure he’ll love a good vacay too.” She smirked.

“Then it’s settled. You’re coming.”

“Period, queen. Let me go. I’ll see y’all on the jet tomorrow at five!” She hurried and hopped back into her whip and drove out of the gate.

“I’ma fuck yo’ pretty ass up. Ain’t nobody tell you to invite her.”

She giggled. “And why can’t she come?”

“Fuck all that. What’s this shit about a new baby mama that had you irritated?”

Piper sighed then pulled me inside and shut the door. “Anais came to my job today, claiming she’s pregnant by you. And since she couldn’t get in contact with you, she stalked me, came into my job, and decided to deliver the news to me to give to you. Thinking that would get me angry.”

“What the fuck is wrong with this stupid-ass bitch? I never hit her ass raw, and that bitch ain’t got a maternal bone in her body, so she was popping birth control pills like she was popping molly.”

“It may be possible that she stopped taking them when you proposed to her, or she felt like she was losing you. I wouldn’t be surprised if she poked holes in the condom.”

“Yeah, a’ight. Fuck a possibility.” I walked over to the wall and grabbed the keys from the key rack. “Kiyanne!” I called from the intercom.

“Yes?”

“Come on. We gotta go somewhere right quick.”

“What are you doing?” Piper asked me.

“You’ll see.” Kiy came down the stairs with that little ugly, furry-ass dog.

“Can I bring Aria?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.” I took Piper’s hand and led them out to the garage. We got inside my Porsche truck, and I pulled out of the gate, heading to a bitch who had me fucked up.

It only took us thirty minutes to get to CVS and then across town to Anais’s crib. I pulled in her driveway behind her white Range Rover.