Page 48 of Love At Close Range

Dorian stared at me like he hadn’t heard me correctly before his eyes went back to Lennox. “This nigga is Rhyse’s daddy?”

“Yes,” I answered firmly.

“So this who you’ve been dealing with?” Lennox asked me. “This the nigga you felt comfortable having around my son?”

“Lennox, don’t do that,” I warned. “You don’t get to come in here today and start questioning every decision I made,” I stated firmly.

“Looking at this nigga, I need to be questioning all your fucking decisions,” he snarled.

“You’on know shit about me,” Dorian seethed.

“And you clearly don’t know shit about me, so watch how you talking to me, nigga,” Lennox warned.

Dorian stepped closer. “Nah, you the one who needs to watch how they’re talking. You standing here questioning me like I did something wrong by being around a child whose daddy wasn’t nowhere to be found in the first fucking place. Nigga, you should be thanking me.”

“Dorian,” I warned sharply.

“Nah, Ree,” he started without taking his eyes off Lennox. “You said he’s Rhyse’s father, but I ain’t never seen his ass before today.”

“I told you to watch what the fuck comes out your mouth, nigga,” Lennox warned.

“Or what?” Dorian scoffed.

Lennox stopped directly in front of him. “Or I’m gonna make you regret ever fucking breathing.”

“You threatening me because I’ve been more of a daddy in two years than you’ve been his whole life?” Dorian questioned.

Before I knew it, Lennox hit him before I either of us could see it coming. His fist caught Dorian across the mouth and sent him stumbling sideways into the island. The container sitting near the edge crashed to the floor as Dorian caught himself against the counter. He came right back swinging, but Lennox slipped the punch and grabbed the front of his shirt before driving him backward hard enough to rattle everything sitting on the counter.

“Enough!” I screamed as I forced myself between them. “Both of y’all back the fuck up!”

Dorian wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and tried to move around me, but I shoved my hand against his chest. Lennox stood on the other side of me looking entirely too calm.

“You got one more time to speak on me and my son,” Lennox warned as he stared past me at Dorian. “One.”

“Or what? You gone kill me?” Dorian laughed as he wiped the blood from his mouth.

“If that’s what it takes,” Lennox responded with no hesitation.

Dorian stared at him for a second before a humorless laugh left him. “Nigga, you’re crazy as fuck if you think I’m scared of you.”

Lennox’s expression didn’t change. “I ain’t ask you to be scared.”

“Then stop all that fucking talking and do something,” Dorian challenged as he tried to step around me again.

I shoved both hands against his chest and forced him back. “No! Both of y’all are done. I’m not asking again.” I turned enough to look at Lennox over my shoulder. “And you back the fuck up too. I’on give a damn what he said. You are not about to fight this man in my house with Rhyse upstairs.”

Lennox’s eyes stayed on Dorian for another second before he finally took a step back. “Then get him the fuck outta here.”

“Put me out, nigga,” Dorian spat.

Lennox took a few steps forward before I stopped him. “Shit that can be arranged,” he responded cooly.

“Listen, both of y’all need to shut the fuck up!” I snapped before turning to Dorian. “You need to leave,” I stated firmly.

“You putting me out because this nigga decides he wants to be a daddy now?” He frowned.

Lennox moved around me so fast that I got damn dizzy. Before I could intervene again, he had punched Dorian in the face again.