Page 10 of Nothing Without You

“Mr. Kee, that game was fun,” Liam shouted, and then he spotted me and yelled, “Mommy!”

I winced from the pounding in my head, but then I smiled weakly. “Hey, baby. Guess what?”

“What?”

“We’re going to have a sleepover at KJ’s house,” I replied.

Both boys clapped and cheered. I smiled. Seeing them both so happy made this shitty day seem a little brighter.

“Come on. Let’s get y’all buckled in so we can get going,” Keegan said. He grabbed my bags from me and then helped the boys get buckled while I settled into the front seat.

The cool glass of the window felt good on my pounding head, but the lingering smell of Keegan’s cologne calmed me. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, agreeing to stay with my boss, but a small voice inside of me warned me to get ready for the time of my life.

CHAPTER 4

KEEGAN

“So you think I’m fine?”

Chyna seemed to choke on her spit. I reached over and patted her back gently from the driver’s seat.

“Mommy okay?” Liam asked. Lil man was for sure a mama’s boy. Every time I saw them, he was up under her, both driving her nuts and making sure she was okay. It was always comical to watch.

“I’m fine, baby.” She coughed a few more times, and I rubbed her back. Honestly, any excuse to touch her pretty ass was one I would take. Finally, she asked, “What?”

“Icelynn said you told her I was fine. What? You thought I missed that?” I grinned at her. I thought it was cute how she squirmed.

“Uh . . .”

I chuckled. I swear, my face didn’t see so many smiles until she came into my life. My mama would be the first to tell it. She’d been badgering me about this mysterious woman in my life. What was crazy was I never mentioned Chyna to her before. It wouldn’t surprise me if KJ had, but still, . . . niggas weren’t lying when they said mamas knew everything, because although Chyna and I weren’t together, in my head, she was mine for sure. It was only God Himself that steered her clear from dating while she knew me because He knew I would for sure crash out in the worst way if I caught wind of her going on a date.

“It’s cool, Chyna Doll. I think you’re cute too,” I replied as I turned left. I felt her eyes on the side of my face. “What’s up?” I asked without looking at her.

“How are you joking around right now after what you just did?”

“What I do?” I asked, knowing damn well what she was talking about.

I glanced at her just in time to see her brown eyes turn into slits. She looked back at the boys, who were no doubt listening to every word we spoke, before she focused back on me. “You know what I’m talking about, Kee. You ain’t have to do that man like that.”

I looked at her with a sideways glance. “Who didn’t? He was fuckin’ wit’ you, wasn’t he?”

“Mommy, he fuckin’ with you?” Liam asked.

“Doll, he fuckin’ with you?” KJ asked.

I grimaced because I knew without looking at her, Chyna was now mugging the hell out of me.

“Aye, man. Why y’all only pick up on the bad words?”

“Bad word, Daddy? Which one?” KJ asked.

I kissed my teeth. “Man, never mind. Y’all need to sit back there and mind ya business if you want ice cream after dinner.”

“I don’t have business,” Liam said.

I snorted. These lil niggas were a handful. I grabbed my phone from the dashboard and unlocked it.

“Here. Watch YouTube.” I handed the phone back to KJ, who eagerly took it. Their attention immediately shifted to the phone as they bickered about what to watch and who would hold the device.