Page 208 of When a Soul Cries

Sugga stopped moving.

Her hand remained against Halo’s back while Halo continued playing with her fingers, completely unaware that I’d just dropped a bomb into the middle of the room.

“In love?” Sugga repeated, her brows slowly lifting.

I nodded once. “Yeah.”

For several seconds, she simply stared at me. Then her eyes narrowed suspiciously, like another thought had just occurred to her.

“You already pictured marrying that girl, ain’t you?”

My head slowly turned toward her.

I didn’t answer.

I didn’t need to.

Sugga’s mouth dropped open as she read everything she needed from my face.

“Oh, Lord. Roman.”

“I know.”

“You done planned a whole life in that big-ass head of yours.”

I leaned back, fighting a smile. “I ain’t bought a ring.”

“Thank God.”

A laugh escaped me, but Sugga’s expression gradually turned serious. She adjusted Halo against her lap and studied me for another moment.

“You really care about her?”

The humor left my face too.

“Yeah.”

Sugga’s gaze dropped to Halo. “And her?”

My eyes followed hers.

“Both of them.”

I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees, watching Halo curl her little fingers around Sugga’s.

“If Sol ever lets me get that far, I’m not stepping into Halo’s life halfway,” I said. “Ain’t no father in her life. Mack was a rapist, and now he’s dead. That baby deserves somebody who shows her what a man loving her is supposed to look like.”

Sugga didn’t interrupt me. She just watched my face.

“If Sol ever trusts me with that responsibility,” I continued, “I’m taking all of it.”

Sugga’s expression softened. “All of it?”

“All of it. Raise her. Protect her. Show up.” I looked at Halo again, feeling something tighten in my chest. “And if we ever got there and Sol wanted it too, I’d make her a Devereaux.”

For a moment, Sugga didn’t say anything.

Then her eyes narrowed again.