Page 12 of Phone On DND
“Aye! I know you ain’t yelling at your OG like that?” Cruz spoke before I could, drawing Kani’s angry gaze to him, but he kept his lips shut in a tight line, surprising the hell out of me. Apparently, in just a couple of hours, Cruz had gained enough respect that my baby didn’t immediately turn his rage on him. When Kani’s shoulders sagged and his eyes lowered to the ground, I was even more stunned.
“But I don’t like bowling though,” he finally grumbled, his voice now contrite and sounding much more like the little boy I’d raised. My motherly instincts had me ready to give him a hug despite his bad attitude just a few seconds prior, but I decided to let the scene play out.
Shrugging coolly, Cruz handed him the bucket they’d been collecting shells in. “That’s probably ’cause you ain’t nice with it like me. ’Bout couldn’t even get a strike without one of those slide-looking things they use for babies?—”
“I’m not a baby! I don’t even use that anymore!” Kani shouted, cutting him off, but Cruz only threw his hands up with a snort.
“It’s cool if you still need help, I ain’t judging.”
Kani’s scowl returned, falling right into the trap Cruz was setting for him. “Idon’tneed help! I can beat you all by myself.”
“Guess we’ll never know since you don’t like it anyway.” Cruz shrugged again.
“I bet I can!”
The exaggerated look of doubt on Cruz’s face only incensed my baby more, and even Kari’s tears had dried up to see where this was going. “I bet $100 you can’t.”
“Ooh, I want $100!” Kari jumped in, completely over her tantrum with the prospect of getting money on the table.
“I mean, I’m sure I could beat both of y’all with one arm tied behind my back, especially since y’all ain’t tryna get no rest in?—”
“Ha! I’m gonna take a nap just to beat you!”
“I’m gone eatandtake a nap!”
The twins shouted, trying to outdo each other, and I bit back a smirk. Normally, I wouldn’t have approved of my six-year-olds gambling, but if a fake two-hundred-dollar bet got their asses back to the villa willingly, then oh well, because I damn sure wasn’t coming off that money for real anyway.
Cruz squinted doubtfully. “I don’t think that’s gone help y’all, but whatever. When I win though, I want my money in all twenties, and I don’t wanna hear y’all crying to your mama either.”
“You gone be the one crying! Come on, Kari!” Kani stuck his tongue out before grabbing his sister’s hand and dragging her toward the villa, leaving me and Cruz in an uncomfortable silence. Things were obviously still weird with us, but I couldn’t pretend like I didn’t appreciate the way he was handling my kids.
I watched them for a few seconds before turning back to Cruz to find his eyes already on me… well, on my body anyway. I couldn’t deny it felt good to know he was still attracted to me, considering the cold shoulder I’d been getting from him. “Thanks for that, sometimes they’re a handful.” I gave a small smile, hoping to disarm him, but his expression remained stoic.
“It wasn’t shit,” he muttered, already walking off, and instantly, the smile slipped from my face. I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting from him, but it damn sure wasn’t that, not after the way he’d been vibing with my kids. Apparently, that energywasn’t extended to me. The way he was holding this grudge over me declining a date with him was crazy as hell. It had been months and he was still giving me his ass to kiss, and at this point, I was over it. Rolling my eyes, I shook off my irritation and headed to my villa behind my kids.Fuck Cruz!
Chapter 8
Cruz
Ifrowned, seeing a text from an unknown number pop up on my phone, and damn near choked when I clicked on it out of curiosity. Immediately, an image of Raya sitting in front of a mirror with her legs cocked open filled the screen.
“This crazy ass bitch,” I mumbled, shaking my head even as I took in her fat, bald pussy. There was no denying her shit looked good and felt even better, but the fact that I hadn’t given her my number had me less than enthused to be hearing from her. Especially knowing that she was doing this shit while her husband was laid up in the hospital. It was the talk of the underworld how that nigga had gotten ambushed by some Italians and was now in a coma, but that shit obviously didn’t mean anything to his wife. Shit was crazy as hell and one of the main reasons why I wouldn’t dare put a ring on a hoe’s finger. I didn’t think every woman was that scandalous because Maasai had found a real one in Avery, but what they had was rare and not easily obtained, and considering my track record, not forme.
As if to further drive that idea home, the sound of kids laughing brought my attention to the beach where Keyani’s thick ass was trailing behind the twins. From my spot on my balcony, I could see her clearly with her face all twisted up in irritation.She yelled for them to come back as she rifled through the huge bag on her shoulder, but their bad asses weren’t listening. She hadn’t lied when she said they were a handful, I’d found that out firsthand the day before. Keeping them busy on the beach had been easy, especially since I only had to deal with Kari, but later on during bowling had been a completely different story. They’d taken our bet more seriously than I’d bargained for because while I was distracted by Keyani’s fine ass, they were dusting me. Thinking back on it, I was sure she’d worn the yellow, form-fitting sundress to help them out because they wouldn’t have won otherwise, unless they were some fucking ringers. I was more salty about them actually winning than having to come up off the money, but I’d played it cool like I’d let them win and spent the rest of the night listening to them brag about the shit. I didn’t even mind though because I realized I kinda liked their bad asses, which was why I’d opted out of the yacht ride everybody was going on today. Giving them a swim lesson was one thing, but I’d fucked around and hung out with them, collecting sea shells afterward, got on Kani’s head about his mama, and spent time with them bowling, so I knew they’d fuck around and gravitate to me on the damn boat. It wasn’t like I’d have anywhere to run to avoid them on the open seas, and I knew I wouldn’t have done that anyway. I was clearly more invested in them than I cared to admit, and I needed to take a big step back considering my issues with their mama. At least that’s what I was thinking until I saw her traipsing down the beach in the knit cover up she had on. Just that fast, I changed my mind and hit up Maasai to hold the yacht up for me.
I took a quick shower and threw on a tan t-shirt, with tan and dark-brown Gucci swim trunks and Gucci slides. Knowing we’d be out in the sun, I added a matching bucket hat over my braids and a pair of buffs and was out the door. As I made my way to the dock, Avery’s sister was switching there at the same time, andshe smiled big when she noticed me. I’d only ever been around shorty a handful of times, most of them being in the last few days, and she’d aggravated me each one of them muthafuckas. It was obvious she was trying to use Avery’s wedding as a way to find her own man, but she was barking up the wrong tree fucking with me. I’d paid her dust every time she tried to spark up a conversation, but she still wasn’t catching the hint though.
“Heeeyyyy, Cruz!” she gushed, rushing in her expensive heels to walk alongside me. I mustered up a weak greeting and moved a little faster, but she kept up easily. “Can you hold this for me?” Somehow, her bag was already in my hand before I could object and I started to drop that shit, but Avery and Maasai appeared at the back of the yacht.
“Hurry y’all asses up! Y’all got my baby waiting for y’all slow asses in this damn heat!” Maasai’s face was tight even as a horrified Avery tried to elbow him discreetly.
“We’re literally right here, and it’s not even that hot!” Gabriella huffed back, adding the last part low enough so only I could hear, with her scary ass. Unlike his wife, Maasai didn’t give a fuck about shorty’s feelings and hadn’t hesitated to put her in her place whenever she’d said something out of pocket, which had been often on this trip. I waved his ass off since we were already nearing the boarding platform, but the sight of Keyani looking down at us had my steps slowing. Something flashed across her face so fast that I barely caught it before she disappeared out of sight. I sucked my teeth, already knowing what her ass was thinking, seeing the two of us walking together and her bag balled up in my hand, but just as quickly as I felt a way, I shook that shit off.Fuck her feelings!
“Just come on y’all, we’re already twenty minutes behind,” Avery spoke up, bringing me out of my thoughts while giving us a an annoyed look before pulling Maasai away.
I finally reached the platform and stepped on, completely forgetting about Gabriella’s ass until she called my name to help her up too. Clenching my jaw, I reached back for her with my free hand, and once she seemed steady enough on her feet, I shook myself free of her grasp.
“Thanks, Cruz.”
