Page 32 of Kissed By the Trillest Thug 2

“I’m okay,” I repeated softly.

A shaky breath left her. We were both quiet on the phone, then I heard movement on the other end. The sound of the phone changing hands. Immediately I knew that my father was getting on the phone.

“Maliah.”

His tone was strong as hell. The single word carried enough weight to make me sit up straighter.

“Daddy…”

“Send your location.”

There was no hello, no how are you. He got straight to business. I looked over at Tahari and then back down at my lap.

“Daddy, it’s not his fault.”

There was a dangerous silence that took over. I had this lump in my throat, so I swallowed down hard before opening my mouth.

“I came here.”

He said nothing, so I kept going.

“Nobody knew I was coming. Tahari didn’t ask me to come here. He didn’t tell me to come here. I showed up.”

“Maliah,” his voice dropped lower, “send your location.”

I pushed myself to my feet. The movement immediately caught Tahari’s attention.

“I’m coming home.”

“You can come home after I get there.”

“No,” my answer came before I could stop it.

My heart was beating harder now because I already knew exactly what was about to happen if I gave him the address. He already shot Tahari, so I’m sure that killing him was nothing. I wouldn’t put it past him now.

“Daddy?” I tried reasoning with him.

“The address.”

The command cracked through the phone. I closed my eyes briefly and then shook my head. I was going through the motions even though he couldn’t see it.

“No.”

The silence that followed felt endless.

“Maliah… the address.”

I turned away from Tahari and started pacing. My emotions were all over the place. I was angry, confused, hurt, and mainly scared. I was petrified for Tahari’s life if I gave away my location.

“I’m coming home.”

“Maliah.”

The warning in his voice would’ve stopped most people. Usually it would’ve stopped me too, but not today. Not after everything. Not after learning exactly who he is now.

“No,” the word came out stronger this time, “I said I’m coming home.”

The silence on the other end stretched. Long enough for me to know my father was angry, really angry. But for the first time in my life, I wasn’t backing down.