Page 85 of Kissed By the Trillest Thug 2

“I could never,” I added.

She reached up and cupped the side of my face.

“Thank you.”

A sad smile crossed my face. She nodded slowly before saying the one thing I don’t think either of us was ready to hear.

“Then don’t hate your daddy either.”

I looked away. The breeze drifted through the parking lot while I searched for the right words. I loved my father. I always would. But loving him didn’t mean that I couldn’t hate him too. Loving him didn’t make this hurt any less. After a long moment, I looked back at her.

“That…” I let out a slow breath. “I’ma try not to.”

It wasn’t forgiveness, not yet. It was simply the best I had to give.

Chapter 16

Bleek

The smell of hot grease had filled the house before noon. Eternity had been talking about fried fish since yesterday, so here I was standing over the stove on a Saturday evening, making sure my pregnant wife got exactly what she wanted. Marriage taught me a lot of things, and one of them was simple: When your pregnant wife wants something, you make it happen. Music played in the background, and this was my shit.

Get me out into the nighttime

Four walls won’t hold me tonight

If this town is just an apple

Then let me take a bite

If they say why?

“Why?”

I sang along with Michael Jackson as I carefully laid another piece of seasoned whiting into the grease before stepping back as it crackled.

“Daddy!”

I looked over my shoulder.

“What?”

Maylee was leaning against the kitchen island with a handful of grapes.

“You’re burning it.”

“I’ve been frying fish longer than you’ve been alive.”

“I’m just trying to help,” she said with a shrug.

“You can help by getting out of my kitchen.”

She popped another grape into her mouth and then took a seat at the island counter.

“I’ll think about it.”

I laughed under my breath. Maylee was something else. MJ walked in carrying a bottle of water before taking a seat beside her. He was poking her in the neck and singing along to the song.

“Tell ‘em that it’s human nature.”