“Better now.” I smirked.
I kissed her again and right before I was about to get up and lock the door; we were interrupted.
“Aww shit,” Buck walked in, arms wide like he was announcing his damn presence. “Ain’t this cute. Thugga got her claws in my brother again.”
Mel rolled her eyes. “Don’t get fucked up this early, Lincoln.”
“I’m just saying, you over there letting my brother feel on you and shit like you tryna get pregnant again.” He smirked.
I pulled her closer into my chest and kissed her neck.
“Chill, baby,” I laughed. “Let him live.”
Mel kissed me one more time before she got up. “I’ll see you at home?”
“Yeah. You will?”
She nodded but gave me a look that said she still felt like I was keeping something from her. I hated lying by omission, but I wasn’t ready.
When she left, Buck closed the door behind her and dropped into the chair across from me.
“You told her yet?” he asked, turning serious.
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
He didn’t like that, but he didn’t press it.
“You better figure it out, ’cause I ain’t tryna dodge Goldie’s damn interrogation no more. She know some shit off.”
Rachel buzzed in. “Franklin… she’s here.”
Buck’s head snapped toward me. “Shit. Ain’t Thugga still outside?”
My chest tightened. “I hope not.”
I stood, adjusted my shirt, and nodded toward the door. “Let her in.”
Shayna stepped in slowly, looking around like it was her first time being here. She looked good, but she ain’t hold a candle to Mel.
“You look good,” she said.
I didn’t respond.
She looked toward Buck, then back at me. “I thought we could talk… alone.”
Buck laughed. “Nah. I’m chilling right here. You lucky I ain’t dragged yo’ ass the moment you walked in.”
“Lincoln…” I warned.
“What? You taking up for this bitch?”
“Bitch?” Shayna snapped. “I came back to do the right thing.”
“The right thing, huh?” Buck stood. “So now you care about doing the right thing? Where was that energy nine fuckin’ years ago?”
She looked down. “I was scared. My parents hated you. You were already locked up. I didn’t know what to do.”
I held my hand up to stop the back and forth. “So you here to do the test?”
