Page 10 of Ride

Talbot stalked to the front of the car and lowered the hood. “Princess is ready. Are you coming out tonight?”

“Malik told me about the party, but I need to rest before the big day.”

Talbot smirked, which meant he knew that I was bullshitting him. Meeting him through Kash and Malik made him a brother from another mother. Often, he’d be out with me on some of my adventures at the clubs. The camera only wanted a shot of me, and he liked to be in the background.

“Rest my ass. You have plans to get some ass tonight?”

Although at my big age of thirty, I should be thinking of marriage and kids I was not letting the past drown me. Responsibility came with those attachments though, and right now, I was curious to travel and expand my brand and investments so I could retire by the time I hit fifty with no cares in the world.My phone rang suddenly from my passenger seat and I picked it up and saw Brett's name on the screen. Before I pulled into traffic, I put him on speakerphone.

“He better need something important,” I mumbled to myself.

I pulled up to the light and asked, “Hello?”

A small voice came through the phone. “Laikin.”

“Who is this?”

“It’s Kayne. Where are you?”

Feeling like I was in trouble, I smiled at Kayne checking on my whereabouts. “At work, Kayne. Where’s your uncle?”

“He said I can call you.”

A question lingered in Talbot’s eyes.

“Okay, are you good?”

“I want to see you, and Mommy said you're probably working.”

A knot caught in my throat. Amena was put on the backburner of my mind after I dropped her off. The second I walked out of her parents’ home, I’d made my mind up to not look back, which would only get those same old feelings started again. Hearing Kayne calling looking for me made me smile.

The worry on Talbot’s face turned up a notch as he listened in on the call.

“Buddy, where’s your mom?’

“Mommy’s working too.”

I felt my lip twist in a snarl. “Working where?”

Talbot tapped on his watch to let me know it was time to get started.

“I don’t know.” Kayne laughed at something and the phone rustled in the background so I pulled it closer to my ear.

There was a sweet edge to her voice. “Hello?”

“Amena.”

“Sorry he called you. I told Brett to keep him off the phone,” she explained crisply.

I could hear my voice brimming with distaste. “Is that all?”

“What do you mean?”

“Kayne said you informed him I’m too busy to talk with him.” It nearly took me a split second to remember we’d talk on the phone often during school. Amena had strict rules growing up. She wasn’t able to go out past eight pm, and on the phone, I’d snap a lot thinking it was unfair. With her son wanting to call me, I’d hate to have that same feeling again.

Amena tried to speak in a neutral tone. “Laikin.”

“Keep your personal feelings out of it.”