Ruby came from around the bar, hurriedly separating us just as I was about to bust him in the head with a nearby bottle.
“Stop! Stop!” she shouted as some of the other staff gathered.
I wasn’t about to stop, though. With the problems in my life, my stress level was maxed out. If that meant that I was going to have to bust this dude’s ass at Ruby’s place of business, then so be it.
“You don’t know who you’re fuckin’ with!” I yelled, jabbing my finger in the air toward his face.
“Whatever, man,” he conceded, throwing his hands up and walking away in search of his lost buzz. “They got better drinks and better-lookin’ women across the street.”
“You’re fuckin’ crazy, you know that?” Ruby scolded as she slapped the open palms of her hands into my chest. “A madman.”
“You make me crazy,” I said, sulking. “Please. Just talk to me.” I grasped her hand. “Okay?” I needed to fix this part of my life so I could focus on the business.
Ruby looked mad enough to slap me, but I didn’t care, because I deserved it. “Lisa, can you cover for me for a sec?” she asked the redhead who was still manning the bar. Her coworker nodded, and Ruby motioned for me to follow her as she went on break.
Outside, I offered her my jacket, but she refused. She just stood there with her arms tightly folded, bouncing up and down to stay warm. She couldn’t even look me in the eyes.
“All this fuckin’ stress. Gawd, I need a smoke,” she said.
“Wouldn’t be good for the baby,” I noted.
She stopped her bouncing, suddenly immune to the effects of the weather. She stared at me with a blank expression, said nothing for a moment, then, “I’m getting an abortion.”
My stomach did a flip. “What? Why?”
“Notice you didn’t tell me not to,” she noted with a sad smile. “I’m too old for this. I’m already doing the single mom thing after one failed relationship. And you’ve already shown me that you don’t have time for me ... or this baby.”
“And that needs to change,” I said quickly. “I’ll admit that I’m not ready for this. But who really is? I wanna try to make this work. For real. But, Ruby, my life is dangerous, and you need to understand what that means.”
Just as I thought I saw a hint of reconciliation in Ruby’s eyes, my phone rang. Talk about fucked-up timing. I motioned to Ruby that I had to take it. She shrugged, that angry scowl returning to her face. At least she didn’t storm off.
I was hoping it was Paris reporting back, but it was Junior.
“Yeah,” I said, keeping my eye on Ruby so she wouldn’t leave.
“Pops wants to know where Paris is and why she won’t answer her phone. He also wants to reach out to the El Salvadorans. Apply some pressure out west in retaliation. Where are you?” my older brother asked.
“I’ll have to call you back. I’m with my woman,” I replied, to which Ruby frowned.
I abruptly hung up. They’d have to get along without me for a moment. My relationship with Ruby needed immediate attention. The family could wait; my ambition would have to wait even longer.
“You acknowledging me to your family now, Orlando?” she asked, her features softening a bit, giving me a glimmer of hope.
“Yeah. I need to if I’m really as serious as I feel. I want you to have the baby. Our baby.”
I was going to be a father. No matter how hard it was, I would make it work, and I’d be a good one.
London
47
“Just wait here.”
“You keep leaving us behind,” my bodyguard said. “Ma’am, our orders are—”
“I don’t care what your orders are,” I said, cutting off the man who was supposed to protect me. “I’m not walking into my daughter’s school with armed men. That’s where I draw the line. I still want Mariah to at least think she’s having a normal childhood. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, ma’am,” they both agreed, no attitude apparent. One exited the vehicle and went around to open my door for me.