Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned)(52)

Leaning down, Nik kisses my forehead and says, “Thanks, babe. Love ya.” And then he leaves me to feed his golden-eyed daughter.

Suddenly, the front door opens and I hear arguing coming from the hall.

“I just want to know where you go! Why is that so much to ask if you’re not cheating on me?” That’s Lola.

Trick responds, “Baby, I don’t have time to cheat on you even if I wanted to!” And I cringe.

Wrong answer, Trick.

Lola raises her voice in disbelief. “I don’t believe you! I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Diego.”

Using Trick’s real name shows just how pissed she is. Storming down the hall over to where Mimi, Nik and Max stand wearing equally stunned expressions, Lola’s wide brown eyes water as she asks loudly, “Where does he go at night?” Her voice cracks and I know she’s going to lose it.

Tina comes forward wearing a sympathetic expression and says to Lola, “C’mon, honey. Let’s go.” She and Mimi lead her down the hall to her bedroom, but not before Mimi openly glares toward the front door.

Just as I hear the bedroom door shut, Trick emerges from the hall looking unkempt and tired. At least he shaved today. I turn back to Tatiana. Feeding her, I tell him quietly, “I don’t know what’s going on with you, Trick, but family doesn’t keep things from each other. You got something to say, just say it. We need you as much as you need us, and I don’t like that you’re pulling away from Lola.”

Max and Nik don’t say a thing, but I see Max nodding his agreement in my peripheral vision. Without a word, Trick walks over to me and kisses my cheek. He takes the spoon from my fingers and nudges me to get up. I get up and leave him to feed Tatiana. At least she can get a smile out of him these days.

Walking over to Nik and Max, I ask them, “So, what’s for dinner?”

Nik says, “Chinese” at the same time Max says, “Pizza.”

They both turn to each other. My eyes widen and I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.

It’s a stare off.

“We can’t have pizza every second night, Max!” Nik snaps.

Max nods and says, “Yeah we can, Dik. That’s the beauty of pizza. So many different toppings, it’s like you’re eating a different meal every time!”

“It’s not good for Ceecee.” Nik retorts.

Max narrows his eyes and puffs out a breath, his face wearing an Oh please, is that the best you got expression. He yells out, “Ceecee, baby. You want pizza?”

Ceecee yells back from her room, “I love pizza!”

Max smirks and widens his hands in a what else you got stance. Nik’s brows furrow before his face turns triumphant. Wearing a shit-eating grin, he tells Max, “Tina wants Chinese.”

Game over.

Tina always wins. She has this way of making you feel bad without actually doing anything to make you feel bad. She’s too damn sweet is what it is.

Max’s mouth pulls down into a frown. He sighs. “Fine. We’ll get the f*cking Chinese food.”

Just then Tina comes down the hall with a smile and says, “Pizza! Yay!”

Max and I turn to look at Nik. His face falls with defeat and Max and I burst into laughter. Getting a cramp, I clutch my stomach. We laugh long and hard. Even Nik chuckles and says, “Knuckleheads,” before walking into the kitchen.

Smiling like idiots, Max wraps his arm around my shoulder and walks me over to the sofa. He sits then pulls me down into him. I really can’t help myself. I ask, “Where’s Ghost?”

Max’s reply makes my good mood turn to a blazing inferno of emotions. He answers, “With Tasha.”

He’s with Tasha? Tasha ScreamFace? Miss Oh-God-Yes-Yes-Yes?

My chest aches and my stomach drops.

I clear my throat. “That’s nice. How long’s he been seeing her?”

Max snorts in response. “Ghost doesn’t see anyone. They’re just interchangeable pussies for him. I think he’s been f*cking Tasha for a few months, but it’s just out of laziness. He can’t be bothered finding another woman. He says Tasha’s a wild one. He likes ‘em like that.” Completely unaware of how much what he’s saying is hurting me, Max continues, “I don’t think Ghost will ever settle down. It’s just not him, ya know? He doesn’t even know how to talk to people. Sure as hell doesn’t trust anyone. Why do you think he got into security?”

He squeezes me tight and I say, “But he’ll get over whatever’s bothering him though, right?”

“Don’t count on it, babe,” Max replies quietly.

Okay, so either my heart is breaking or someone stabbed me in the boob.

Before I can contemplate what I’m feeling right now, the front door opens. Max and I both look up from our position on the sofa to look down the entry to the hall. Asher walks through wearing an annoyed expression, a sexy skintight, black long-sleeved tee, blue jeans and sneakers.

Annoyed or not, my heart soars.

He came! He’s here! Meaning he’s not f*cking Tasha! Yay!

As soon as he sees Max holding me on the sofa, his scowl deepens. He asks in a deadly voice, “Having fun there?”

Max just chuckles while wrapping me tighter in his arms. “Hell yeah! I’m watchin’ TV with one of my favorite girls. We’re having pizza tonight and Nat said she’d blow me later.”