C H A P T E R | THIRTY-EIGHT
SHE'S MINE PART 2
𝙲 𝙰 𝚁 𝚃 𝙴 𝚁 𝙼 𝙴 𝙺 𝙷 𝙸
"LEMME see your hands," Carter said, smiling as he sat on the edge of the closed toilet seat, sleeves of his Versace oxford rolled up so that they wouldn't get wet while he was giving Zyair a bath, "Show daddy your hands Zy," Zyair lifted up her hands, "Oooooh you so smart," he said laughing, "Look at you pruney," he grabbed a baby towel and wrapped it around her, "I think it's time to get out before you turn into a little prune." Carter put the hood of the baby towel on her head and kissed her forehead, "All clean."
"Carter make sure you dry her hair really good," Stoni said from the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner, "Her hair holds water and it's cold out - - I don't want her getting sick," she looked up, seeing Carter coming down the hall with Zyair in his arms about to go into Zyair's room.
"Tell mommy to relax, Zy," Carter said kissing all over Zyair's face, "Daddy knows what to do with babies, don't he?" He smiled, gently rubbing the terry cloth on Zyair's hair and going into her nursery. Stoni rolled her eyes from the kitchen when Carter was out of ear shot as she washed the dishes, hearing Carter talking to Zyair and Zyair babbling broken words.
Carter dried Zyair, put her in her pajamas and walked around, holding her hoping to lull her to sleep quickly, "Somebody looks sleepyyy," he whispered into her ear, "Want daddy to read you a story?" He walked over to her bookshelf, "Which one is your favorite," Carter said, browsing through the stories but already knowing which story always put Zyair to sleep, "Show me which one," he turned her in the direction of the shelf and watched as she pointed to one book in particular, "I thought you liked that one," he smiled and grabbed it and then went and sat with her in the rocking chair.
Carter opened the cover of the book and smiled because this book was a special one. A little after she was born he used his artistic skills to come up with a children's book he'd made just for Zyair, drawings and all and got it bound, the whole nine for her to keep forever. Stoni read Zyair that book every night before bed - - it was Zyair's favorite bedtime story. Zyair laid her head on his shoulder, sucking her thumb as Carter read the story to her and using her other hand to cling to his shirt, never wanting to let her daddy go - - she, just like Stoni, missed Carter too.
After Carter put Zyair down for bed and kissed her goodnight he made his way into the kitchen looking for Stoni but he saw that everything was cleaned up and that the kitchen light was off. Sighing from the long flight he made himself a glass of water and then walked back down the hall to the master bedroom where he found Stoni slipping out of her panties and bra and into her sleeping gear.
"She sleep?" Stoni said, slipping the shirt over her head and looking over her shoulder as it fell over her body.
"Yeah," he leaned on the door watching her, "Out like a light."
"That's a personal best," she laughed slightly and turned around, pulling her hair out of her shirt, "She never goes to sleep that fast with me - - I have to fuss with her for at least half an hour."
"I guess daddy got the magic touch," he said and saw Stoni rolling her eyes and then took a sip of his water, "How have you been?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "Fine, I guess. School's going fine and Zyair's fine - - so fine," she said indifferently.
"Just fine?" She nodded, "You get that money I sent last week?" Stoni nodded again without too much to say. Noticing her quietness Carter sat down his glass and walked over to her and stood in front of her, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said looking up at him, "I'm fine."
"Is that the only word in your vocabulary these days baby doll?" Carter said, caressing her cheeks and biting his lip, "I missed you."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah - - of course," he leaned down and kissed her lips, "I miss you and Zyair all the time."
"I can't tell," Stoni said looking away from him but was pulled back by his hand, "Carter it's not as easy as you think - - I love Paris it's great for my dancing and all - - I do, but I miss New York. I miss Allison and Jason," she sighed, "And me and Zy being so far away from you is REALLY hard."
"I know it's hard and I know it's not what you really want but we talked about this, Stoni," said Carter, "After you finish up school then we'll talk about possibly moving ya'll back but right now - - I can't afford it. I've got this case going on - - F.B.I's all over me and shit."
"Do you think they're gonna have any shot at convicting you?"
"Hell no," Carter said, "I've got the best lawyers that money can buy," he waved it off, "It'll all be over with soon."
"How did 'Baby doll I'm gonna bring you and Zy back to NY' in three months turn into you and Zy can 'possibly' come back. Possibly? Carter - - that still doesn't change the fact that me and Zyair need you, Carter - - we need you - - we're your family too and you - -," Stoni stared at him for a while seeing something on him that distracted her from finishing her thought. She took a long irritated sigh and snatched his hands off of her face, "Don't touch me."
"What?" He looked around confused, "Wait - - what happened? What? What's wrong, Stoni?"
"Carter get out of my face," she shook her head, ripping back the covers on the bed and throwing off the extra pillows, "Just get the fuck out my face."
"Watch your fuckin' mouth - - don't be disrespectful for no reason. What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"What the fuck is wrong with me? What's wrong with me?" She turned to him and threw a pillow down, tears and anger in her eyes, "YOU are disrespecting ME, Carter - -," she grabbed his arm and lifted it up, showing him what she'd just seen present on his ring finger; his wedding ring. "You never wear your ring when you're with me NEVER - - you're such a fucking liar and I knew it - - I knew you were working things out with your wife. I'm so stupid for believing you."
"Who the fuck said I was doing anything, Stoni? Where the fuck you getting this from?"
"I'm not stupid!" She wiped her eyes, "In all the time I've known you - - you NEVER wore that fucking ring when you were with me besides when I FIRST met you! You never disrespected me like that and threw that thing in my face!" Carter closed the bedroom door, not wanting her to wake up Zyair, "You wearing that shit means that ya'll are working SOMETHING out! You're not leaving her and you're never gonna leave her - - me and Zyair are always gonna be your dirty little secret that you throw away to France and come back whenever you feel guilty enough to see if we're dead or alive!"
"Ring or no ring that don't change the fact that I love you, Stoni! I love you and you know damn well I do - - you and Zyair mean the fuckin' world to me! I'm not understandin' why you're comin' at me like this - - like I just said fuck ya'll and moved on with my life!? I come here - - all the way to Paris all the fucking time to see you and Zyair! Every two weeks I spend at least a weekend and sometimes an entire week here with ya'll!"
"Do you hear how you sound, Carter? Tell me you're not that fucked up in the head that you don't hear how that sounds coming out of your mouth?! We need more than just a weekend, Carter! More!"
"I'm only one man! How the fuck I'm gonna be in two places at once? Stoni I'm only ONE man - - there's only ONE Carter - - I'm not God - - I'm not omnipresent! WHAT THA FUCK YOU WANT ME TO DO?"
"Tu debe haber pensado en eso antes de quedar embarazada me! Estoy harto de sus mentiras!" Stoni always went off in Spanish when Carter or anything took her there - - angry to the point where English just wouldn't suffice to express her anger.
"What the fuck are you saying!? I can't fucking understand your ass!"
"I said YOU SHOULDA THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BEFORE YOU GOT ME PREGNANT!" She screamed back at him, crying angry tears, "And I'm so sick of your lies!"
"Don't put this on me. Don't you dare make it seem like this shit is all my fault."
"This shit?" She looked at him like he was crazy, "By this shit what the hell do you mean? Are you referring to OUR DAUGHTER - - because if you are - - I swear to God - -,"
"I love that little girl, Stoni! I love her with all my heart so don't you dare try to come in hea' and turn shit around putting words into my mouth and spoutin' shit that I don't mean and neva' would mean in a million years. I know the situation is fucked up and I know that you miss New York but I'm doing this not just for me - - for you and Zyzy. It's not safe for ya'll to be thea' while all this shit with my case is going on. I don't want to add more shit to the issues already at hand. When I come here," he sighed.
"When I'm with you I escape all that shit, and you know that - - it's always been that way. You know what you mean to me - - you know how important you've always been to me and how you always brought out a side of me that my wife hasn't since we were fuckin' teenagers. You bring out something good in me that I can't get no where else - -," he sighed again.
"Stoni I'm trying as hard as I can. I'm under so much pressure from you, Des, the fuckin' media and the police - - I am trying SO hard to be everything that all of ya'll need."
"Well we're suffering too, Carter - - we're hurting too and we need you too."
"I know," he pulled her close to him and held her, "I know - - I know - - put it all on me. I can do betta'. I promise I'm gonna do betta'."
"I just want our daughter to have somethin' I never had or knew. I didn't know my father and all I want - - forget about me - - all I want for Zyair, is for her to know and have a relationship with you. I don't want her to grow up wondering like I had to and being all alone," she broke down crying in his chest, "Carter, that's all I want. If you don't love me no more then fine, but please don't punish Zyair for it. I don't care what happens to me but Zyair needs you soooo much and I need you to know and care about that."
"I know that," he said, "Baby I love Zyair with my last breath. I don't love no one child more than the otha'. I love each and every one of them the same no matta' what. I love you too - - I care what happens to you and I care about your feelings. I'm so sorry I'd eva' lead you to believe otha' wise."
"Why would you wear that," she sobbed, "Why would you make me feel so bad like that. I know this is wrong but I love you and I know you belonged to her first but you told me that there was gonna be a me and you - - you promised me all these things - - and you," she cried, "You wearin' your ring - - I feel so bad seeing that thing."
"I'm sorry baby," he kissed her lips and wiped her tears, "I'm so sorry - - look," he took his ring off and placed it in his pocket, "It's gone. I won't wear it around you again. I grabbed a last minute flight, I was with Des and the girls before I left and I forgot I was wearin' it. I'm sorry."
"Don't wear it again when we're together," she said, "I can't - - I cannot."
"Okay, I won't - - look at me," he grabbed her face, "I love you. You love me?" She nodded, "Tell me you love me if you love me, Stoni."
She sniffed and looked up into his eyes, "I love you, Carter," she said and wiped her tears away, "Promise me you won't make Zyair grow up like me."
"I promise I will be hea' for you and our daughter - - that lil girl in there is mine and I'll be damned if I don't take care of my responsibilities as a man and a fatha'. Any child of mine, that got my blood and my last name - - will be taken care of and I will be in their life, point blank, period," she nodded, feeling his reassurance and he picked her up, "Come on, get in bed," he said, "We had enough arguing and shit for one night and I know you're tired," just like he had done before he placed her down in the bed, fluffing her pillow and getting her covers situated, "Tomorrow we're gonna spend all day out in the city - - just you, me, and Zyair."
Stoni sighed and looked up at him as he was about to tuck her in and pulled him down closer to her by the ears, catching his lips with hers and kissing him passionately. "I'm sorry too," Stoni said, "I know you're trying. I just get frustrated with this sometimes," she pulled him down on top of her and continued kissing him, missing the way his lips melted and fitted right into hers and the way his tongue entered her mouth bringing back old familiar feelings.
Carter finally ended up on top of Nish, still kissing as her hands slid down his shirt, unbuttoning the buttons of his shirt and pushing it off his shoulders with both of her hands. Stoni moaned as she felt him kissing up her neck and then back down, biting and nibbling just so while she reached down his abs and tugged at his belt. When she finally got it unhooked she snatched it off from around his waist and allowed it to fall from her hands and onto the bedroom floor with a slight thud.
"I missed you so much," Carter whispered against her skin, pushing up her sleep shirt until it was at her neck and off onto the floor with his shoes, socks, and belt, "You don't know how hard it is for me when I'm in New York," he said, "How bad I wanna see you."
"I know," she whispered back, unbuttoning his pants, pushing them down and sliding her hand inside his briefs, "Take these off," Stoni said as she stroked his manhood from inside his boxerbriefs eliciting a groan from his lips at the feeling of her soft hands caressing his most sensitive body part, "I want you to know how much I miss you," she moaned as she felt his hands between her legs and his index finger circling around her sensitive clit, "Sssss - - mmmm - - don't tease me."
"Hold on," Carter stood up, shook himself out of his pants and out of his boxer briefs, put on a condom and then climbed back in bed, flipped her on her stomach and got on top of her.
He started at her neck first, kissing down the nape of it, while sliding his hand in front and finding her wetness. His tongue slid down her neck and then down her spine while his fingers massaged her clit and opened her up for him before he put himself inside. "How much did you miss me?" Carter said whispering into her ear and then placing little butterfly kisses down her shoulder blades.
"You can feel how much," Stoni said back to him, grinding her hips against the pressure of his fingers and moaning, "Ooooh, Papi - - she misses your touch," she spread her legs open wider and rolled onto her side with Carter behind her, "See how wet she gets as soon as you touch her," she squeezed her legs together when his rubbing got more intense, "I'm ready for you," she moaned.
"You sure?" Carter bit her neck and rubbed his manhood against her wet opening, back and forth, teasing her still. Smirking he slowly slid the head inside and waited for her reaction until he saw her grab the sheets and put her head down clenching her eyes closed and moaning in pleasure. If there was one thing that Carter knew it was how to use himself to make her feel better and diffuse an argument.
He never meant to disrespect Stoni with his wedding ring and although he was thinking they both knew the truth, he didn't want to say it and add further insult to injury. Stoni knew what she and Carter had and she knew that Carter appreciated her patience but there was only so much that Stoni could take. No matter how much she knew he was married, it didn't get any better for Stoni to have to live with her demons, but there was no way in hell she'd apologize for her child and there was no way in hell that she could allow Zyair to not have a relationship with Carter whether he was married or not.
They both knew the situation and Stoni was respectful of Carter's wife as much as she possibly could - - she wasn't the only woman in Carter's life but she would fight to the death for Zyair to have the relationship with her father that she knew Zyair deserved.
● ● ●
Stoni woke up in the morning rubbing her eyes, yawning and looking around the bed and room for Carter. She was sleeping so well that she hadn't felt him get up and out the bed to answer his phone. Stoni sat up, running her fingers through her long dark brown tresses pushing her hair from one side to the other in its unruly state and climbed out of bed.
Her toe tips touched the cold floor making her shiver and she went to the French windows, opening the curtain and letting in the sun as she looked out at the breath taking, beautiful, and most of all expensive Parisian view. Sometimes living in Paris wasn't so bad when she had moments like these and remembered their first time together when they conceived Zyair in Paris.
She went off to make both coffee and tea, not sure which one Carter wanted, poured herself a cup of tea and went back out to the window, drinking it and people watching as she listened to Carter's conversation from the other room. She knew by the sound of his voice that it was his wife and she was confirmed by the conversation.
"I'll be gone a few more days," Stoni heard Carter say, "Yeah - - yeah I know I said Thursday but business ran a little longer than I expected at first. You know I've been trying to get this deal together for a while now," Carter said, "Where are the girls? Tell them I said I love them when they get out the pool."
"Brooklyn's running up now," Destini said from the other line as Stoni listened in, "Here, Brook."
"Hi daddy," Brooklyn said excitedly over the phone, "What you bringing me back?"
"Hmmm," Carter's voice perked up, "Depends on what you want me to bring you this time."
"Money," she laughed and Carter could almost hear her grinning - - just like her father, she loved money.
"I'll definitely bring that back," he said laughing, "Tell your sisters I said hi and put mommy back on the phone."
"Yeah," Destini said laughing, "That's your child." She paused for a little while, "Carter - - you know I don't think you should be working like this with all that's going on. The police are basically harassing me every fuckin' place I go - - they're sitting outside the house and shit. I don't know what it is they expect to find out by doing that," she sighed tiredly, "I'm three seconds away from going out there and fuckin' them up."
"Fuck them," Carter said, "Don't let that shit bother you. Judas is there with you while I'm away right? He's there now?"
"Yeah," she said, "Judas is here. I'm just getting nervous about these court dates and shit."
"Good," said Carter, "Baby, don't worry about nothin'. All this shit is gonna blow ova'. Ain't nobody going no where. Rememba' what I said, right?"
"Don't talk about shit with anyone and watch what's said over the phone," Destini said, "I remember."
"I know they got the house phone tapped for sure," Carter said, "Keep it light ova' that phone line - - matta' fact don't even use it like that."
"Fine but I still don't think you should be working right now as much as you are," she said, "Like nothing ever happened."
"That's how life is. Shit happens and then you move on," Carter was still trying to move past the pain from Shawn, Billie, and the entire ordeal, "I'm not stopping my life, Destini."
"Okay, Carter okay fine - - I don't want to argue about that," she said, "I just want to make sure that you're alright and you're not just covering your feelings up."
"Don't worry about me babe," he said, leaning against the wall, looking out at the Parisian morning, "Everything is fine - - I'm fine - - the kids are all fine and you're fine. My girls are all that matta'."
"And me too, right?" Destini said playfully, "Right?"
"Of course," Carter said, "You too."
"Betta' be," Destini giggled over the phone and sighed, "I miss you."
"I miss you too, Des."
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too, Des," Carter whispered back, "I gotta go though, love," he said, "Give me some kisses before I hang up." She made kissing noises over the phone and Carter smirked, "Aight then, ma."
"Hurry home," she said, "I mean it and don't work too hard."
"I will," Carter looked at the phone, "Bye," he said and hung up.
Carter walked out of the room and into Stoni's bedroom, finding her at the window awake with a cup of tea. He walked up behind her and kissed her neck, "Goodmorning," he whispered against her ear and placed his chin in the crook of her shoulder, "You sleep well?"
"Yeah," she said, putting her tea down on the table, "Better than I have been," she swallowed her mixed emotions about the phone conversation she'd overheard, remembering all that Carter had promised her and knowing deep in her heart that he was with the woman he wanted to be with. He was there with her in Paris and she didn't want to waste their time being upset at him. She told herself he was doing what he did for the both of them and their daughter.
"I was thinking we could go shopping today in the boutiques," Carter said, reaching up, pulling her to his chest from behind. His finger tips walked gently over her nipples before he took her breasts into both of his hands and massaged them, looking out at the view, "What do you think?"
"Shopping would be fun," Stoni said and turned around looking up at him, "It's a little cold though."
"That's what they make furs for sweetheart," Carter said laughing, "Come on," he picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, "We'll get some new shoes, some clothes, some jewelry - - we can get Zyair some jewelry too and a bunch of new clothes and shit."
"Zyair doesn't need any jewelry," Stoni laughed, "She's barely one year old, babe."
"So," Carter shrugged, kissing her neck, "Let's take a shower together and then we'll get dressed," he said between tongue kisses, "Mmm...and we'll go."
"Okay," she kissed back, "You're tryna get nasty in the shower," she said, "I know you."
"I want some more of what I got last night," he growled into her ear, rubbing himself against her.
"What's that?" Stoni looked around, "Shit, Zyair's awake. That's her in there making noise."
"Trussst me," Carter kissed down her neck, "She'll go right back to sleep - - they always - -," they heard Zyair again, this time spouting out broken Spanish words, "And anotha' thing - - why can't I understand our child? Why doesn't she speak English? You not teaching her nothing but Spanish or what?"
"I'm teaching her English, Spanish, and some French," Stoni laughed and slipped into her robe.
"Teach her more English, Stoni, I'm serious - - I don't get that code language."
"Well, daddy, you teach her," Stoni said as she walked down the hall to get Zyair, "I'm comin' mama - - I know you're hungry. Daddy's gonna feed you," she said smirking, "Carter you're on breakfast duty - - chop, chop." He sighed, forgetting what it was like to have an infant since Kayden had grown up but happily made his way into the kitchen to prepare Zyair's breakfast and get their family outing underway.
● ● ●
Stoni and Carter walked through the Paris streets hand in hand while Carter held Zyair in his opposite arm nearest his shoulder. She couldn't have been happier to have her entire family together, dressed elegantly in the most designer of fashions and the most warmest of furs and leathers all together living the dream she'd always dreamed. When Carter was in New York he was Destini's but when he was out of the country he was most certainly Stoni's and she'd be convinced no other way.
"I almost forgot how beautiful Paris was," Carter said as they all walked together, "I haven't been over this way in a while."
"You're always so tired when you come visit," Stoni snuggled up against his arm, kissing his cheek, "I'm glad you're staying a little while longer."
"I know," Carter said.
"Papi," Stoni paused in speech, still walking with him, "You haven't spoken to Aiko Hamilton since that time at the fashion show right?"
"Aiko - - what makes you bring her up? I haven't seen her in foreva'. I told you I don't even get down with shorty like that. I forgot her name that's how much I don't fuck - -," he looked up at Zyair, "Mess with the broad like that. No."
"I ran into her a few months back and she was acting all crazy - - in the grocery store," Stoni sighed, "I just don't wanna have to compete with another woman for you - - that's all."
"I swear I'm not doing anything with that girl," Carter said confidently, "She's in my past and she and I have no reason to speak anymore. I don't want anything more to do with her, I told you that."
"You promise?"
"Babe," Carter looked at Stoni, "Aiko Hamilton is ancient history, I swear."
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