Lamonte's POV
"Lamonte, we can't do this here, not now," Ashanti spoke giving me a slight shove.
"I know we can't. I just can't help myself," I spoke selfishly.
She hopped off the bed and the doctor came back in to give us our farewell.
The car ride was silent, but it wasn't awkward silence.
I was content enough with just her presence.
No woman has ever made me feel what she makes me feel.
I had only known her for a short while and to think that we're going to have a baby.
Even though, I've only known her for a few months, I feel like I've known her for years.
I had a taste of her now and I don't think I could get enough.
I wanted her forever.
She ruined me for any body else.
Some men may say I'm pussy for being so soft with her, but I've been so hard for so long and she is the only person that's made me feel alive.
My life was numb and it was the same vicious cycle over and over again.
Now that I had her, I couldn't go back.
***
A couple days later...
I was sitting in my office when I got a notification on my phone.
I looked at my phone and it was a news headline about me.
This one was like wildfire when it spread.
I kept getting notification after notification.
It was a picture of me and Ashanti walking out of the clinic.
We looked happy and content.
I didn't really care about the press knowing this, but my dad, on the other hand, would start questioning me.
My dad has been fussing with me for years to settle down and that he wants me to have a big family.
That's what my mom wants as well, but I always brushed off the subject.
I felt like I was too young to settle down and I feared the life-long commitment.
I still do, but I can't imagine my life without Ashanti anymore so what does it matter if we get married and have a few babies?
She was already pregnant with my baby, how much more serious could it get?
I am Lamonte fucking King.
I could just flash a smile at any girl and they would fling themselves at me, but Ashanti was always different for me.
I feened for her.
Now, I'm just a guy that's in love.
I'm fucking in love with a girl I've known for 8 months.
I even got her pregnant.
If somebody told me that a couple of years ago, I would've laughed right in their faces.
Suddenly, there was a knock at my office door.
"Come in," I spoke.
Ajax walked through the door with a big grin plastered on his face.
He had a knowing look on his face and I just rolled my eyes.
"Don't start," I let out.
He laughs at my behavior and says, "I wasn't going to say anything except I'm so happy for you, brother. You finally decided to settle down."
I changed the subject and said, "They saw me walking out of the clinic with her and now it's all over the tabloids."
"I can set you up with an interview and you can clear the air," Ajax suggested.
I looked at the titles of the stories.
"Mr. King Seen With the Same Girl"
"Lamonte King Finally Settling Down"
"Lamonte King and Mystery Girl"
"Did They Get Married or What?"
"King Seen with Woman at Clinic"
"Is Lamonte King Hiding Something?"
The titles were endless, and I was sick and tired of the paparazzi in my business.
The same thing had happened a few months back when I gave Ashanti the ring.
I didn't want to clear the air because I didn't know what to say.
It died down, but they never stopped pressing until they got more information.
I guess the number one bachelor in Washington finally settling down is A1 news.
People everywhere adored me and since this scandal I've been blowing up everywhere.
My face has been seen more states than one and our business was blooming.
The paparazzi could never resist getting dirt on me.
"Lamonte," he waved his hand in my face.
"Sorry, I was just thinking," I dismissed my thoughts.
"Do you want me to set up the interview?," he asked.
"You've been leaving the media quite distraught and everyone wants to know what's going on between you and Ashanti," he continued to add to the case.
"Brother, I was just thinking the same thing. I guess it's time I finally tell the truth," I stated with a shrug.
"The truth or the truth truth," he asked in bewilderment.
"I guess you'll just have to find out brother," I said giving him a tap on the back.
"You tried to change the subject, but I really wanted to see how you were feeling about everything," he said seeming to be really concerned.
Ajax has been there for me through everything and I don't know what I would do without him. I knew that his worry for me was sincere. I would trust this man with my life.
He put me before anything and I did the same for him.
When I was at my lowest point, he was there to encourage me and motivate me.
Ajax was more than a brother to me, he was my best friend.
"Honestly, man... I feel excited about everything that's happened. I love Ashanti and I want this baby with her. Ajax, she's perfect and she makes me want to be a better version of myself. It's cliche and downright sappy, but that's just how I feel. I never thought in a million years, a woman could make me feel all these things. I've only known her for 8 months, do you think it's moving too fast?," I asked my brother for his honest opinion.
He stared at me and spoke, "I would say that it is moving too fast, but when it feels right you know. It's like a feeling in your entire body and you just know that she's the right one for you. Anyone can see that you're in love with her, just don't mess it up again."
"Are you talking about me or are you talking about yourself?," I asked teasingly as I looked at the expression on his face.
Ana and Ajax have been together for about 3 or 4 months now.
Nobody really knew what was going on between them. They were together all the time, but I didn't know if they were official.
Looking at his face, however, I could tell he cared for her.
"What's going on between you and Ana?," I questioned.
"I don't know. The relationship with us just sorta happened. We haven't made anything official yet but I want to. I don't know if she'll feel the same way," he said.
For the first time, I saw how vulnerable my brother really was.
Even in his darkest times, I never saw him crumble. He stayed strong for me all the time, but now I saw through him.
"Do you love her?," I asked.
"I've never done the whole love thing before. I don't even know what it should feel like or what I should do, but I know that every time I'm with her I feel like I could do anything. She motivates me and she takes care of me in a way no woman has. One night, I was sick in bed and she came over to make me soup. She didn't care that she would get sick, she stayed with me anyway. Then, a couple days later she got sick and we were both a mess," Ajax smiled at the thought and I smiled with him.
He was happy and I was glad to see him happy. I was a burden on him for years and it was good to finally see him opening up.
It's good to see him living his life without me weighing him down for once.
"Bro, I think we both know that you love her. I'm sure she'll want to make it official and that she feels the same way. Just go talk to her," I said softly.
"I'm sorry for all the years that you spent taking care of me and the burden I put on you when we were younger. I'm sorry that you had to wait to start your life," I continued.
"Lamonte, you're my brother. I would give up anything for you and we were both going through a tough time, it's not your fault. You blamed yourself for what happened and I couldn't let you blame yourself forever. I had to protect you and help you move on," he said softly as he looked me with his genuine eyes.
We sat in silence for a moment before my brother broke the silence, "Enough with this sappy bullshit. I'll see you later, bro."
There's the brother that I know and love.
We did our handshake and he left my office.
Suddenly, I felt a huge weight being lifted off my chest.
_____