Meek wondered if he was a fool. To give up the potential that could exist between him and Livi. He was hung up on Morgan. He wished he had stuck to his guns and kept his distance from her. Two years had gone by before he had been in the same space as she had, and at first sight, she had affected him. Those sad eyes had pulled him in, and he had been stuck ever since. Meek idled on the curb of Livi’s building as the seconds ticked away and he stroked his chin. A million thoughts ran through his head. To stay or pull away. Livi was as good as any. She was beautiful. Another man would have staked a claim a long time ago.

She ain’t her, though.

Meek put his car in drive and pulled off.

Morgan heard the key slide into the lock of the front door, and she stood. Eager eyes watched him cross over the threshold, and when he looked at her, she closed her eyes to savor the seconds that passed as he took her in. She fluttered them open, and he was still across the room. The blank expression on his face made Morgan wring her fingers in anxiety.

“You said to come to where I got the shirt from. I got it from you,” she said. Her voice barely worked. She had prayed he would come home. She had hoped he wouldn’t stay out with Livi. That he wouldn’t fuck Livi.

God, don’t let him love Livi.

“Where are the twins?” he asked.

“Ethic’s,” she answered.

Ahmeek’s jaw clenched, and he ran both hands down his wavy head. “You say one thing and do another, Morgan Atkins. The circles I don’t love, Mo.”

He stayed on his side of the room. He was thinking real hard. She could see him. Weighing the options of what her presence meant in his head.

“I ain’t fucking with it,” he said.

Morgan deflated. The air left her. It wasn’t what she had expected to hear.

Ahmeek tossed his keys on the table near the door and crossed the room, passing her. Morgan couldn’t even speak as he ignored her. He pulled open his Sub-Zero refrigerator and pulled out a Heineken and then bypassed Morgan again as he headed to the couch.

“So you’re going to ignore me?” she asked, voice small.

“Fuck you here for, Mo, huh?” he asked.

His tone stunned her.

“I just wanted to see you … to … I don’t know … seeing you with … you said to come…” Morgan was searching for an explanation.

“I fucked over a good girl for you today,” he said.

“Fuck her,” Morgan said. “I don’t care about her.”

“What about me? Huh? How you feel about me?” he asked.

“You know how I feel about you,” she defended.