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Click.

I looked at my phone.

“The fuck?”

Heather never called me Xavier unless she was mad.

I called her back.

Straight to voicemail.

I sent a text.

Collin good?

Nothing.

“Man.”

I looked back at my chips.

“Lemme cash out.”

“You sure?” the dealer asked.

“Yeah.”

Whatever attitude Heather had today, I wasn’t about to sit here wondering if something was wrong with my son.

I grabbed my shit and headed upstairs.

It was cold as fuck outside now.

That disrespectful December cold too.

Thanksgiving had come and gone, Christmas was right around the corner, New Year’s right behind it, and somehow the year had disappeared on my ass.

Shit at home had actually been smoother lately.

Sam seemed less stressed.

Levin had been coming around more, helping with the kids and shit. Picking Zion up sometimes. Dropping Amari off. Sitting with Michael. Even holding Serenity while Sam got herself together for work.

I appreciated it.

Shit.

Four kids was a lot.

Especially with Sam working them long ass hospital shifts.

And me having shit to do.

That was what big brothers were for.

At least that’s how I looked at it.

Sam wasn’t nagging me as much either.