She was back at home, but stayed busy.

Between being a single mom, owning her beauty salon, and now modeling for KStyle Fashions, her plate was full. No matter what, her daughter came first in her life. She did not even put her sisters before her daughter, and she loved her sisters. All of them were close, she could not pick her favorite sister.

Probably Big Sister Rena, as they had a best buddy type relationship. She shared responsibilities as an older sibling and took care of them when they were younger. She hated babysitting, while Sarena did not mind it. She was too wild and carefree at fourteen, fifteen to sit at home and watch bratty sisters. Of course, she did it anyway, her mother did not play games with them.

Maybe it was Krystle, her favorite. When their mother told Sarena and her she was having twins, the two fought over them, wanting to have one each to play with. Sarena had Kitty, she had Krystle, her little baby doll. She told all her friends she had a real-life doll to take care of. Their bond was forever cemented.

Or it could be Tennille, her near mirror image in everything but appearance. Both loud and wild, said whatever they wanted, and had a freaky sexual nature. She knew her sister was a wild one, and they would share stories only between the two because Sarena was damn near a prude and Kitty was on some spiritual cleanse or something...well, until she met Icee.

She loved all her sisters, favorites or not.

But they did not know everything about her, and she planned on keeping it that way.

Except they all knew that she could never say no to Dallas Green.

"I'm never giving up on us." His deep voice echoed in her ear as he kissed all over her body, his hands roaming around to her most intimate places.

Dallas was an incredible guy, her dream guy if she ever dreamed about perfect guys. She was not the type of girl to do that. Beyond gorgeous, he was the opposite of Malik in many ways. Shorter at five feet ten, but built like a linebacker from his days playing football through college at Mizzou. The man had muscles on top of muscles, and stayed in shape by playing football with his boys whenever he could. At twenty-nine they were the same age, but he was mature beyond that number.

Dallas knew her body well. He did not bother with oral sex, he went straight to the main course.

"I need you and Atiya with me."

"Are we really going to talk about that while you're inside me?"

"Yes. It's the only time you listen to me."

She giggled because he was probably right.

"I'll make you come this time." He thrust harder, moving his hips around hoping he would hit some magical spot to make her have an orgasm.

She knew it was more than that. It was a mental issue that she could not get around. And she felt sorry she told him she never reached orgasm, because he was more focused on that than enjoying himself. Bless his poor heart.

"Tell me you are almost there?"

She could lie, but what would that do? She faked it with Malik, why not with Dallas? Because he deserved more than that.

"It feels good, you're the best."

Now she went and lied to him. Though it was good, if she ranked him and Malik, Malik scored higher points. It was not a contest, and she would never tell them who was better in bed.

"Better than him?"

Dallas knew about Malik, and vice versa, Malik knew about Dallas. It was what it was. If both men wanted to be with her, they were going to be with her no matter what. Neither was willing to leave her, so they were willing to share. It was perfect for her.

"Dallas, let's not-"

"Keep playing with my feelings then. You know Atiya sees you and thinks this is okay."

"My child loves the both of you, but she knows who her father is." She pushed him away from her because she was done with him. Not going to reach an orgasm anyway, he could stop with all the bullshit.

"Babe, I'm sorry." He pulled her in his arms. "You know how I feel about this bullshit. I wish you make a decision and stop stringing me alone. Are you just with me because of our child? Tell me. I can handle it."

No, she thought to herself, comfortable in his arms, not wanting to leave. She could not explain her feelings for Dallas. He was there when she needed him and she would never forget that.

"Dallas, you know it's more than that." She kissed his neck. "Don't give up on me."

The guys wanted her to choose. How could she? She cared for them for two different reasons.

She met Dallas when she finished cosmetology school in S. Louis. He worked at a bank and he was a sweet guy and she clung to him and quickly became pregnant. They were not even seeing each other long. She was weeks from graduating when she found out she was pregnant. Her mother made her come back home soon after she graduated.

Not wanting to raise a child all alone without her mother, sisters, and Victor, she packed up with her license and moved back home. The twins were juniors in high school, Tennille fourteen, and Nola eleven. At least her baby would have live-in sitters.

Dallas did not like it. He did not want to move to Springfield and leave his cushy bank job. She did not ask him, he made more money in St. Louis than he ever would in her little town. Dallas did his best to always be there, driving to Springfield nearly every weekend to be with her. He missed most doctor's appointments, but she liked doing things independently.

As much as she cared for Dallas and knew he would be a good father, her feelings for him at first, were never there. He was just baby daddy.

Once Atiya was born, he truly stepped in, helping her out financially. She didn't need his money, her brother-in-law helped her buy her salon, plus she had a little savings on her own. She was able to go right to work after she had Atiya, building her clientele just by being the fierce woman she was. If she stayed flawless and her hair slayed, people would think they could achieve her look as well.

Nice try.

She knew she was pretty, but she never flaunted it over others. Her mother raised her better than that. She remembered having long talks with her mother when girls teased her because she was so skinny. They teased her about her thick, course hair, but then when she put her own relaxer in at ten and it all fell out, they teased her about her bald head. Going through that with her hair, she vowed to keep her hair slayed from them on out.

She studied it, googled it, YouTubed it, and played in her sisters' hair till she perfected braiding, flat-ironing, cutting, coloring and even sewing in weaves to the neighborhood mommas who paid her top dollar for styles no one was doing in little Springfield. Getting her license so she could legally do her was the icing on the cake since she had been doing it for years anyway.

"I love you no matter what, you know that," he said, kissing her. "Damn, sometimes I wish I didn't love your ass so much."

"I'm sorry." She rubbed his chest. "Don't give up on me.  I know I'm fucked up and I...have intimacy issues, but it's not you, I promise. You're a great guy, gorgeous, sexy, sweet to me and my child-"

"Our child."

"You know I mean that. See, that's why I need you."

She had something different with Dallas than with Malik. Sure, her sisters judged her for having two hot guys, but long as they were satisfied and not going anywhere, it wasn't their business.

Dallas stayed the weekend and spent most of his time with Atiya. He took her shopping, though the girl needed nothing. They went to the park, the zoo, skating, Incredible Pizza, everything that man could fit into two days, he did. Since school was going on, all he had was weekends. He tried to get her every break and take her up to St. Louis. Atiya had lots of cousins on his side too, so she enjoyed her trips up there.

Soon as he left, Malik flew in to spend some time with them.

"Here are my girls!" He grabbed Atiya in his arms soon as he saw them. "Hey, I missed you. Let's go out and have some fun."

"Okay!"

It was Monday night, what was he thinking?

"School night bruh, none of that. You can stay and play some games, or watch a movie, but she still has a bedtime."

"I will tuck my girl in then." Malik kissed her cheek. "I know you have some good books for me to read."

"I can read for myself, silly. I'll read you a story." Atiya was too grown, but Malik didn't check her. He let her get away with anything.

"Will you draw me another picture? I have all your artwork hanging up in my office."

"Hmmm, let me think. What did you buy me?"

"Atiya! He doesn't have to buy you anything, what did I tell you about that."

"Of course, I got my girl something." He put her down and went to his bag and dug inside. He pulled out a big art kit since Atiya loved coloring. She didn't need more art stuff, but spoiling her was Malik's favorite pastime. "We can draw a picture together."

"Cool!"

She made dinner while they sat in the dining room and made pictures. Malik left her for a moment to come into the kitchen to kiss on her.

"I miss you, babe." He kissed her neck, hugging her to him while she tried to finish the spaghetti and meatballs she was making. "My girl can cook, and she looks like this. Damn!"

She laughed, nudging him away. "Boy, stop. My momma made sure we all knew how to cook. Taught us when we were tall enough to look over the stove."

"Wish I would have met your mother."

She had lost her mother just a few weeks before she met Malik. Maybe that was another reason she couldn't let him go. She needed him at that moment and he was there, a stranger.

"My mom was a very strong woman. All alone raising six kids...sheesh, sometimes it's hard with just one. It amazes me every day when I look at Atiya, how the hell...without that man..."

"Your father? Tell me about him."

"Why? That mother fucker left us when Nola was a few weeks old."

"You've not seen or heard from him since?"

She said nothing as she plated the food. Her father, who left all of them like garbage, did not even attend her mother's funeral, and had recently reached out. That was yet another thing she had not told her sisters. She already knew what they would say.

Twenty years he was away, what did he want now?

A/N: Are we finally going to meet Mr. Kelly?