Practice- A Dricki Fanfic

*Chapter Forty-One*

Drake's POV

I sit on the couch, my head reeling. Liyah continues to stare at me with wonder, whispering:  "A real, live Daddy."

I put my head in my hands, letting a few tears slip down my face. I can't leave Nicki and Audrey. I just can't. But I also have no choice. I have to be here to support Kelsie and Liyah. I'm a man, I won't turn my back on them. They need me.

Kelsie strides into the living room, switching her hips. "What's wrong, baby?" she asks.

"Don't call me that," I mumble, turning away from her.

"Awe, why not? Besides, I have to. You're my baby."

"No, I'm Nicki's baby."

Kelsie turns me to face her and slaps me hard. "Don't say that shit! You belong to me now, not that wannabe Barbie ass bitch Nicki! Get used to it!"

Feeling my anger build up, I quickly exit to room.

She's lucky she's a fucking woman or I would have beat her ass already.

I find the stairs and go up, just now realizing how huge the house is. Suddenly, Nicki bursts from a room to the left of me, holding Audrey in her hands.

"Nic??' I question, surprised.

"Aubrey!" Nicki rushes over to hug me. I barley feel Audrey in between us.

I look down and am almost surprised she couldn't hear my heart shatter. Audrey doesn't even look. . .human. She's so frail and skinny, almost every bone in her body visible. I also notice cuts and bruises on her arms and face.

"What did they do to her?" I say lowly.

I see Nicki's eyes turn a shade darker when she replies, "I don't know. She won't tell me."

I just nod, furious. It's a miracle that my daughter is still alive and breathing.

"Let's get the hell out of this place," Nicki says, dragging me towards the stairs, "before I kill someone."

"Babygirl, wait."

Nicki doesn't listen, continuing to pull me down to the living room (where I meet eyes with a confused Kelsie), and outside. I see that Nick has a set of keys in her hand, and pulling me to a black minivan.

"Nic, wait!" I have to shout for her to listen to me. She turns around with an eyebrow raised. Audrey blinks at me from Nicki's arms, each breath I can see in her chest showing her ribcage.

"I can't," I say quietly, looking down.

"What? Say it louder."

"I said I can't."

Nicki stares at me for a good long minute. Then slowly, she starts to chuckle.

"Something funny?"

"No, it's just. . ." Nicki smiles at me. "Just that it's funny you'd leave your family for some. . . some hoe you met at the club almost four years ago." Nicki shrugs and laughs dryly.

"'Hoe'?" I frown. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me. Hoe."

"So you're gonna use that language in front of our daughter? Nice."

Nicki unlocks the car doors and sets Audrey down as she wobbles on her feet. "Get in the car, baby, so I can talk to Daddy." Audrey, without a word, crawls into the back seat, and Nicki closes the car door quietly before continuing calmly.