Love Without Loyalty

by Kaige Keira

  Love Without Loyalty

  Love Without, Volume 1

  Kaige Keira

  Published by Kaige Keira, 2020.

  Love Without Loyalty

  Always Become Somebody Worth Having

  Kaige Keira

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  I don’t know

  If Love dies

  Or we just become more alive?

  All I know

  Is there’s air

  In these lungs again

  And my heart

  No longer beats for you.

  -Cindy Cherie

  Chapter 1

  Autumn sat at the kitchen table and watched as her sister Tori, played on her phone. Their mother, Dina, was standing up over the stove, cooking breakfast before her two girls left for school in the morning. “Did you complete your homework last night,” Dina asked her sixteen-year-old daughter Tori. Tori nodded her head yes while she kept her eyes on her phone. Dina shook her head and went right back to making the pancakes. Autumn stifled a laugh as she got up to grab the carton of orange juice out of the fridge to place on the table.

  Dina sat the plate of pancakes down on the table and grabbed her chair. She snatched Tori’s phone out of her hands, causing Tori to finally look up. “Mom,” Tori exclaimed as she tried to reach for her phone. Dina stuffed the cell phone in her bra. “Mom come on. Jeremy was texting me.”

  “Jeremy can wait until after you had breakfast with your family,” Dina said as she scolded her daughter. Dina was all about family traditions and eating as a family as much as she could. Between Tori’s cheerleading practices and Autumn’s extra curriculum activities, the family was barely seen during the week. Much less the weekend.

  Dina looked at both her daughters and smiled. She was proud of having both of them in her life. They both had different fathers and neither one of them was around, but that didn’t stop Dina from providing for both of her girls. Dina, with the help of her mother, was able to finish nursing school and obtain her PRN license. Dina had put in long hours and was not about to let somebody stop her from achieving her dreams. Even though both of their daddies were full of shit.

  Dina looked at Autumn as Autumn reached for her hand and then for Tori’s hand so they can say prayer. Autumn was the spitting image of Dina. Autumn had Dina’s stubby nose and caramel skin with the full rounded set of lips. Where Dina was smaller, Autumn was thicker and possessed more thighs and hips than Dina would have liked. Tori on the other hand did have Dina’s slim shape. But where Autumn was lighter, Tori was more a beautiful Hershey color. Tori gotten her looks from her father and his personality as well. Just like her father, Tori tried to defy her mother every chance she could get.

  After Autumn was finish saying the prayer, the Coleman family dug in to eat the delicious meal that was in front of them. It was Tori’s first day at high school and Autumn’s first year of college. Autumn had already received news that upon her graduation, she will be selected to speak at her former high school as to help influence the students.

  The two girls were different as day was from night. Where Tori Coleman was loud and outspoken, Autumn was more reserved. She didn’t share her sister’s enthusiasm for partying and boys. She would rather curl up in bed and read a good book by one of her favorite authors. Autumn’s dream man was purely fictional. To her, he didn’t exist in the real world.

  “So, what all do you girls have planned for today,” Dina asked her daughters. Tori stuck a forkful of pancakes in her mouth as she rolled her eyes. Tori and Dina had a strained relationship ever since Tori hit puberty. Tori went from being her sweet innocent girl to having to be watched just to make sure she didn’t bring home any kids.

  “I’m heading to the library so I can get started on this paper I know Mr. Tucker gone talk about,” Autumn said as she bit off a piece of bacon. Dina nodded her head and gave Autumn a smile. She looked at Tori and sighed. Tori was her problem child. She always thought she knew everything but in reality, she didn’t. All Dina wanted was for both of her girls to be independent. Boys will come and go. She would never understand, Dina thought to herself sadly.

  AUTUMN GOT OUT OF HER car as she parked in front of the library. Her first day of class went by uneventful and as usual she had a paper due by the end of next week. Autumn grabbed her backpack out of the backseat of her jeep and walked up to the library. She grabbed her phone out of her bag and began to text her mother to let her know where she was. It was a courtesy thing she did just in case something happened, and her mother would know where she was.

  Autumn was about to hit send when she suddenly bumped into somebody, causing her phone to fall face down on the ground. “Excuse you,” Autumn said angrily as she quickly picked up her iPhone. The front of it was completely shattered. Great, Autumn mumbled.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you, miss,” a deep baritone voice said. Autumn looked up to see the holder of the voice. The man before her suddenly had her speechless. He was 6’2 and his beard game was on point. His swag was on point as he wore camo pants with a white tee. Autumn swallowed her spit as she tried to locate the manners her mother had instilled in her.

  The man looked at Autumn as she awkwardly stood there. The man was built like a god. Autumn shook her head as she tried to clear her thoughts. “It’s ok, I guess,” Autumn said as she looked back down at her phone.

  “Damn, your phone cracked, shorty,” the man said as he stepped closer to Autumn. Autumn inhaled his cologne and was instantly intoxicated. This man was invading all of her senses and Autumn was stuck on pause. “Let me pay for that,” the man said as he reached in his back pocket for his wallet.

  Autumn eyes bucked. “It’s ok,” she said in a hurried tone. “I was about to get another one anyway. But thanks for the gesture.” Autumn quickly placed her phone in her backpack. “I need to really get going.”

  The man gave her a smile that sent heat waves to a certain area in between her thighs. “Yea, nice running into you,” the man said with a slight smile. He extended his hand for Autumn to shake it. “My name is Avery by the way. Avery Richards.”

  Autumn timidly grabbed his hand. “Autumn Coleman.”

  “Nice to meet you, Miss Coleman.” Avery walked past Autumn but before he completely passes her, he quickly turned and gave her a hug. Autumn gawked in shock at the gesture.

  “It just looked like you needed a hug,” Avery said as he walked away and headed to his car. Autumn watched as he walked and shook her head. Damn he fine, she mumbled.

  Autumn walked into the library and sat down at the furthest table she could find. The library was particular packed on this day. Autumn placed her bag down on the table and reached to grab a book out of it. She heard something fall out of her bag and hit the floor. She groaned as she pushes her chair back and realized it was a couple of hundred-dollar bills with a card attached to it. Smiling, Autumn reached for the money and instantly eyed the card that held Avery’s number. I guess he was feeling me as well, Autumn said with a smirk.

  AVERY SAT IN HIS TRUCK as he quickly scrolled down his contact list. He was supposed to be on his way to pick up his fiancée for a quick dinner but at the last minute he had to stop at the library to drop something off for his cousin.

  A
very hit the dial button on his phone and quickly Bluetooth his phone to the radio as he backed out of the parking lot.

  “Hello,” a female voice said in the speaker. Agitation and annoyed was written all in her tone. Avery knew she was about to give him shit for not being home earlier.

  “I’m on my way,” Avery said as he pulled up to the red light. “I had to stop and give Blessings the money for her schoolbooks.”

  “You can do everything for everybody else but not the woman you proposed too,” Yvonne said in frustration. This shit is getting old, Yvonne thought to herself.

  Avery rolled his eyes. “I will be there when I get there.” He quickly hung up as he pulled off. Yvonne has been his girlfriend since high school. He just recently decided to change her title in his life a few months back when he closed on their first home. Their relationship wasn’t perfect, but it was something he was used too. He could handle Yvonne and her craziness. She just wanted time, dick, and money. Something he could provide easily.

  Avery’s mind did a 360 as it drifted to the young woman he had ran into. She was like a breath of fresh air on a muggy day. The way she had bit down on her lip as she was focusing on her phone, caused his heart to skip a beat. The whole world seemed to pause when he spotted her. It didn’t hurt that her ass was phat, and she was built like a coke bottle.

  He pondered the fact if she would actually call him. He knew he was taking a risk by fucking with her. But she had this aura around her that he felt he needed to be around. Avery looked down at his phone when he felt it suddenly buzzing. He picked up when he saw it was his right-hand man, Priest Sanders.

  “Yo, what’s up,” Avery said as he picked up.

  “Did you give her the money,” Priest asked as his voice boomed over the speaker. Avery smiled as he heard the sorrow in his friend’s voice.

  “Yea, I gave Blessings the money earlier. You should try calling her,” Avery said as he pulled to a stop in front of his house. He noticed an unknown vehicle parked by his mailbox.

  “Man, she got a nigga blocked,” Priest said as he sighed. He had been talking to Blessings ever since she turned eighteen, with Avery’s blessings of course because she was his cousin. But Blessings wasn’t your normal young woman. She demands respect. She wasn’t afraid to fight. Nigga or bitch, she was going for the jugular. Nothing like a smart hood bitch to punk a grown ass man. That’s what made him fall in love with her.

  Avery stifled a laugh as he still kept his eyes on the car. “Look, call her and call me back,” Avery said as he got out of the car and hanging up on Priest. He quickly grabbed his gun out of the glove compartment and walked to his front door. He didn’t know what to expect but something in his soul was telling him to stay alert. He inserted his key and quietly entered his house.

  He paused his breathing as he listened for noises. Anything to indicate that somebody was in his house that didn’t belong. He heard voices talking in the kitchen and decided to make his way there. The closer he got, the louder the voices became.

  “Get out, Mark,” Yvonne yelled as she pointed to the back door. She kept her eyes on the clock hoping Mark would leave before Avery came back and put a bullet in both of them. She didn’t need Mark ruining her life.

  “No, you said you was going to leave him and be with me,” Mark said stubbornly as he sat down in the chair. “I’m not leaving until you come with me.”

  Yvonne sighed as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “I knew I shouldn’t have given your ass some pussy,” Yvonne said as she flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder. She pointed a manicure nail at Mark. “Your ass can’t even afford to keep this pussy, let alone take care of it. So, what makes you think I want to leave somebody who can?”

  “But yet, when Avery went out of town for business, who dick you was trying to ride?” Mark fired back as he looked at Yvonne. She was right. She had popped him off with some fire ass pussy and he was hooked like a dope fiend. As far as he was concern, it was fucked Avery. Yvonne’s sweet pussy belongs to Mark and only Mark. He was tired of coming in second place to his cousin Avery. It was his turn to shine.

  “Mark, get out,” Yvonne said in a dismissive tone as she placed her hand over her eyes. She looked up when she felt a third presence in the room. Her heart shattered when saw Avery was looking dead at her.

  “Avery, baby,” Yvonne said as she quickly tried to change her tune. Mark turned slowly in his seat as he followed Yvonne’s gaze. He was shocked to see his cousin was home.

  “Nah,” Avery said in a hostile tone. “Finish yall conversation. I’m dying to hear the rest.” Yvonne was about to walk to him, but she immediately paused in her tracks. She looked down at Avery’s hand and saw he was holding his gun. She backed up until she felt the sink was behind her.

  “We were just talking,” Mark said as he started towards the back door. He didn’t want to die behind pussy. No matter how good it was. “I will see you later.”

  Avery pointed the gun at Mark’s head and motioned for him to stop. “You are a pathetic ass nigga, you know that? Fucking my bitch behind my back? Really nigga?”

  Yvonne remained silent. She wanted to desperately run out of the kitchen, but she knew that move would be fatal. She didn’t mean for Avery to find out. He was always so busy, and she was lonely. Mark was just somebody that provided her a shoulder to cry on. But like the old folks say, a shoulder to cry on is a dick to ride on.

  “Look man,” Mark said as he held up both hands. “I’m sorry. It just happened.” Avery scoffed. Does he think Avery was boo boo the fool? Avery knew it had to have happened multiple times for Mark to feel bold enough to walk in the house he paid for and confess his love to his bitch? Nah, just happened his ass.

  “Avery, please,” Yvonne said as she finally spoke. “Mark didn’t mean anything to me.” Mark looked at Yvonne with surprise written on his face. Yvonne ignored his ass as she looked at the man that paid for her luxuries. “I just felt neglected and I was drunk. It really did just happen.”

  Avery laughed as he pulled the gun from out of Mark’s face and pointed it at Yvonne. “So, it was only just once?” Yvonne nodded her head yes. Avery looked at Mark. Mark nodded his head as well.

  “Well, since it was just one time,” Avery said as he placed his gun on the table. He quickly turned around and punched Mark in his face, busting his lip. “For once, get the fuck out of my house, nigga.”

  Mark touched his lip as he quickly got up from off the floor. “What the fuck!” Avery punched him again and again until Mark was groaning and his nose was now leaking blood.

  “Avery, stop,” Yvonne cried out. Since she has been knowing Avery, she never saw him this angry. She knew she was the reason, but she said she was sorry. Why couldn’t he just move on from it? “You are going to kill him.”

  Avery looked at her. His facial expression was blank and that frighten her. “The wedding is off,” he said coldly. “Don’t pack shit because I brought the shit anyway. Get your new broke ass boyfriend and get the fuck out of my house that neither one of yall could afford.” Avery grabbed his gun off the table and walked out of the kitchen.

  Yvonne scoffed as she rolled her eyes in Mark’s direction. “Your dumb ass always starting shit,” Yvonne hissed. Mark still stayed at his mama house. His younger sister, Blessings, had her own place. Mark was the only family member that couldn’t seem to get his shit together.

  Mark spat out blood as he used the chair to help him get up off the floor. “Help me to the car, woman,” Mark barked at her. Yvonne rolled her eyes and sucked on her teeth.

  “Asshole,” she mumbled as she walked past Mark. She had to figure out a way to right her wrongs. She needed Avery more than she know.

  Chapter 2

  Blessings mouthed the words to the song she was listening to as she flipped through the pages of her notebook. College was nothing like she expected it to be. They handed out the outline of everything that needed to be done and when on the first day. The students barely had the chance
of getting the feel of college life before the professors started with their shenanigans.

  Blessings looked down at her phone and noticed her older brother Mark had called her twice. She shook her head as she placed the phone back down on the table and turned up her music.

  You don’t hit my line no more

  You don’t make it ring, ring, ring, ring,

  I can’t keep this on the low, I want

  You to make it ring, ring, ring, ring

  Blessings sung along to Kehlani’s part on the song and felt every bit of it to be true. She had been isolating herself from Priest since he thought it was a good idea to leave her home alone and head to Atlantic City without telling her. He told her it was a last-minute trip with the boys. But he still should have communicated that too her. If she let him slide with this, who knows what else he might try to slide with.

  Blessings sighed when she heard her phone buzz. She looked back down at it and noticed Priest was calling again. She hit ignore and look back at her textbook. “Mr. Tucker want an arm and a leg this semester,” Blessings groaned as she glanced over chapter one.

  She rolled her eyes and placed her head on the table. Her phone buzzed again for the third time. She didn’t even have to look at her phone to know who it was. She groaned inwardly and ignored Priest ass again. Blessings was about to hit play again on her music when she saw a text flash across her screen.

  Priest: So, you’re ignoring me, now? I said I was sorry.

  Blessings open the message thread and left it open. Her read receipts was on and she know he was waiting for her to reply. She laughed inwardly as she typed random words, knowing he would see the bubbles. She deleted her message and exited out of the message app.

  She knew what she just did was making him mad. She didn’t care. He pursued her and best believe he was gone treat her how she needed to be treated. She wasn’t a bitch. She was that bitch and Priest better recognize before it’s too late. Blessings got up from the table and took a peek around the library. It was crowded earlier due to students trying to obtain library cards and finding other versions of their textbooks until their financial aid came in.