Love Without Loyalty

by Kaige Keira

  Autumn smiled at Avery’s gesture of concern. “I texted her and told her I was sleeping by a friend house. I didn’t want to add more concern on her plate after I told her about Tori,” Autumn said as she took a bite of the food on her plate. She closed her eyes and moaned as the flavor from the bacon hit her tongue. “This is so freaking good. How did you cook this,” she asked as she chewed on another piece.

  Avery smiled as he watched her eat. “A chef never reveals his hand.” Autumn laughed as she took another bite of food. Avery sat down next to her as he just took her in. He wasn’t going to say he was in love with her. But he definitely caught feelings for Miss Autumn Coleman. Her personality was just as contagious as her smile, and he wanted to be around it. Autumn was something so rare, that you couldn’t touch it for fear of smudging it. The way her eyes danced when she got excited turned him on but not just in a sexual way. She was the embodiment of beautiful and class.

  Autumn looked at Avery and crossed her eyes. “You always staring. You must like what you see,” Autumn joked as she took a sip of the apple juice. Avery grabbed her hand and an electrical shock raced through them. Avery got closer to Autumn as she held her breath. Her heart was pounding so fast and loud that she could hear it through her ears.

  Avery leaned in and kissed her. He kissed her softly and Autumn sat there welcoming it. Then with each kiss, he got a little bit more aggressive until his whole tongue was suddenly in Autumn’s mouth. She welcomed the invasion for unknown reasons she couldn’t think of right now. Her body was giving her a feeling that she never felt before. Her vagina was suddenly thumping in the sweatpants Avery had loaned her. Autumn moaned as Avery placed his hands under the t-shirt she was wearing. Her boobs were big, and Avery couldn’t wait to release them from the bra she was wearing and suck on them.

  Autumn quickly pulled away. She got out of the chair and walked to the other side of the corner. “I can’t do this,” she whispered. Her body was on fire. She wanted him so bad that she couldn’t think straight. All she wanted from him was show her what sex was all about. But as soon as the process starts, she remembers what happened with her mother. How Tori’s father promised Dina the world but then left once he got what he wanted. She could remember her mother crying on the phone to their grandmother saying how he always leave her with a wet ass and a broken heart. Autumn didn’t want to repeat history.

  “I’m sorry,” Autumn said as she looked up at Avery. She could tell he was sexually frustrated. “With so much going on, I don’t think it’s the right time to become physically connected.”

  Avery looked down at the counter. Frustrated was an understatement. He was rock hard and horny. “It’s cool. Let me go and grab my keys so I can drop you off at your house,” Avery said a slow tone. Autumn sigh as she knew she probably just fucked it up. She wanted him in more ways than one. But she wanted to know if he felt the same way about her like she did about him. Her virginity shouldn’t be a factor.

  Chapter 9

  Autumn sat in the classroom as she half listened to what Mr. Tucker was teaching. Her mind was on other things and she could barely think about anything else. She wanted Avery but she lowkey felt sex was important to him.

  “Miss Coleman,” Mr. Tucker said as he stood in front of her desk. Autumn looked up sheepishly at him. “Are you here with us today?” Autumn nodded her head as she snapped Avery out of her thoughts. She came too far to be sidetracked now. Avery could wait. Figuratively and literally.

  After class was over, Autumn gathered up her books as she pulled her cell phone out to text Blessings. Their next class was cancelled, and Autumn needed to vent. Even though Blessings is Avery’s cousin, Autumn felt like she could trust her. Their bond was steadily growing, and Autumn loved the fact that Blessings didn’t hold her tongue for nobody. Autumn was hoping Blessings was in class today, but she seemed to be skipping.

  Before Autumn could hit dial, Chicago stepped behind her. “Are you ok,” he asked as he grabbed her books out of her arms. Autumn thanked him as she grabbed her backpack from off the floor. She was totally unorganized, and she hated it.

  “I’m fine,” Autumn said as she grabbed her books back from Chicago and placed them in her bag. “Just had a long night.”

  Chicago nodded his head as he held the door open for her. “Boyfriend problems?” Autumn spun around quickly. “Seem like that chick he was talking too was saying some things that got under your skin.”

  Autumn sighed. “He is not my boyfriend.”

  “But you love him?”

  Autumn turned her head to avoid Chicago’s gaze. She was in love with Avery. But she wasn’t about to let her emotions determine what she should do with that information. Last night made her pause when Yvonne popped up. They clearly showed signs of just breaking up even though he tried to give an illusion it been over. Chicago chuckled as he grabbed Autumn’s arm softly so she can face him. “Don’t be that girl.”

  “What girl?”

  “The girl who falls for the bad guy because apparently they can fuck good and take you on shopping sprees.” Chicago rolled his eyes for emphasis. “Bad boys are ideal for good girls. Every girl wants one. But in reality, you are putting yourself in harm’s way both physically and mentally. Meanwhile, the good guys get bashed for trying to love you the right way. Love shouldn’t be confusing at all. It damn sure isn’t painful either.”

  Autumn looked down at her shoes as Chicago’s words cut deep for some strange reason. Avery didn’t present himself as one but then again, he didn’t really tell her what he does for a living. She was suddenly confused. Avery couldn’t be that guy. But when she is with Avery, she doesn’t know if she is coming or going. But she loves how it feels. The butterflies flying around in the pit of her stomach. She has been a goner since day one.

  “He isn’t my nigga,” Autumn said as she looked away from Chicago. She turned back around when she noticed something was amiss. “Did you cut your hair,” she asked. Chicago smiled as he stepped back so she can get a good look at him.

  “I can switch it up like the best of them,” Chicago boosted as he hit a pose. He was wearing camouflage pants with timbs. His shirt was basic white t-shirt. Autumn could smell his Armani cologne and knew he wasn’t lying. Chicago rubbed on his beard as he lowered his eyes and looked at Autumn. Autumn cleared her throat as she shifted her backpack around in her hands.

  “I have to go,” Autumn said as she walked past Chicago. Chicago grabbed her gently by the wrist. He pulled her closer to him as she inhaled quickly. “Don’t be that girl, ma.”

  He let her go and walked off. Leaving her standing there looking stunned. Autumn exhaled slowly as she bit down on her bottom lip. Chicago was definitely going to apply pressure.

  Autumn looked down at her phone and quickly called Blessings as she walked out of the building. Blessings answered on the first ring.

  “I’m coming,” Blessings said into the receiver. “Me and Priest was up all last night and I overslept.”

  Autumn giggled as she stood by the water fountain. “I wrote down notes that you can look over. Our next class is canceled so you are good.”

  Blessings grabbed her jacket out of the closet and hurriedly threw it on. “So, you want to go and grab lunch? Waffle house? Because I am starving.”

  Autumn looked down at her watch. They had two hours to kill before their third class was supposed to start.

  “Yes, that’s fine meet you there.” Autumn hung up on Blessings and looked around the courtyard. It was filled with students on their laptops or working on an assignment. “Welcome to the college life,” Autumn whispered to herself as she walked to her car.

  BLESSINGS GRABBED HER keys off the counter and walked to the front door. She was about to walk out of it, but a woman blocked her path. “Um, can I help you,” Blessings asked as she looked at the woman. She didn’t know who this woman was or what she could possible want.

  The woman was much older than her. She is a brown beauty with locs that fall down
her back. The nose ring in her nose seems to give her more character as she placed her hand on her hip. Her brown eyes pierced through Blessings.

  The woman looked at Blessings and rolled her eyes. “I’m looking for Priest. Is he here?” The woman asked Blessings as she folded her arms.

  Blessings scratched her head as she tried to gather up her thoughts. Who is this woman and what can she possible with my man, Blessings said to herself? “What do you want with Priest,” Blessings asked the woman. “I’m sorry, what is your name again?”

  “I don’t know why you are saying sorry,” the woman told Blessings with a slight attitude. “I never gave you my name. Look, if you see Priest tell him I’m in the city and he needs to call me asap. Me and Imani are at the hotel He should know which one.”

  The woman walked off as she headed back to the car that was still running. “What is your name,” Blessings asked the woman. She was gone relay the message alright, but she needed that name.

  The woman looked backed at her and gave her a weak smile. “Asha.”

  Blessings watched as the woman pulled off. Something in her gut suddenly made her wanted to puke. Blessings ran back into the house and rushed to the sink as she threw up the meal her mother had made for her last night. Blessings mind was suddenly in a world wind of thoughts. There was no way a random chick would just pop up and ask for Priest. He wasn’t that stupid.

  Blessings rinsed her mouth out as she reached for her phone that fell on the floor. She texted Autumn to let her know she couldn’t make it before grabbing her keys and walking out the door. It was time to have a real discussion with Priest.

  “SO, SHE SHOWED UP AT the hospital,” Priest asked Avery as he sat down behind his desk. After Avery had dropped Autumn off at her house, he needed a friend to talk too. Avery had managed to track Priest down at his establishment to run down everything that had happened the night before.

  Avery nodded his head as he sat back in the chair. “Then she had the nerve to tell Autumn that she basically just a plaything. I don’t know what I will do with that girl.” Avery closed his eyes as he tries to stop the headache that was threatening to come on.

  Priest opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a bottle of aspirins. He tossed it to Avery, who got up and walked to the mini fridge that Priest had in his office. Priest was the proud owner of a strip club called Pink Star. It also had a small restaurant on the side of it that he also owned along with a hookah bar that was connected on the other side. Pink Star was a mixture of everything.

  “I told you to check that bitch,” Priest said as he looked down at his phone. Asha has been blowing his phone up all morning when the DNA test results came back in saying Priest is the father of her three-year-old baby girl named Imani. Priest was trying to figure out the best time to let Blessings know but it never seemed to be the right time.

  “Did you tell her,” Avery asked his friend as he sat back down. “You know eventually you gone have to tell her. Regardless if she leaves or not. You have a daughter out here that needs a father.” Priest nodded his head as looked at the small picture of Blessings on his desk. Blessings is his whole heart. But before she had it, Asha had it. He could see if Asha was just a random fling, but she wasn’t. She was his chocolate addiction when they went to high school together. As they got older and Asha moved to the east coast to go to college, Priest would go and visit her as much as he could. They weren’t together but the love they had for each forever was always evident. Priest sighed as he looked up at Avery. He couldn’t explain all of that to Blessings. She might act tough but, on the inside, she was as soft as cotton.

  “I will tell her tonight,” Priest said as he rubbed his temples. Women. Can’t deal with them but can’t live without them.

  Priest looked up when he saw Blessings walking through his office door with a scowl painted on her pretty face. “We need to talk,” she said in a serious tone. Avery chuckled as he looked at Priest. He looked down at his watch and signal that now was the time. Avery held up his finger as he exited the chair and walked out of the office, leaving Priest to fend for himself.

  Blessings sat in the chair that Avery had just vacated and looked at Priest dead in his eyes. “Who the fuck is Asha?” Blessings didn’t even blink when she asked that question. A look of recognition and shock registered on Priest’s face. So, he does know the bitch, Blessings said to herself. She didn’t expect him to be sloppy and have one of his whores knocking on her door. That was a no-no.

  Priest sighed as he folded his hands. “I need to tell you something. I didn’t know how but I guess now is the time,” Priest said slowly as he looked at Blessings. He could see the hurt formulating behind her eyes as she jumped to conclusions in her mind. “Asha is an old girlfriend of mines. Before me and you even got together, I was still dealing with her while she was away at college. She was working at a casino in Atlantic City so I will go there and get a hotel room and just be with her. Well, my last night there, she gave me an ultimatum because she wanted me to come move out there with her. But I didn’t want too. So, we called it quits. Fast forward to now, I get a phone call from her mother saying that Asha was pregnant after we had broken up, and the baby could be mines.” Priest paused as he looked at Blessings to gauge her mood.

  “So, is that’s why you went back to Atlantic City a few weeks ago,” Blessings asked as she tried to process everything. “That’s why the trip was so sudden?” Priest nodded his head.

  “I went there to speak to Asha and see the baby for myself. I also scheduled a DNA test. The night we were supposed to have our date to talk everything over was the same day I had got the results, but Imani had to be rushed to the hospital because she hurt herself at the playground.”

  Blessings looked at the wall behind Priest. He was saying everything but the one thing she desperately wanted to know. “Are you the father?”

  Priest grabbed for Blessings hands, but she pulled back. “Are you,” she asked again. Priest nodded his head as he tried to keep the tears at bay. “So, you couldn’t tell me this shit when it happened?”

  Priest shrugged his shoulders. “You had other stuff going on and I wanted to make sure the baby was mines before I brought it to your attention.” Blessings sat back in the chair as she looked at him. Something was screaming at her, telling her something else was going on. The whole entire time she has known Priest, he had never mentioned Asha in her presence. The only girl he used to talk about was a chick he called his life. Priest was in love with that girl and had his nose wide open like he was sniffing bowling balls.

  “I don’t remember an Asha growing up,” Blessings said as she looked at him. “Out of all the girls you used to date and talk about, I don’t recall her name popping up.”

  Priest looked away. “Her name means life in Swahili. Her real name is Asha.” Blessings laughed as she got up from the chair. Now everything was starting to make sense. The disappearing acts. The secrecy. It was HER. She was back in the picture and this time around she had a kid. She had a constant reminder that they still loved each other.

  “I’m going home,” Blessings mumbled as she suddenly felt sick. “Oh, by the way, your girlfriend is staying at a hotel in the city.”

  Priest looked at her, surprised. “How do you know?”

  “Because the bitch knocked on my door and told me, that’s how,” Blessings snapped. She quickly walked out of the office and headed to her car. Her head was spinning as she grabs onto the door of her car to keep from falling. “The fuck is wrong with me?”

  She eased into her car, slowly. Once she was inside, she rested her head on the steering wheel so she can gain control of her surroundings. Everything just kept spinning. She couldn’t compete with a baby. Blessings was always jealous of the girl that held Priest’s heart when she was younger. Even though Priest didn’t belong to her but still. She hated how he went above and beyond. Everything stopped for Asha. He didn’t care what it was.

  Blessings reached for her cell phone as she
dialed her mother’s number. She needed somebody to talk too. When the phone went straight to voicemail, Blessings decided to call on Autumn.

  Autumn answered the phone laughing. “Hey girl, you changed your mind,” Autumn asked. Blessings could hear a lot of noise coming from the background.

  “Are you busy,” Blessings asked in a low tone. She was in no shape to drive. Her mind was all over the place.

  “Are you ok,” Autumn asked seriously. The noise in the background suddenly became quieter as if Autumn had walked out of the room. “Where are you?”

  “I’m at Pink Star. I feel too sick to drive.”

  Autumn scrunched up her face. “Isn’t that a strip joint? Are you stripping?”

  Blessings laughed as she kept her eyes closed. “No, girl. Priest owns it. I just need to go somewhere, and I don’t want to go home. Can you come get me?”

  “We on our way,” Autumn said quickly.

  “We?”

  “Chicago invited me out to lunch,” Autumn explained. “My car is still at the school. We actually not far from you.”

  Blessings groaned at the mentioned of Chicago’s name. She didn’t trust him. He was always eyeing Autumn like she was full course meal and he was starving. “Fine. Just hurry up.”

  Autumn hung up the phone as Blessings raised her head from the steering wheel. She saw an Uber car pull up to the building as the front door opened. Priest waited by the door as Asha stepped out the backseat, holding the hand of a little girl.

  Blessings felt a tear fall from her eye as she watched Priest squat down in front of the little girl and pick her up. They all walked into the building together as if they were a happy family. “Fuck both of them,” Blessing mumbled. She knew what Asha was trying to do. She was trying to restake her claim. But Blessings wasn’t about to have that. Priest was hers and hers alone.