by K. C. Mills
“Did you discuss that with her, because every time I come around she never seems to have an issue with me being near her,” he said confidently with a smirk.
“The fuck you mean she don’t have an issue?” With two broad steps, I had a fist full of his shirt as I peered down at him.
“Why don’t you ask her that?” I knew for sure he was just talking, because there was no way Tay was still fucking around with him. I prayed she wasn’t because shit was about to get really bad if she was.
“What’s wrong, you thought you were exclusive? It’s just a matter of time before she realizes that you can’t do shit for her but bring her down. You don’t fit into her world like—”
I had enough and before I even realized it, I blacked out and started swinging on him with so much force that I couldn’t control it. He hit the floor and just as I expected, his bitch ass couldn’t defend himself. Within a matter of minutes, I could feel the bones in his face literally crushing beneath my hands. I knew I was at risk of being charged with assault, but fuck it, some shit was just worth it.
*****
After I left Jace’s place, I went straight to the house, but sat in my truck for almost thirty minutes thinking. I kept going over the fact Jace was trying to say that he was still kicking it with Tay. That shit had my head all fucked up. I trusted Tay. She was solid, always had been, but what if he was right? I couldn’t handle that shit. Just the thought alone had me ready to fuck shit up.
When I was finally ready to deal, I got out and made my way to our apartment. The closer I got the more pissed I became. I was mad as hell and didn’t even know why. Just the idea of Tay fucking around on me had my heart pounding and my pulse racing.
“Everything in our spot was quiet which meant that Tay did actually go to sleep. I kind of figured she would because she had been working her ass off lately. It was nothing for her to be up until one or two in the morning, going over designs and then up at five or six heading to her office. My baby was putting the time in because her business was everything to her. She loved it and I loved watching her do her thing. There was something sexy and powerful about a woman who did her own thing. Tay would never have to want for shit as long as she had me, but knowing that she was willing to work for her own made me love her even more.
Our room was dark aside from the light coming from the TV. It was on but the volume was low and Tay was asleep on her side, shoulders bare and exposed, so I figured she had done what I asked and was naked. I sat down next to her and let my finger graze her skin, before I kissed the side of her face, which woke her up.
A smile crept across her face as she looked up at me. “Did you just get here?” she asked as she snuggled closer to me. I let my hand move under the covers and slide down her back. I just needed to feel her body. I needed the connection.
“I’m about to ask you something and please don’t lie to me.” I looked across the room at nothing in particular before I glanced down at her.
She frowned and sat up just a little, hugging her chest with the sheet so that it wasn’t exposed. Her movement now had her positioned to my side, slightly behind me so that I had to look back over my shoulder to see her.
“What do you need to ask me?” I could hear the concern in her voice, even though I wasn’t looking at her.
“Have you seen or been around that nigga?” I kept my eyes affixed to the wall across the room because I was afraid of seeing a lie on her face. As much as I didn’t want to know the truth, if she lied to me I didn’t know if I could handle it.
“No, I mean, I’ve seen him but I haven’t been around him...not like what you’re asking.” Tay’s voice was shaky which forced me to move. I couldn’t trust myself being that close to her.
“The fuck you mean Tay? That shit you talking don’t make sense. If you’ve seen him then you’ve been around him.” I took a step towards the bed which made her flinch because I was yelling, and I knew the bass in my voice had her worried. My finger was pointed right at her, inches away from her face, which caused her to move back slightly.
“He came by the office but—”
“The fuck Tay? Why didn’t you tell me? Are you still fucking him? I asked you that shit and you told me no, so why the fuck is he coming by your spot?”
“He just showed up one day, he didn’t come inside but he came by. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to do anything stupid. I knew that you would go after him and I—”
“And you what Tay? You didn’t want me to hurt your little playboy. The fuck kind of bullshit is that? Why the fuck do you care what I do to him if he doesn’t mean shit to you?”
“That’s not what I’m saying Keem. I don’t care about him and he doesn’t mean anything to me. I just didn’t want you to get caught up. His uncle is a detective and his dad’s a judge so I—”
“His uncle is a detective?” I laughed. Shit was making sense now. “Now I get it.”
“Get what?” Tay looked at me confused. I could tell that she was seconds away from crying, but at the moment I really didn’t give a fuck. I was furious.
“Why the hell do you think we had cops running all up in your shit Tay? That muthafucker did that shit, it wasn’t even about me. It was about you. I’m careful as fuck, I don’t do shit that would cause anybody to ever come to where I lay my head, but all of a sudden I got a fucking detective up my ass and tearing your shit apart, looking for something to pin on me. That was on him Tay.”
“You don’t know that, and besides, why would he care? I’m not with him anymore. I haven’t dealt with him or talked to him since you’ve been back.” Now she was yelling. I could tell that she was hurt but she was angry too, as she climbed off the bed wrapping the sheet around her naked body.
“That’s not what you just said, is it? Didn’t you just tell me that nigga was at your office, so how the fuck is it that you’re switching shit up and saying that you haven’t talked to him or dealt with him. Which one is it Tay, either you have or you haven’t?”
“It’s not like that. He showed up, but not because I wanted him to or because I asked him to. He did that on his own and I made it clear that I didn’t want anything to do with him, that I was happy—”
I cut her off with a laugh so deep that she looked at me like I was crazy. “But you conveniently forgot to mention that shit to me right? If you didn’t have shit to hide, then why the fuck wouldn’t you tell me?”
She stood there with her mouth open like she was trying to figure out what to say, but it didn’t matter because at this point, I really didn’t want to hear that shit. My eyes burned a hole through her for another minute or so, before I turned to walk away. She was right on my heels but I kept going. I had to get the fuck out of there. I had just beat the shit out of Jace whose father was a judge and his uncle was a detective. There was no telling how that shit was about to come back on me, and now I find out that he was doing surprise pop-up visits on Tay which she neglected to tell me.
“Where are you going?” Tay grabbed my arm from behind but quickly released it when I turned to look at her.
“Don’t fucking touch me. I need a minute to figure this shit out because right now shit is looking suspect as hell.”
“You don’t trust me?” She looked so hurt and disappointed and as much as it was breaking me, I couldn’t give in. I needed a minute away from her to be able to think clearly.
“It’s not about trust Tay, it’s about facts. And the facts are that, that nigga has been up in your face and you kept that shit from me. Maybe it didn’t mean shit and maybe it did, but right now I need to walk away so that I can think straight. I can’t do that shit around you. Go put some fucking clothes on and go to bed.” My eyes traced her body and she looked so damn beautiful standing there, with her hair hanging in her face, holding our sheet against her naked body, but I couldn’t even enjoy it. I had too many questions filling my head and that shit was making me feel like I couldn’t breathe.
“But where are you goi
ng?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about that, go to bed Tay and make sure you lock the fucking door and set the alarm.” I turned to walk away and a few minutes later, I was out the door slamming it behind me. I knew she was about to break down but I couldn’t worry about that right now. Right now I needed to figure out if I believed her and I couldn’t do that with her near me.
When I got in my truck, I shut the door and sat there for a minute before my fist hit the steering wheel. I didn’t have a clue where I was going, but I needed to get away from Tay. I needed to talk to somebody, so I called the only other person who knew me as well as Tay did.
“Yo, what’s good Keem?” I could hear a lot of noise in the background when Jodie answered so I figured he was on the block. No matter how much power and control he had, he couldn’t keep his ass off the block. It’s like he needed it.
“I know why the fuck 5-0 ran up in Tay’s spot,” I said getting right to the point.
“Word, what the fuck happened?”
“That nigga she was fucking with. His uncle is a detective and his father is a judge. That was probably how they got the warrant, ‘cause that shit was general as fuck and no evidence.”
“Your shitting me, right? So he’s coming at you because of Tay?”
I felt my pulse racing again as I thought about the fact that Tay might be on some bullshit. “Check it, she supposedly doesn’t have shit to do with him anymore but he’s been following us and I just had to get in his ass about it. I went to his spot and fucked him up, but not before he tells me that he’s still kicking it with Tay. I don’t believe that shit, until I get home and she comes at me with some bullshit about him showing up at her office. The fuck am I supposed to do with that shit and I just laid that nigga out and his dad’s a fucking judge yo.”
“So Tay admitted that she’s kicking it with him?” I could tell Jodie was pissed thinking about the fact that Tay might be on some fuck shit.
“Nah, she claims he just showed up, but she kept that shit from me so its suspect as fuck. Hell, she probably never would have said shit about it if I wouldn’t have confronted her.”
“Man Keem, chill. That’s not Tay, yo. She wouldn’t do any fuck shit like that. You don’t believe her?”
“I don’t know what the fuck I believe, all I know is shit isn’t adding up and I think I just screwed myself. If his father’s a judge, then it wouldn’t be shit for him to get my black ass locked up on some assault charges.”
“You fucked him up pretty bad?” Jodie asked.
“Hell yeah I did. I broke bones and shit. The only work he’ll be getting anytime soon is for a fucking plastic surgery ad or some shit like that,” I yelled which made Jodie laugh.
“The fuck you laughing about Jodie, damn?”
“I’m laughing at your hostile ass. Don’t be mad at me, you’re the one who fucked that nigga up but yo, don’t sweat it though. Dave is good as hell so you know he can get you out of that shit. Hell, lie. No witnesses right?”
“Nah, I went to his apartment and shit, he was alone.”
“Then he can’t prove shit so don’t sweat it. You heading this way?”
“I’m chilling. It’s late as fuck so I think I’m just heading to the club. I’ll crash there for tonight. I need to figure this shit out with Tay.”
“Don’t do my sis like that yo, you know she don’t roll like that. It’s not her thing. Now if it was Trina’s dumb ass I’d be like leave that hoe, but you know who Tay is, Keem. Do you really think she would be on some fuck shit like that?”
I laughed. Jodie was team Tay for life, and he was going to defend her no matter what, but he was right. I really didn’t think she was on any foul shit but I was still mad as fuck that she didn’t tell me about it. That’s some shit I needed to know so that I could handle it.
“Man, fuck you Jodie. I could catch her in the damn act, with a muthafucker deep in her guts trying to puncture her lungs and you’d be like, ‘you know she didn’t mean that shit yo.’”
Jodie burst out laughing. “Shit, you right. That’s sis right there. You’re my nigga and everything, but Tay’s good for you Keem. You and Tay got that forever type shit and I’m gonna make sure you ride it out.”
“Yeah, what-the-fuck-ever, you just worry about Mona’s crazy ass. That’s that forever type shit,” I said and laughed.
“Oh hell no, that’s that ‘Lord give me strength so I don’t choke her ass’ type shit.” Jodie sounded mad as hell just mentioning Mona, which meant that she had been up to something. I didn’t even have the energy to ask, so I decided to save that for another time.
“Yo, I’m out bruh. Stop fucking around on Mona and she’ll act right.”
“Like you said, what-the-fuck-ever, but you good bruh?”
“I’m good. I’m about to head to the club and chill for the night. I’ll talk to Tay in the morning and if she calls you, don’t tell her shit and I mean it, because if she shows up at the club I’m fucking you up when I see you. I need a minute.”
Jodie laughed. “No promises nigga, you just better hope she doesn’t call me.”
I just shook my head and laughed before I ended the call. I knew if Tay called him that he was going to tell her exactly where I was, but she couldn’t get in anyway so it didn’t matter.
I pulled off from the curb heading to my spot. Hopefully I didn’t just screw myself with that shit with Jace. That was the last thing I needed and if he’s still after Tay, I might have just played right into his fucking hands. If he gets my black ass locked up, then he’s damn sure going after her and there won’t be shit that I can do to stop it.
-11-
Tasia
“Tay, what’s wrong?” I could tell I had woken Lisa from the sound of her voice. Of all the people I could have called she was the first person who popped in my head. I missed my best friend since she had moved to Virginia with Trey.
“Things are all messed up right now, Lis. God, I wish you were here,” I said.
“Who’s that bae?” I heard Trey ask in the background.
“Go back to sleep, it’s Taisa,” Lisa said before she focused on me again. “Are you crying Tay, did something happen with you and Keem, what’s wrong?”
“We had an argument and he left.” I knew that I was being vague but I it was all I could manage to get out.
“Left, what do you mean left, Tay?” Lisa was trying to keep calm but I could tell that she was not happy.
“He walked out, he said he needed a minute so he left.”
“What were you arguing about?”
“Jace,” I said and waited.
“Come on Tay. Please tell me you’re not backtracking. Why would you do that?”
“I’m not, he just thinks I am but I swear on everything Lis, I’m not.”
“Then why does he think that Tay?”
I exhaled and fell back onto our sofa. I had been pacing the living room after I threw on one of Hakeem’s shirt and his sweatpants. Cheesy, I know, but I just needed to feel close to him. I needed to inhale his scent.
“It’s a long story but bottom line is Jace popped up at my office, I didn’t tell Keem and he found out. He thinks that I didn’t tell him because there’s something going on, but there isn’t. I don’t want anybody but him, especially not Jace.”
Lisa was quiet for a minute then spoke. “Then don’t worry about it boo. You know how Keem is. He’s a hothead so he just needs a minute and then he’ll be good, but you know his ass is not going anywhere Tay.”
“I hope not.” I pulled my knees into my chest and lowered my chin before I hugged them with my free arm. “I miss you Lis. I hate that you’re gone.”
“Hoe please, you left me before I left you,” Lisa said and then laughed.
“Yeah, but I was just across the bridge, you moved across a few states so I never get to see you,” I whined. It was true. I literally hadn’t seen Lisa in months.
“But you talk to me every day and you’ll see me this weekend
when we come home for the club’s opening.”
“It’s not the same over the phone, though but I am glad you’re coming this weekend. I miss you, Lis.”
“I miss you too, boo. You good now?”
“Yeah, I’m going to sleep and hopefully, we can fix this tomorrow. I’m sure he went to Jersey. So there’s no point in trying talk to him now. He probably won’t answer if I call anyway.”
“Go to sleep love and he’ll probably be back before you wake in the morning.”
“Maybe,” I sighed.
“You want me to stay up and talk to you.”
“No, go back to sleep and tell Trey I said I’m sorry.”
“I’m not telling him shit. He’ll be alright and besides, he’s sleep again anyway. He probably won’t even remember that you called,” Lisa said and then laughed.
“I love you Lisa.”
“I love you too boo. Call me tomorrow with an update.”
“I will.”
I ended the call and sat there in the dark for a few more minutes, before I decided to go get in the bed. I crawled under the covers with my phone firmly in my hand, even though I knew Keem well enough to know that he wasn’t going to come home or call. I positioned myself in the center of the bed, still in Keem’s clothes, and I could smell the light scent of his cologne. I lowered my chin to my chest and lifted his shirt to my face, and inhaled deeply. It was pointless for me to do anything other than go to sleep. I couldn’t make sense of the situation, so I just closed my eyes and tried to shut my brain off. I missed Keem and felt out of place without him, but hopefully sleep would find me soon.
I woke up the next morning to the sound of our shower running which meant that Keem was home. My heart felt heavy because he didn’t wake me, which meant that he was still upset. A part of me wanted to see him and talk to him, but then again there was that small place inside me that was afraid that he wouldn’t.
I sat there impatiently anticipating what was to come, and when I heard the water shut off in the shower, I finally climbed out of bed, combed through my hair with my fingers before tucking it behind my ears, and then moved slowly to the bathroom door. I reached to open it but of course it was locked, which created small pains in my chest. Keem never locked the door which meant that he really didn’t want to see or talk to me. I stood there for a minute trying to figure out my next move, when the door opened and I was face to face with him.