Where My Loyalties Lie 3

by K. C. Mills

  There had been so much going on in their lives lately that it would have been easy to miss. In fact, the only reason he thought about it was because he noticed subtle changes in her body. He knew every inch of her body, how it looked and how it felt, so simple things stood out, like the way her breasts were filling out, and the fact that the last few times he had slid up in her, she had damn near drowned him, she was so wet. She would come home every day drained and dying to take a nap, which he thought was about her staying up late with him, but now he wasn't so sure. Something was different, and the only thing he could think of was that she was that she was pregnant. Had to be.

  “What about this one?” Joy crawled over to him, positioning her body between his legs before holding up her iPad and showing him pictures of the house that she had been looking at. His mind was still stuck on her being pregnant, so he just nodded, which annoyed her.

  “Never mind.” She tried to sit up, but he pulled her back into his body and kissed her neck.

  “Chill, Joy, with your stubborn ass, damn. I like it. We can try to see that one tomorrow too, if you want. But right now, get your ass up so we can go to bed.”

  It was already after midnight, and Joy knew she had to be up at six to make it to work by seven, but lately, since Logic had been gone so much, she had tried her best to stay up with him whenever he was home. Because of the hours he had been keeping, his system had quickly adjusted to being up late, so it didn't faze him, but he could tell that it was messing with Joy. If she was up late with him, she was dead tired by the time she got home from work, and usually asleep within minutes of hitting the front door. But now he had something else in mind as to what was causing her to sleep so much.

  “Are you coming?” she asked with a slight pout.

  Logic wasn't tired, but he knew that she wanted him in bed with her, so he agreed.

  “Yeah, come on, I got you.”

  He waited for her to stand, and then followed. They made their way to the bedroom and Joy snuggled close to him, wrapping her body around his. All he could think was that this shit right here was life. No matter what was going on in his world, Joy close to him, her skin against his skin, was everything.

  Logic lay awake long after Joy was asleep, trying to figure out his next move. It had been heavy on his mind for the past couple weeks, but with all the chaos that had surrounded them, he hadn't really had a chance to slow down enough to figure out what he wanted to do. Buying a house was one thing, but he really wanted more. He wanted to make things permanent, and the possibility of Joy being pregnant had really brought things full circle. Now it was just a matter of him bringing it all together, and that was exactly what he planned to do.

  He tightened his hold on Joy and kissed the top of her head before closing his eyes and trying to settle his mind enough to go to sleep, but Logic knew that was wishful thinking. His mind was working overtime processing his plans, so he prepared himself for a long night with no sleep.

  The next morning, he woke up to the sound of Joy moving around the room. He had no idea when he had actually fallen asleep, but it hadn't been that long ago. Logic grinned as he watched Joy trying her best to stay quiet, but the space was so small that she was failing miserably. She was so stuck in her rush to get ready that she hadn't even noticed he was up and watching her until his voice startled her.

  “Why you so damn loud, Joy?” Logic had rolled over onto his back and folded one arm behind his head while the other rested on his bare chest.

  She frowned and walked over to him. After leaning down for a peck on the lips, she offered up a quick apology and then tried to pull away. “Sorry.”

  Logic’s hand gripped her waist and pulled her toward him, causing Joy to fall onto his body.

  “You're late,” he said and kissed her neck a few times before she freed herself from him and moved to the closet.

  “I know. I didn't hear my alarm.” Again, she frowned as she stepped into a pair of khaki slacks and zipped them.

  Logic watched her with a grin, admiring her body, mostly her breasts until she pulled on a silk button up blouse and covered them with it. She worked her fingers down the buttons before she shoved the hem into her pants and then pulled it out just a little.

  “Are you meeting me at the school, or should I meet you here?” she asked as she spun on her heels to face the dresser, yanking her hair out of the ponytail that it was in and then grabbing a comb and running it through her hair.

  “I’ll meet you there.” Logic tossed the covers back and stood.

  After a full stretch, he walked up behind Joy and kissed her on the cheek before leaving the room. His mind was on his day. He had a lot to get done while she was at work.

  *****

  “Aye, I’m looking for Karma, can you tell me where to find her?”

  The receptionist looked Logic over and smiled lustfully. “And who may I tell her is asking?” she said, lifting the phone’s receiver from its base and grinning at him.

  “Logic,” he said dryly, hoping that she would get the picture.

  “Damn, that’s sexy, just like you. It fits.” She dialed a number and then began to speak, so he waited and listened.

  “Ms. Jackson, there’s a Logic here to see you. Should… Oh, okay. I’ll send him back.” She looked up at him and rolled her eyes before she addressed Logic again. “Back that way, second office on the left,” she rattled off, pointing over her shoulder without even looking at him.

  He shrugged and followed her instructions. When he reached Karma’s office he stepped inside. She smiled, walked around her desk and offered him a friendly hug before sitting down behind it again and pointing to a chair in front of her desk for him.

  “Yo, what did you say to old girl out there? She looked like she wanted to cuss me out after she hung up,” Logic said and then sat down in front of Karma and leaned back in his chair.

  Karma sucked her teeth. “I told her thirsty ass if she even looked at you a second time, I was gonna beat her ass.”

  Logic laughed. “Damn, why you do it like that? She wasn't worried about me.”

  “Man, please, her thirsty ass already had your first born named the second you entered the building.”

  “Yo, you tripping.” Logic chuckled because he could tell Karma was serious and she wasn’t backing down.

  “Joy send you here? What’s up, y'all good?”

  “Nah, she don't know I’m here, so I would appreciate it if you didn't tell her.”

  Karma sat up and gave him a funny look. She didn't keep secrets from Joy, and wasn't about to start. Especially if they involved her man, which this one clearly did since he was there. She liked Logic, but she loved Joy, who was basically her sister.

  “Man, fix your damn face. I need help with something.” Logic grinned, reading into Karma’s expression.

  “Help with what? And if Joy didn't send you here then how the hell did you know where I worked? I damn sure didn't tell you.” Karma peered at him.

  “Joy mentioned it one day, but I didn't know how to find it, so I looked it up. Harbor has like three damn locations down here, and of course you worked at the last one I checked,” Logic said in frustration, remembering the past hour he’d spent trying to find Karma.

  He didn't know her last name, and all he knew was that she worked for Harbor, which he Googled and found out was an ad agency with three divisions. He had to go to each one looking like a damn stalker asking about her because he really didn't know shit about Karma other than she was Joy's best friend.

  Karma laughed. “So you walked up in there asking about me? What did they say.”

  “The first place damn near called security because I didn't know your last name, and at the second place, the one on Edge Drive, a shorty felt sorry for me and told me where to find you. Got me looking like a stalker and shit, real talk, yo.”

  Karma smiled and leaned back again. “So what was so important that you had to find me and not tell Joy?”

  “I need you to
help me find her a ring.”

  Karma’s eye bucked. “A ring, ring, like as in I do, ring?” She was grinning from ear to ear.

  “Yeah, damn. Why you all excited and shit like it’s for you?” Logic teased at Karma’s excitement.

  “Because that’s my girl and I’m happy.” Karma rolled her eyes.

  “So can you help me? Like take lunch or something to help me pick one. I figured if anybody will know what she likes, you would.”

  “Hell yeah, I know,” Karma insisted.

  “Don't be picking shit you want. This is for Joy, and I need it to be perfect.” Logic pointed at Karma, grilling her just a little.

  “Man, shut up, I got this. Hang on.” She lifted her phone and made a call.

  “I’m going to lunch early and I should be back in a few hours. I’m putting my phone on do not disturb so that it will go straight to voicemail. Can I have my business, damn?” Karma said and then hung up.

  Logic shook his head, laughing to himself at how different she and Joy were. He waited while Karma opened her drawer, lifted her purse out of it and then stood.

  “Aight, let’s do this,” she said with a grin.

  She led the way, with Logic right behind her.

  When they passed the receptionist, she spoke up. “Have fun, I’ll be sure to let Lan know if he comes by looking for you.”

  Karma held her hand up and shot her a bird, which made Logic laugh.

  “Y'all tight, I see,” he said just before he opened the passenger side door to let Karma into his car.

  Once he was in the driver’s seat, she dropped her purse on the floor. “She’s nosey as fuck, and seconds away from me putting my foot in her ass is what we are.”

  Logic chuckled and headed to the mall.

  After three stores and what felt like a hundred rings, Logic had finally purchased what satisfied him as the perfect choice for Joy. A princess cut diamond set in a platinum band. Karma was so excited that she could barely contain it, and had damn near planned out everything from the proposal through her vision of their wedding. Logic didn’t understand how women got so caught up in stuff like that, but clearly it was a big deal.

  “Yo, let's catch lunch. It's the least I can do since you wasted your lunch helping me with this shit.”

  “This is not shit. This is the absolute best surprise ever, but you can still feed me.” Karma held up the bag that the ring was in, which she had insisted on guarding with her life.

  “Aight, you choose. I’m good with anything.”

  Karma looked around and then decided on Chili’s since it was just across the street. Logic drove through the parking lot of the mall and made his way to Chili’s. After he parked, the two of them got out again, with Karma holding onto the ring for dear life.

  “You know I can put that in the trunk,” Logic said, pointing to the bag.

  “No hell, you are such a man, I swear. I know you can probably afford to buy ten more, but this one is perfect and needs to be kept in sight at all times. I don't have the energy to go through that again.” She rolled her eyes and waited while he opened the door and let her enter. He followed and they waited for a hostess to seat them.

  Once they were at their table, Karma lifted her menu and began surveying it, but was quickly snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

  “Who the fuck is that, K?”

  Karma looked up just in time to see Lan grilling Logic hard as hell. In all the months that Joy had been with him, Landon had never actually seen Joy and Logic together.

  “Landon, I’m going to our table.”

  Karma’s expression turned hard the second she laid eyes on Lexus, who grinned at her as she placed her hand on Landon's arm. He turned to her and knocked her hand off his arm before turning to Karma and Logic again.

  “This is none of your business, but apparently that is.” Karma said, pointing to Lexus as Landon's eyes hit the bag that held Joy’s ring and he got heated.

  Logic followed his eyes, noticed his expression change, and didn't want things to get worse. So he offered a hand. “Logic, me and Joy—”

  “The fuck you doing here with Joy’s man with jewelry bags and shit. Is this some kind of date or something?”

  “Why the fuck are you here with her while she’s putting her hands on you, is that some kind of date?”

  “He’s my producer, why wouldn't we have lunch together? We do all the time.”

  “Look, bruh, you can calm that shit down. This ain't a fucking date, this is just a thank you because she helped me pick an engagement ring for Joy.” Logic was now on his feet squared up, and speaking to Landon in a way that dared him to say something else disrespectful.

  “I’ll let you deal with her, I’ll be at our table.” Lexus touched Landon’s arm again, which caused Karma to jump up.

  “Yo, why the fuck you keep doing that shit? You know better than to put your hands on me, and we, as in you and me, don't have lunch together. This is a business fucking meeting with Ross, so chill with that shit. And if you put your damn hands on me one more time you’ll be finding another producer and another fucking beat for your new song.” Landon pointed at Lexus who stood there looking stupid as a Ross walked up.

  “What’s up, Karma,” he said cheerfully until he surveyed the situation and realized that everyone was tense.

  “Yo, take her dumb ass to the car. I done lost my fucking appetite. We can do this shit at the studio,” Landon said, waving his hand at Ross before he turned to Logic. “My bad, bruh, you have to appreciate how this shit looks, but we’re good.”

  Logic eyed Landon but accepted the hand he had extended toward him. “We’re good. I’ll give you guys a minute,” Logic said and stepped around them to head to the bathroom.

  “Why do you keep dealing with her if you know she wants you like that?” Karma asked the second Logic was gone.

  “We’re not doing this again. You know why, K. She just got her deal, her single is weeks away from hitting the air, and I need that exposure. I don't want that damn girl. When the hell you gonna start believing what I say? That shit right there is just business. That’s it. She can shit in one hand and put her wants in the other and see which one fills up first. Ain't nothing happening.”

  “That's just hard for me to believe, and that's your fault.”

  “Man, you need to pick a side. I know I fucked up a lot, but that was then and this is now. You can't say you want shit to work in one breath, and then follow it up with you don't trust me with the next. It don't work like that, K.”

  Karma stood there not saying anything because she knew he was right, but it didn't change that fact that she had trust issues and it was his fault. When Karma didn't speak, he grabbed her around the waist and placed his lips against hers for a quick kiss.

  “I’m not perfect, K, but I’m trying. I'm not fucking around. You have to believe that. I need you to believe that. I can't be out here making moves if I’m constantly stressing about what you think. I don't want that damn girl or any other for that matter. It's you and me, okay? I need you to believe that. I made it hard for you to do so, but just promise me you’ll try. I got you and only you. I put my life on that.”

  Karma rolled her eyes as a smile broke through. She loved Landon and couldn't deny that, and she trusted him the best she could. But when things like this happened it was easy to doubt.

  “Fine, but if she comes for me one more time, she’s gonna need plastic surgery to fix her damn face before they shoot her album cover. Now try me.”

  Just as she said that, Logic walked up and chuckled, hearing what Karma said. He sat down since they were standing a few feet away from their table, but Landon released Karma, dropped one arm around her shoulder and turned to him.

  “Yo, my bad about all that, and I really hope we’re straight. I just don't play about this one,” Landon said.

  Logic chuckled. “Nah, you good. I get it. I don't know what you got going on, but you can join us if you want.
”

  Landon let out a frustrated breath. “Nah, let me go handle this dumb ass girl before she fucks around and makes me catch a case.”

  “Yeah, you do that, before I do,” Karma said. “In fact, let me go—”

  “Oh hell no, I got this. Chill, and I’ll see you when I get home.”

  Karma and Landon shared another kiss before he left and then she and Logic settled in for lunch.

  -15-

  “Ma, where you at?” Logic said, walking into his mother’s house and slamming the door behind him without really thinking about it.

  He laughed at himself, feeling dumb as he set Joy’s ring down on the coffee table in the living room. He had planned to leave it in the car, but for some reason he kept hearing Karma’s voice in his head, like she was secretly fussing at him, and ended up taking it with him.

  “Why the hell you slamming my door like you don't have no damn sense?” Mini said over her shoulder as soon as she heard Logic behind her. He made his way to her and leaned down enough to wrap his arms around her and then kiss her cheek.

  “My bad, I didn't mean to.”

  “Well, I’m gonna mean to make you pay for it when you knock it off the hinges.” She shrugged him off her body and he chuckled then made his way to the table and sat down.

  “You hungry?” she asked, turning to face him.

  “Nah, I’m good.”

  “What you want then?” Mini asked as she took a seat in the chair across the table from her son.

  “Damn, I can't just come see you. It's like that? Maybe I just wanted to come check you out and see if you’re good.”

  “You can come see me anytime you want, but you don't, unless you want something. So just tell me what it is and quit pretending like you're concerned about my wellbeing.”

  Logic leaned back in his chair and grinned at the serious expression his mother wore.

  “I need to run something by you.”

  “I’m listening.” Mini leaned back and folded her arms across her chest.