Hook'd

by Taisha S. Ryan

  She stepped back. "I'm fine."

  He clenched his jaw, frustrated.

  "I'll let you get back to your work out." She placed on her clothes.

  His trainer walked in. Cam watched as she gathered her stuff.

  "I'm a call you later, alright?" he assured.

  She nodded then left.

  Chapter 34

  "Listen for the last time, stop calling this fucking number!"

  "C'mon, baby. You know that ain't gonna happen."

  "Yeah, and see if I don't report your ass to the police," Reese threatened, gripping the phone tighter.

  "Nah, I don't think you wanna do that."

  "Try me."

  "Go ahead. You'll be dead before you even finish dialing the number."

  His threat arose cold shivers down her spine. She hated how he was able to instill fear into her, even after all of these years. His sinister laugh permeated through the line, only making her cringe.

  "Yeah, that's what I thought. Ain't nothing but a weak bitch. I'm a see you around, though. Just you wai—"

  She hung up the phone. Leaning against the stall door, Reese fought back an angered scream. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't report him to the authorities. Sure they could probably trace the number. But he would only find her, and kill her like he said he would. And she believed him. She learned after everything he put her through, to never take his word lightly.

  She couldn't believe she was dealing with this after all these years. She thought she would never have to see him again. She had tried so hard to move on. And now he had found a way to reappear into her life.

  In that moment, painful memories she could no longer fight, rushed back like a treacherous storm.

  The rain pummeled the ground, flooding the atmosphere with aggression under the darkened skies. It drummed with rage. Articulating her pain through the thick silence. She ran her fingers across her battered face, her swollen eyes, bruised nose and lips, and blemished skin, cringing at the touch.

  3 years.

  3 years into this marriage. 3 years of hell. He had stripped her of her dignity. Dehumanized her. Broken her down into nothing.

  She glanced over her shoulder and grimaced. Just the sight of him made her sick. The way he looked. The way he smelled. The way he touched her. Everything about him, she hated.

  She faced forward. Her mind raced with thoughts, as snippets of her life flashed before her eyes. The thought of living the rest of her life like this haunted her. She couldn't take it. All she wanted was to be loved. To be cared for. But he found a way to break her down. Just like everyone else in her life. But not anymore. She was sick of it. She was sick of it all.

  She slid away and his grip around her tightened. She gasped.

  "Where you goin'?" he grumbled.

  "Um, bathroom," she forced out.

  After a moment, he loosened his grip and turned over. When he drifted back to sleep, she let out a breath of relief. Sliding away, she got out of bed. She tiptoed around the bed, careful not to awaken him then grabbed her suitcase. She pulled her clothes out of her drawer and packed them.

  "What are you doing?"

  She froze.

  The bed shifted and she spun around to see him, sitting up.

  He turned on the lamp and his frown deepened at the sight.

  "I'm leaving you."

  "What?"

  "I'm leaving you. I'm sick of this! I can't do this anymore."

  He rubbed his trimmed beard, not uttering a word. The pattering rain filled the silence as her words lingered the thick air. The vein at his temple bulged and she felt his anger brewing by the minute. Her heart pounded in her chest. She glanced around, figuring out her next move.

  "Get back in the bed, Reese."

  "No."

  He let out a deep breath. "I'm gonna tell you for the last time. Get back in the bed or—"

  She rushed to the nightstand and grabbed his pistol. She pointed it at him. He barely budged, unfazed.

  "I'm leaving," Her hands trembled as she gripped the cold steel in her palms. "Whether you like it or not."

  His menacing laughter filled the air, only igniting her rage.

  "So, what are you gonna do? Kill me?" He taunted.

  She tightened her grip, urging to see his brains splatter out of his skull.

  "And then what? Huh?" He rested his elbows on his lap, his foot tapping the wooden floor. "Where you gonna go? You ain't got shit else. What? You think some other nigga's gonna want you? C'mon, love. You know that ain’t gonna happen. Shit, ya own parents didn't even want you."

  Her heart pained at his cold words. She fought back tears, trying her hardest not to crumble at his insults.

  "Yeah..." His lips lifted into a sinister smile. "Look at you. You ain't nothing but a weak bitch. How you think I was able to get you so easily? Huh? You was just another worthless bitch I could control, that's it. You ain't shit and you never gonna be. If you wanna kill me, then do it."

  Her finger latched the trigger.

  "I said, do it bitch!"

  She pulled the trigger.

  The room was silenced.

  Expecting to hear the boisterous noise of the gun, she was surprised when all she heard was the click of the empty chamber. She looked at him, and his lips lifted into a devious grin. She pulled the trigger again.

  Nothing.

  "Ugh!" She slammed the gun into her palm, frustrated.

  "Ain't no bullets you stupid bitch."

  He charged at her and slammed her to the floor. He pummeled his fists into her face, and she cried in aguish with each blow. He strangled her.

  "You think you strong? Huh? You ain't strong! I'll break ya ass down you fucking worthless bitch!"

  She struggled for air. Writhing in panic, she gripped his hands urging for a release. He tightened his grip, clenching the air from her throat. Her eyes welled with tears of pain. Her vision darkened as she found it harder to hold on any longer.

  "Sharese!"

  She jolted out of her trance at the yell of her name. Gasping for air, she looked around to find herself curled on the tiled floor, in front of the bathroom toilet. Her body trembling, she remained immobile. Her vision blurred with tears as her face drenched with sweat.

  "Oh my god, are you okay?"

  She turned her head, to find a knelt Lillian peering from under the stall.

  "What's wrong?"

  Reese glanced at her surroundings, wondering how she even ended up on the floor. Wiping her tears, she forced herself up and grabbed a wad of tissues.

  "Nothing, I'm fine," she said with a strained tone.

  Silence.

  She waited to hear the clicking of Lillian's heels as she strutted out, but heard none. She was waiting for her. With reluctance, Reese stepped out of the stall to find Lillian standing before her. Her face softened with concern.

  Reese bypassed her and approached the mirror. She cringed at the sight of her reddened, puffy eyes and smeared make up. She looked like such a mess. She dabbed her face with the tissues, careful not to smear anymore of her concealer. She suddenly hated herself for not carrying any like she usually would’ve.

  "Wanna talk about it, hun?" Lillian rubbed her back.

  "Lillian, I'm fine."

  "Well, can I at least give you a hug? You look like you need it."

  With a sigh, Reese turned to her and Lillian wrapped her arms around her. She rubbed her back, tightening her hold. Reese tried her best to hold it together, but she couldn't. She broke down into tears, burying her face into Lillian's shoulder.

  "It's okay, hun. It's okay," she whispered, rocking her.

  Lillian held her, soothing her as she released her tears. After a while, Reese pulled away, embarrassed. She had never cried in front of any of her staff. It was unprofessional, and most of all inappropriate. She hated herself for allowing this. She stepped away and turned to the mirror.

  "You wanna forgo the whole event?" Lillian asked.

  "No," she quic
kly said. She shook her head with vehemence, drying her eyes. "We're not forgoing anything."

  "Are you sure? You look like you need a brea—"

  "Lillian." She shut her eyes, annoyed. "Just...go out there and make sure everything is situated. Please. I'll be out there in just a moment."

  Lillian stood there, as though itching to say something. But much to her relief, she turned away and left. Grateful for the privacy, Reese let out a deep sigh, forcing herself to get it together. She fluffed her spiked hair, before smoothing the sides around her nape, then brushed the loose lint off of her satin burgundy blouse and black skirt.

  Today, was the Free the Heart's annual, Women Survivor's workshop. An event in which the members of the organization gathered at the shelter to celebrate women from all walks of life, whom had survive abuse, by sharing out food, clothing, as well as children's toys and books. There were no cameras or recording of the event due to respect of the women's privacy. But the event still managed to garner publicity due to her newfound 'status'. She didn't mind it, as long as the publicity was for a good cause.

  Reese let out a breath, staring at her reflection. She just hoped she could pull this off. Despite whatever turmoil she was going through, she couldn't let that stop her from doing her job. She had a responsibility to be an example for these women. No matter what.

  Chapter 35

  "I got what you sent me. They're beautiful, thank you," Reese said with a warm smile.

  "You know it's nothing."

  As soon as he arrived in his hotel room, he 'FaceTime'd' her, longing to talk to her all day. All week, he had been all over the states, for the promotional tour for his upcoming fight next week. And in just a short time, he would be touching down in Vegas for the big event the world had been waiting for. His fight. With such a busy schedule, he had hardly gotten the chance to even talk to her for more than a few minutes, before it was time to hit another event. And now, just seeing her beautiful face and hearing that soft voice of hers, was enough to soothe his whole mood.

  "You really didn't have to get me these, Cam. You know that."

  "Well, I wanted to."

  "I know, but still."

  "Aye look, let ya man treat you, alright. End of discussion," he said lightly.

  She chuckled, shaking her head. While on his trip, he had sent her a new pair of Louboutin heels, a Hermes bag, and a diamond studded bracelet. He felt bad about not being there, so he wanted to send her some gifts to cheer her up. Little did she know, he liked spoiling her. It was the fact that she never asked him for anything, that only made him want to do it even more. He was so used to women wanting any and everything from him, but Reese never did. And it was so refreshing being with a woman who didn't want him for more than just his heart.

  "So, how has the tour been?" Reese asked.

  "Same as any ol’ tour," he said with a shrug. "How'd the event go today?"

  "It went um..." She nodded. "It went well. It was great seeing all the women and being able to speak to them, and provide them with all the donations and everything. They all deserved it.”

  "That's good." He nodded.

  He admired her for what she did. Just being able to help domestic violence survivors, by founding her own organization, was commendable. He saw her passion. The same way he felt about boxing. Except what she did was on a bigger scale, and much more admirable. She was helping the lives of others, and it couldn’t get any better than that.

  "That's real dope what you're doing," he told her.

  "What?"

  "Helping all those women. They need someone like you, who's strong and passionate about what she does. You're making a difference, and I admire that."

  He never told her this before, but for some reason he felt the need to, tonight.

  She averted her gaze without a word. He didn't expect that type of response. There was such a somberness in her mood, and he wondered why. She seemed to be that way, these days.

  "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

  "Nothing."

  "Nah, something's bothering you. What is it?"

  "No, it's nothing. I just..." She shook her head. "Wish you were here, that's all."

  His heart softened. He missed her too. These two weeks had been damn near painful without her.

  "Me too. But don't worry, I'll be back in New York in a few days."

  He stared at her through the screen, lusting how sexy she looked as she laid across her bed, dressed in her laced bra and boy shorts. Damn. The things he would do if she were here.

  "What?" she said.

  "You're the only woman I know that looks sexy in a du-rag."

  She hissed her teeth. "What?"

  He laughed.

  "Shut up. It's not a du-rag, it's a scarf." She adjusted it on her head.

  "Yeah, whatever it is. You rocking it, baby."

  "You know what? Goodnight, Cameron."

  "Oh, I'm Cameron now? We're back to that?" He smirked.

  "Yes. Goodbye."

  Her lips curled into a soft smile and his heart melted. That was what he liked to see. That smile.

  "Stop, playing. You know your ass don't wanna get off the phone with me."

  "Yes, I do. I'm sick of your face."

  "No, you ain't. Frontin' ass."

  "Whatever."

  He waited for her to hang up, but she didn't. Instead she stared at him with a certain glint in her eyes he had been noticing lately. It was like she was itching to say something. But was holding back.

  "What?" he probed, wondering what was on her mind.

  She blinked away. "Nothing. Goodnight."

  And just like that, she vanished from the screen.

  A knock on the door made him look up, to find Slick at the doorway.

  "You ready? We're heading out."

  "Yeah." Cam got up, then slid his phone in his pocket.

  Tonight, he was heading to LIV nightclub in Miami, for another appearance. Was he feeling up to it? Not really. He would rather be in New York with Reese by his side, than attend these festivities for another year. But fuck it. It was a part of the business. So, he had to do what he had to do.

  Chapter 36

  "So, you were right. It was time to let Mandigo, go."

  "Thank you, Jesus." Reese shut her eyes with relief.

  "And you know what made me cut him loose?" Yasmine sipped on her Martini.

  "What?"

  "His broke ass wanted to move in."

  "Did he?"

  "And guess why."

  "Why?"

  "Cause his mama kicked his ass out."

  "Wow."

  "I was like, hell no! You don't got no job, no money, no car, nothing. And you wanna move in with who? Nigga please."

  Reese laughed. "Sad."

  After a long day of work, she and Yasmine spent the night at a local bar in SoHo. With as much stress she had been experiencing lately, she needed this time to unwind with a good friend. Yasmine always managed to keep her spirits up, which was exactly what she needed at the moment. And with Cameron away for his promotional tour, she had been feeling extremely lonely. She didn't realize how much she would miss him, till now. It felt odd not having him around. Right about now, she would be laying in his arms without a care in the world. These next two days couldn't arrive fast enough. Soon, he would be back in New York and her days would seem much brighter again.

  "I was wondering when you'd come to your senses." Reese sipped on her Raspberry Spritzer.

  "I was clouded by the D, girl. I was clouded by the D."

  "Well, I'm glad you woke up. It was about time."

  Her phone vibrated on the table, and she glanced at the screen. Her body tensed and she ignored it.

  "Let me guess. The hubby?"

  "Would you stop saying that?" Reese slipped her phone in her clutch. "And no, it's not."

  "Sureee."

  "Anyway, next topic."

  "Nu-uh, don't change the subject. So, how are things going between you two?"


  "Are we seriously going to talk about this right now?"

  "Yes, we are."

  "We're great, Yas. We're great."

  "Look at you..." Yasmine shook her head. "Already falling in love."

  She choked on her drink. "What?"

  "Yep. And don't even try to deny, because it's all on your face."

  "We've only been together for 4 months."

  "And?"

  "And don't you think it's a little too soon to be talking about love?" Reese glanced at the patrons as they approached the table, ordering drinks.

  "Nope. Love can happen anytime, anywhere, and at any moment."

  "Ugh. Shut up."

  Her lovey dovey, philosophical ass.

  "It's the truth."

  "Whatever."

  Yasmine called attention to the bartender and ordered another drink. When she offered to buy Reese one, she declined. Instead, she fell into her thoughts, idly stirring her drink with her straw.

  "I just feel bad, you know," she spoke up.

  "Bad about what?" Yasmine glanced at her.

  "Cameron."

  "Why?"

  "Because he's a good guy." She let out a sigh. "And I want so much to give him my all, you know? But there's still a piece of my heart that's just unwilling to go there again."

  Yasmine paid the bartender, as he slid her another drink. "I mean, that's understandable. This is what, your first real relationship since...what’s-his-name?"

  Her chest tightened at the mere thought of him. She nodded, agreeing to the pathetic fact.

  "So, it's not gonna be easy to just open up your heart again. But you have to ask yourself, does he make you happy?"

  She nodded.

  "And can you honestly see yourself with him in the future?"

  Reese thought for a moment. "Yeah, I can."

  "Then, just go with it. It's okay to be happy, Reese. You do have that right, you know," Yasmine teased, causing her to smile a bit.

  "And I know this sounds crazy coming from me, since I didn't want ya'll two stubborn asses together in the first place. But you both seem happy. And the man obviously cares about you. Shit, if you ask me, he might even be in love with you—"