"Maxine is right, A. I really think you should, too," Isha interjected.
I took a deep breath; I knew they were right. But I just didn't want to. Not right now.
"I have an idea. Why don't we go out for lunch? Let's just enjoy the day, relaxing on a patio somewhere and forgetting about men and how much they screw up," Isha suggested.
"I'm up for it. Besides, I'm craving anything Italian." Maxine said with a giggle.
"Fine. I do need to get out," I reluctantly agreed.
"Great! We'll meet you at Carrabba's, Maxie."
"Sounds like a plan. See you later, girls."
We both told her bye, and I disconnected the call. Isha gave me a hug.
"It's going to be okay, sweetie. Maybe this is for the best for you two."
I nodded. "Maybe so."
"Come on, let's go."
I got up and started getting ready. I needed a break from the insanity that was my life, and hopefully, lunch with the girls would do that for me.
***
Soon after, we headed to Carrabba's. When we arrived, we saw Maxine sitting on the bench; we greeted her, went inside, and were immediately seated. I looked around and saw Dwight talking to a middle-aged white male. The two looked like they were deep in conversation. He turned around and saw me staring at him, and I quickly turned around. Before I could even look at my menu, I heard his voice, asking if he could talk to me. I looked at the girls, who both wore curious expressions. I sighed then got up and followed him outside. I really didn't want to talk to him, but I guess I could hear his side of the story about his second life.
"I'm sure Bryon told you about me, didn't he?"
"He did, but I already knew."
He raised an eyebrow, and I took a deep breath. "I knew from a conversation he was having on the phone with his brother. He thought I was asleep, but he confirmed everything last night."
'Listen A, I'm sorry for everything. I know what I did was terrible, but you have to understand why I did it."
"Oh, let me guess, it was to protect me, right Dwight? I've heard it all before."
"It was to protect you. I didn't want anyone I was investigating to come after you and use you for leverage. The case I'm working on now is high priority. Tyrone Foster is capable of doing anything, and I don't want you caught in the middle of it."
"But you've been lying to me since we've been together. Does your aunt know about this? Does Tonya know?"
"Do you think she does? She would have told Warren in a heartbeat. And no, Tonya doesn't know. Why would I tell her?"
"I don't know, since you're spending so much time with her, I figured you would."
"No, Asia, I didn't."
"What made you join the force? Why did you want to become an agent?"
"Because I wanted to make a difference in the world. Growing up, I saw a lot of shit I knew could be eliminated if the right person stepped in and changed it. I wanted to be that person to do it."
"How did Warren get involved with this supposed drug dealer?"
"Damn, Gibson really did spill all the details. Warren is the type of person who wants things when he wants them and doesn't want to work for them. When Tyrone made him an offer he couldn't refuse, he took it. As for his day job, he only does that so my aunt won't be on his back. She's hard on me, but she's harder on Warren since that's her son. Anyway, he does things he knows is wrong, but he doesn't care. He just want that payout."
"So how did you get involved with trying to take your own cousin down?"
"I can't talk about that, A. That's strictly confidential."
I nodded. "So you cheated on me so I would leave you in case anything did happen, correct?"
Dwight sighed. "That was part of it, but I really wasn't happy with how things were Asia. We both had become distant. Too much was happening, and we didn't know how to handle it."
"But you were leading a double life. You actually had money to help our financial situation."
"I did, but I couldn't do anything unless I told you the truth, which I couldn't do. So I kept everything under wraps, including my car that I had in storage. I couldn't let anyone know what I was doing without giving some sort of explanation."
"You could have told people something instead of making everyone think you weren't doing anything with your life."
"I had to do that so I could get in Tyrone's good graces. I wouldn't have been able to if I showed up driving a damn Charger and waving money around."
"Warren did."
"Warren also has a career as an accountant. He's greedy, so that was believable to Tyrone."
I shook my head. "This still doesn't make sense. You basically just threw your marriage away to live a double life."
"Asia, our marriage was already over. We both established that at my aunt's that night. We both made mistakes, and we both want to move on. Now, I wouldn't mind giving things another chance, but I know you don't. You want to be with Bryon."
"I don't know right now."
"Stop lying to yourself, A. Despite what he's done, you still want to be with him. You're thinking about him at this very moment, are you?"
I scoffed. "I'm not."
"Yes, you are. Although we both lied, he's the one you're most upset with. Just admit it."
"Maybe I am, so what? It doesn't matter anyway."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that."
I looked over and saw Bryon looking at me. I sighed, wondering how I'd been able to run into the two men that I was trying to avoid. I laughed and tried to walk off, but Bryon stopped me.
"Let go of me," I demanded.
"Not until we talk."
"Listen, she doesn't want to talk to you, so just go," Dwight interrupted.
"You stay out of it," Bryon argued.
"He's right, Bryon. I don't want to talk to you. Not now, not ever."
"Please, just give me a few minutes, that's all I'm asking."
I sighed and looked at Dwight who nodded.
"I'll see you later," he said.
"Tell Tonya I said hi."
He smirked and went back into the restaurant.
I looked at Bryon, who had his hands stuffed in his pockets. He led me over to the bench, and we sat down.
"What are you doing here? Did Maxine tell you?"
"No, she didn't, but Jason did. He knew she was coming here."
I rolled my eyes and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful day, but it didn't match my current mood.
"How did you get back here so soon? I'm sure you left this morning."
"I did, around four. As soon as I saw that you left, I came back."
"Why? You knew I didn't want to see you."
"I know, but I had to take that chance. I'm really sorry for hurting you, Asia."
"Are you really? You were investigating me like I had something to do with Dwight and Warren. Hell, the damn joke is on you since Dwight is working with you."
"Maybe so. Asia, I really didn't want things to be this way. I was really looking out for you."
"I feel like everything was a damn lie. You, Dwight, everything. I don't know who to trust."
"You can still trust me. We've had a great time together in the six months we've known each other. Even though I was undercover, my feelings for you weren't fake. I really do love you."
I tried not to cry as I stood up. "I can't talk to you right now, Bryon. Just leave me alone until I can figure things out."
He came over and held me in his arms. Before I knew it, he was kissing me, creating those butterflies I always had around him. He held me even tighter, and my breath became erratic. I pulled away from him and shook my head.
"Kissing you will not solve the problem between us. Just stay away from me."
"Asia –"
"I mean it! Stay the hell away from me!" I yelled. I turned and saw several bystanders staring at us; I was so embarrassed. I went inside the restaurant and told Isha and Maxine that I was leaving. I needed to get away from everyone and take some
time to myself. I went outside again and saw Bryon still standing by the bench. I walked to a cab driver nearby and asked if I could get a ride. Thank goodness he was off duty and wasn't waiting for anyone. I hopped in and gave him Isha's address so I could get my car and go to Jason's loft. I needed to pack up my remaining items. Once I finished, I could be done with Bryon once and for all.
Bryon
I watched as Asia got into the cab and took a deep breath. Jason told me not to go see her, but he shouldn't have told me where she was. I knew I should have given her the time she needed to sort things out, but I couldn't help it. I needed to see her.
I was going back to my car when I saw Maxine and another woman approaching me. I sighed and looked at my sister-in-law.
"Go ahead, Maxie. Tell me how much of a lying snake I am," I said to her.
"I'm not going to say anything. In fact, I think you're getting what you deserve right now."
I rolled my eyes and glanced at her friend, who smirked.
"So you're Bryon. What did I tell you about hurting my bestie?"
I realized it was Isha.
"I told you I would hunt you down like a mad woman and hurt you as much as you hurt her. At first, I didn't condone the relationship since A's married, but after everything that's happened, I figured she deserved a little bit of happiness. Now, I take that back. You're just as bad as her cheating husband."
"Now, now Isha; that's not fair," Maxine argued.
"It is fair! He hurt Asia a hundred times worse than Dwight did."
I just looked at her. How could she compare me to Dwight? I turned around and headed for the
parking lot. She was following me, but I guess Maxine stopped her because I no longer heard
her.
I got into my car and leaned my head against the back of the seat. I could try and go back to my
place and let things cool down, but I knew from that kiss we shared, Asia didn't want to leave me
alone, just like I didn't want to leave her. I knew what I had to do. She had to listen to me, so I
would just keep trying until she actually did.
***
After leaving the restaurant, I went to Jason's place, checking to see if Asia was there. Sure enough, her car was parked outside. I guess she asked the cab driver to drop her off at Isha's before coming here. I'd also found out where she was staying from Jason.
I used the key I had for his place and opened the door. As soon as the door closed, she quickly turned around. She was so startled by my appearance that she dropped a vase on the floor, causing it to shatter.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" she yelled.
"I'm sorry I scared you, but we need to talk."
"So you're adding fucking stalker to the list of things about you? I told you to leave me alone."
"I will after you hear me out."
"I don't want to."
"Please, Asia."
I went to the kitchen and grabbed a broom and dustpan to sweep up the glass. Once I cleaned it up, I guided Asia over to the couch to sit down. She wouldn't look at me as I began talking.
"I joined the force mainly because of my dad. He was an inspiration to both Jason and me, so when he passed, we wanted to keep his legacy going by doing the same thing he'd done, protecting the city. Once we were in, we worked the beat until we were both promoted to detectives. It was a huge deal for us, but we didn't realize what all the job entailed. We knew our dad went through a lot, but when we took our first case, it was grueling and stressful. The fact that we couldn't talk about it with anyone made it even more stressful. But we got through it, and the more cases we worked on, the easier it got.
"My biggest challenge came when Jason and I were assigned to Tyrone's case. They wanted their best detectives on it, so of course, they chose us. When they asked me to investigate you, I didn't think anything of it. They figured I could charm you into telling the truth. Little did I know, you were the one who charmed the hell out of me. One look at you, I couldn't resist you.
"As time went on, I thought I could keep my feelings in check, but when you started talking about your marriage and how Dwight wasn't there to support you, I felt I had to step in and do what I could because I didn't want to see you suffer. I wanted to be that support in your life. The more time I spent with you, the more I wanted to be with you, so my real feelings got in the way of me being professional, and I don't regret it at all."
"How did Courtney know about you being a detective when no one else did?"
"We worked on a couple of cases together. That's how we met."
"Were you ever going to tell me what you were doing?"
"I did. I was tired of lying to you. I wanted to be honest, but I also didn't want you to know just in case something went down with Tyrone. I didn't want you to be caught up in this, A."
Her face soften while she looked at me. I slowly placed her hand in mine, hoping she wouldn't move it, and she didn't. This was a sign that maybe things would be okay.
"Asia, I love you, and I will fix this between us. I don't ever want you to doubt me or my feelings for you. I know you probably need some time to figure things out, which I'll be glad to give you; just tell me if there's another chance with us. If so, I'll give you all the time you need."
Asia looked into my eyes and placed a hand on my cheek, slowly caressing my skin. I took her hand and kissed it, and she closed her eyes.
"Bryon, I want to be able to trust you again, but I don't know if I can."
"Please, A, just find it in your heart to. I promise I won't hurt you again; believe me on that."
She looked down, and I lifted her chin up so she would look at me.
"Remember, I'm not on this case anymore, so we can move on with our lives; if you want to."
"But how do I know Tyrone won't come after you?"
"He doesn't know anything about me or Jason. We've have been following him, but he never saw us. We've kind of been behind the scenes. Dwight should be the one concerned since he's there, front and center, with him."
"And I am concerned. Even though we had our problems, I don't have any ill-will towards him."
"Me either."
"I'm glad you told me the truth, but I still need time to think."
I nodded. "Like I said, I'll give you all the time you need, okay?"
She agreed and got up to continue packing. I went over, and took the paper from her hand.
"I probably won't be at work on Monday."
"That's fine. Take all the time you need from there, too. I'm still going to pay you though."
"That's not necessary, Bryon."
"Yes it is. Consider it a paid vacation."
"Thanks. You can go now."
"Not until I do this," I said and took off her shirt. She looked in my eyes, like she wasn't sure if she should give in, but I knew she would once she kissed me. We walked to the bed, kissing and caressing each other. We'd just been apart for a few hours, but I'd missed her so much. I now knew that we would get through this. It might take some time, but we would.
Asia
It had been a week since I learned the truth about both Bryon and Dwight, and I still hadn't come to terms with it. Even though Bryon and I had slept together, I still wasn't ready to get back with him. It probably pissed him off, but I just couldn't do it.
Even with all the mayhem, I decided to return to work. There was no point in me hanging around Isha's, bored. I'd been trying to write, but because of everything that had happened, it was a lost cause. Maybe being at the office would help me get my mojo back and start on the third book in my series.
I was going through a few layouts when the door to the office opened, and Sabrina walked in. I glanced at her, wondering what she was doing here. She came over to me with a warm smile and a basket.
"Hi, Sabrina. Neither Bryon or Jason are here."
"I know. I came to see you."
I watched her sit in the seat by my desk and handed me the basket.
&nb
sp; "It's a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies," she told me. "Bryon said they're your favorite."
"They are. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Sabrina, with all due respect, if you're here to talk about Bryon, then you're wasting your time. I already told him I needed time to think."
"I am here to talk about Bryon, but he didn't send me here."
"I knew he wouldn't. That's not his style."
"Nope. He's always been one to fight his own battles, but I will step in if needed."
I smiled. "I'm sure you will."
"I just wanted to tell you that you've changed my son for the better, Asia. Before you found out the truth, Bryon was always talking about you, saying how much of an angel you are. I believe him, especially when I met you at his place."
"I'm not an angel. I've made a lot of mistakes lately."
"Sweetie, we all have made a mistake or two in our lives. We're human, so that's to be expected."
"How is he doing?"
Sabrina smiled. "He misses you, but he knows you need time to think."
"I'm glad he finally took the hint. I can't do that if he's always around."
"That's Bryon for you. He has a heart of gold but can be stubborn as hell."
"That is so true," I agreed with a laugh.
Sabrina grabbed a cookie and took a bite. "You're probably wondering why I didn't say anything about him and Jason."
"I know they took an oath."
"That and because it wasn't my place. When they said they wanted to follow in their father's footsteps, I was scared for them. I'm sure Bryon told you how their father died."
"Yes, he was killed on a case."
Sabrina nodded, trying to hold back tears. "I didn't want them to end up like their father, but they were so determined to join the force, and I couldn't stop them. Instead, I told them to try a different profession to see how they would like it. Jason decided to open this place and take Bryon on as a co-owner. It worked because they both love it, but Bryon loves it more than Jason."
"How can you tell?"
"Just by the way he talks about being here. He's wanted to leave the force for years, Asia, but he didn't have the heart to do it since it was his father's legacy. You were the one who made him get serious about quitting and moving on with his life, which he decided to do and work here full-time."
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