by K. C. Mills
“You sure are real comfortable with that,” Joy laughed at the fact that Logic said home again, in reference to her absence.
“Hell yeah I am, and you better be too,” Logic said arrogantly.
“I’ll get back to you on that,” Joy teased. “What time are you coming?”
“Oh hell no. Didn't she just tell you that she’s staying with me tonight?” Karma leaned towards Joy and yelled through the phone to make sure Logic could hear her.
“Put me on speaker,” he said.
“No, I’m not doing that.”
He chuckled. “Joy, put me on speaker.”
“Fine.”
She removed her phone from her face and put it on speaker.
“Yo, chill with all that. I’m not coming to get her, but I am coming to see her later. You can't just kidnap my girl and expect me to be okay with that Karma.”
“Your ass needs to learn how to spend one night away from her, damn. She got you sprung like that?” Karma snapped.
“Hell yeah, she does, and I’ll admit that shit too. Cut a nigga some slack.” Logic was joking but there was truth behind it too. In just a short amount of time, he realized that Joy was his comfort zone, and that feeling was crucial to his sanity right now.
“Just don't try any slick shit like trying to talk her into leaving with you and we’re good, but trust me, I'm setting a timer the second you hit my front porch. Hell, I might not even let your ass come in.”
Joy bursted out laughing and so did Logic. Joy looked across at Karma because she knew that Karma was dead ass serious.
“Damn Karma, it's like that. You gonna set a timer and shit?” Logic asked.
“Yep, now play if you want, and I thought you had something to do. She’s busy right now, so bye.”
“K, stop playing,” Joy yelled as Karma tried to snatch Joy’s phone.
“Yo, I’m out. Send me the address and I’ll see you in a few hours,” Logic said.
“Bye Logic,” Karma yelled.
After Joy ended the call, her index finger pointed straight at Karma. “You know you’re wrong for that,” Joy wore a smirk.
“What?” Karma asked pretending to not to have a clue about what Joy was talking about. She held a serious stare for all of ten seconds before a smile began to surface.
“That right there.” Joy made a circle in the air, using her finger like she was outlining Karma’s face.
“Girl bye. He has you all the time. I just want one night. You owe me that, especially since you wouldn't have been with him in the first place, if it wasn't for me.”
Joy rolled her eyes. “You better be glad I love you and you have good snacks.”
They both laughed this time and Joy lifted her phone to send Logic Karma’s address. She was looking forward to seeing him later, even if Karma was going to have a timer running, but for now she was about to enjoy some much needed girl time. She had to admit, she missed her best friend and was glad that she was being held hostage.
-10-
Logic had free time on his hand and nothing to do with it, so after he ran through the block to make sure things were running smoothly, he decided to go check on his cousin. They hadn't talked since the day she showed up at his mother’s house with Rah. He was still a little pissed about it, but he couldn't really blame her for some shit she didn't know. But he also needed it to be clear that she wasn't fucking with Rah on any type of level. After that, if she decided to do some dumb shit concerning Rah, Logic was going to have to check her. Being that he was the only man in either of their lives, he felt obligated to see that they were protected and made good choices which included the men they were involved with. He also understood that they were grown and could ultimately do what they wanted, but Rah was the one exception. Rah would die before Logic let Nova deal with him.
“You could have called first,” Nova released sarcastically when Logic walked through her front door.
He just laughed and dropped his keys on her coffee table, and sat down on the love seat across from her.
“That key is for emergencies, not just so you can walk up in here invading my privacy whenever you feel like it,” Nova continued to speak even though Logic didn't.
“You want you key back?” Logic leaned forward to reach for his keys but Nova just rolled her eyes, which made Logic chuckle. She and Najah were so much alike, both his cousin and his sister felt like they had all the answers but when it came to men, they couldn’t pick the right one to save their lives.
“Why are you here Auggie? Clearly you care more about what your girl thinks than what I think.” Nova was still a little put off by the fact that Logic defended Joy instead of her, even though she knew that Joy hadn't really done anything wrong. Her past with Rah wasn't relevant to the fact that Nova was dealing with him now.
“I’m here because we need to talk and don't pull that childish shit with me. You grown as fuck Nova, so don't come with that I hurt your feeling shit. You know you were wrong for coming at Joy like that anyway. If anything, she should have been in your ass since you were the one fucking with her leftovers, but as you can see, she didn't give a fuck about any of that. So get your feelings in check about that bullshit and let it go. That nigga is on borrowed time anyway, trust me.”
Nova sat there fuming, mostly because Logic was right, but also because he mentioned handling Rah. She knew from the tension between Rah and Logic that something was going on that was bigger than the fact that Rah and Joy had history, but she also knew that that same history was a big motivator for Logic wanting to get rid of him.
“So you ready to kill for her. You just met the damn girl a few months ago Auggie.” Nova stood, snatching up the plate and cup she had been using, so that she could head to the kitchen. Logic was right behind her.
“You sound real fucking childish right now. Would I kill that nigga because he used to fuck with Joy? Hell yeah if he didn't know his place, which clearly he doesn't since he disrespected your ass right there in front of everybody, but this shit isn't just about Joy. It's also about him fucking with my team and trying to take what's mine. You know me and you know that shit ain't gonna fly. No one is exempt and I got one chambered for any motherfucker that tries me. Just because you're fucking him don't give that nigga a pass. If anything it pushes him to the top of the fucking list. Family first always, and just because you got your damn feelings on your shoulder, don’t change the fact that I’m always going to make sure you’re good, even when you're too damn stubborn to see it.”
Nova knew that Logic was right, but her pride was tugging at her and she was having a hard time admitting it.
Logic watched Nova moving around her kitchen slamming dishes and cabinets to make a point. He didn't really care. Growing up around his mom, Najah and Nova had him used to women being in their feelings. It didn't really move him one way or the other, and he was an expert at tuning it out. Logic was extremely intelligent, regardless of the fact that his formal education ended at age sixteen, so he processed every situation and dealt with the them in a way that always allowed him to control the outcome. He had a gift for forcing people to feed off of his energy, so he never just reacted. Every thought, every action for him was planned. Just like now, he allowed Nova her moment, knowing that when she realized that he wasn’t moved by her temper tantrum, she would eventually calm down so that they could have a conversation that wasn't driven by her personal feelings.
“Where are Kenyan and Kenya?” Logic asked just now realizing that he hadn't seen or heard his cousins since he got there. Unless they were sleep, they would have been all over him.
“Sharece picked them up so that they could play at her house with for a while.” This time Nova answered a little more relaxed. She didn't dare tell him that she sent her kids with Sharece because Rah was coming over.
Logic looked at her questionably. Nova was a good mother, the best in fact, because her kids’ father wasn't shit so she had to be. It was just her, and that meant that she had them wit
h her all the time. If she was home, they were home with her and when she wasn't, they were usually with Najah or his mom.
“You have to work?”
“No, they just wanted to go play so I told her it was cool. I'm getting them in a little while,” Nova said hoping she didn't sound suspect.
“Aight, well you ready to talk like you got some damn sense or do we need to do this another time?”
Nova rolled her eyes before turning aggressively, folding her arms and leaning against the counter in front of her kitchen sink. Logic shook his head and stood in front of her.
“Look, I know you call yourself feeling that nigga but he’s bad news Nova. After that bullshit that went down at Mom’s house, I know you already know that. Is that really what you want, a nigga that don't really give a fuck about your feelings? You can't sit here and tell me that shit wasn't foul as hell.”
“I’m not messing with him anymore, so it doesn't matter,” Nova lied, while Logic studied her face. He knew his cousin.
“Yeah, aight. It's whatever. Like I said, you're grown but trust me, I don't make threats, I make promises and I promise that muthafucker won't be breathing for long. You can be slick and be on some disrespectful shit if you want to, but I’m telling you now, fuck your feelings for him and if you let him get you caught in the middle of a bad situation, then that’s on you. You’re my family and I always got you, but some shit I can't save you from.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nova almost felt like Logic was threatening her.
“It means that the line is drawn, choose a side.”
She stared at him for a minute, knowing what she she should say and honestly there wasn't really a choice to be made. She knew what side she was on but right now, she was going to find a way to have the best of both worlds. She just had to be careful. If nothing else, Nova knew that Logic was a man of his word and he didn't play when it came to family and loyalty, but what was the harm in it if it was understood that she wasn't going to get serious with Rah. That much she knew.
“There’s no choice to be made Auggie, and I hope you know me better than that. I would never go against you or this family.”
Now it was Logic’s turn to process. He watched his cousin’s face knowing damn well she was lying, but calling her on it wasn't going to change anything. He just hoped she understood the position she was putting herself in, the position she was putting him in. Rah was going to get her fucked up and he could feel it coming. He just prayed that it wasn't a situation that they couldn't recover from.
“I have to go. I’ll catch up with you soon,” was all that he said before he pulled Nova into a hug and kissed her on the forehead. She walked him to the door and just before he was about to leave she spoke again.
“I’ll make it right with Joy,” Nova said.
Logic just chuckled, nodded and then left.
*****
Rah smiled at Nova the second she opened her front door but she returned a nasty glare. Here we fucking go with the bullshit. He assumed it was because he hadn't been returning her calls but he didn't really care. He had been busy watching Logic’s people and making plans. After a few of his guys put one of Logic’s guys in the hospital, he thought for sure that Logic’s team would come at him hard, but they hadn't made a move yet. Rah wasn't sure how to take that, so he had been on the streets with Moses and his people trying to figure out what they were up to. As far as they could tell, it was business as usual for Logic’s team, but Rah was smart enough to know that things aren't always what they appeared. He had done his research on Logic, so he had a little inside information about how he made moves. He knew that Logic was a thinker, rarely ever did he just react, so Rah took that to mean that they were planning. It didn't matter to him because he was planning too. He was too arrogant to believe that anyone could take him down, and especially not some poetry writing, street imposter wannabe.
“You want me to leave?” Rah asked offering up a slick smile that he knew Nova wouldn't be able to resist. He could see her damn near drooling just from the fact that he actually showed up.
“What I want is to know why you're fucking with me. If this is about trying to get under my cousin’s skin, then yeah, you can leave because trust me, that’s the wrong move.” Nova made sure to keep eye contact with Rah so that she could hopefully read his reaction. She really wanted him to be there, but if this was about Logic then she wasn't about play those games with Rah. Logic had already basically threatened her, and she wasn't about to prove him right by getting caught up in some situation where Rah was using her just to fuck with Logic.
Rah laughed and stepped past Nova inside her apartment, but slapping her hard on the side of her thigh before he was completely inside. She tilted her head back slightly, rolling her eyes to the ceiling while still holding her door, which she eventually shut after letting out a long frustrated breath. Like always, Rah went straight to her bedroom and when she entered, he was in the process of removing his clothes. Once he was down to just his jeans and nothing else, he sat on the foot of her bed with his eyes focused on her, as she leaned against her dresser watching him. Nova needed to keep some distance between the two or she knew that they would both be naked, and the only conversation would be about hitting spots and how deep he needed to go to make her cum.
“Are you gonna answer me?” Nova snapped.
“The fuck Nova, I answered your ass when I came in instead of leaving.”
“That’s not an answer, all that means is your horny ass wants me naked,” she pointed at him with a scowl on her face.
He let out an irritated sigh, and stood long enough to roughly grab her around her waist. The second his large hands gripped her sides, he was seated again with her positioned between his legs. Rah hadn’t played football in years, but you couldn't look at him and tell. He still wore every muscle, as if he were still a star athlete. He housed the appearance, like he spent every day of his life in a gym, instead of on the streets hustling. It was one of the things that like most women, including Nova, loved about him.
“Look ma, I like you. You’re down to earth, cool as hell and of course this shit right here keeps a nigga fiending.” His hands moved down her sides across her ass. “But that insecure shit ain't working for me. It's a huge fucking turn off. I don't give a fuck about that pussy ass nigga. He don't make my dick hard but this does.” Rah lifted her shirt and planted a few kisses across her stomach. “So if you wanna let that shit fuck with your head, then that's on you. I’ll leave, but if you want me to stay, then I suggest you let that shit go and make this about us.”
Nova was torn. She kept hearing Logic’s voice in her head and there was no mistaking what he was telling her by saying that the line had been drawn, but Rah was doing something to her. He had a hold on her that she wasn't quite ready to let go of. She would have to worry about the consequences later. For now, she reached for the side of her shirt, pulling it over her head. With her eyes locked on his, a smile spread across his face before she leaned down to kiss him. In her mind she was saying it was going to be the last time, but in her heart she knew it was a lie. Nova was playing with fire but couldn’t seem to walk away.
-11-
Joy walked into Logic’s bedroom, dropped her bags on the floor and then climbed onto his bed with him. It was early, and she was tired from having been up all night with Karma. The two caught up on what’s been new in their lives, while over indulging on junk food which Joy was seriously regretting, because her stomach was currently doing somersaults. With it being Sunday, all she wanted to do was spend the day in bed with Logic. She was praying that he didn't have plans because she had already mentally prepared herself for a day of doing nothing.
“I missed you,” Joy mumbled as she snuggled up close to Logic, wrapping her body around his. He smelled like a mixture of soap and cologne, which she loved. Once her head was resting on his chest and her leg was bent at the knee and thrown across his, she exhaled and then smiled, feeling like she was h
ome. Logic kept using the term home in reference to his place while she was at Karma’s, but being there now, she had to admit that she felt the same way. It wasn't about his apartment per se, but more so about his presence. Wherever he was, was home to her. Joy knew it and so did Logic, because he felt the exact same way about Joy. That was something they both had in common.
“Then you should have been here last night and you wouldn't have had to miss me.” He leaned down just enough to kiss her on the forehead, as his hand traveled up her back, under her shirt, gliding across her skin.
“You said you had stuff to do, so,” Joy shrugged.
“Yeah, but when I come home, I want you in my bed. It's all good though. I know you missed your girl, but I hope you got it all in, because it will be awhile before I let that shit happen again.”
“Let?” Joy lifted her head so that she could see his face.
“Hell yeah let...did I stutter? I told you I need you in my bed when I come home.” He looked down at Joy with a sly grin, but there was nothing but truth behind his words.
“I guess we’ll have to talk about that,” Joy replied, right before her phone went off. She sucked her teeth, but sat up to get it.
“Yeah aight, keep thinking that,” Logic said and then laughed, in reference to the fact that she thought it was up for debate.
“It's my dad,” Joy said out loud. The statement wasn’t really meant for anyone but herself, because she was curious about why he was calling. She hadn’t spoken to him since they had dinner months ago, but it wasn't like they were fighting or anything. She knew that he wasn’t thrilled about her being with Logic, but the two of them always had a sort of “agree to disagree” type relationship, so they learned to be cordial, and just not discuss her personal life. In fact, the only reason why she hadn't spoken with him lately was because she knew that she would likely tell him about her trifling mother, and she didn’t want to be stuck in the middle of that.
Joy glanced at Logic who was focused on the TV, before she stood to answer the call.