“Everything okay?” Hayden asked walking up on me. Dressed in all black with a red and black Detroit snapback on, Hayden was looking good as usual. Hayden wasn’t into flashy jewelry but he was rocking his Hublot, big band king power watch that cost him 400 thousand dollars. I didn’t talk to him for weeks when I found out he had bought that expensive ass watch, but he worked hard and because I handled all of the money accounts, I knew we could afford it so I let it go. I nodded while sucking the blood off of the bottom of my lip. Hayden and I had already lost so much, I didn’t want him to lose his brother over me. Hayden pulled me into his arms and hugged me. I felt so relieved to be in his arms. This had been one stressful ass day. “You sure you okay Iggy?” he asked rubbing my back. I nodded as I pressed my face further into his shirt, taking in his smell as his body comforted me.
“Yeah…I’m good now that you’re here.” Hayden nodded.
“You seem tired baby, let’s go so I can put something in you that’ll make you go right to sleep.” I smiled and looked up at him.
“I been waiting all day on that.”
Chapter Nine
Harlow
“You gotta go home,” my aunt said looking at me. I walked around my new building with her in tow. It had been two months since I hadn’t been home and to say that the twins was mad was an understatement. Marcio called Kai and told her to tell me that I had twenty-four hours to come home or he would come get me. I had been staying in a hotel and I didn’t want him coming there acting a fool, so I packed my stuff and took my kids to my step mom. My father no longer talked to me but my stepmom still did, and she loved the boys so she agreed to watch them for a little while because I feared that my nanny would take them to Marcio.
“Look, I know that Kitty. I just don’t know what to do. I love the twins so much but I feel like I really rushed marrying them and now I have these kids by Marcos’ no good ass and I just feel stuck. I’m so conflicted,” I confessed. Kitty looked at me with a face that looked much like my late mother’s. She smiled and pulled me into her arms.
“I liked the twins because they made you happy. If you feel like you rushed then tell them that. I always felt like Jaycion was whom you would be with… well him or Marcio. I knew the whole having two men thing would get old. Shit, I get tired of pleasing my only man, I couldn’t imagine having to fuck and suck two men. That shit seems exhausting, and then you have your twin sons. I mean I see why you stressed,” she said and chuckled. I laughed into her blouse and stepped back.
“But what if they don’t wanna give me a break? I mean I am legally married to Marcio. A break seems so juvenile. Should I file for a legal separation?” Kitty rubbed my cheek smiling.
“This is your life Lee. I can’t tell you what to do. What I can say is that I support whatever decision you make and just because you married Marcio doesn’t mean that he owns you. He can’t stop you from a legal separation and if he tries to I’ma have you brother fuck his pretty Rico Suave ass up,” she said smiling. I giggled and nodded. Kind words from a loved one really was food for your soul. I felt better already.
“You right, I’ll just tell them how I feel,” I said nodding. Kitty smiled.
“See, everything is going to be alright Lee,” she assured me.
After checking out my new building I decided to meet up with my twins. Nervously, I sat inside of a steak house restaurant in Beverly Hills, waiting for them to arrive. My phone went off as the waiter brought over my iced tea.
Jaycion: What’s up?
Me: Nothing meeting with the twins.
Jaycion: Okay…so what’s up? What are you going to do?
I sighed and looked up. Before me were Marcos and Marcio looking so damn good. I put my phone away and stood up. Marcos was decked out in a grey thermal with black jeans and black Balenciaga sneakers on his feet. He wore a platinum chain that had our sons’ faces on two little small heads that connected to the chain. It was really cute and cost him a fortune because their eyes was this rare diamond. Marcio wore a navy suit with a light grey shirt and black tie. They both had low haircuts with fresh line ups. I hugged Marcio and then Marcos. I could feel the anger radiating off of both of them. We all sat down and my phone started ringing. I looked at the screen and then put it away again.
“Is that Jaycion?” Marcio asked sitting back in his seat. I shook my head not liking the way he said Jaycion’s name. It was just a question but still I could feel the threat in it. He was making it clear that he knew what I had been up to and that Jaycion was a problem for him.
“No it wasn’t. This isn’t about him Marcio. This is about us and this marriage we have.” I allowed for them to order before I started back talking. “I have been feeling like this for quite a while now. Marcos, I love you but I have to admit that things are different between us now. We both know that you have had two kids on me. I’m not stupid so please don’t insult my intelligence with your lies. It hurts but it’s reality you can’t stop cheating… well you can, but you don’t wanna stop. I don’t wanna be with you anymore. I’m sorry, I’m just stressing too much about this shit and I feel like I have to cut you lose,” I said with tears now in my eyes. Marcos stood up and walked over to me. He bent his tall body down and grabbed my face.
“I’m sorry mami. I swear I will never cheat on you again. You know how much I fucking love you Lee,” he said in a pained voice. I closed my eyes not being able to look at him. I was weak for these men and seeing him in pain hurt me, even though plenty of times he was the reason for my pain.
“I’m sorry Marcos….I can’t do this anymore. I just can’t. I would never keep the boys away from you but I can’t trust you, and the stress that you are putting on me is just too much for me to bear right now.”
“So that’s it? Just like that you gonna throw away years of us loving each other. I’m not fucking perfect Lee. I accepted your flaws. You was addicted to fucking pills and could have killed my damn sons!” he yelled turning red in the face. Marcio stood up and grabbed his arm as everyone looked at us. At this point I didn’t give a fuck where we was at. I had to tell his ass off.
“I was addicted to pills because of all the bullshit you was putting me through nigga! I’m pregnant and sick as fuck because you got me raising your fucking kid that you had on me and I’m supposed to be happy about that shit? You got me fucked up Marcos if you think a good stroke is going to be enough for me to accept your cheating ways. You are a dog!” I yelled. Marcos stood up chuckling. He cleared his throat as I gathered my stuff.
“I’m a dog but you fucked me and my brother though? Lee, we made your ass. Yeah you had your little business but that shit wasn’t pulling in the money we was giving you. What nigga you gonna find that’s better than us? Who want your drugged up, crack headed ass?” he asked smirking at me. My hand flew back and punched him in the mouth. Marcos tackled me to the ground as a few women screamed.
“Nigga get the fuck off of her!” Marcio yelled pulling on him. Marcos hands wrapped tightly around my throat as he glared down at me.
“I swear you’re an ungrateful bitch,” he spat angrily. Marcio jerked him off of me and I jumped up. I ran off while they tussled with each other. My throat burned but more so than that, my heart hurt. I had been nothing but good to Marcos and for him to do me like that was just unbelievable. I was still raising Jolie while he ran the streets and now all of a sudden I was the hoe? I quickly unlocked my car door and was spun around. Marcio stood before me with red eyes. I could tell that he was torn up about the whole situation.
“Mami….novio (sweetheart) please,” he begged looking down at me. I wiped my tears away and sighed. Marcio hadn’t fucked up nearly as bad as Marcos. Yes, he talked with that reporter bitch, but from what I know, he hadn’t sexed her. He opened his long arms and I stepped into them. His big body engulfed mines.
“Please don’t leave me. I love you mami and I will do whatever I have to do to make you see that. You are my world Harlow,” he whispered. I cried into his shirt fe
eling so confused. I loved him so much and after my encounter with Marcos, I just didn’t have it in me to break two hearts in a day so I allowed for my only twin to take me home.
****
“You can do this Harlow. Right kids?” I said looking at my babies Myles, Jolie, and Markell. They all sat on the bed watching me get dressed. It had been two weeks since Marcos choked me and he was now completely moved out of the mansion. He didn’t take Jolie and I didn’t even ask him to. I loved him a lot; hell, I still do but the reality is he really isn’t a family man or husband material. It sucked that it took me having to go through this to find out but hell, that’s life. I loved Jolie and I would raise her the same way I raised my boys. Fuck Marcos and believe me, the same way he gone pay for them boys he gone pay me for her too.
“So should I wear a black dress or a white one?” I asked looking at my kids.
“White mommy,” Jolie said smiling showing her teeth. I smiled at her.
“Good choice baby. Tracy Reese dress it is,” I said slipping on the white wrap dress that hugged my body so perfectly. My hair was freshly colored a dark burgundy color that had me looking like a completely different person. My makeup was done and I was feeling good. I hadn’t had any urges to get some pills and I was opening my “Styled by Harlow” studio back up in a month, so I was good. Jaycion refused to talk to me after I told him that I was going to make things work with Marcio, so I was going to surprise him at his birthday party tonight. I know my thoughts should have been of Marcio but he left for Dubai last night and would be gone for a week, so I figured I could go to Jaycion’s party with my aunt and have a good time. It wasn’t anything wrong with saying hi.
“You look beautiful Harlow,” my nanny Natalie said walking into the room. I turned to her and smiled. She started out as Jolie’s nanny but was now watching all of my kids. I loved her and the kids did as well.
“Well I’m a get out of here. Just call me if you need me Natalie,” I said grabbing my clutch and slipping on my nude stilettoes. Natalie nodded going over to my bed. I kissed all of my baby’s goodnight and left out of the room. I tried to call Marcio as I got into my newest car, a red Ferrari Italia 458. I don’t know if it was an “I’m sorry” gift because really the twins gave me expensive things all of the time, but what I woke up to the next morning after Marcos choked me, was a new Ferrari in my driveway with a bow on it. I was so excited that I damn near pissed on myself. I loved fast, sexy cars and this was by the far the sexiest car I had ever had.
It took my no time to get to my aunt Kitty’s house. I honked the horn a thousand times trying to piss her and her neighbors off. After the tenth honk, she strolled outside in a silver mini dress looking she was my sister instead of my aunt. I smiled unlocking the car doors.
“Now Ralph better step his damn game up. Shit, this is a beautiful car!” she expressed climbing in. I smiled looking at her. She reminded me so much of my mother. I wasn’t close with any of my family except for her. My sister stopped talking to me, along with my brother and father once the news hit that I was married to the twins. My step-mom tries to be close to me but the connection just isn’t there. Kitty is my aunt but she’s also my best friend, my sister and mom number two, all rolled into one. I didn’t know what I would do without her.
“You look beautiful like always,” I said backing out of her driveway. Her husband stood in the doorway watching us with a frown on his face. My aunt was beautiful and he was extremely protective over her.
“Don’t I always look beautiful? The topic of discussion is this car. What did you do to get this?” she asked giggling. I shook my head at her silliness.
“I think he gave it to me because Marcos choked me,” I said, slowly losing the happiness that I had just felt.
“Well this is a hell of a way to say sorry,” she said quietly. I nodded driving out of the gate that protected her manicured, posh subdivision.
“Yeah, but him just being with me would have been nice also. You know he’s back in Dubai for a week? It’s like I’m a single fucking parent. If I didn’t have Natalie, you or my step-mom I would go crazy. I mean, I could call my girls but shit, their lives are just as fucked up as mine is right now. I need more from Marcio and now that Marcos is gone completely, I’m really feeling it. Things are different. It’s like I’m happy but I’m just maintaining; it’s not a blissful feeling or anything like that. Together they gave me life and well, now I feel like something is missing.”
“Is it Marcos?” she asked.
“Hell no! I still love him, I do, but the shit he said just hurt me to the core then he left Jolie. He hasn’t called or come to see his kids. He deposited twenty-thousand dollars into my account like that was going to make the shit he is doing okay. He’s a fucking millionaire for one and my kids need quality time not money thrown at them. He’s so full of shit,” I said shaking my head. Kitty rubbed my hand.
“Things will get better. I’m always here for you and I’m always praying for you and those babies. Life is hard but in the end our situations make us stronger. Don’t let this break you because you are a survivor. You will get through this, hell I will see to it that you do. In addition, I think it’s time that you tried to speak with your father again. Life is too short to be holding grudges,” she said. I smiled to myself.
“Yeah, well you need to tell him that.”
Jaycion’s birthday party was being thrown at a five-star hotel in downtown Detroit. Because of his status, anybody that was somebody was attending. I pulled up to the valet and Kitty and I exited the car. All eyes were on us because you didn’t just see Ferraris floating around downtown Detroit like that. I handed the valet guy my keys and he handed me a ticket before we entered the party.
“Damn it’s packed in here,” Kitty said as we walked into the spacious ballroom that was decked out in an African themed décor. We were handed glasses of champagne and a program. I looked down at it and Jaycion was plastered on the front, looking like the star he was. I looked through it and saw that several rappers were performing for him, including Detroit’s own Kasam. I licked my lips as I remembered how damn fine he is, with them hazel eyes. Shit, actually, all of his brothers were fine but it was something about Kasam that made him stand out. I guess I just liked a bad boy.
“Happy Birthday J-Mac! Nigga we going in tonight! Kasam got something to say to you nigga!” the DJ yelled and everyone in the room went crazy. Kitty and I slowly made our way to the stage as Kasam walked up looking like he stepped off the pages of Ink magazine with all of his damn tattoos. He was wearing a black collared shirt that was completely unbuttoned, showing off his chest along with his chains, with black slacks and black loafers. He licked his full lips as his hazel eyes scanned the room. Kasam was tall and had this presence about him that couldn’t be ignored. He and Jaycion had done several mixtapes together.
“What’s up nigga? Look I’ma keep this shit simple because on some real shit, a nigga kind of fucked up right now so I’m trying to dip off with the wifey and make another baby… but on some real shit, I fuck with you Jaycion. We go way back like my motherfucking brother’s hair line nigga! Get your black ass up here so we can do this fucking song,” he said smiling. A spotlight cut on and zeroed in on Jaycion walking up on the stage. He looked so handsome I couldn’t help but to bite down on my bottom lip.
“Damn Lee,” Kitty said appreciating his look as well. He was wearing a black wet suit that fit his tall frame so well. The material molded to his skin showcasing his muscular arms. A cigar stuck out of the side of his mouth as he grinned. His dark skin shined under the halogen lights. His eyes were low and red rimmed, showing me he was on one. His black, wavy hair was cut and lined up to perfection and his diamond stud in his ear could be seen from where I was standing. He pulled Kasam into a hug and then blew smoke out of his mouth. The beat to their most famous song they had together, dropped, and they started rapping. “I’ma a ‘D’ nigga baby you don’t know about me, Dexter or Brightmoore is where I might b
e,” Jaycion rapped. My body just moved to the beat without me even trying. Jaycion had always been a good rapper and now along with me, the world knew it.
“I’m going to get some seafood,” Kitty whispered in my ear and walked away. I nodded and continued to dance to the music. I spotted Jaycion’s ex, who claimed to have his kid, at the front of the crowd shaking her ass. I couldn’t believe that bitch would even have the nerve to show up since it had been proven that Jaycion was not her child’s father. I shook my head and decided to look for Kitty. Seeing her fucked my mood all up.
“What made you think you was invited to my shit Lee?” Jaycion asked grabbing my waist. His warm breath washed over the back of my neck. I smiled and slowly turned around. His ass was just up on stage, how he found me so fast was a mystery to me.
“Aye J-Mac, let me get a pic!” a photographer yelled walking up on us. Jaycion threw his arm over my shoulder and instinctively I leaned into him and we both smiled. The camera guy took several photos before walking away. I grabbed a card out of my oversized McQueen clutch and handed it to him. He grabbed it and quickly ripped it open. His eyes read over the card and he looked at the check I had wrote him for twenty-five thousand dollars that was written out to his charity for kids living in poverty. He smiled and pulled me into a hug.
“No matter what yo’ ass do I can’t stay mad at you Lee. I love you too big head,” he grinned looking down at me. I smiled, happy that he liked the card and the check. Jaycion had everything so I knew he would appreciate me giving to his kids.
“So what, can I get a dance?” he asked. I nodded and we walked back onto the dancefloor. He put his card in my clutch and then handed it to his bodyguard who seemed to follow him discreetly around the room. Diddy’s “Satisfy You” came on and I looked at Jaycion. This used to be our shit. I laughed as he pulled me into his arms. He had emerged from his suit jacket and now had his tie off and his arm sleeves of his shirt rolled up.
The Way That I Love You 3 Page 9