by Jade Jones
Shayla finally stopped putting up a fight, and he pulled her close.
“Fly to Nice with me,” he suddenly said.
Shayla smiled at him in a leery way, and raised an eyebrow. “You ain’t talk to me in two weeks and now you want me to up and fly to France with you?”
Romeo had promised the trip to Maya, but he quickly put her ass on the backburner for his wife. She would just have to be mad.
“Yeah… I do. So wassup? You with it?” Romeo’s jaw muscle tensed as he patiently waited on a response.
Shayla mulled over his tempting offer. I’m stupid enough to keep loving his ass after everything, she told herself. Romeo may’ve been no good vagabond, but she could never stay away from him for too long. He was her favorite drug.
“…How long are we staying?” she finally asked.
***
Dana stumbled towards the bar inside a crowded Atlanta after hours spot. Anchor was a small, hole-in the-wall that stayed open until 6 a.m., and had a tattoo parlor on the other side of the club. It was the perfect setting for a chick looking to score drugs.
That night, Dana was dressed like a Grand Theft Auto prostitute. A form-fitting white dress hugged her figure tightly, and black knee high boots covered her legs. She was drunk as shit but still managed to keep up with her black leather jacket.
Dana’s hair could’ve used a brush or two, but she played it off like she’d been dancing all night. Most of the fellas she walked past assumed she sold pussy for a living. She was more than willing to if that meant she could chase her high.
Dana licked her dry lips and tried to look sexy. Tiny beads of sweat covered her forehead. She had that monkey on her back bad.
Through the crowd, a guy noticed Dana standing at the bar inebriated and alone. She looked like she was waiting on someone. He didn’t give a fuck if she had a nigga or not. He just wanted to see what it was hitting for.
Colorful strobe lights reflected off everyone’s sweaty bodies. The place was so packed that he had to squeeze through the crowd just to get her. A random dude was just about to walk up to Dana, but when he mugged him he quickly backed off. He and his crew were known for shooting up spots.
Dana made eye contact with him and smiled. She loved a chocolate nigga with dreads.
“Wus good? What’chu waitin’ on me?” he asked.
She giggled. “Maybe.”
“What’chu sippin’ on?” He noticed she was holding a plastic cup. He wanted to have her lit by the time they left together. He liked his bitches drunk whenever he fucked. Something about nasty, sweaty, sloppy sex turned him on.
Dana smiled. “They ain’t serving what I’m sipping.”
He chuckled. She was going to be a handful. He could see that now. “You tryna cut some lines?” he offered.
That was music to her ears. “Hell yeah. I’m with it.”
He leaned in towards her ear so that he wouldn’t have to shout over music. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. “Aye, what’s yo’ name?”
“Dana.”
“You don’t sound like you from ‘round here, Dana. Where you from?”
“Cali,” she told him. “And I’m sorry, but I ain’t get your name…”
He grinned mischievously. “…Kaniel.”
It was the unpromising beginning to a destructive and toxic relationship.
31
After twelve grueling hours of nonstop flight, Romeo and Shayla landed in Nice. The beautiful, fifth most populated city in France sat on the south east coast of the Mediterranean. It was Shayla’s first time in Europe. Romeo never ceased to amaze her.
They arrived with no luggage, only their passports and each other. He planned on taking them shopping while they were. Once they made it to ground transportation, they caught a taxi to the luxurious Boscolo Exedra. The chic 4-star hotel boasted lavish suites, marble floors, and fine dining.
Romeo knew he had been bullshitting lately, and he didn’t want to lose a good thing. He had to step his game up if he didn’t want another man to take his place. During their mini-vacay he planned on solidifying his position in Shayla’s life.
Romeo booked the presidential suite. When they walked in their room there were rose petals sprinkled on the bed along with a complimentary bottle of champagne. Shayla might’ve killed him if she knew Maya was supposed to be in her place.
“Romeo, this is beautiful…”
“You deserve the best.”
Shayla kicked her shoes off, walked over to him, and kissed his lips. “Oh, so you think you slick now?” she smiled.
“I told I was gon’ make it up to you.”
“Why the sudden change of heart?” she asked. “A few weeks ago you were acting like you couldn’t stand me.”
“I couldn’t stand yo’ mufuckin’ ass. You don’t know what it did to me watchin’ you climb in the car with that nigga. And you betta have closed the curtain on that shit, Shay. You gon’ fuck around and cause a homicide.”
“If I let go of my hoes you gon’ let go of yours?” she joked.
Romeo didn’t see a damn thing funny. She knew he was the jealous type. “Don’t get fucked up tryin’ to be cute,” he warned.
Shayla laughed and flopped on the bed. “Come here,” she said, curling her finger.
Romeo ignored her. Shayla thought she ran shit but she didn’t.
Playing along with his stubborn Taurus games, she climbed off the bed and walked up to him. She went to kiss him, but he grabbed her throat, stopping her.
“You been fuckin’ that nigga?” Romeo asked. There was no trace of humor on his face.
“You been fucking Maya, haven’t you?”
“Don’t flip this shit on me. I asked you a fuckin’ question.”
“Don’t ask questions that you really don’t wanna know the answer to.”
Romeo lost all patience as he tossed her on the mattress. “Take yo’ fuckin’ clothes off, Shayla.” He was done playing mental gymnastics with her ass.
“I wanted to shower first—”
Romeo snatched her towards him by her leg and yanked her jeans down. He was tired of the games. Ever since Shayla started fucking with that nigga, she’d been showing out. Now Romeo had to remind her who he was, and what he was about. He didn’t give a damn if they never left the hotel during their stay. He wouldn’t stop fucking her until she learned her lesson.
After tossing her jeans on the floor, he dropped down in front of her and spread her legs. Shayla self-consciously pushed his head back. He quickly grabbed her arms, pinned them down, and buried his tongue in her pink fortress.
Romeo sucked, licked, and blew on her pussy. Shayla cried out in delight, her back arching with every wave of pleasure that washed over her. Romeo held her firmly by the waist as he devoured Shayla like it was his last meal. He was trying to suck the soul out of her.
Once she was good and wet, he aggressively flipped her on her stomach. Shayla gasped when he pushed his curved dick in from the back. Romeo gripped her shoulder to hold her in place. With his free hand, he arched her back just a little. For the first few strokes, he only gave her half the dick. He loved to tease the pussy a little before fully committing.
“Oh, God, I missed you, bay!” Shayla cried out.
Romeo plowed deep inside of her. “I can’t tell.” He spanked her ass cheek and gave it a firm squeeze. “You gon’ stop bein’ on that bullshit?”
“Yes!”
Romeo’s pace quickened. He didn’t want to cum fast, but she made it hard. “Damn, Shay. This shit so good. Why you been keepin’ my pussy from me?”
“I don’t wanna fight with you no more, baby,” she whimpered.
Romeo could make her ass say anything whenever he laid the pipe down right. “I’mma make this dick spit in that mufucka…”
“Cum in me,” she begged.
Hearing her say it made it his dick even harder. Whoever said makeup sex was the best sex had never lied.
Romeo wrapped his arm around
her neck in a head locking position. He made sure not to be too rough as he hit it at an angle. Shayla squirmed and bucked beneath him. He could feel her pussy muscles tighten as she neared her climax. He was determined to cum with her.
“I’m finna nut all in this pussy.”
Shayla quickly changed her mind. “Don’t cum in me, baby.” She grabbed his leg to stop him from doing so, but he pinned it down.
“Nah. Fuck that. I’m nuttin’ in this pussy.”
Before she could oppose, he released his cum deep inside of her body. They kissed with him still inside for two whole minutes.
“Why you tell me not to bust in you?” he asked. Romeo collapsed beside her and caught his breath.
“Do you think we really need to add a baby to the equation? We already have enough trouble trying to keep our marriage afloat.”
“A kid might be what we need.”
“I doubt that, Romeo,” she said, flatly. “You thought getting married was what we needed, now look at us.”
“Yeah, look at us. We’re in a four star hotel in France. But I guess shit could be better.”
Shayla didn’t appreciate the sarcasm. “You know what I mean…”
Romeo started stroking his meat again while he lay on his back. He wasn’t even entertaining her argument anymore. He was ready for seconds. “Come sit on my dick. We’ll let fate decide, but I ain’t gon’ stop nuttin’ in that pussy.”
Shayla climbed off the bed and headed towards the bathroom. He didn’t expect her brash reaction.
“Damn, Shay. Wassup? Why you actin’ like that, yo?”
She stopped right in the front of the door. “Romeo, I have something to tell you…but I don’t want you to hate me…”
He slowly sat up in bed and waited for her to finish.
“The last time we were together I got pregnant…I had a medical abortion—”
“WHAT?!”
Romeo jumped off the bed and for a second Shayla thought he might actually hit her.
“What was I supposed to do?! Raise the baby alone and wait for you to decide when you ready to be a man?”
Romeo was so pissed off at her ass that he couldn’t think of shit to say. For the first time in his life he didn’t have a justifiable comeback. Instead of arguing, he snatched his clothes off the floor and got dressed.
“Where are you going?”
Romeo fumbled with buttoning his jeans as he walked past her.
“Stop ignoring me! Don’t walk away from me!” She grabbed his arm and he viciously snatched away.
“Fuck off me!”
“Where are you going?! You can’t keep running away from your problems!” Shayla yelled after him.
Romeo turned around and shook her violently. “YOU MY FUCKIN’ PROBLEM!” he hollered.
Tossing her on the mattress, he grabbed his keys, wallet, and stormed out.
Shayla was left crying on the bed. She knew the risk she’d taken by becoming involved with him again, but she still fucked around and took a chance. Now her heart was aching, and there was no undoing what was already done.
32
After taking an hour to calm down, Romeo finally came back to the hotel room. Shayla was lying in the same spot he’d left her in. She cracked an eye open as soon as she heard him walk in.
“I actually thought you weren’t coming back,” she whispered.
Romeo kicked his shoes off and climbed in bed with her. He hadn’t even left the hotel. He just needed some time to clear his head, so he had a few drinks at the bar downstairs.
Scooting behind her in a spooning position, Romeo pulled her warm body close to his. “Don’t I always come back?”
***
Liberty and her brother Luke were unloading the last of the boxes at their old house when Trip pulled up in her daddy’s old school. Alexander Duvall had been letting her hide out at his second property in Norcross. Even though she still had a warrant out for her arrest, she just couldn’t leave well enough alone.
Luke was first to notice Trip after she parked and hopped out her car. “We got company,” he said.
Liberty wiped her dusty hands on her baggy jeans and turned around. She wasn’t too surprised when she saw her ex approaching her. There was a permanent scowl etched into her face.
“Don’t come here starting no shit, Trip. I ain’t in the fucking mood.” Liberty stood her ground that day. She was tired of putting up with her ex-girlfriend’s bull crap.
“Why you movin’?”
“Um…I don’t know. It could have a lot to do with the car you drove through my house.”
Trip ran a hand through her black and gold dreads. She laughed nervously. “I know that shit was extreme. Look, I’m sorry. Real shit, I just came to talk. I ain’t tryin’ to fight.”
“The restraining order says you are not supposed to come within—”
“Man, I told you before I ain’t give a fuck about that piece of paper. This me right now, Libby. What? I can’t talk to you now? You actin’ like you don’t even know a nigga.”
“Sometimes I feel like I don’t.”
“I miss you…”
Liberty snorted and looked away.
“So you don’t miss me?”
“You had a gun to my head a few weeks ago.”
Trip gave a Kanye shrug. “Love makes us do crazy, fucked up things.”
“You look and sound desperate as hell right now,” Luke interjected. “Why don’t you go climb back in ya daddy’s hearse, and leave my sister the fuck alone.”
Trip advanced on him. “How ‘bout I just beat’cho lil’ ass?”
Liberty quickly stepped between them. “Nobody’s doing anything. Trip, he’s right you need to leave. There is no rekindling what we had. I’m content where I’m at in life, and I’m happy with who I’m with. We don’t have shit to talk about.”
Trip’s mood switched from tender to tyrant in the blink of an eye. The anger disorder she suffered from caused short tempers and hostile behavior. It didn’t take much to make her go from zero to one hundred.
Without warning, she snatched Liberty up by her neck. “You fake ass bitch! I’m startin’ to think yo’ fat ass been fuckin’ that nigga! Even while we were together—”
“Let go of me!” Liberty struggled to scream. Trip’s strength was equal to that of a man.
“Hoe, you was never real! All the shit I did for yo’ ungrateful ass! All the fuckin’ love I gave you! You were never committed!” Now Trip was just talking crazy, but that was a normal side effect of her mental illness. She believed what she wanted to, even if it wasn’t fact. “That’s what the fuck you been wantin’? Huh? A nigga to stick his dirty ass dick down yo’ throat?” Trip brutally forced her hand inside Liberty’s oral cavity; her sharp fingernails sliced into the roof her mouth. She could taste the bitter flavor of blood on her tongue.
Trip didn’t just stop there. She jammed her fingers all the way down her esophagus, causing Liberty to regurgitate.
“Aye, back the fuck up off her!” Luke shoved Trip so hard that she stumbled and almost fell.
Suddenly, Tiffany emerged from the home. She’d heard the ruckus from inside and came out to see what was it.
Liberty dropped to her knees and continued throwing up blood and puke.
Luke went to throw a punch at Trip, but she ducked and scooped him up. Mustering all her strength, she slammed him on the concrete of their driveway.
Luke groaned in pain before grabbing his lower back. It felt like a disc had slipped. Trip was unforgiving as she stood to her feet and started kicking him.
“Stop it!” Tiffany screamed.
“Leave him alone!” Liberty ran up and two-pieced her ass.
WHAP! WHAP!
Trip staggered a little but didn’t drop. Liberty went to hit her a third time, but Trip grabbed her by the throat with both hands. If she couldn’t have her, no one would. Trip bared her gritted teeth like a madman as she strangled the life out of Liberty.
Luke struggled
to his feet and attacked her from behind. They would have to jump Trip’s big ass if they planned on coming out the victor.
Trip tossed Liberty to the ground in order to square up with Luke. He threw an uncoordinated punch and missed. He’d never been much of a fighter even though he fronted with his friends like he was.
Trip tackled his ass like a linebacker. She barely gave him a chance to recuperate as she lifted him off the ground and slammed him on the back windshield of Liberty’s car.
KKSSSSSHHHHHHHHH!
Glass sprayed everywhere. Trip was determined to kill the seventeen-year old boy.
“I’m calling the police!” Tiffany finally yelled. She already had the phone against her ear.
At the thought of rotting in prison, Trip finally came to her senses and backed off. Wiping the blood from her bottom lip, she looked down at Liberty on the ground, and smiled wickedly. “Oh, we gon’ talk again, bitch. You can believe that.” She backpedaled to her old school car and climbed in.
Trip was out for blood.
***
Romeo didn’t expect to come home and find Maya waiting for him in his crib. He’d almost forgotten that he gave her the spare key to his condo. Either I was high or the pussy was that damn good, he figured. While Romeo did trust Maya, it wasn’t like him to have bitches in a place that wasn’t his throwaway spot.
“Where the fuck you been?” Maya asked with an attitude. She noticed the luggage he was bringing in. He’d brought so much designer shit in France, like he needed any more clothes or shoes.
“You my fuckin’ probation officer now?” he asked. “I gotta check in with you?”
Maya didn’t appreciate Romeo’s blatant sarcasm. “Looks like you went outta town without me.”
“It was unexpected—”
“Who’d you take?”
“Don’t matter.”
“Did you have fun with her?”
“Man, don’t do that, Maya. Look, I never promised yo’ ass shit. You knew what it was from the get go.”