“Does Rye deal with him regularly? I heard that she met him before.”
“She’s getting to know him. They’ve been getting along pretty good, and she’s been spending a little time with his kids. I think most of ‘em are grown, and older than her.”
“Oh, really?” Dee arched a brow. “She spends time with them, but my number isn’t programmed in her phone.”
Konya frowned. “How do you know that?”
“I realized that one day when I used her phone to call my phone when it fell between the couch’s cushions. I didn’t even know she had a new car, until I decided to follow her on Instagram.”
“Yeah, her daddy bought her that. And it seems like you and your sister need to tighten up and bridge the gap between yall. You’re no better, if you just decided to follow her recently.”
“No, I stopped following her when she got mad and deleted all my pictures off her page, just because I wouldn’t lie for when Tori was looking for her one day.”
“Well, you know your sister. She is queen petty.”
“I know, but where is she, anyway? She’s gone every time I stop by.”
Konya shook her head. “You know how yall young girls are. She’s over there at Jaylen’s, abandoning all her little hair clients.”
“Jaylen?” Dee’s heart skipped a beat. “I thought that they were done.”
“Girl, you know how that goes. They fall out and then are right back in each other’s faces.”
Dee rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Couldn’t be me. Seems like he’s just playing with her. But she’ll learn eventually. I tried to tell her.”
Konya shook her head. “He’s a good boy. I think he’s gonna be around for a while.”
Dee lifted her chin. “Are you saying that because he’s even more loaded than Tori?”
Konya laughed. “I’ve never been mad at a good upgrade.”
Just then the front door popped open. They both lifted their heads to witness Rye stepping through the door in a baggy t-shirt along with long basketball shorts that clearly weren’t hers.
Dee shook her head, feeling like Rye had just proven her right. Her sister was clearly doing the walk of shame. Jaylen had probably knocked her pussy out the frame all weekend long and was now sending her home with a wet ass.
“What’s up?” Rye spoke.
“Look who’s finally here. Lock the door behind you, before somebody else comes and scoops your ass up,” Konya kidded.
Before Rye could reply the door was pushed open. Dee unconsciously sat up in the couch, as she saw Jaylen step through the door, holding Rye’s Louie duffle bag.
“Hey, yall,” he spoke.
While Dee was busy studying Jaylen with that bag, Konya was scoping out her daughter. “Hey, Jaylen,” Konya replied. “Rye, what’s going on with you?”
Rye scratched the back of her neck, while Jaylen moseyed over to the kitchen’s island, taking a seat. “What do you mean, ma?”
“I mean, why the hell does your stomach look so damn big? And why the hell am I just now noticing it.”
Rye gulped. “Yeah, that’s why I came by today. I wanted to tell you the news.”
“What news?”
“I’m…we’re having a baby.”
Konya quickly came to her feet. “I know you fucking lying.” She stepped over to Rye, before placing a palm on her belly. She gasped. “This girl is really damn pregnant.” She clutched her mouth. “Oh my God.” Tears clouded her vision. “My baby’s having a baby.” She embraced her daughter.
A sense of relief washed over Rye as she finally had her secret off her chest. When they released each other, she had a smile on her face. “I wasn’t expecting this. I honestly had been a little shaky about telling you.”
Konya frowned. “Why?”
Rye shrugged. “I don’t know. I figured that you might trip.”
Konya sucked her teeth. “Girl, please. You are grown. You have your own and that’s all I ever wanted before you have kids. So, how and when is all up to you now.”
Rye nodded, as someone knocked on the door.
Konya crinkled her nose. “Now, who is that?”
Rye headed to the door and opened it. “You must’ve been right down the street.”
Lea ambled in with a grin on her face. “You know it. Hey, everybody.” She waved.
“Hey,” everyone responded simultaneously.
“You’re looking snazzy,” Konya complimented.
Lea animatedly patted her long luxury bundles of hair. “Why thank you.” Keeping it cute, she wore cut off shorts with a Braxton Boy lifestyle fitted racer-back tee.
Jaylen smirked. “I like that shirt, Lea.”
She spun around. “Oh, thank you. Terio got it for me.”
“Terio? I’ve been hearing that name every time I see you these days.”
Lea nodded. “We’ve been kicking it…a lot lately.”
Rye narrowed her eyes. “Are yall together together?”
Lea shrugged. “We have fun. That’s all I know.”
Jaylen nodded, thinking that Lea was probably his cousin’s speed. Unlike some chicks she didn’t go out of her way to make things seem a certain way for appearances. That was a good sign, because most men in their family loathed broads who talked too much, putting their business out on front street.
“Hey, I hear you,” Rye laughed.
“Yeah, uh huh,” Lea uttered, as she placed a hand on her hip. “But what’s up with you? Everybody’s been hitting me up, wanting to know when you’re opening up for appointments again.”
Dee shook her head. “That’s not very smart, Rye. How are you gonna pay your bills if you’re not working?”
Hearing that Jaylen’s jaw twitched. “That’s handled.”
Dee sat back in the couch. “Ooh.”
“Yeah, it’s handled,” Rye co-signed, annoyed by her younger sister’s comment. Dee didn’t know a damn thing about responsibility, as Dewayne still footed all her bills, yet she felt that she could tell the next person about their finances. “Besides, I just talked to one of my sisters…on my daddy’s side. She has all kinds of commercial properties and just offered me a suite in one of the buildings… for free.”
Konya gasped. “Really?”
“Yep.” Rye nodded. “Now, I just have to set everything up. Jaylen is gonna help with that.”
“Okay, okay. Your people are really coming through, huh?”
“Yeah, I can’t lie. Any time they see a need, they provide a way.”
Dee rolled her eyes. “Oh God.”
Rye twirled around. “Is there something on your mind?”
“No, I just find it funny that you can praise those people for doing what daddy has been doing for you since the day you was born.”
“What?” Rye snarled.
“You heard me. Don’t act like you were impoverished before you met your real daddy. Our daddy took a BMW from you. Not some Honda or Toyota.”
“And you just gloss over the fact that he took a car from me,” Rye stressed. “But you still have your little Lexus.”
Dee frowned. “Why wouldn’t I still have my car? I didn’t do anything.”
“And I did?”
Dee shook her head. “I’m not about to go there with you, Rye. You got company.”
“No, fuck that. You said that much. You might as well put the shit out there,” Rye fumed.
“Okay, yall---” Konya spoke up.
“Nah, ma. Let’s clear the air, right now. Cause clearly she got some shit on her chest, and I’ma make sure that she knows the real today.”
“Okay.” Dee scooted to the edge of the couch. “Daddy took that car, because you made him lose money. You didn’t care about nobody else when you made your decisions. If you were gonna break up with Tori, it should’ve been handled a different way.”
“Girl, you sound so damn stupid. I don’t recall asking anybody for permission to fuck with Tori, so I damn sure didn’t need permission to stop dealing with him. Besides, y
ou wanna know how I ended up with that nice financed BMW? I didn’t get it ‘til after I came over to the house. I was breathing hard, hair was all fucked up, and my clothes were hanging on by threads. Dewayne was the only one home. He saw what state I was in. Never asked a single question about what happened. He just stressed how important it was to make the right moves and how I shouldn’t rock the boat. He told me that all couples go through shit. The next day I had the BMW. So, please believe it, baby sis. I earned that car.”
For a moment, the room filled with silence.
Jaylen shook his head, thinking that Dewayne was a bitch ass nigga, and it was best that he steered clear, before he’d be paying for Rye’s pain and suffering.
“Whatever, Rye, you win. Daddy aint here to defend himself, and it’s funny that you’re saying all this now. I have never known you to be the silent type, yet you want me to believe that daddy was being underhanded, and you didn’t say anything for years?”
“DeAndra, I’m not about to go back and forth with you. That’s your daddy and you gon defend him ‘til the end. I get it, but I don’t have a reason to lie. And I’m not about to try to convince you of anything. I aint on trial. So, fuck Dewayne and if you feel like he’s right and I’m wrong, then fuck you too,” Rye scoffed, before turning to Lea. “Come back here with me, friend. I’m about to pack.”
Konya wore a look of confusion. “Where are you going now?”
“She’s coming back to my house,” Jaylen interjected.
“Oh.” Konya sat on the couch.
Nixing Dee off, Rye headed to her room with Lea right behind her. Once they in the room, Lea offered her two cents. “Yall will be okay. I think she’s just salty about Jaylen.”
Rye shook her head. “I don’t know what her fucking problem is, but I’ve just about had it with her bullshit. She got one more fuckin’ time---”
“So, you think that bad mouthing the man who raised you is the thing to do?” Dee questioned, as she stood in the doorway.
Rye’s head snapped up. “The fuck are you doing back here?”
Dee snaked her neck. “I can go wherever I wanna go around here. You forgot that my daddy got this apartment for your ass.”
“Girl, I don’t give a fuck who got what. This is my shit, and if you keep talking you gon find yourself on the outside, looking for a way back in.”
“You can’t put me out of something that aint yours!” Dee shouted.
Rye stomped up to her. “You wanna bet?”
“Rye, get out of my face. You really trying to show out for your friend.”
“No, I think it’s time for you to go,” Rye countered.
Dee folded her arms across her breasts. “I don’t have to go anywhere.”
“Oh, the fuck you will,” Rye growled, as she shoved her sister out into the hallway.
“Hey, Rye, chill---” Lea pleaded.
“Bitch, don’t put your fucking hands on me!” Dee snapped.
Rye gripped her neck. “Then get the fuck out of my house!” she slammed her against the wall. “Before I choke your dumb ass to death in here!”
Hearing the commotion, both Jaylen and Konya sprang into action, racing to the back of the apartment.
“You tripping, man,” Jaylen mumbled, as he yanked Rye back. “Why the fuck would you be doing this while you pregnant with my baby, man?”
Konya focused on Dee. “What the hell is going on?”
“Ma, that bitch put her hands on me!” Dee seethed.
“Yeah, because you was talking too much shit in this bitch’s house. So, like I said, get the fuck out!”
“Ma, tell her that this is everybody’s apartment,” Dee urged. “It’s in you and daddy’s name. Besides, one call from me, and daddy will have these locks changed. And then we’ll see how much say she has!”
“Ma, aint gotta tell me nothing, you little bitch,” Rye growled. “For your information, me and ma removed his and her name off the lease, after Dewayne took his car back. So, this is my apartment, and you gotta go. Or I’ma drag your skinny ass up out of here.”
“Fuck you!” Dee gritted, as she charged at Rye.
With quick reflexes, Jaylen released Rye, pushed her to the side, before clotheslining Dee. Her body hit the floor with a loud thud.
“Wait a minute now, Jaylen!” Konya shouted, as she helped Dee off the floor. “Don’t put your hands on her.”
“Ms. Konya, I was just making sure that she didn’t touch Rye. She is pregnant,” Jaylen reminded her.
Konya breathed, as she held her head. “I know. Lord, I know. They’re about to drive me damn crazy.”
Jaylen shook his head, as he focused on Rye. “Fuck them clothes, man. Grab what you can and let’s fucking go. Aint nobody got time for all this damn drama.”
Chapter 23
“You got that shit lined up?”
Rye sat on the couch, watching Jaylen as he swaggered through the house shirtless. Never in her life had she’d been so attracted to someone. His upper body was littered in tats, and his edge-up was precise. His well-defined body was cut with muscles, and her clit thumped, as he lifted his arm to light his blunt. His muscles would always flex, reminding her of how physically fit her was.
Shaking her head, she glanced down at her stomach. “Your shit would still be flat if you hadn’t started fucking with his fine ass. That’s sad. Couldn’t stay off the dick, if I tried.”
Jaylen glanced her way. “Aye, you talking to yourself?”
She frowned. “Boy, no.”
He chuckled, as he shook his head. “Okay, if you say so.”
She gave him the finger, as he traveled to the kitchen. Scooting off the couch, she was about to go harass him for a bit, but someone rang the doorbell. Therefore, she switched over to the door in her sports bra and boy shorts and glanced at the surveillance screen.
“Who the fuck is this?” she grumbled to herself, and she spotted an unfamiliar chick standing on the porch. “Uh huh?” she answered the door.
“Hey, where’s Jaylen?” the girl asked.
Rye rudely looked her up and down. The girl had a deep reddish-brown complexion, long silky hair with a side part on the side, which had the front of her hair cascading to one side of her head. Her slanted eyes were alluring, while her body was slender, and she was above average in height. She definitely could pass off as a super model with her build and striking features.
“Who are you?” Rye questioned.
The girl gave Rye the same once over, noting the skimpy attire and small round belly.
“Girl, go get, Jaylen.”
Rye licked her lips. “Who the fuck are you talking to?”
“I’m talking to your dumpster juice looking ass.”
Rye scowled. “Dumpster juice?”
“Hell, yeah. Clearly, you letting niggas dump in you. Look at that damn belly.”
“Nu uh, hell nah. Jaylen!” Rye shouted. “Come get this bitch before I ski her across the driveway!”
Jaylen rounded the corner, waltzing into the living room. “What’s going on?”
With Rye distracted, the girl took that opportunity to step into the house. “What’s up, nigga? Who is this bitch you got in here?”
Rye lunged at her, but the girl was quick on her feet, as she stepped out of reach.
“Aye, chill out,” Jaylen chuckled, as he wrapped his arms around Rye’s waist.
“Don’t tell me to calm down! Who is this bitch?!”
The girl stood with her arms folded, appearing completely unbothered, before a smile gradually eased onto her face. “She’s a feisty bitch. I like that shit.”
“Hoe, do I look like a joke to you?!” Rye spat.
Jaylen shook his head. “Jayah, chill out, before you raise this girl’s blood pressure.”
“Okay, okay,” Jayah giggled. “My bad, Rye. Jaylen told me that you was with the shits and I just wanted to see for myself.”
Rye gave her a look of confusion. “How do you know my name?”
; Noticing that she was considerably calmer, Jaylen released her. “Cause, she’s my little sister, man.”
Rye gasped.
Jayah laughed. “Uh huh, you let me see the real you. It’s cool. I haven’t laughed this much since I first flew in from New York.”
“Oh my God. You go to NYU, right?”
Jayah nodded. “Yep.”
“I am so sorry. I didn’t know who you was.”
Jayah waved her off. “No, it’s cool. I was fucking with you, after hearing all about you. I heard that you and Keyasia was rolling around in my pawpaw’s backyard.”
Rye giggled, as she held her forehead. “Yeah, that was me.”
“And all that means that you’ll fit right in with us,” Jayah offered. “Cause we all be on that bullshit from time to time.”
“Nah, don’t tell her ass that. Then she’ll think that her craziness is justified,” Jaylen chuckled.
Playfully, Rye popped his head. “Stop playing with me.”
“Girl, I’m just saying.” He wrapped his arms around her waist again. Lowering his head, he softly kissed her lips.
“Aww, Jaylen,” Jayah cooed. “They said that you was pussy whipped, but now I see it for myself.”
Jaylen sucked his teeth, as he released Rye. “Go’on with that bullshit.”
“Oh, really?” Rye sassily placed a hand on her hip. “You tryna front for your sister?”
He shook his head. “Never that.”
Jayah pursed her lips. “Yeah, right.”
“Anyway, now that we’ve met, you trying to eat something?” Rye asked Jayah, causing her to laugh again.
“I’m glad you aint shy. I hate that, but yeah, let’s get something to eat…from a restaurant. Cause I damn sure aint cooking.”
Rye nodded with a grin. “Well, that sounds like a plan. I like you already.”
***
“I’m hungry,” Rye groaned, from the passenger’s side of Jaylen’s drop top Porsche. The wind was whipping through her hair, as she rubbed her stomach. “Can your mama cook?”
Jaylen glanced her way. “She does alright, with ya greedy ass.”
“Just alright?”
He shrugged. “Aye, the best cook I know is Roz.”
She shook her head, still finding it odd that he was so attached to a woman who’d helped break his grandma’s heart. Through the grapevine, she’d gotten a little tea about Ray-Ray, Red, and Roz, and it was crazy to her. The most amazing part about it all was the fact that their children never chose sides and embraced all three individually.
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