CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
KORMIA
Newdy had been driving in silence for twenty minutes.
Kormia had no idea where he was taking her.
He hadn’t asked for an address, and he was driving in the complete opposite direction of Jackie and Cal’s house.
But for whatever reason, she didn’t feel unsafe.
She actually felt the total opposite. If anything, sitting next to Newdy might have been the safest she felt all night.
Tonight, had been a complete shitshow, one she knew was nobody’s fault but her own.
Kormia had been in close calls before, but never like this.
Cleo had completely flipped the script on her, and if Newdy hadn’t stepped in when he did, she didn’t even want to imagine how it could’ve ended.
Her fingers brushed the bruised part of her arm, and she winced.
A sharp reminder of just how wrong she had read the situation.
Her nerves were still buzzing. Her hands were still shaky.
And her mind kept replaying the comment Cleo muttered before Newdy walked up.
Your homegirl Jamilah should’ve told you what I did to her friend.
The words sat heavy in her chest. Jamilah never once mentioned that one of her friends had dealt with Cleo.
Let alone that something happened to her.
Kormia tried to shake the thought off, but it kept creeping back in.
She thought about waking Jamilah’s ass up and getting to the bottom of it.
But it was damn near five in the morning, and she knew Jamilah was probably clubbing, or laid up somewhere.
Either way, Kormia wasn’t getting answers tonight.
So she put a pin in it for right now. Her gaze slid over to Newdy.
Hands on the wheel. Eyes forward. Face stone.
Which honestly was an improvement from the look of disgust he gave her earlier.
Kormia wasn’t the type to feel shame easily.
Not from niggas. Not from gossip. Not from anything.
But that look he gave her…stung. Kormia spotted him earlier, standing out in a sea of designer and drip.
While everybody else was in Amiri, Balenciaga, and Milano, Newdy had on a simple navy-blue Dickies set, a fresh pair of construction-grade Timbs, and a midnight-blue Yankees fitted.
If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was underdressed.
Or somebody’s quiet cousin fresh off a shift.
But then there was the watch. A Patek Philippe Nautilus. Slim. Understated. Vintage. Three hundred thousand dollars, sitting in plain sight on his wrist. Quiet and confident. Just like him. The watch was an understated sign of wealth, and if you knew, you knew…and Kormia knew.
Still, she wasn’t the only one paying attention.
He had been the topic of discussion in her section all night.
Every girl with two eyes was clocking the fine nigga with the locs and the Patek.
Luckily for her, none of them knew his name.
That gave her a weird sense of relief she couldn’t explain.
She could’ve sworn she felt his eyes on her a few times too.
But she chalked it up to her imagination.
Low key, she hated that she even noticed his ass.
Sure, he was attractive, and sure, she wanted the tea on how he really got his coin.
But this wasn’t that. Newdy had Kormia curious.
Curious in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Kormia had been single and celibate for almost a year.
She had cut ties with her ex wheezy when she found out he had a baby on the way.
The girl? Turned out to be a regular at her salon.
And she only found that out because she was tagged in a baby shower video in Philly’s version of the Shade room.
That was the only other time Kormia had been genuinely embarrassed.
After that, she went no contact. Blocked him and his entire family on everything and moved on with her life. The only reason she even entertained him again was because he gifted her a G-Wagon. And even that didn’t really move her. Wheezy had violated her. Publicly.
Kormia knew she could never love him again.
She knew he was still dealing with his baby mom and whoever else would give him some because he wasn’t getting it from her.
And honestly? She didn’t care. She used him for what he was good for.
Money. She knew it was toxic. She knew she was technically sharing him.
But in her mind, a piece of a man was better than no man at all.
Her eyes slid back to Newdy. The way he showed up for her tonight.
That part… stayed with her. She wanted to thank him.
Apologize. Acknowledge what he did for her.
Nobody had ever stepped for her, the way he did tonight.
Well, nobody except Jackie. So Newdy protecting her…
or seeing she was worthy of protection hit different.
She was about to speak when he beat her to it.
“How your arm feeling?”
“It’s cool,” she whispered, even though it was throbbing like hell.
“Ayo, stop lying about shit,” he said softly. “I know you in pain.”
She swallowed, then admitted, “It hurts. A lot.”
“You probably need to ice that Jawn,” he murmured, leaning over just enough to check her arm again.
That small moment of concern made Kormia’s chest tighten.
Before she could respond, the car speakers lit up.
Incoming call: My Heart. Kormia’s stomach flipped.
A soft female voice filled the car. Sweet.
Breathy. A little too breathy for damn near five in the morning.
“Mr. Parrish. Your mom wanted to know if you’re still coming.
” Kormia froze. That voice sounded familiar. “Yeah,” he said calmly.
“I’m about fifteen minutes out.” The Woman giggled. Like Actually giggled.
I told you your mother has enough meds to get her through the afternoon. I know you had a long day, and you’re probably tired.” Kormia’s jaw tightened. Because who was this thirsty ass hoe. Kormia knew a manufactured sexy voice when she heard it, and homegirl was laying it on thick.
“Too late. I’m damn near there,” Newdy said, his tone warmer than she had heard.
And the bitch on the other end of the phone?
Kormia could damn near hear her smile through the car speaker.
“If you say so, Mr. Parrish.” Her voice dropped to a slow, breathy purr that sounded like a moan.
That’s when Kormia Caught it. A ghost of a smile pulling at Newdy’s mouth.
The first smile she’d seen from him ever.
The woman giggled again. “You should see your mom’s face right now.
You know she hates that I call you Mr. Parrish. ” Newdy let out a quiet laugh.
“I keep telling you to cut that shit out. You got a nigga feeling old.”
“I can’t help it. It’s how I was raised.
” Kormia blinked hard, because now she knew exactly who that voice belonged to.
Malaya. Better known as @NurseLay on socials.
A girl Kormia caught in Wheezy’s DM during their relationship.
Malaya was one of those IG nurses turned lifestyle-fitness guru’s.
She sold cheap ass scrubs, meal plans and e-books.
Meanwhile, she laid on the table to get her curves.
Kormia stomach sank even though she tried not to show it.
Was he really messing with this bitch? He did have her named saved under My heart with an emoji.
But she could be on his momma phone. Kormia reasoned.
That’s when she sat back and listened to their convo a in more depth.
Apparently, Newdy’s mom just had surgery, plastic surgery and Malaya was her private-duty nurse.
Still, that didn’t explain away that smile.
Nurse or not, she had this mean-ass man smiling, damn near blushing.
And suddenly, the pain in her arm wasn’t the loudest thing in her body anymore.
What Kormia felt now was sharp, unfamiliar, and sitting right in her chest.
“Ho is you cool? she thought, trying to check herself.
Kormia Brown was not the jealous type. Especially not over no nigga.
Yet here she was, knee deep in feelings she didn’t understand.
Girl, he don’t even like you she tried to tell herself all while ignoring the thud in her chest. Then he spoke again.
“Ayo, one of my folks got a pretty nasty bruise on her arm. You mind coming out and looking at it?” Malaya’s tone shifted instantly.
“Oh. Sure,” She responded flat and dry. Kormia smiled to herself.
Then leaned in, laying it on thick. “Thanks, sis. I’d really appreciate it.
” With that, Newdy ended the call and Silence filled the truck again.
Kormia glanced out the window into the darkness, still trying to make sense of whatever was happening in her chest. Wherever they were going, it damn sure wasn’t in Philly.
For the last few miles, it had been nothing but highways, trees, and wilderness.
Then he spoke again. “My mom had surgery a few days ago. I forgot to drop off her meds. I’ll take you home after.
” Kormia nodded, still looking out the window.
That’s when she spotted the sign. “Wait… your mom live in Cheltenham?”
“Nah,” he said, turning onto a quiet private road. “Wyncote.”
“Oh.” She shifted in her seat. “So you from the burbs for real?”
“Nah.” She rolled her eyes. He was being short with her, and she wasn’t feeling it.
“Not you being mysterious.” He cut his eyes at her.
“Why you asking so many questions?”
“Boy, bye. I asked you two.”
“Two, too many.”
“Oh my God.” She threw her hands up. “I been in this car with you and your attitude for thirty minutes.” He scoffed. “Wait, I’m the one with the attitude?”
“And is,” she shot back. Until your little girlfriend called.
That loosened you up some.” He stared at her like she couldn’t be serious.
And that was enough to make her push it.
“Maybe I need to ask questions like her,” she said, turning fake-breathy, mocking the girl’s tone.
“Where you from, Mr. Parish…” That’s when it slipped.
Playful, petty, and sarcastic. But the reaction? Priceless.
Newdy’s laugh came out before he could stop it, low, quick, and real. The first genuine laugh she’d ever heard from him all night. And Kormia hated how much she liked it. “You really a brat,” he said, pulling into a long driveway, that led to a beautiful stone house.
The house had a wrap-around porch with a beautiful Oak tree in the front yard.
It had one of those porch swings that looked like benches and a beautiful dreamcatcher hanging in the arch way of the porch.
The house looked straight out of a nineties after school special.
Kormia could barely see anything, but even in the dark the house was beautiful.
“This house is everything,” she whispered without thinking.
“Sit tight. I won’t be long.” he said turning towards her willing her eyes to meet his.
“Okay” Kormia nodded as her heart skipped a beat.
That’s when she noticed a curvy silhouette on the porch.
Malaya. Kormia braced herself as she watched as Malaya damn near skip to the car, before rounding the driver side in hopes of seeing Newdy.
Kormia rolled down the window and her smiled disappeared almost instantly. And so did that fake syrupy voice.
“Wait, yall mess with each other?” Malaya questioned, real voice showing now, laced with irritation and hoarse like she smoked ten packs a day. Kormia smirked, slow and petty. “Why else would I be in his car this late?” Right on cue, Cal’s voice mumbled from the backseat. “Cap.”
“Mind your drunk ass business,” she whispered.
“Stop lying then,” Cal shot back, loud enough for just her to hear. Parrish was walking up, at the exact moment Cal exposed her. But Kormia didn’t fold. She snatched the ice pack out of Malaya’s hand without breaking eye contact. “Better had bitch.”
Then rolled the window up in her face. Cal shifted. “You really messy as fuck.”
“And you really drunk as fuck.”
“I’m telling,” Cal said before dozing off mid-sentence. Newdy got in the driver’s seat, shut the door and started the truck like none of that happened. His eyes flicked to her arm.
Then the ice pack. Then back to the road. “Where to?”
“Jackie’s,” she said, sinking into her seat as the first streaks of sunrise touched the sky.
She pressed the cold pack to her arm and watched the Wyncote houses faded into trees.
For the first time tonight, the pain in her arm dulled.
What hurt now… was something else entirely.
Something she wasn’t ready to name yet. They rode the rest of the way in a quiet that wasn’t so heavy anymore.
It wasn’t awkward, tense or uncomfortable.
But quiet… in a way that made Kormia way too aware of him.
Every so often, she felt his eyes drift over to her arm, checking if she was still holding the ice pack right.
He tried to play it off, but she caught it.
Every time. When they reached Jackie’s block, he eased the truck into park and let the engine idle.
He didn’t unlock the doors. Didn’t tell her to get out either.
He just sat there. Kormia stared ahead, pulse tapping lightly at her throat.
“Thank you,” she said finally, voice low.
“For… everything.” Newdy didn’t look at her at first. His jaw flexed once, slow, like he was deciding whether to respond at all.
Then he turned, eyes hitting hers with a steadiness that made her breath hitch.
“Don’t thank me,” he said quietly. “Don’t be out there like that again. ”
It should’ve annoyed her. Ordinarily it would. But in this moment, it didn’t “I hear you.”
“Do you though?” Her chest fluttered. Stupid. She reached for the door.
“Yo.” She paused.
“You good to walk?” She smirked. “Why? You gone carry me?”
“If that’s what you want.” She froze. Then stumbled over herself. “I’m good.” He nodded once. Still watching her She stepped out. But before she closed the door, she looked back. He was still looking at her. And for some reason… that meant something. “Goodnight, Mr. Parrish.” His eyes softened.
Just a little. “Get some rest, Kormia.” And just like that—her knees went stupid.