Chapter 17 #6
“He wasn’t going to do anything. He just gets like this. He gets mean, and he makes threats, but…”
“Bitch, if you excuse his bullshit one more time,” Ellie fussed. “Where is he?” Ellie demanded.
Ellie went storming off for the front door as Courtney trailed after her, trying to explain away the situation.
“Ellie, you don’t understand. You and Loyal getting involved only makes it worse; please, just get Loyal. I can handle James,” Courtney pleaded.
Ellie pushed through the front doors and caught Loyal just as he was putting James inside a car.
“James! You threatened her, nigga?” Ellie shouted.
“Ellie!” Courtney shouted. “Please!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” Loyal said, intercepting Ellie and all her rage. He turned back to the car. “Close the door and get him out of here,” Loyal instructed the driver.
Courtney was mortified.
“Courtney, baby, can we just go home? We doing this in front of all these people. Just come home. I’m drunk. You took my baby and just left. I’m going crazy,” James said.
Courtney looked at Ellie in confusion.
“Maybe I should just go home with him. This is embarrassing. Y’all shouldn’t have to be involved in this.”
“You’re not going anywhere with him. She’s not coming.
Courtney protects your ass, James. She keeps a lot of shit to herself, and I know she do.
We’re all over the place, so we miss a lot of bullshit that you take her through, but we’re all right here this time.
We not letting her miss shit. We not taking no excuses as to why she can’t show up.
One missed phone call, and we’re coming to wherever she is.
You touch another hair on her head, and I’ma kill you myself, you piece of fucking shit! ”
Loyal pulled her hand aggressively and forced her to turn to him.
“You’ve made your point, E. You ain’t wrong, but that’s enough,” he said. Loyal closed the door and hit the roof of the truck with one hand. “Get him home.” He turned to the valet and handed one of the men James’ ticket. “Get his car and follow the truck to his address. Ride back with my driver.”
Ellie was on fire. She pulled her hand from his and shook her head. “Why are you protecting him?”
“I’m not protecting him. He’s going through a rough time, E. Let that nigga sleep it off. Cooler heads will prevail in the morning.” Loyal was a leader. He was a thinker, and right now, he was her enemy.
“Fuck what he’s going through,” she whispered. Ellie turned back to Courtney and wrapped an arm around Courtney’s shoulder before they walked back inside together.
As soon as they stepped inside the warm building, Shy was coming out the ballroom. “I’ve been looking everywhere for y’all. What the hell happened?” Shy asked.
“You don’t want to know. Go line up the shots, y’all. We deserve them. I’ll be right in,” Ellie said.
“I’ll fill you in, girl,” Courtney stated as the pair walked off.
Ellie felt Loyal’s hand on the small of her back, and she turned to him.
“We need to talk,” she said.
Loyal shook his head. “You look like you got a lot to say, and I’m almost certain I’ma hear it all, but can we table it, E? I just want to enjoy the rest of my night with my girl.”
Ellie scoffed and shook her head. “Which is who, Loyal? Because right now, I’m feeling like you’re trying to play me, and I’m not feeling it.” She walked away, entering the ballroom, and his voice halted her.
“Elliot!”
She turned around. His baritone echoed through the room, and everyone gave him their full attention as uncertainty clung to the air.
I know this nigga is not making a scene, she thought, embarrassed but standing her ground.
“What, Loyal? What do you want from me?” She shouted back. Yup, they were making a scene. Lights, camera, action in this bitch.
The way he took his time crossing the floor to get to her drove Ellie insane.
He was so damn arrogant. It was like he knew she wouldn’t dare move until he released her.
The entire room was watching, and she was annoyed because the way she felt, she wanted to cuss his ass out.
The notion of being propositioned for a threesome kept playing in her head.
“I don’t know what I did to piss you off,” he said as he stood toe to toe with her.
“Why don’t you ask Tisa?” Ellie asked.
“I’m asking you. Ain’t nobody in this but me and you, so if you listening to anybody else, that’s your first mistake,” he said.
“Yeah, well, your actions speak volumes too. Nobody in this room even knows I belong to you,” she said.
The band returned to playing at a reduced volume to try to shift the attention away from the bickering couple. Ellie was grateful because the partygoers went back to their own business once they realized nothing explosive was going to occur.
“We’re fighting in the middle of my party. I think it’s pretty clear who you belong to,” Loyal replied, annoyed as he rubbed one hand down his wavy head.
“Is it? Because I’m so fucking confused,” Ellie retorted, shaking her head.
Loyal tilted her chin toward the ceiling, and she noticed the mistletoe that was hanging from the ceiling around the chandelier. She didn’t even know how she had missed it before. It was hanging from every chandelier in the room.
When he finessed her chin back down, his lips were there.
She forgot why she was fucking mad. The band increased their volume as Loyal kissed her under the mistletoe.
She had never understood the hype around this Christmas tradition, but the way her heart fluttered in this moment, she got it now.
It was the most romantic and simple kiss she had ever experienced.
You can’t fall in love with this man. YOU CAN NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS MAN. BITCH, TAKE YOUR LIPS BACK.
Ellie was fighting a losing battle in her head.
His dominance was all over her. He commanded her mind and body.
It was in the way he held her to his body.
It was in the way they exchanged breaths.
It was in the way that he held onto her neck like he was the ruler who decided when and where he would have her, and she was his willing subject.
He wanted her here. He wanted her now. He was clearing shit up.
Baby mama or no baby mama, Loyal Brier had his sights set on Ellie. She was trapped.
All I do is think of you…day and nightttt
“Whatever she told you, unhear that shit,” he whispered.
He only pulled back long enough to speak the words.
Ellie was floating. She absolutely hated how new this felt.
It was illogical. It was young bitch shit.
It was so irresponsible, and still, she was allowing it to happen.
She could see the red flags from the backseat of the car.
They were waving in the wind in the distance and Ellie was anticipating it like the carnival.
She wanted all parts of this man. He gave her a feeling she hadn’t had since she was a young girl.
The feeling of possibility. She was sure if she were in high school, his name would be all over her notebooks with hearts around it by now.
Ellie told herself she could handle him, that she could control this thing, whatever it was.
Just have fun. This can be fun. No strings.
No expectations. Stop listening to the promises.
Just enjoy it for what it is. “It’s clear now,” he said. Only it wasn’t. It so wasn’t.