Chapter 4 #2
“I hate you!” I screamed as I curled into a ball. Pain radiated through my face and head. When he reached down to grab me, I kicked my leg up and aimed it straight for his groin. Summoning every ounce of strength that I could, I thrust my leg out hard and kicked him in his balls.
He crumpled to the floor and groaned for several seconds. I slowly pushed myself up and kicked him repeatedly in the back. “Fuck you, Ramon. You had a good woman, but you’ve lost her. All because of your insecurities and jealousy!”
He continued groaning, and I staggered to where my keys and purse were. Grabbing them, I turned around just in time to see him getting off the floor. I ran back to grab my bag and then headed for the door again. He jumped in front of the door before I could get out.
“You’re willing to fuck over me for him? He’s gonna drag you down the same hole he climbs out of. I can promise you now, he ain’t up to shit. He’s lying up with some whore, and look at you rushing out to be the next whore in his bed.”
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! As long as I’m no longer your fool anymore, that’s all that matters!” I shouted, punching him in the chest with each sentence.
He lifted me and threw me out of the house, onto the ground. I lay in a ball, crying as he slammed the door on me. I heard the lock click, and I rolled onto my back and stared up at the starless sky.
How had my life become shit?
“Fuccck!” I screamed.
“What the hell happened to you, Charlyse?” Tunisia asked as she opened her door.
Contrary to what Ramon thought, I was not running to his brother.
I would never do that. Besides, I knew if Dominic saw what Ramon had done, they would be at war.
I didn’t want that. Maybe if I had a brother, I would call him to whup Ramon’s ass, but I wasn’t trying to have the two brothers go at each other over me.
Although I hated calling Tunisia at five in the morning, I had nowhere else to go. She grabbed my hand and pulled me into her house before she closed and locked the door.
“Ramon.”
“God Jesus. I hope to God you’re not going back after this. I’m so sick of this bullshit fighting you two do. This is not okay, Charly.”
“I know. And no, I’m never going back to that insane asshole.”
“Dom’s going to kick your ass when he sees you.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Charly, you haven’t seen your face, have you? You and Ramon fight all the time, and you might have a bruise or a scratch, but baby girl—”
“The hell happened to you?” Karter asked, coming out of their bedroom. He held a squirming KJ in his arms.
Their baby, who was also my godson, Karter Jr., was only six months old. He kept moving his mouth toward his dad’s chest. “No milk here for you, buddy. Sorry.” He handed the baby to Tunisia and looked back at me.
“Ramon and I had a fight.”
“Damn. Dom’s gonna blow up.”
“Dom’s not gonna find out,” I retorted.
“What makes you think that?” he asked.
“Because you’re not going to tell him, and neither are you,” I replied, pointing at Tunisia.
“How do you think you’re going to prevent that, Charly? The man hangs out at the club all the time, and you’re always at the races.”
“I won’t go.”
“And work?” she asked.
“I’ll call out sick for a couple of days. That’s all I’ll need to clear my face up. Whatever is remaining, I can hide with makeup. No biggie,” I explained with a shrug.
Karter dragged his hand down his face and scoffed. Shaking his head, he replied, “You really believe that, huh? Ain’t no way that man won’t see you. Y’all see each other at least four times a week. Hell, he’s over here almost as much as you are.”
“Then I just won’t be here when he arrives.”
“You really think you’ve got this all figured out, huh?” Tunisia asked.
“I do. And I’ll be fine. I just need a place to crash for a couple of days until I get my check.”
“What are you gonna do then?” Karter asked.
“Stay in an extended stay until my background check passes on an apartment. I’ve got enough saved up to get a place of my own, . . . almost. It’ll be tight, but I can manage.”
“You’re not doing that. You’re staying right here,” Karter declared.
“Yeah, you can take over the little bed in KJ’s nursery. Take your time and get up on your feet,” Tunisia implored.
“I cannot and will not put my baby out of his room,” I replied, walking to Tunisia, where she was adjusting her gown so that she could feed Karter. I rubbed his little warm, soft cheek and then stepped back.
“He hardly ever sleeps in there anyway,” Karter stated.
I sighed. “I’ll figure something out. Just promise that you won’t tell Dom.”
“I won’t tell him what happened,” Karter replied with a sigh and returned to their bedroom.
“Why are you protecting Ramon’s ass?” Tunisia demanded after Karter closed the door.
“I’m not. I’m protecting Dom. We both know that Dom will go insane if he knows what his brother did to me.”
“Has been doing to you,” Tunisia corrected me.
“It’s never gotten this bad before. I always had it under control.”
“Or so you thought. There’s no way things like this are ever under control.
It’s just wrong on every level for both of you.
He should never put his hands on you, and you should never have to put yours back on him.
The moment that you felt you needed to was the moment you should’ve walked and never looked back. ”
“Don’t worry. Payback’s a mutha.”
“What’re you going to do?”
“Show up at his office just like this. His big boss is in town today, and he’s supposed to be meeting with him about an upcoming promotion.”
“Oh, . . . don’t you think you’re only muddying the waters? How is any of this going to make it better?”
“Because I believe in revenge.”
“I won’t let you do that, Charly. You’re going to stay here, and we’re going to plan how you turn your life around.”