FIVE #2
“Well, you must want to walk far and be all sweaty. Having a driver makes my life easier. That’s why Jio got me one.
Let’s go.” She had a good week at work and was looking forward to cheering Kobie on at his game today.
They’d kicked it a time or two since she attended his party.
He was a real cool dude but she wasn’t leading him on.
As foolish as it may sound, she still longed for Jio.
In the meantime, Kobie proved to be a welcome distraction.
There was something effortless about being around him.
His conversation flowed naturally, and he had a way of making her laugh when she least expected it.
The heaviness she’d been carrying lately seemed a little lighter whenever his name flashed across her phone.
His thoughtfulness didn't stop there. Every morning that week, Nina arrived at her office to find a fresh bouquet of flowers waiting on her desk.
No grand gestures or over-the-top declarations, but beautiful flowers paired with handwritten notes wishing her a productive day.
The consistency of it all was enough to make her smile.
For the first time in a long time, she felt seen.
He was a busy athlete, but he still made her feel like she was on his mind, and that’s all she’d been wanting from Jio. Women needed to feel the desire oozing out of a man’s pores. Attraction was one thing and intention was another.
An hour later, the stadium exploded with screams. It was playoff season and tonight’s game was a big deal.
Everybody was out tonight. Nina had been stopped by every celebrity there, congratulating her on the new role and how they looked forward to working with her in the near future.
Was she famous now? She didn’t even know people knew who she was, but they did and the world was watching her.
Once they made it to Kobie’s suite, she spoke to his parents, who were happy to see her there. She then introduced Ephrem as her best friend to avoid any rumors from circulating. Nina crossed her legs elegantly and snapped a cute picture. She uploaded it with a caption that read, ‘Game Day.’
“Thank you for coming with me,” she told E.
“Yeah, yeah, I didn’t have nothing else to do, so you got lucky.”
Nina ignored him. The game was already in full swing, so her attention was instantly captured.
“Which one is he again?” Ephrem asked an hour later as he stuffed his mouth with popcorn.
“Are you serious?”
“What? I can’t keep up with your boy toys.”
“I only have two, don’t be dramatic.”
“So you do talk to this dude?” Ephrem clarified.
Nina didn’t answer him.
“Jio is going to-
“We’re at a football game. He’s not thinking about us and we’re not going to be thinking about his ass either.”
She stopped after hearing the sudden gasps of everyone in the stadium.
Nina’s head snapped up and spotted Kobie clenching his knee near the end zone. His screams reached the top of the ceiling, all the way in the suites where she sat watching.
“AAARGHHHHHHHHH!” He screamed out, making her stand automatically.
“Why did he tackle my baby like that?” his mother cried hysterically.
Nina watched his trainers and Coach run onto the field.
“Oh my god…”
Kobie’s face twisted as he slammed the grass in frustration.
The stadium fell into anxious silence. A few comments could be heard from the suite to the right of her.
“Oh shit.”
“That looked crazy.”
“Damn…”
Kobie was unable to put pressure on one leg and he ended up having to be carted off the field. It was only the second quarter, but unfortunately, one injured player didn’t stop the game.
The crowd applauded supportively and cameras zoomed in on his suite to show the fans that his family was visibly distraught.
“We have Nina Marcelle in the building tonight. She’s proudly rocking her jersey! Kobie fans stand up!”
Ephrem covered his face as he mumbled under his breath, “Fuck.”
η
Jio’s dice game was loud as hell. Music blasted through the club and stacks of cash sat everywhere like decorations for a birthday party.
Smoke floated through the air thick enough to choke somebody.
As he matured into the boss that he knew he could always be, he’d been diligent and steadfast about breaking away from his bad habits.
But damn, he was struggling to let the strip club and gambling go. He loved them both so bad.
Jio sat at the center table, rolling dice absentmindedly with three different conversations happening around him.
The folks to the left of him were talking about buying a liquor store in an unsafe neighborhood.
Jio thought it was a horrible idea but he kept his comments to himself.
His other buddies were discussing an upcoming trip to Denver that he was still undecided if he was going on.
Kadeer was talking to no one in particular about the playoffs.
He had more money on the line than the average person.
His phone vibrated and he glanced down to see who was calling him.
Nina.
He answered on the first ring. “What’s up, baby?”
Nina was so shocked that he picked up, considering the majority of her calls went unanswered. She didn’t even call as much as she used to. Nina matched his energy and effort. He didn’t put in any time with her and she was doing the same.
Her voice came fast. “Did you have something to do with Kobie getting hurt?”
The earlier talk that she had with her cousins from Philly hadn’t left her mind since they called.
“Damn cuz…I told you your pussy juice must have special powers in it.”
“I beg your fuckin’ pardon!” Nina didn’t appreciate them talking to her like that.
“Oh bitch please! You know we saw you at the game on the gram and it’s crazy that you were there and Kobie got hurt.”
“I don’t think I understand-
“… Girl please! You crazy if you don’t think Jio had something to do with that.”
Nina froze.
“What?”
“I mean—”
“Are you stupid?”
“Look, I don’t have time for this.”
“Nina relax, we joking.”
“Well, not really cus Kobie career is damn near over. They saying he may not ever walk again!”
“I have nothing to do with that.”
The other cousin laughed nervously. “But Jio did—”
Nina hung up without bothering to say goodbye.
Her jaw tightened as the thought lingered in her mind.
And she hated how she’d even let it exist, but what were the odds….
Jio’s face changed instantly and his buddies at the table peeped it.
His body went cold but his heart turned colder.
“Nina.”
“Yes?” She had the nerve to sound all innocent.
“Don’t ever call my phone questioning me about a nigga.”
Her chest tightened.
“I’m asking a question and I think it’s only fair that you tell me the truth.”
“The fuck wrong with you, baby?” he asked calmly. Too calmly.
“You think I’m out here breaking kneecaps?”
She rubbed her forehead.
“My cousins said—”
“I don’t give a fuck what they said.”
Jio’s voice lowered. He hated talking to her in this way but she was trying him.
“You know me better than that.”
He knew how to make her feel guilty. But did she know him for real? She wasn’t sure anymore. Nina felt like her common sense went to hide behind a tree whenever Jio Gotti walked in the forest, better known as her troubled mind.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered.
Jio leaned back in his chair. “Nah, I deserve more than that.” He sounded irritated.
“I said sorry,” she whined, hoping he would let it go.
He exhaled slowly. “You worried about him for what?”
Nina hesitated. “It’s his career. He has a family to feed Jio-
The line clicked, signifying that he’d hung up in her face. Shorty was tripping and he didn’t want to say some shit to her that he would later regret.
Kadeer said, “Let me holler at you bro.”
They got up from the table and went over to the bar, where he poured up some shots.
“Man, she got me fucked up,” he confessed to his best friend.
“She called asking if you put a hit out on that nigga knee?”
Jio threw the shot back. “Po’ me up again.” He ignored his question.
Kadeer shook his head. “So, who you pay?”
Jio smirked faintly. “What makes you think I did it?”
His best friend gave him a look that let him know that he KNEW he did it.
“… Lil’ Peter cousin’s baby daddy owed me a favor and he knew a nigga that knew a nigga…ya mean?”
“You covered your tracks?” Kadeer wanted to make sure.
Jio scoffed. “Did I? The fuck nigga charged me a hundred K.”
Kadeer nearly choked laughing.
“You love her for real bro.”
Jio shrugged carelessly. He didn’t deny it because the truth was plain and simple.
Nina was off limits, and anybody who even thought they could have his girl was going to have a problem, and Jio had never been above solving problems permanently.
η
Nina walked through the private wing of the same hospital where she was born.
She’d grown up with the children of all the big-named doctors who worked here.
On her way to check on her friend, she’d been stopped by several familiar faces whom she hadn’t seen since her Jack and Jill days.
She would bet her new Chanel bag that her mom would be calling her by the end of the day, most likely thrilled and over the moon that she’d visited Kobie without having to be asked.
She could hear highlights of ESPN replaying his injury over and over. His door was cracked open, but she still knocked twice before entering.
“It’s me…. Nina.”
He looked up as she came closer.
She’d never seen him without a smile on his face. His mood seemed dampened, which was totally to be expected. Nina instantly grew sad.
Was this her fault? Is Jio to blame? So many questions without answers.
Kobie sat against the pillows looking exhausted. “Hey,” his voice low.
His knee was wrapped in layers of gauze and it looked like it would hurt to move it.
Nina held up the flowers awkwardly. “I brought you my favorites.”
“Ima tulip type of nigga but thank you anyway.”
“Who would’ve thought,” she teased.
He laughed softly before wincing in pain.
She placed the flowers on a table.
“I appreciate you for stopping by. You didn’t have to come. I know how busy you are.”
“Yes, I did.”