Chapter 8
One Week Later…
“So, are you ready to tell me what’s bothering you?” Robyn questioned the second she stepped out onto my patio where I was emptying a bottle of Black Sade.
I ignored her, forgetting that it wouldn’t make her go away. She took the seat on the other side of the cushioned seat and slammed her feet in my lap.
“Really, Rob?” I glared at her, knowing she was intentionally trying to get under my skin.
She nodded happily.
“Yes, since you want to play games. There’s something going on with you, and I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s wrong.” She leaned closer, placing a hand on top of mine. “You’re my twin. I feel what you feel, and right now, I know you are not in a good place so talk to me.”
I lifted my glass of liquor to my lips, debating on if I should share. I could always trust my twin with my heart, but I wasn’t sure how she was going to react to what I had to say. It was a step out of my comfort zone, and I wasn’t even so sure it was worth pursuing now. Like any other woman I has known, Lovie had disappeared without a trace. If she wanted more, her actions were saying otherwise. I couldn’t handle any more heartbreak and had to protect myself above all else. I decided that’s what I was going to tell Robyn, but by the end of the story, she was looking at me as if I’d grown a second head.
“Boy, are you crazy? You should’ve gone after her.”
I shrugged. “What for? It’s not like she wants to be with me or anything. This is best for everyone.”
She waved me off while placing her feet back on the ground.
“Romani, shut up before you piss me off. It’s so like you to shut yourself off from feeling because you’ve already convinced yourself things won’t work out.” She hopped to her feet. “I’m not letting you do it this time. This girl sounds like she could be good for you and vice versa.”
I allowed my head to fall backward. This sister of mine was going to be the death of me. She was always trying to force me to step out into the unknown.
“I don’t even know if she wants to be with me,” I admitted.
My sister laughed like I said the funniest joke she ever heard. I looked at her with suspicion.
“Any woman with half a brain wants to be with you, brother. I don’t think that’ll be an issue at all, but you’ll never know if you don’t go ask.”
“So, you want me to walk up to her and ask if she wants to be with me?”
She nodded. “Yes, and tell her how you feel. I mean, the Aisley situation was bad, but I don’t think it’s enough to keep you two apart forever. Y’all are both just scared right now and don’t know what to expect. She needs to know you’ll be willing to fight for her when things are uncertain. Women need reassurance as badly as we need air to breathe.”
She stooped down in front of me, placing her hands on my knees.
“Just go to her. If it turns out she really doesn’t want to be with you, then fuck that ho. She ain’t all that anyway.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. I could tell by her smirk that it was her intention to lighten my mood. I’d been in a funk since the day my mother wouldn’t stop calling my phone. I knew without a doubt she was calling to ask for something. No matter how many times she made her sister hit me up, I wouldn’t budge. It got to the point that I even started sending Mama Toy to voicemail. If she couldn’t be on my side and respect what I wanted, then I was going to have to ice her out too.
“I don’t…” I couldn’t formulate the right words.
While a part of me wanted nothing more than to go after Lovie, I had to admit there was another side that felt like this was for the best. I couldn’t be the man she needed when I had was covered in battle wounds that made me question everything.
“Why couldn’t she just trust me when I said there was nothing going on with Aisley? We wouldn’t even be having this conversation right now.”
“It’s just too soon. She has to know she can trust you with her heart first. Waiting a fucking week to go after her probably has her thinking you don’t give two fucks when you do. Stop playing games, and go get your woman.”