CHAPTER FIFTEEN #3
"He was your mans. And he the one who saved my life. He the one who came back for me when you left me bleeding on the ground. So yeah, I been fucking with him. And I don't owe you no explanation for that shit."
Rah leaned back, his jaw clenched tight. "So that's how it is now?"
"That's how it been, Rah. You made your choice that night. I made mine after."
He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see the hurt and anger fighting in his eyes. Then he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a white envelope, sliding it across the table to me.
"What's this?" I asked.
"Open it."
I picked it up and opened it, and my eyes went wide when I saw the stack of bills inside. I pulled them out, counting quickly.
"That's fifty-five hundred," Rah said, his voice flat now. "The five hundred I owed you from the dice game that night. The two-fifty I borrowed before that. And forty-two fifty more added to it. Call it interest. Call it an apology. I don't care. It's yours."
"Rah, this is—"
"Take it, Ma. You was good to me when we was together. I owe you way more than that, but it's what I got right now." He looked away, his jaw still tight. "I know I fucked up and I lost you. But at least let me pay you back what I owe."
I stared at the money in my hands, my heart doing that stupid thing again. This was a lot. This was more than I expected.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
"You ain't gotta thank me." He finished his drink in one gulp. "I shoulda did right by you from the jump."
We sat in silence for a minute, the weight of everything hanging between us.
"I know you with him now," Rah finally said. "And I know I ain't got no right to be mad. But that don't mean it don't hurt, seeing you with my homie. Knowing I'm the reason you ain't mine no more."
"Rah..."
"Nah, it's cool. I get it." He stood up, pulling out his wallet and throwing some bills on the table. "Just... be careful with him, aight? Trigg a good nigga, but I don't want you getting hurt again."
"I can take care of myself."
"I know you can." He walked around to my side of the booth and held out his hand. "Come on. Let me walk you to your car."
I took his hand and stood up, and we walked out of the bar in silence. When we got to my car, he pulled me into a hug, with his arms wrapped around me tight.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into my hair. "For everything."
"I know."
He pulled back and kissed my cheek, his lips lingering for just a second longer than they should've. "Take care of yourself, a'ight?"
"You too."
I got in my car and drove home, the envelope sitting in my passenger seat, my heart and mind racing the whole way.
* * *
When I pulled up to my house, I saw somebody sitting on my porch.
My stomach dropped when I realized who it was.
Trigg.
He was leaning back against the railing, his long legs stretched out in front of him, scrolling through his phone. When he heard my car door shut, he looked up, and even in the dark I could see his jaw clench.
"Where you been?" he asked as I walked up the steps.
"Out."
"Out where?"
"Why you worried about it?" I crossed my arms, the envelope tucked under my purse. "You ain't my man, remember? So where I go ain't none of your business."
He stood up then, all six-four of him, and walked over to me, his light brown eyes locked on mine.
"Don't play with me, Ya’Mya. I been calling you all night. You ain't answer. You ain't text back. So, I'ma ask you again, where the fuck you been?"
"And I'ma tell you again, that's something you ask your woman. And I ain't your woman." I tried to walk past him but he stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
"You got a smart ass mouth, you know that?"
"And you got commitment issues. We both got problems."
He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see his jaw working, them dimples popping in and out. Then he tilted his head, his eyes narrowing.
"Is going out the country only for sneaky links, or is it for my shorty as well?”
I blinked, caught off guard. Then I rolled my eyes. "Oh, so now you wanna take me somewhere? What, you finally realized you might lose me?"
"Shorty, stop playing with me." His voice dropped low and he stepped closer until there was barely any space between us.
“I aint playin,”
"Our flight leaves in the morning. So, either you can keep running that mouth, or you can go inside and pack your shit."
"Wait, you serious?"
"You heard what I said the first time. We bout to go to Jamaica. Just me and you. Our flight leaves at nine a.m., so you better start packing.” His hand came up to cup my face, his thumb brushing across my cheek.
I couldn't help it. The smile spread across my face so wide my cheeks hurt, and I tried to hide it but it was too late.
"There she go," Trigg said, grinning back at me. "That's what I like to see."
"You so annoying," I said, but I was still smiling.
"Yeah, but you love it." He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Now go pack. And don't bring no ugly ass bathing suits either. I wanna see you looking right on the beach."
I pushed him playfully, but I couldn't stop smiling as I unlocked my door and walked inside.
I didn’t know if this was Trigg was finally stepping up or what, But I was all the way here for it.