Chapter 4
Alijah
“That bitch,” Ma says in a harsh voice that could cause fear in the hardest man.
I’ve been crashing on Dre’s couch in his man cave since the shit went down with Monika.
Not wanting to face anyone while I took time to overcome my heartbreak, I have been hiding out.
Monika has been blowing up my phone, and I’ve sent every call to voicemail.
The crying and pleading, both verbal and in text messages, have only pissed me off.
It’s crazy to me that Monika has been acting like her indiscretion isn’t a big deal.
The bullshit has been exhausting and led me to decide to move out of Ribax.
I was gone off Woodford when I listened to a message from Monika, and the next thing I knew, I was searching for neighboring cities to get out of dodge.
The thought of running into Monika or even living in the same city after what she did boils my blood.
I need new scenery, which is why I’m at my parents’ place.
I had to not only break it to them about my breakup with Monika but also my decision to move to Kaigood.
I had just finished giving my parents and siblings the rundown about what went down.
“Oh, she’s a bitch now, Ma?” Aaron’s brows hike as a smirk forms on his lips, and I chuckle lightly at his attempt to further ruffle Ma’s feathers.
“How are you handling all this shit, Son?” Pops interjects before Ma can reply to Aaron’s question.
I take a minute to gather my words and not let the negatives and expletive words spinning in my mind fall from my lips.
“Not well. It’s actually why I asked everyone to be here today. I’m moving.” My words are void of emotion as my eyes bounce around the room.
Ma’s mouth hangs open as she blinks continuously. Gianna’s face contorts as her eyes fill with fire. Aaron’s head bobs like a bobblehead, and I wonder what he’s thinking. Pops grunts as he cracks his knuckles before he speaks again.
“You’re letting pussy run you out of town?”
“Hell yeah.” Aaron chimes in before I have a chance to respond.
“I’m beating her ass,” Gianna says.
When Ma’s mouth opens, I lift my hand to stop whatever words are about to fall from her mouth.
“Look, I know this situation isn’t ideal, and it’s even out of left field.
But the truth is, I can’t walk the same streets as the woman who broke my fucking heart.
I had plans to marry Monika. My ego and dick took a hit when I walked in and saw that woman eating pussy and making the same sounds she did when she had a mouth full of my—”
“Whoa, Son. I get it. Please don’t finish that statement.” Ma waves her hands as her face morphs into a pained expression.
For a moment, I was caught up in the visual of Monika and had forgotten that I was in the presence of my mother.
Even after having days to process my new reality, I still haven’t been able to push through the pain.
My chest has been in a constant state of pain that Tylenol nor Aleve have been incapable of removing.
Monika’s ass really tap danced on my heart, and the only thing I can do is run.
It’s probably not ideal or mature, but it’s the decision I came to.
I’ve even found a place already. Deposits and rent payments have been made, and all I need to do is get my ass on the road.
“Where are you moving to?” Gianna asks, and I blink slowly as I return to the conversation.
“Kaigood. It’s not far from here, so y’all can take comfort in that. It’s not as far as I could go, but I don’t want to put forth that kind of effort just yet. All I ask is that none of you mention my whereabouts to that woman.”
A humorless laugh escapes Ma’s mouth as her face hardens, and she places her right hand on her waist.
“Even her master, the devil, couldn’t pry that information from us. She would do well to keep her hot curry pussy on her side of town,” Ma says with a roll of her eyes.
A shout of laughter echoes around the room as Ma shrugs like she didn’t say anything wrong. It’s the first time I’ve laughed since before my world fell apart. Ma is wild, but from the tightness around her eyes, I can sense how she feels about what Monika did to me.
“Whether she stays on her side or my side, I’m tagging her ass on sight,” Gianna says deadpan.
“Don’t even worry about it, little Sis. Karma will get her ass better than any jab you can,” I say.
“Tuh.” Gianna rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Let’s talk about something more important. When are you leaving? You ain’t about to ride off into the sunset without us sending you off the right way,” Aaron interjects.
“Tomorrow,” I whisper and drop my head so as not to see their reaction.
“What the fuck?” Pops grumbles.
I try to ignore the protests from my family as they go from shocked to immediate planning.
I should have known that I wouldn’t be able to sneak out of town without fanfare.
This is why I love my family and will miss them once I’ve moved to Kaigood.
The only great thing about my departure is that the commute to pop in on them won’t require a tank of gas or a stop at Buc-ees.
Although that wouldn’t be an inconvenience as I have heard great things about their chopped brisket sandwiches and cherry sours.
“Alright. You can leave tomorrow night after we’ve gotten a chance to spend time with you,” Ma says in a tone that offers zero opportunity for me to debate or shoot down her words.
“That’s fine because I would rather move my stuff when people aren’t watching me like a hawk.”
“Oh, that’s cute that you thought I cared if you had any objections,” Ma says and waves me off before she and the rest of my immediate family place calls to our extended family.
I walk away and let them continue making plans, then go out the back door with my feet leading me toward the firepit, where the chairs are from the last family gathering.
I’m about to make a drastic change in my life, and for the first time since my decision, the weight of it hits me like a steel drum.
The Next Evening . . .
My heart is full, and my eyes are officially strained from the unplanned tears I’ve shed during the going-away party.
I blame Gwen Dawson for that, as Ma cried the entire event like I was about to go off to war or some shit.
Even now, I sneak out of my parents’ crib just so Ma, Pops, Gianna, and Aaron don’t see me leave.
“Damn, you’re a hard man to catch up with.”
My head shoots up as I stare daggers at Monika, who leans her back against my ride like she's paying the gotdamn note.
“That should tell you something, huh?”
“I miss you, Lijah. Why does this have to end?”
“The fact that you see no issue with what you did confirms that we’re truly over. But on some real shit, I suggest you bounce while you have time because your bullshit didn’t just affect my feelings. Staying out here any longer could be hazardous for your health.”
I hit the button to unlock my vehicle and pull the door open, my eyes shifting from Monika. My damn chest tightens as pain radiates across it, which pisses me off more than Monika’s nonchalance about popping up here.
“We can—”
In this life or the next, I don’t wish to speak to her ass again.
Fuck her desire to speak her peace. She should have considered my peace when she came up with the plan to fuck other women in the bed we shared.
I slam my door, instantly drowning out Monika’s words, and start my vehicle while praying that she’s dumb enough to stay in place so I can run over one of her toes or some shit.
Anger bubbles from deep in my stomach and is the fuel I need to pull away from my parents’ house without a backward glance.
The farther I get away, the easier I’m able to breathe.
It’s the confirmation I need to know that I’m making the right decision.
Thanks to the light evening traffic, I arrive at Kaiku Luxury Apartments twenty-five minutes later.
I paid to have the property manager overnight the keys to my unit, so thankfully, my late arrival won’t prevent me from moving in.
The last beer I consumed has me hopping on an elevator without grabbing any of my things.
I jog to my door, insert the key, and freeze upon seeing several boxes in the living room.
“What the fuck? I know these mothafuckas didn’t leave somebody’s shit in my spot.” My face contorts, and a deep frown slides into place as an uneasy feeling settles in my damn stomach.
With tight brows, I move toward the back of the apartment to inspect the rest of the rooms as anger boils within me.
I bypass the bathroom, momentarily forgetting that my urge to go is what sent me up here in the first place.
There’s a small desk-like structure in the first bedroom I reach that heightens my apprehension even more.
The door is nearly closed, and the hairs on my arms rise as I push it open and enter.
“Oh shit!” I scream when an unknown woman swings a bat and hits me on my arm.
“Who the hell are you, and why are you in my apartment?” She screams and raises the bat to swing again as I move with ninja speed to avoid being hit a second time.
“Woman, if you hit me again, I’m gonna know something.”
“You better answer my question, nigga. Who the hell are you? Coming into my apartment like you own this mothafucka.”
Her words daze me for a second and cause me to miss the swing of her bat until pain radiates in my arm.
“Fuck! Stop hitting me, crazy ass woman. This is my gotdamn apartment, so you’re the one who needs to answer why you’re in my shit.”
Why the hell is she screaming about this being her apartment?
My brain reels with thoughts as the woman stares daggers into me. Her chest rises heavily, and I silently pray that she doesn’t swing that gotdamn bat again. She’s gonna fuck around and have me getting acquainted with the emergency room in my new city.
“How is this your apartment when me and my belongings are already here?”
I lift my hands to reveal the key I used to enter the apartment before I reply.
“Seeing as how I walked in this mothafucka with the key should tell you something, slugger.”
I take a minute to take in the petite woman who’s a little vertically challenged in comparison to my six-foot height.
The black two-piece short set she wears causes my dick to twitch when my eyes rake over the smoothness of her warm brown skin.
The shorts stop inches from her pussy, and the slight poke from her backside causes my body to respond.
There’s a black silk bonnet on her head, so I have no clue what lies beneath.
Her bare feet are painted white and appear well-maintained.
Shorty is a baddie, even dressed for bed, which lets me know I disturbed her sleep with my arrival.
“Stop staring at me, you fucking creep. I don’t know how you got a key to my place, but you need to get out of here before I call the police.” Her voice pisses me off as it interrupts my ability to continue cataloging her features.
“Imagine calling the police only to find out that I live here. But go ahead and waste the call. Your little ass is the only intruder here.”
“You tried it.” She turns away from me, and I have to swallow the groan the sight of her little apple-shaped ass incites.
Lord, what are you doing to me? Monika already plays Scrabble with Satan. Why did you give him permission to tempt me again so soon?
“Here’s my proof that this place belongs to me.” Papers being waved in my direction cause me to return to the present moment.
I cautiously take the papers and give them a quick glance, which confirms that she is listed as a tenant for this unit.
My mouth drops, and I retrieve my phone from my pocket and check my email.
I locate the email from the Kaiku contact, open it, and read it again.
The email also confirms that I, too, am a tenant for this particular unit.
“This shit can’t be real,” I grumble before I hand my phone over to the feisty woman.
“What the hell?”
Yeah, clearly, somebody fucked up.
“How the hell did this happen?” she asks, and a cute pout twists her facial features, and I fight the urge to smile like a bitch.
“We’re gonna find out tomorrow.”
“Excuse me? You’re not staying here.”
A low, humorless chuckle escapes my mouth because, bat or no bat, she can’t make me leave this apartment.
“My money and name are tied up in this place, so I’d like to see you force me out of here.”
Silence creeps into the space as little Miss Bat Slinger stares me up and down like she’s six feet two or can whup my ass.
“Get the hell out.”
I smirk and do as she asks as the door hits my back from how hard she slams it.
I laugh when the sound of the lock turning hits my ears.
Nevertheless, the question remains: How did this hiccup happen?
I’m gonna be front and center at that rental office as soon as my eyes crack open tomorrow morning.
Somebody is about to explain to us how the hell they rented the same unit to two different people. How in the hell is this my life?