Truce Of The Matter

Chapter 18

“ H ave you talked to her?” I ask Dax.

“No and I’m not. I still can’t even look at Lyra’s ass,” he scoffs.

Although it’s been almost two weeks since our parents’ disaster anniversary dinner, neither of us has spoken to Lyra. The only person she’s spoken with is our mother and naturally, she’s already forgiven Lyra. That’s our mother, a woman with a forgiving heart and spirit. I inherited a small piece of it but not enough to forgive Lyra yet. I’m sure I will soon but the shit is still too damn fresh.

“She’s at Momma’s now; Aryel called and let me know she was there.”

“I thought they leave in the morning,” he says, intentionally moving the subject from our sister. I’m still angry but he’s hurt, real hurt . As he should be. He spent years behind bars, away from us, over that nigga and Lyra just forgot all about his sacrifice.

“Sunday morning. Their ship leaves at one. That’s why she has Aryel tonight.”

“So, what yo’ ass gon’ do? And don’t say be with me either, nigga. My baby’s planning some naked picnic shit at the house and I’m trying?—”

“Bruh, chill. I’m not trying to picture you and sis like that,” I say, interrupting his ass, and he chuckles.

“Before I forget, Truce is your plus one for the wedding, right?” he asks and my facial expression causes him to quickly say more. “Ay, Chantel told me to make sure. We are finalizing the list this week and I didn’t want to assume shit.”

“No assumption needed. It’s a fact that she is mine. Whose ride is out there?” I ask, motioning to the repair bay. His large office windows allow him to see out. “She’s all mine and she’ll be there.”

“Bet.” He nods then smiles. “Real talk, I’m happy for you. Shit is real different when you have your real one in your corner. Speaking of non-real ones, what’s up with Aria?”

“She said she’s coming this week but nothing’s confirmed yet. Aryel still says that she doesn’t really want to see her so I’m going to let her come to the crib. I’m not making my baby go anywhere with her if she doesn’t want to and she damn shole ain’t going if she brings that nigga with her. She wouldn’t even give me his full name so I can check him out.”

“Then you already know it’s bullshit.”

“Exactly,” I say while nodding. She shouldn’t have even hesitated when I asked but she did and talked all around the subject of his last name. “Me and her are going to have a real ass conversation. No more half in and half out. Either she’s all in with Aryel or not at all.”

“She’s good without Aria; she always has been. Don’t even think twice about that shit.”

“I’m not. Real shit, I shouldn’t have let her back in Aryel’s life. I thought I was doing the right thing. It was just me with a baby. I was struggling at first and Momma was in my ear saying Aria could have left from postpartum. And hell, she was Aryel’s mother so I said fuck it and let her see our baby. But she’s not consistent. She’s not being a mother and I’m over that shit. All in or all out. Those are her only options,” I state with conviction. Mere taps on the window and we both look up. He’s waving. Truce’s new set of tires are on and her alignment is done. “The cookies are in the trunk. He can get them out before he pulls it around.”

“She still leading in sales?” Dax asks before standing. My whole family is invested in Aryel being the top seller.

“You know it. She’s doing so good I promised her a sleepover at the house.”

“A bunch of screaming little girls in your crib! Hell naw,” he scoffs.

“Shit if it wasn’t for Truce agreeing to help with it, it would’ve been a hell no from me too. But Aryel deserves it. All I have to do is buy the sleeping shit, decorations, and food. The rest is all them.”

“How many girls?”

“Five.”

“Aw hell no.”

“Wait till you have a little girl looking up at you with big, pretty eyes. You’ll say yes to damn near anything,” I say and he smiles. “See! You already know it and sis ain’t even pregnant yet.”

“She might be after this naked picnic,” he says before walking to his office door.

“Nigga,” I say while shaking my head.

I follow him out. He walks out to the bay and I head to the front. It’s a Friday afternoon and his shop is humping; the lobby is full. As I check out, Mere pulls Truce’s ride to the side of the shop. When I walk out, he’s pulling the paper mat out.

“I got the cookies out the trunk.”

“Good. What happened with ol’ girl at the nail shop?” I ask.

“She tripping,” he huffs while shaking his head. “I’m just gon’ give you the two-forty.”

“Damn. She stealing cookie money?”

“Exactly! That’s why I’m not fucking with her ass no mo’. You talked to Lyra?” he asks and I shake my head.

“Me either but you know I get my hair braided at the salon. I saw her and we spoke but that’s it. Them chicks talk up there and I think the nigga took heed and got ghost.”

“If he hasn’t, Mere, ion even know,” I admit, stopping before I say how I really feel.

“Trust. I already know.”

We dap it up then I leave. Truce and I are going to game night at her homegirl’s house tonight and she’s at her spot getting ready. This trip to Dax’s Auto Shop wasn’t planned but when I checked out her ride in her parking spot, I noticed the barely-there tread on her front two tires. The back ones weren’t as bad but them shits were bad enough for me to leave my truck at her place and bring her ride in.

I swing by my crib first, shower, and change. When I’m walking out my door, my cell rings in my pocket. As soon as I pull it out and see the name on the screen, I huff in a deep breath.

“Rex,” I answer.

“Aria,” she snaps then laughs. “I know who you are; I called you,” she says, laughing too much actually.

“Listen, I have somewhere to be, so what’s up?”

“I have my flights booked. I’ll be there Friday but there’s a problem with my hotel reservation. The hotel wants a deposit, something about my card being a debit and not a credit card. After the tickets for the plane, ooh…my luggage and the rental, I only have enough for the room not the deposit,” she rambles off. “I’m wondering if you could book the room and I’ll figure out a way to pay you back.”

I just shake my head because what she’s going on and on about makes no damn sense. What about gas for the rental? Her food? I swear Aria always has her damn hands out but I’m not giving her shit. Not a fucking penny.

“If you can’t afford to come, maybe you should stay yo’ ass where you are.”

“Aryel is my child too and I want to see her. How 'bout you send her to me then since you can’t help.”

“How 'bout you get off my line with this bullshit,” I retort, getting angrier by the damn minute. “I don’t even know where the fuck you live, for one. Definitely ain’t sending my child to you and you around God knows who, and finally, Aryel doesn’t fucking know yo’ ass,” I say sternly but calmly. Aria doesn’t even warrant my energy to yell.

“She knows me, and plus, she needs to be with her mother!” she screams.

“I’m hanging up, Aria. If you do come and get your room shit straight, let me know. We can set up a time for you to come here and we’ll actually talk like two fucking adults. Then, if the conversation is straight, you can see Aryel.”

“Conversation straight?” she asks with too much damn incredulity. “You can’t dictate if I see her.”

“I can and will do just that. Like I said, hit me if you actually make it here.”

“You mo—” She starts to rage but I end the call.

I don’t need Aria and her indecisive ass ruining my night. After placing my cell back in my pocket, I grab Truce’s keys off the key rack and walk into the garage. Once I’m out, I set the security system on my phone then head to Truce. Since I have her keys, I let myself in.

She’s in her kitchen, standing near the island mixing something. There’s stuff all over the counter but I can truly only see her in my hoodie. Her toned legs are on full display. The top half of her sexy body is swimming in the hoodie and she looks stunning. Absolutely gorgeous.

Without looking up from her bowl, she asks, “Are you just going to stand there and stare at me?”

“You’re mine, right?”

“I am.”

“Then, hell yeah. I can stare as much as I want.” She lifts her pretty face then blesses me with her sexy smile. It pulls me to her. My arms are around her waist and hands on her thighs as soon as I conquer her space. “Staring is cool but touching is fucking amazing, with your sexy ass.”

She drops her head back, positioning her lips toward mine and I waste no time kissing her. As my tongue locks with hers, my fingers travel up her thighs to her panties. When I ease one hand inside, she moans into my mouth.

“Rex,” she purrs as she clamps her thighs together.

“Trapping my hand with the thighs I love has the opposite effect, beautiful. I’m definitely not moving it now,” I admit before pecking the tip of her nose.

“What about this chicken salad?” she whimpers. My fingers maneuver to her slit and I play with her fat ass pussy lips.

“What about it?” I ask and she moans. Two of my fingers are inside of her, thrusting in and out. Her hands abandon the knife and fork and they fall to the counter. Her head falls back on my chest and I glance down to see her eyes roll to the back of her head. Her breathing increases and I can hear each time she exhales. “You want to cum or make this salad?”

“Cum,” she trills as her arms raise and she grips the back of my neck. Her walls clamp around my fingers and as they fuck her, she grips them. Low, sexy moans fall off her lips, encouraging me to pull her orgasm out. When her mouth opens and no moans or sounds come out, I know she’s almost there. So I lean in and slowly kiss her as I increase my thrusts. With my tongue damn near down her throat, she cums, soaking my fingers. “Shiiiittttt!” she hisses before dropping her head. Her hands fall from my neck and grip the counter. “Fuck, baby,” she whimpers breathlessly before grinning. “We are going to be late.”

“Real late,” I tell her as I hook my arm around her and lift her feet off the ground.

“Rex!” she squeals as I carry her to our favorite spot on her chaise lounge.

My dick is hard as hell and aching, wanting to sink into her. When I reach the lounge, I place her on her feet. Her arms latch around my neck as I hook her waist with one arm. With my knee anchored on the lounge, I lay her down then kiss her lips nastily.

“Make that really, really late. I’m thinking two more orgasms,” I utter into her ear.

“ T his game is rigged,” Monae’s cousin Kinnidi complains as she and her husband Jabari struggle to walk to the table housing the red cups.

“Facts, I’m damn near two feet taller than her lil ass and this shit is hard,” he agrees and Monae and Truce both laugh.

We are at Monae’s house playing our third game of the night. We made it but we were indeed late. After bringing her to two more orgasms, Truce had to finish up her chicken salad sliders and get dressed in a hurry. We made it at eight-thirty.

It’s just us three couples and it’s been cool. I basically know everyone here except Jabari’s wife. Because he’s an NBA star and their engagement during a televised game had been everywhere, I knew her name but this is my first time actually meeting her.

I don’t know what to call this game we are playing but basically, each couple got a plastic golf ball. We have to hold it between our foreheads and walk from one end of their living room to the other and drop it in a red cup. Just and Monae dropped it and were disqualified and Truce and I did it in two minutes and twenty-eight seconds. Jabari and Kinnidi are struggling to beat our time. They might as well give up though because they are walking slow as shit, trying to hold onto that ball.

“Shit!” Kinnidi yells and I look up to see the ball fall.

“We won!” Truce yells before pecking my face.

She jumps up and adds another five points to the scoreboard propped up on the table. I thought I was competitive but my girl is a beast. She’s not letting us walk away with an L.

“I swear I can’t stand your competitive ass. Damn! Can you at least let the host win?” Monae teases.

“A win means nothing if you don’t earn it. Ain’t that right, baby?” she asks me.

“I mean when you right you right,” I agree.

“What’s next? On lord, I’m not wit’ this losing shit either. Where’s the hoop and ball?” Jabari asks.

“Hell naw, my nigga. It’s outside but not for couples night. Y’all ain’t gon’ embarrass my ass in my own crib,” Just says, then stands. “You want another drink, bae?” he asks Monae.

“Yeah. A Mai Tai,” she answers.

“What about you?” I ask Truce.

“I think I’ve had enough.”

“I’m driving and you are with me. You gotta know you’re always good with me, drink, get fucked up if you want. Just have fun and enjoy your girls.”

“I made a whole pitcher of your Sidecars. You better drink,” Monae urges. “Just knows which pitcher is the Sidecar.”

Monae nods at me and I stand and walk out of the room, turning left like Just. When I find him at the bar, Jabari joins us about a minute later. According to Truce, Monae was a bartender before she started managing Black Diamonds and this impressive bar proves it. The selection is all top shelf and her mixed drinks are strong as fuck.

“Sidecar?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

“Right here.” He points to the pitcher and I grab a glass and fill it. “She made those especially for Truce. That’s her girl, her sister. So that makes her my sister,” he says seriously. “Treat her right, man. She deserves that shit.”

Because I know how close Truce and Monae are, I understand Just’s protectiveness of her so I overlook the sternness in his tone. However, I respond with the same energy.

“That goes without saying. I don’t know any other way to treat her but right. That’s the minimum she deserves. I got her, always, but I ’preciate you standing up for her.”

“That’s a bet.”

“And good to know ’cause Truce is like family, bruh,” Jabari adds.

“On everything, I got her. Y’all niggas can chill,” I say lightheartedly and they laugh but nod, both understanding Truce is absolutely straight with me.

We each get our drinks then trek back to the ladies. A collective hush blankets the room as soon as we step into the living room then they giggle like teenagers. Clearly, one if not all of us had to be the topic of their convo.

“You talking about me?” I utter to Truce when I sit.

She takes her drink from my hand then gets even closer to me. “If I was, is that a problem?”

“My name on your lips is never a problem.”

She angles her head to face me. I place my glass on the table then raise my hand to her neck. She nuzzles under my chin then lightly brushes her soft lips on my neck. When I glance down to look into her face, her pretty eyes peer up at me. They are filled with too many emotions to describe but I feel them all; I feel her.

Truce is everything. Everything I’ve been missing in my life and she fits. Her strength doesn’t overshadow her vulnerability. Her independence doesn’t contradict her desire to be taken care of. When she’s down, she allows me to lift her up. And she’s here. Always here, even when I don’t know I need her to be. The night she let me unload my shit with Lyra on her proved that.

My nose touches hers then I peck her lips lightly. Oblivious to where we are and who we are with, I lock eyes with hers and just tell her how I truly feel. I utter the words I should have said that night in my tub.

“Damn, I love you,” I whisper and a smile takes over her entire beautiful face.

“I love you so much,” she utters before kissing my lips passionately.