Chapter 20
I went hard on her,” Demi said as Bails sat beside him, his big head resting in Demi’s lap.
He was alone in Lauren’s hospital room. The glow of the machines and the bathroom light cast a shadow over her.
Bails whined, undoubtedly because Demi had stolen him from his comfort, his master. Bails missed her.
“I know, man,” he said to the dog. Demi missed her too.
Bails whimpered as he lifted his head and blinked big, watery eyes as Demi feathered his coat.
Before Charlie, he would have never taken a liking to a dog.
After her, he just wanted to feel something, even if it was hard for him, even if it felt unordinary, even when it hurt.
Charlize Woods made him feel. In this moment, he was just a lonely man with his dog. The door opened and a nurse walked in.
“Sorry to interrupt your rest,” she said.
“I’m good. Do your thing,” Demi said, his eyes remaining on Lauren.
“She’s doing better,” the woman said as she pulled down the IV bag. She replaced it with another and then lifted the blanket from Lauren’s body. A quick change of Lauren’s dressings and she was popping off the latex gloves. “All of her vitals are stabilizing. We’re just waiting for her to wake up.”
Demi watched like a guard dog. Bails was his. He was Lauren’s. He just wanted the doctors and nurses to treat her right.
“I’m not supposed to tell you this, but the doctor plans to release her. She could be home by the end of the week as long as she continues breathing unassisted,” the nurse informed. “She can heal at home.”
Relief. It flooded him. He would never forgive himself for her falling victim to a game he started, but he thanked God that she was being spared. He would never allow himself or his family to be caught slipping again.
He had locked his entire team down, to salvage lives.
He didn’t want anybody else under his watch to feel what he was feeling.
Inadequacy. Like a king who had lost one too many soldiers in war.
Demi had murdered those responsible, but still, it didn’t erase what had occurred.
While he had been distracted with Charlie, his family had been left uncovered.
It was a stain on his soul like none he had ever felt before.
If a man couldn’t protect his family, what was he good for?
“Surprise!”
Lauren smiled at her son and her parents as Demi pushed her through the doorway.
“Be easy, D.” Demi’s warning didn’t stop DJ from pummeling her with hugs.
Her pain was still immeasurable, but she was grateful to be home.
“My baby,” she said, hugging him tightly, relief flooding her as she pulled him into her lap.
She had never been so grateful. Her entire life had flashed before her eyes.
She hadn’t taken time to think. When she saw her child being snatched, she reacted.
It could have cost her life, but if that was the toll to pay to keep him safe, then she was willing. Pain had never felt so good.
“Guess what, Ma? Dad got us a dog!” DJ shouted. “His name is Bails and he’s...”
“A dog?” Lauren asked, peering over her shoulder in confusion. “You hate dogs.”
“It’s temporary,” Demi said, without giving further explanation.
“Aww, Dad! Why? I swear I’ll be responsible if you let me keep him! Ma, tell him!” DJ pleaded. Lauren didn’t know what to say. She had just gotten home and already she was overwhelmed. She looked to her mother for answers.
“Okay, Granny’s boy, let’s take it slow on your mama, okay? We’ll talk about the dog later. She needs to rest. She still has a lot of healing to do.” Lauren kissed the top of his head as he pulled back.
She could feel his relief and the gratefulness on the faces of her parents warmed her.
It was Demi’s energy she couldn’t quite read.
He had been silent the entire ride home from the hospital.
He was brooding. Moody. Mean even, but the feather strokes he soothed her shoulder with as he stood behind her wheelchair told her that he was happy she was alive.
He was appreciative but she knew him well enough to know that this entire situation had sent him into a deadly headspace.
“This is nice and all, but she needs to rest. I’ma get her set up in the bed. The nurse should be here any minute,” Demi said.
“You hired a nurse?” she asked.
“Just until you’re up and moving around without pain. You’ll need the help,” Demi said.
“I don’t need help, I have you,” she said.
“It’s done,” Demi said.
Lauren left it alone as Demi wheeled her through the house and into their bedroom.
“You know this isn’t your fault, right?” she asked.
He didn’t respond as he lifted her from the chair and placed her gently on the bed. He removed her clothes, eyes flashing in the darkness, as his brow wrinkled. He was displeased. She touched his face and Demi maneuvered away from her fingertips.
Her heart ached. After all these years... she wondered if it were possible to spend a lifetime with someone and never get used to their touch.
Slipping a loose silk gown over her body and then turning her feet up onto the bed, he tucked her in without one word.
“Stop blaming yourself,” she whispered. “I’m fine. We’re fine.”
“If I ain’t to blame, who is?” he asked.
She couldn’t answer that one. She only watched him walk to the en suite, wash his hands, and then walk out. Before he disappeared, he said, “Get some rest.”
Her mother’s presence in the doorway didn’t surprise her.
She was overbearing in that way. If Demi was the caregiver, her mom was going to come behind him every time to make sure it was done correctly.
She didn’t mean harm. They all were shaken up over the shooting. Lauren smiled and patted the bedspread.
“Come on in, Mommy.”
The hesitation in her mother’s stance made Lauren frown, and when her mother stepped inside and closed the door behind her, Lauren knew... she just knew whatever was about to come out of her mother’s mouth was bad.
“There was a woman at the hospital for Demi.”
Lauren’s stomach sank.
“It was probably just one of his artists, Mommy,” she replied, covering, lying.
She was shielding herself from the embarrassment that admitting that her husband was a lying-ass nigga would bring.
Anger and shame filled her. She didn’t even know the full story yet but somehow, she didn’t need to.
She had felt the presence of another woman in her marriage long before she had been revealed.
Lauren knew it was true. Still, she covered for his ass.
“It didn’t look like it was business to me. The way he held her. She was crying and I don’t think she knew about you because she was angry. She showed up to the hospital and...”
“That’s enough, Mommy. I promise you. It wasn’t what it looked like.
We’re fine. Everything is fine,” she assured.
Only it wasn’t. “You and Daddy should go home. Get some rest. I know Daddy’s missing his own bed.
He always complains about my guest room.
” She forced a lighthearted chuckle. Her heart was slowing, stopping even, and she couldn’t even ask for help because what ailed her was disloyalty by someone who had sworn to love her.
Her mother knew when to back off.
“Okay. You call me if you need anything.”
Lauren nodded. “Love you, Mommy. Thank you for keeping DJ occupied and taking care of things here,” she said.
“I will hurt anybody for hurting my baby.”
Lauren smiled. “I know.” The kiss to her forehead healed something inside her, even if only a small piece, and Lauren let her head rest against her pillow as the pain medication dulled her heartbreak.
She closed her eyes, running from the truth.
Sleep was a better option than facing Demi right now.
She was afraid for him to leave but wondered what it would mean if he stayed.
Charlie winced as the cold towel touched her bruised skin.
“Did he do this to you, Charles?” Justin asked as he nursed the evidence of her run-in with Demi.
Charlie looked exactly how she felt. She had cried so many tears that her eyes were swollen and red.
Fighting with Demi had left her body with scratches all over her legs and her nails were broken from hitting him so hard.
She had been swinging with all her might, and she knew that she was taking something out on him that had been building in her for a while.
The pain she felt was unbearable. The abandonment was choking her.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Charlie said. “Thank you for letting me stay here for a couple days. I don’t know what I was thinking. I gave up my place to be with a man I barely know.”
“You can stay here as long as you want,” Justin said. “I’ll go get the rest of your stuff.”
Charlie nodded as her chin quivered uncontrollably and she lowered her head. “He threw me out,” she whispered. “Like I was trash.”
“He put hands on you. A nigga that will put his hands on a woman is a bitch, Charlie...”
“He didn’t. I mean. He didn’t mean to,” Charlie said.
“He asked me to leave. I should have left. He didn’t hit me, but Demi is just a rough man.
He doesn’t know gentle. He doesn’t do gentle.
” She couldn’t believe she was defending him.
Justifying. She knew why he had handled her with so much disrespect.
I deserved it.
“He just needed me to get out. I refused. I fought him. I put my hands on him. He drug me out because I wouldn’t leave. I was touching him everywhere. He just needed me out. He couldn’t even look at me,” she cried.
“I hate that you make excuses for him, Charles,” Justin said. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
Justin leaned into her. A kiss to her lips lowered her head in despair. She sobbed. “I can’t right now, Justin.”
Justin nodded. “I get it.”
Charlie didn’t want to say that she could never. Repeating the thing that had caused Demi to turn his back on her would be like digging into a fresh wound.
“I can’t believe he put all my shit out. He threw me away,” Charlie said. “My whole life is probably in dumpsters by now.”
“Look, I’m going to get your shit. You get some rest,” Justin said. “I’ll take care of it.”
Demi stood in the middle of the condo. The site of Charlie’s boxes cut away at his gut.
She hadn’t even taken the time to take her things.
He felt like shit but the disrespect that had occurred between these walls was too great to go without punishment.
His pride was stopping him from forgiving her, but he knew in his heart that what Charlie had done was fair play.
He had given her pain and she had flipped that shit.
Women were always the ones with the most power, whether men liked to admit it or not.
He hated the power she had over him. Even her lingering scent between these walls put emotion behind his rib cage.
A knock on the door and then a voice that followed pulled his attention.
“Brody, what up?” Day asked as he entered the space. He looked around in admiration. “Nice. When you pick this up?”
“A little while back. Bought it as an investment,” Demi said. It wasn’t a full lie. He had been investing in Charlie.
“And now you getting rid of it?” Day asked.
He eyed the pile of Charlie’s belongings. “Let me guess. Little light skin with locs and that pretty, little ass?” he asked.
Demi didn’t answer but it only signified confirmation. “You done with that?” Day asked.
“My nigga. Not the one,” Demi warned.
Day smirked and shook his head. “Lil’ baby bad, no lie,” Day said.
“Shit just got out of control,” Demi said. “She did wrong, but I did worse, man. I need you to give her a deal, a big one, make sure she straight. I would just hit her with some bread, but she wouldn’t accept it. Just put her on the label, give her the push her voice deserves and some paper.”
“Every nigga got that one,” Day snickered. “I’ll have the lawyers draw up the agreements and connect with her through her people.”
Demi nodded. He didn’t know if it was residual love or his conscience wailing, but he felt obligated to set her up right.
“Say less. I got you,” Day assured. “And about this place? What’s the ticket on it? You crazy to let it go. It’s the best investment in the city.”
Before Demi could answer, another knock interrupted them.
“You expecting somebody?” Day asked.
“It’s probably just the realtor,” Demi responded. He swaggered to the door, pulling it open and his blood stilled in his veins.
“I’m here for Charles’ stuff, man,” Justin said, standing toe to toe with Demi.
Demi couldn’t even stop himself from reacting.
He beat the audacity out of Justin, wrapping one tattooed hand around his neck, and drawing on him with the other.
Demi didn’t even want to pull the trigger.
He wanted to kill Justin slowly. He pistol-whipped him mercilessly as everything around him went dark.
“Demi! Bro!” Day shouted as he pulled Demi away from Justin.
“Pull up to my door again and I’ma send you back to her in a bag,” Demi said, too calmly for the moment. Certain. Still. Like he could deliver a bullet to Justin’s skull without thinking twice.
“My nigga, we don’t need this heat,” Day said in a low tone over Demi’s shoulder. Demi pulled the condo door shut and stepped over Justin’s writhing body as he called for the elevator.
When the doors slid open, two cops emerged, guns drawn.
Day pulled Demi’s burner out of his back waistline and slyly tucked it in his own as the cops put Demi in cuffs immediately.
Security had called the police as soon as Demi had entered the building. His last run-in with Charlie had caused enough problems. This new stunt was the last straw. Demi held his head high, arrogance dripping off his sneer, as he looked down at Justin.
“Call my lawyer, brody,” Demi said. “I’ll be out by morning. Better stay away from my bitch before that pussy be the death of you, boy.”
Demi didn’t have a care in the world as they forced him onto the elevator. It was a charge he would gladly take. His lawyer ate shit like that up in court anyway.