Kayla #2
“I thought that too,” I admitted. “But Yayo did tell me he was going to the club last night. And let’s just play devil’s advocate and say he really was handling business.
Why he ain’t strong-arm that bitch the same way he do these niggas the second her bony ass stepped in his face? ” That got a few nods around the table.
“You telling me my man wasn’t strong enough to push them up off him and tell them that dick was spoken for?
Why was he smiling while she throwing that funky ass on what belongs to me?
So even if there was malicious intent behind Kimora sending the video, Yayo still in violation no matter how we try to spin it. ”
“Shit.” Ysis laughed. “Well you got us there, counselor. You sure you wasn’t a lawyer in your past life?”
“Girl, you know Olivia Benson is my hero.” I laughed to keep from crying because the truth was, this shit hurt more than I wanted to admit.
The crazy part was I’d been waiting for the other shoe to drop with Yayo—not because I wanted it to, but because I expected it.
I knew his history, knew the stories, knew the women, and knew the life he’d lived before me.
Even with all that, I still gave him the benefit of the doubt because of everything we’d been through together, the pressure we’d applied behind each other, and the way he loved me.
As much as I loved Yayo, I couldn’t afford to be stupid behind no nigga. Love was beautiful and amazing, sure. But love was also how women ended up looking dumb, and I refused to be one of them. If Yayo decided he wanted to play in these streets, then a bitch could play too.
Opening my Instagram DMs beneath the table, I scrolled through dozens of unread messages until I found the username I was looking for.
CorporateBabe: Down to hang out tonight?
My thumb hovered over the screen for a moment before I locked my phone and slipped it back into my purse. “I’m gone to the bathroom, y’all. I’ll be right back.” Nobody questioned it. Truthfully, all these damn drinks had been running through me anyway.
Making my way toward the back of the restaurant, I slipped into the bathroom, handled my business, washed my hands, and checked myself in the mirror. By the time I was preparing to walk back out, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I looked down at the screen.
MonclairInk: Say when and where and I’m there.
A slow smile pulled at my lips. Lord help me. Hearting the message, I slid my phone back into my purse and headed toward the dining room. The second I stepped back into the restaurant, movement near the far corner caught my attention. Cazmir.
At first, I didn’t think much of it. Then I noticed who he was with.
Standing beside him was a slightly taller, stockier man dressed in a police captain’s uniform.
Beside them stood a face I immediately recognized—Judge Emory.
The same judge who had dismissed our case.
I slowed my steps, not enough to draw attention to myself, but enough to watch.
The three men exchanged a few words before shaking hands.
Then, as if whatever business they had come together for had concluded successfully, they headed toward the opposite exit.
My stomach tightened. Something about that didn’t sit right with me at all.
Picking up my pace, I made my way back toward the table.
“Y’all, why did I just see Cazmir, some police officer man, and the judge that handled me and Yayo’s case walk out of here smiling and shit? I’m telling y’all right now...something don’t smell right.” I told them before taking a sip of my fresh drink.
The second the words left my mouth, I noticed Bree fidgeting in her seat.
It wasn’t anything major. If I wasn’t paying attention, I probably would’ve missed it.
But she suddenly became real interested in her phone and wouldn’t look up.
I let her make it though. I wasn’t about to call her out in front of everybody, but my discernment had never led me wrong before.
Something felt off and the fact that she didn’t seem surprised that Cazmir was here, was throwing me all the way off.
It felt like she knew something she wasn’t telling us.
“I’ll be right back, y’all.” She hopped up so fast she nearly knocked her chair over before hurrying off toward the restroom. The rest of us watched her go.
“Anyway,” I said after a moment. “This has been nice, but I’m tired as hell and unlike some people, us working girls still gotta punch the clock in the morning.”
“Well excuse the hell out of me.” Ysis rolled her eyes. “I thought you was coming back to my house.”
“For Yayo to pull up over there and drag me out? Nah. Besides, I wanna be at home in my bed, not listening to you and Kade howl at the moon all night.”
“Girl, whatever.” Ysis laughed and flagged our waitress down.
“We can grab the check and I’ll walk you out.”
“Does Bree seem quieter than usual or is it just me?” Nia asked, voicing exactly what had been floating around in my own head.
“Girl, no quieter than normal,” Lauren replied immediately. “She probably trying to figure out what her man doing here. Give the girl some grace. Y’all heffa’s nosey.”
“No bitch, we care. It’s a difference.” I pointed at her.
“Same thing.”
“It is not.”
“It absolutely is.” Before we could continue arguing, Bree returned. And baby...something was definitely wrong. The girl looked like she’d seen a ghost.
“I love y’all, but I gotta go. I promise we gone link up soon.” The words came out entirely too fast.
Before any of us could ask another question, she was gathering her purse and heading toward the door. The second she disappeared, all of us looked at each other. Nobody said it. Nobody had to. What the fuck was going on with our friend? And why was she acting so weird about it?
Eventually we all gathered our things and headed outside. The conversation continued as we made our way through the parking lot. Lauren and Nia headed toward their vehicles while me and Ysis ended up walking in the opposite direction.
“So what?” Ysis asked once we were alone.
“You finna run around town hiding from Yayo?”
“No. I’m not hiding.” The answer came quicker than I intended. “He disappointed me, Ice. I just need space and time to think without him trying to fuck his way out of it.”
“Okay, eww.” She held her stomach and gagged dramatically. “But I feel you, sis. I really do.”
Ysis reached for my hand and squeezed it. “Just remember what you signed up for. In the meantime I’m about to go home, rub my feet together, and cuddle with my man.”
I rolled my eyes. “Must be nice.”
“It is.” Her grin widened.
“Just in case you change your mind, I’ll let the guards know at the gate.”
“Thank you, boo. I’ll text you when I make it home. We can dissect that Bree shit tomorrow because chile, right now I’m too damn tired.”
“Preach.”
The way she stomped her foot made me burst out laughing.
For a few seconds neither one of us could stop.
I felt bad for lying to her, but I wasn’t in the mood for her scolding either.
I pulled her into a hug before stepping back and watching her climb into the beautiful Bentley truck Kade had bought her.
That man had spoiled her rotten. As I stood there watching her pull away, I couldn’t help but think about who both of them used to be before Ysis walked into Myles Tech and accidentally rocked our worlds. Looking back now, everything felt like one giant domino effect.
Every secret. Every revelation. Every relationship. Every piece of chaos currently unraveling around us could somehow be traced back to one woman walking through a set of office doors looking for a job. I wasn’t mad about any of it. I was just sitting there thinking about how crazy life really was.
Jumping into the car, I pulled out my phone and sent a meetup location to Monclair.
CorporateBabe: How about Majestic Grill? I could use some food to soak up this liquor.
I tossed the phone into the passenger seat and pulled out of the parking lot, expecting him to either agree or leave me on read. Instead, a few minutes later my phone lit up again.
MonclairInk: You been drinking? Smh. Text your location to this number and stay where you at. I’ll come and get you.
CorporateBabe: I promise I’m good enough to drive. Just meet me there.
MonclairInk: I’m not asking. Text the number and I’ll see you in a minute.
“Damn okay,” I giggled to myself.
“Let me find out Mighty Mouse got some heart in him after all.” Shaking my head, I copied my location over and sent it before reaching into the center console.
A few minutes later I found exactly what I was looking for.
One thing about Yayo, that nigga always kept a stash somewhere.
Pulling out a blunt, I lit it and settled back in my seat while I waited.
By the time Monclair pulled up, I was faded, hungry, and significantly less angry than I’d been an hour ago.
Leaving the truck parked where it was, I climbed out and made my way across the lot toward him.
He had already stepped out of his car, and the closer I got, the more I realized how much bigger he was than he looked sitting behind a tattoo chair.
Monclair towered over me, his hands tucked casually into the pockets of his jeans as his eyes traveled over my face.
For a moment neither of us spoke. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he looked down at me, and there was something in his expression that made my stomach tighten unexpectedly.
It wasn’t hunger or desperation like I was used to getting from men.
It was quieter than that. More controlled.
More confident. The kind of look that didn’t need words behind it.
“Damn,” he said with a low chuckle. “You really been drinking.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not enough to need a babysitter.”
“That’s debatable.”