21. Reese
Reese
“That Ronnie girl seems nice. You don’t like her?”
When I took Ronnie back to her car, I went home to grab a few things. Then I came back to chill with mama until I went to the studio. Sin usually texted me when he’s on his way, but I ain’t got nothing from him yet.
“Nah, it ain’t that. She’s got something going on with Sin.” Both of her eyebrows raised.
“Sincere Dupree?” I chuckled, throwing my arm back against the couch.
“Yeah, mama. That Sin.” She waved.
“Oh, please! He ain’t got nothing on my baby. I’m sure you could take her from him if you wanted to. Do you?” I laughed harder. Mama is always instigating.
“He’s my homie, mama.”
“Baby, I told you that boy is nothing but trouble. Since you were twelve years old, I’ve been telling you to find new friends.” I nodded because she right.
“He took a bullet for me,” I pointed out. She had a cup of tea in her hand.
Sitting up, she put it on the coffee table. “I know it’s not right for me to say this, but we both knew that bullet was meant for him to begin with. Remember what the neighbor told you?”
“Yeah. Sin robbed her great-grandson, so his friends wanted payback,” I recalled, remembering it like it was yesterday.
“That’s right, so don’t feel bad about leaving him behind. Some people ain’t meant to go where you’re going,” she spoke facts, pointing her finger at me.
“But Ronnie, I like her for you. She seems a bit na?ve, but now knowing who her dad is, I can see why that is. Why don’t you just take her on a date?” my mom asked me.
Even if I wanted to, Ronnie still has a situation with Sin, and I’m still handling my issues with Jasmine.
“Mama, I know you ain’t tryna play cupid.” Her face contorted into a frown.
“Play cupid? He got all his moves from me,” she joked, wincing in pain.
“You aight?” I walked over to her with concern.
“Yeah, baby. I think I’m gonna go lay down now.” She took her time standing up and once she got her bearings, her hand touched my cheek.
“Think about what I said, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Walking her to her room, I waited until she laid her back against the headrest before I left.
I headed into my music room to sit on the balcony and smoke. Raine and Rayna were in the movie room downstairs, watching some dumb ass movie. They wanted me to stay with ‘em, but I had a few things to do.
My next album was almost done, and this meeting tonight gone be about finalizing it.
After that, I’m done with BCE altogether.
The owner had no problem letting me out of the contract.
It needed to be renewed in a few months, anyway.
Beast was understanding when I told him I’m better on my own ‘cause we both knew I was referring to Sin.
What my mama said about not taking people with you was something I’ve been thinking about it for a minute anyway.
I’d been rocking with Sin for a long ass time, but sometimes it’s better to love muthafuckas from a distance.
And besides, I feel like we were going in different directions in our careers and in life in general.
Speaking of different directions, I held the blunt in one hand and my phone in the other. I called Jasmine.
“It’s about time you hit me back Reese. I’ve been calling you for two days,” Jasmine fussed. I sat back took a puff of the blunt.
“I know, my bad. There’s been a lot going on.” She exhaled deeply in frustration.
“That’s no excuse. You left me hanging at the fashion show, then you disappeared. What’s going on with you?” I figured now is the best time to do that shit Ronnie suggested.
“My sister is pregnant. The day you wanted me to go to the show with you, she was flying in from college.” Jaz was quiet, making me move the phone from my ear to look at it. I thought she hung up on me.
“Is that all? You stood me up because she’s pregnant?” My jaw ticked in anger.
“Fuck you mean, Jaz? That’s my damn sister, and she needed my support.” I shouldn’t have to explain why I needed to be there in the first place.
“You know how stupid I looked walking in there all alone?” She disregarded what I said.
“It was so damn embarrassing, and then I see pictures of you on the internet with that lawyer, Ronnie. Wasn’t she out with your group member, Sin Sizza, a few days ago?” Jaz accused.
“It ain’t got shit to do with you, Jasmine!” I barked.
“I’m saying, shouldn’t you try to be with someone who knows what she wants?” I threw my hand in the air.
“Jasmine, you don’t even know that damn girl!” I barked back in anger.
“I don’t have to know her to see what kind of woman she is,” Jasmine retorted with envy. And that’s the problem. Muthafuckas think they knew you by what they see on the internet, but nine times out of ten, that shit be wrong. I put out the blunt then rubbed my temples.
Jasmine done blew my high. “Alright, look. This is over. That’s why I called you.”
She gasped. “You're breaking up with me for her?”
I shook my head. “Nah, for me. Take care of yourself, Jaz.”
Hanging up, I walked to the railing. I knew Jasmine wasn’t the one for me when I found myself relieved about what I had just done. I heard a loud bang coming from downstairs.
The fuck! Running to my safe to pull out my gun, I stuffed it in the back of my sweatpants.
“Oh my God, Ronnie!” Rayna shouted, which made my feet move faster downstairs. She was leaning against the doorway, sobbing loudly. Rayna and Raine were tryna help her up, but she ran to me instead.
“What happened to you?”
“Sin lost his mind, Reese. H-he choked me against the door,” she hiccupped. “And the girl helped me out, b-but h-he said he’s gonna tell people I helped him rob somebody. I didn’t know, I swear!” Ronnie cried out. She was talking so fast. I couldn’t keep up with her words.
“Hey, I can’t understand shit you saying.” I wiped her tears, my heart swelling in my chest just looking at her. “Stop crying, baby.”
“He choked me.” Ronnie lifted her chin for me to see the bruise on her neck. I can condone a lot, but I can’t stand muthafuckas putting hands on a woman. Sin knows better than that.
“Where the nigga at?” I went to get my Jordan’s by the door.
She whimpered. “He’s at his house.”
Shit! Which one?
“I’ll find him. You stay here. Lemme see what the fuck going on.” I opened the door.
“Reese, wait!” Raine yelled from the steps, which made me pause. I twisted around.
“What?” She was looking at the ground as she whispered.
“D-don’t hurt him.”
“Who?” My eyebrows knitted.
Slowly, Raine raised her head. “Sin, don’t hurt him.”
Shit! His ass finna get these hands.
“I’mma do more than that. He’s putting his hands on a woman, so I’m finna go see if he’ll hit me like that.” I was halfway to my truck when she shouted.
“Reese! Sincere is the father of my baby!”