Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
RHYAN
Tonight’s officially my last night in the city for a while, and I’m anxious about heading back to Dallas. I don’t even know why I told Bianca, Aisha, and Amirya I’d come out to chill, knowing damn well I should be resting before my flight back to Texas.
I’ve been bored since I got here anyway—I’m not feeling the club scene, especially since I’m not looking for anything. My mind’s elsewhere. I’m dreading the conversation I need to have with Kosh, and Chauncey being around only makes it harder.
He’s called me a few times, and I haven’t answered because Chauncey’s always around. What makes it worse is that he hasn’t followed up with a text, which tells me everything. He’s waiting on me to say something—and I already know he’s got questions.
I checked my reflection in my compact mirror, reapplying my cotton candy gloss after a few drinks had started to fade my lip combo. I pressed my lips together, smoothing them out, when a sudden commotion near the entrance of the bar caught my attention.
I frowned, lifting my head, trying to see what was going on. Then I saw him—Chauncey. Standing there like he owned the place, as the whole room shifted around his presence.
My face twisted slightly. This nigga… Our eyes locked, and a slow smirk spread across his face. He blew me a kiss, and now the conversation I’ve been avoiding feels impossible to dodge.
Yeah… it was definitely time for me to go. I turned quickly and started grabbing my stuff, no longer trying to play it cool. I wasn’t about to be out here fighting somebody before catching a flight back to Dallas, especially with all this already on my mind.
Bianca, Aisha, and Amirya started bussing out laughing, and I cut my eyes at all three of them.
“A heads-up would’ve been nice,” I muttered, shaking my head.
Because if I knew this was turning into some couple’s type shit, we could’ve done something else.
Anything else.
Hell… I could be at home right now, laid up under Chauncey—minding my business instead of dealing with whatever this is about to turn into. I ain’t really feeling being in this club with Chauncey right now.
We’re finally in a good place, and I’m not trying to stay here and let old tension with the bitches still pressed about him turn this into something else. I just need to get out before this turns into something else.
And I’m not in the mood to deal with this tonight. Not tonight. Not over him, not like this. I’m not about to press no bitch over him—not when I already know where that can lead.
I swung my purse into Bianca as I headed for the door.
“Watch it, Rhy,” she snapped.
“Oh, I am,” I shot back without slowing down. “I’m watching it on my way out this motherfucka.”
“Don’t leave, Rhy—we were having a good time.”
I stopped just long enough to turn around and face them.
“We were having a good time,” I said, cutting my eyes at all of them. “But that ended the second this turned into a couples outing, and I’m not staying to be the odd one out or put myself in the middle of some shit I don’t want to deal with tonight.”
Silence hung there.
“Y’all could’ve told me y’all husbands were on the way.”
“Simmy didn’t say Chauncey was with him,” Bianca said.
I rolled my eyes. She knew better. Chauncey and Simmy move like a package deal, and since Chauncey got shot, Simmy’s been glued to his side.
Amirya cleared her throat.
“Just for the record—I wasn’t in on this,” Amirya said. “True, and I can’t even be in the same place without some shit popping off.”
I nodded. “Appreciate that.”
Then I pointed between Bianca and Aisha. “So, it was these two.”
“Yep,” Amirya confirmed.
Of course. They knew exactly what they were doing, and that pissed me off even more. Before I could say anything else, I felt it—an energy shift.
That energy hit me hard.
Heavy.
Familiar.
Chauncey.
He stepped up behind me, close enough for me to feel his breath on my neck, and I knew he wasn’t letting me leave easily. “Don’t move,” he said low, like a warning.
I stiffened for half a second, then rolled my shoulders back like I didn’t feel a thing.
God… I can’t stand his fine, sexy ass. I tossed my hair over my shoulder, right in his face on purpose.
Yeah… I wish he would say something.
“Hey Simmy, True, Coop… it was good seeing y’all,” I said, grabbing my bag. “Unfortunately, my time has come. I’m out before this turns into something I can’t ignore or something that puts me right back where I was trying to stay away from.”
Simmy opened his mouth, but Chauncey beat him to it. “Where the fuck are you going?”
I didn’t even turn around. Kept walking. I wasn’t about to let him play with me in front of everybody—especially not after they set this up. I needed out before I gave them a show, before I got pulled into something messy, or before I gave him a reason to push it further.
The next thing I knew, his hand caught the back of my jeans and yanked me into him, hard enough to stop me cold.
Firm.
Possessive.
“Aye…” he muttered low in my ear, his grip tightening. “I said—where you going? Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Home.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
He let out a short breath, chest pressing against my back. “Aye Rhy… don’t make me make a scene in this motherfucka.”
I turned my head slightly, just enough so he could hear me. “Likewise,” I shot back. “I see a few women smiling a little too hard in your face. You better notice that before I do.”
A smirk tugged at his lips. “Oh yeah?” he said. “I’m taken. Them bitches can’t do nothing for me.”
I let out a quiet laugh.
“Chauncey… shouldn’t you be at home resting?”
“I should,” he admitted. “But I’m out because I heard my wife was out here acting single while I’m at home waiting on her. Don’t make me come get you.”
That made me pause.
Just for a second.
“Goodnight, Chauncey.”
I tried to step away again—but he didn’t let me. His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into him, his face dropping into the crook of my neck.
Too close. Too familiar. I closed my eyes for a second before I could stop myself. Damn…
“Why are you running?” he murmured. “We ain’t leaving yet.”
“I’m not running,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “I’m choosing to leave.”
“Because I’m here?”
“No,” I replied. “Because I’m bored.”
He let out a low chuckle behind me. “Then why do you come?” he said. “You could be at home…” He paused—just long enough to make it land. “…with me.”
“I could be, but here you are.”
Chauncey and I haven’t been in the same club together in years without trouble popping off, and tonight I’m trying to keep it that way.
But tonight? We are moving differently. And I feel it.
Still… with his track record, it’s only a matter of time before some bitch gets bold, thinks she still has a chance—and ends up getting her ass beat.
And I’m too pretty to stay and fight today.
But tonight? We are moving differently. And I feel it. Still… with his track record, it’s only a matter of time before some bitch gets bold, thinks she still has a chance—and ends up getting her ass beat.
“Damn, Rhy,” Chauncey said, smirking. “When did you start lying like that? You said that with a straight face. You were having a good time until I pulled up.”
“I’m not lying,” I shot back. “I am bored, Chauncey. Can we go now, please?”
“Where are we going?”
“Home… so I can sit on it.”
His brow lifted.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Because home was the only place I wanted to be.
“Give me about thirty minutes,” he said. “Then we can slide.”
“We?”
“Yeah,” he shrugged. “I’m riding with you. I came with Simmy.”
I rolled my eyes. “What if I had left before you got here?”
“I would’ve been sitting in your momma’s driveway waiting on you.”
“Stalker.”
“I’mma stalk mine ‘til the day I die.”
“Since when?”
“Since I made you mine… You mine.”
“Umm…”
We’d been standing in this bar way too long now. I could feel the eyes on us, and if I stayed much longer, I’d end up in somebody’s business I didn’t want any part of.
“I’m ready to go, Chauncey,” I say, lowering my voice. “I’m giving you fifteen minutes. That’s it. After that, you are finding your own way home, because I’m not trying to get caught up in any mess tonight.”
A quiet laugh slipped out of him.
I wasn’t joking.
“Twenty minutes, Rhy?”
“Chauncey, you can stay here as long as you want. Simmy will get you home.”
He stepped closer, lowering his voice.
“Meet me halfway?”
“I did. Fifteen minutes.”
He paused… then nodded. “Aiight. Let’s roll.”
He grabbed my hand, and we walked back to our section—everybody watching like we were the show.
Bianca and Aisha were cheesing hard. Meanwhile, True and Amirya looked like they were two seconds away from going at it. I tried to slide next to Bianca, but Chauncey pulled me right back to him, catching me off guard.
Of course.
Bianca leaned in, whispering in my ear. “I thought you were leaving.”
“I was.”
“Rhy… stop. You know Chauncey is not about to let you go anywhere.”
I pulled back, giving her a look. “It’s up to me whether I stay or go.”
Whew… this week has been a lot. Too much to even process. Everything is moving so fast it barely feels real. But somehow… we shifted. Chauncey and I found ourselves in something different.
Softer.
More intentional.
And I’m praying it’s the right direction.
Because I don’t think I’ve got it in me to go through that kind of hurt again. My eyes dropped to my hand, my thumb brushing over my ring.
That alone made my chest tighten. Because as much as I want this… Kosh is still part of what’s unfinished.
Kosh.
My stomach turned just thinking about Kosh. That conversation with Kosh? It’s not going to be easy. Not for him… and not for me. He doesn’t deserve to be ghosted. He doesn’t deserve to be played with.
And I’m not that woman. But timing?
Feelings?
Everything is already messy. I let out a slow breath, pressing my hand against my chest, trying to calm myself down.
It didn’t. My heart felt heavy with Kosh, choices, consequences, and knowing… no matter how I handle this—somebody gets hurt.