Chapter Fifteen
Tyler paced the living room floor with her arms folded under her chest. She wanted to believe that she could fight the feeling, but the growling in her stomach and itch in her throat had her thinking otherwise.
The more she paced, the more the craving intensified.
Tyler thought about eating a mushroom to take the edge off, but being in a psychedelic haze wasn’t her thing, and thanks to Aria, she’d never look at trees the same.
“Oh my god,” Tyler groaned, pounding her fist against her thigh.
The leg spasms she’d be experiencing were brutal, and the fact that she wasn’t getting any sleep was worse.
Her mint can was empty, and all her secret stashes were depleted.
Tyler’s mind was racing, her skin felt clammy, and just when she thought she was about to pass out, rapid taps on the door startled her.
“If you don’t get the fuck off my porch, I’m going to release the hounds on your dumb ass!” Shane’s voice boomed through the ring camera before she could open the door. “Scram nigga!”
Tyler was confused until she opened the door.
Standing there with his stupid ass fuck boy grin, Dexter’s eyes lit up when they landed on Tyler.
She, on the other hand, was disgusted. For once, she was seeing Dexter with clear eyes and he looked like the wolf he had always been.
Even in all his designer clothes, Dexter looked like every fuck nigga that came before him.
“What’s the deal, baby?” He stretched his arms out as if she was going to run into them.
“What are you doing here?” She frowned.
“About to die, that’s what the fuck his bum ass is doing,” Shane barked. “There’s a big ass no soliciting sign on the door. Get yo bum ass off my property before I call the firing squad.”
Placing his thumb on the camera, Dexter ignored Shane’s rants.
“Can I talk to you for a minute? A whole bunch of bills came, and I don’t have the information to pay them,” he lied. “You had Aria handling all that shit and I don’t know what the fuck going on.”
“Ain’t like yo broke ass got the money to pay it. Sit in the dark and pray nigga,” Shane shot.
“Bye Dex.” Tyler tried to shut the door, but Dexter stuck his foot out, preventing it from closing.
“Just let me come in for a minute.”
“Nigga, if you step a foot inside my house, I'm going to call the police and have you arrested for trespassing. Ty, close the door on his nasty ass,” Shane argued. “You can’t have company.”
“You heard him.” Tyler pushed the door, but Dexter stood firm.
“The fuck you want me to do, Ty, damn? It’s me, baby. We fall out and we make up. Don't make this shit bigger than what it is.”
“Bigger than what it is?” Tyler chuckled. “Nigga, I went to jail! I have on a fucking tether and you’re pressing charges on me!”
“Look, I know I fucked up, but this shit bigger than me and you. Darryl is on a fucking war path and I need help. You’re my brain, how the fuck am I supposed to think without you?”
“Tuh,” Shane huffed. “Lame ass lines, somebody probably wrote that shit for you. How am I supposed to think without my brain head ass,” he mocked over the speaker. “I can’t wait to post this shit on my TikTok. Wannabe hard ass nigga but on my doorstep begging for help.”
“Ty,” Dexter griped, clearly losing his cool.
“I don’t have anything for you, and I don’t wanna talk to you.” She tried to shut the door, but he stopped her again.
“Bro, I’m not about to beg you.”
“And I’m not asking you to, the fuck?”
“All this about your slutty ass cousin? She a hoe, what the fuck you think she was gone do?” Dexter stretched his arms out like he had no choice but to stick his dick in Bobbi and any other bitch he had cheated on her with.
“You were fucking both of us at the same time! That’s sick as fuck,” Tyler screamed.
“And you got that hoe pregnant,” Shane added.
“The shit just got out of hand, bro,” he admitted. “I fucked up and-
“I'm homeless, carless, and my accounts are empty. My reputation is being dragged through the mud, and I’m fighting to keep my head above water. I’m the one who’s fucked up! You’re still living your best life with a bitch that shares the same blood as me.”
“All that shit was yo aunt’s doing. I didn’t tell her to take your money. Shit, your money was my money, so we both assed out. Look, I'll drop the charges if you come home. Darryl will take you back and we can fix this,” Dexter foolishly reasoned.
“Ahhhhh,” Shane laughed. “Nigga, she wouldn’t take you back if you were on life support and needed a drop of piss to survive.
She wouldn’t take you back if being with you ended world hunger.
Nigga, she wouldn’t-” Shane’s voice was cut off when Dexter snatched the ring camera off the door and threw it to the ground.
“You know he’s going to make you pay for that, right?” Tyler warned him.
“And I will but come home, man. I’m gone chill with all that extra shit. No more putting my hands on you or forcing you to pop pills with me. We can settle down, get married, and have a bunch of pretty babies.”
“There is no home, Dex.” Tyler shook her head.
“I was never going to marry you, and I damn sure wasn’t about to have your babies.
I was young and stupid. I was basically forced on you, and you being the arrogant, narcissistic asshole that you are, played on the fact that I didn’t have anyone or anything.
You don’t love me, Dex... You never did.
I need you to stay the fuck away from me. ”
Dexter stood up straight and ran his tongue across the top row of his teeth. The flicker in Dexter’s eyes didn’t surprise her. Glaring down at her, Dexter flicked his nose and moved in a little closer.
“I see you still got me fucked up. I coulda been came and snatched you out this bitch, but I was trying to give you some space,” he growled.
“Dexter, leave.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Dexter pressed his index finger into the middle of her forehead. “I saw the pictures of you hugging that nigga like shit sweet. Is that what this shit about?”
“What?” Tyler squinted, swatting his hand out of her face.
“You think I’m about to let you embarrass me with that nigga.” Dexter squared his shoulders. “You think you about to run off into the sunset with that nigga after wrecking my fucking life?”
“I wrecked your life?” Tyler’s eyes bucked, knowing she heard him wrong.
“Nigga, you just stripped me of everything I own, and you think you’re the fucking victim?
You were fucking my cousin right under my nose while keeping me high out of my mind, and you’re standing here saying I wrecked your life. ”
“So it’s true? You been fucking with him? I knew you was a fucking hoe,” Dexter spat, ignoring everything else that she was saying.
“Bye Dex.” Tyler once again attempted to shut the door, but this time Dexter used force to kick it open.
Grabbing her by the neck, Dexter pinned Tyler to the front door and coldly stared into her eyes.
“Check this out,” he gritted, inches away from her lips.
“I’m going to give you a minute to get your mind right, because obviously you bumped your fucking head and forgot who run this shit.
We’re a team baby and there is no you without me,” Dexter threatened.
“I’ll never let you go. I’ll body you and that nigga if you even think about fucking with him. ”
“You need to leave... now,” Tyler said above a whisper. For the first time in a long time, she was scared.
“Not bad ass Tyler scared,” he chuckled menacingly. “I think I like this side of you.” He tried to kiss her, but she turned her head. “All meek and shit. Come back to daddy, baby. I’ll be nice this time around.”
“Dexter… leave.”
“Your nose is sweating, baby, and I recognize the look in your eyes. We’re one and the same, or did you forget? I helped create the little demon that’s keeping you up at night. I kept him fed, baby. Come home and let me put you out of your misery.”
“Get. The. Fuck. Off. Me.”
“Here.” Dexter released her while pressing a balled-up napkin in her hands.
Snatching away from him, Tyler backed into the house. She didn’t have to look down to see what he placed in the palm of her hand. Tyler’s stomach growled as her mouth watered.
“See, I know what you need. I know how to take care of you.” Dexter reached out to stroke her cheek. “Come home to daddy and let me take care of you.”
“You’re wrong.” Tyler shook her head. “You don’t know how to take care of me. All you know how to do is destroy me.” She jumped back and slammed the door on his arm.
“Ah shit!” he cried out when the wooden door smashed into his wrist. “Fuck!”
When Dexter pulled his throbbing arm out of the doorway, Tyler slammed the door and locked it.
Out of breath, she leaned against the door and slid to the floor.
With tears in her eyes, Tyler opened her hand.
As bad as she wanted to flush the small, colorful pills, the ache in her core wouldn’t allow it.
Tyler placed a pill on her tongue and closed her eyes as tears cascaded down her cheeks.
???
Logic stood by the door watching Duce marvel over his new equipment.
When Logic told him that he had some shit for him, he didn’t think it was going to be a new mixing board, speakers, a microphone with a stand, and a few more things.
Logic had even gifted Pearl a cute YSL bag with the matching pumps.
She cried and jumped into his arms, begging him to carry her across the threshold.
“Bro, I don’t even know what to say.” Duce was overcome with emotions.
“I do.” Pearl twisted over to Logic, throwing her arms around him. “You are the best.” She kissed his cheek. “We can’t thank you enough for everything that you’ve done.”
“I’m just giving back to the people who helped me out when I was down. Duce never charged me for a beat, and you’ve hooked my sisters up plenty of times. I appreciate it all.”
“Aw honey.” Pearl cradled his head. “You know we love you.”
“You might as well suck his dick too,” Duce grunted.