12. Roman
Koi had called me twice. In a meeting I couldn’t answer, but the minute I was free, I dialed her number.
“You okay baby girl?”
“Are you busy?” She asked in an uneasy tone.
“Not anymore. Now again, are you okay?”
“I almost got arrested. I’m stupid. I went back to my old neighborhood and saw them. I couldn’t control myself, so I punched her.” She said, amped up.
“What the hell? Koi, matter fact, where are you now? I’m coming to you.” She ran off her address to her new apartment before hanging up. I said my goodbyes and left the office swiftly. As soon as I got to the parking lot, I was stopped.
“Going somewhere?” My wife asked, coming from the side of her car. “Do I get some of your time or does this new love interest get it all?”
“Rae,” I said her name in a low tone.
“I’m just asking.” She folded her arms over her chest. “She must be special. Even with all we’ve been through, you’ve never been this invested.”
“Rae, you know it’s not like that, and you know what we have.”
“So then let’s discuss it over dinner, shall we?” She bit down on her bottom lip.
Rae thought I was stupid. She was talking to a new female, yet I didn’t press her. What she did on the side didn’t bother me. My only ask is that her partner was clean and didn’t come with any drama.
“This is very last minute, but for my wife. Sure.” I told her not breaking a sweat. “Where to? I’ll follow behind you.”
“Tao Downtown. I want some lemon drops.”
“I’m right behind you.” I helped Rae into her car.
When she was buckled in and started up her car, I got in mine.
I placed my phone on the holder, unlocked it, and tapped on the contact "Babygirl," waiting on Koi to answer. She didn’t answer, making me panic for a brief second.
I thought of all the things she could be doing, especially after the call she had just made.
I pulled out of the parking lot, pulling up her text thread.
Texting to speak, I told her that I had to change our plans.
She didn’t need to know the specifics of the reason.
Next, I told my florist to deliver her two dozen pink Peonies and to grab a bottle of red wine.
If I couldn’t be there in person, I at least wanted her to feel good.
This connection we had was too strong and thorough for me to fuck it up now. It wasn’t like she didn’t know I was married. Koi was okay with dealing with me on our terms, and in her words, she wasn’t looking for something permanent. This was all fun.
I drove in silence, parked and met Rae at the entrance.
She had her phone in her hand, furrowed brows as she blew out an aspirated breath.
I could see that whoever she was texting had her fucked up, and that’s probably why she wanted to hang out all of a sudden.
While I didn’t mind being with Rae, I didn’t like when she used me as a backup plan or wanted to be around me for the pity.
Rae was a bisexual woman who leaned more towards women, but her family was against it.
They had forbidden her from being with a woman openly.
I told her she was grown and didn’t need to please them, but according to her family, if she still wanted money from her parents, she would do what made them happy.
Although I was against it, she sold them this story of us being happily in love.
We had been friends for years, so when she presented the idea of marriage, I didn’t see a problem.
I was forty, single, and no kids. What was the worst that could happen?
We weren’t strangers, and we had fucked often.
The only difference would be that we lived together.
Which was only half the week since I traveled for work.
“So, you wanna tell me about her? Is she gonna blow our cover?” Rae wasted no time diving into the conversation. The waiter hadn’t even brought the water to the table, and she was here being a typical female.
“How was your day? Where did you stay the other night?” She cocked her head to the side.
“This isn’t about me. It’s about you, Roman. Do I need to be fucking worried?”
“The cursing isn’t called for. If I haven’t had a conversation about her or being worried, then there is nothing for you to stress.”
“That’s bullshit. You have never stayed out this much. So, what is she to you?”
Rae was so focused on the money from her family that she failed to realize that her happiness was at stake.
She was a therapist, yet she was living in a fucked up world.
The level of acceptance she wanted from them was starting to annoy me.
I never mentioned it to her, but I was growing tired.
My life was put on hold because she wanted to put up this facade.
“When you gonna tell them? Or are you gonna keep this up forever?” I sighed, grabbing her hand. “How much longer of being unhappy can you take, Rae?”
“As long as it takes. You know what my family will do to me, Roman.” She choked up. “My life is literally in their hands.”
“It’s not. You are grown, and you’ve made a name for yourself. So, what if they don’t leave you any money? You are set because of you.”
My phone buzzed as it vibrated across the table.
“Baby girl.” She picked up my phone quickly and answered it.
“Hello.”
Livid, I had never wanted to yoke Rae up, but right now she had me seeing red. “Well, she hung up.” She placed the phone back on the table. “What?”
“Don’t ever answer my phone again! I have never disrespected your boundaries, so don’t start to disrespect mine.” I pushed back from the table. “I’m out. Go call ya’ bitch to meet you here.”
“Roman!” Rae yelled to my back. I didn’t stop walking until I got outside. The text I received from Koi had me ready to double back and smack some sense into my wife.
Koi: If you were gonna be with your wife, you could have just let me know. But to have her pick up your phone. I never took you for that type of dude.
I didn’t bother to text her back. I tapped on her name, only to be sent to voicemail. I tried again and got the same result.
Koi: Stop calling me, please!
Roman: I need to talk to you.
Koi: no. Goodbye.
“Goodbye? Nah, this woman must have thought I was her lame ass ex.” I mumbled to myself, starting my ignition and driving off.
A few text from Rae popped up back to back as I drove right to Koi’s apartment.
I was never an herb, but there was no way she was about to leave me and it wasn’t my fault.
There were no secrets between us, yet I didn’t tell her that I was with Rae.
Once in her lobby, I tried to get past security, but they were standing firm. If Koi didn’t tell them she was having company, they wouldn’t let you through. I could grow to accept the precautions they took, but right now I needed to be allowed access.
The elevator bell signaled it opening, and Koi stepped off. She wore a pair of tiny ass shorts, a tank with no bra, and a baseball cap. Her eyes widened when she saw me. I didn’t cause a scene; I simply followed behind her until we were outside.
“Where you going?”
“Not a dude who’s married and not my man asking me questions,” she laughed an obnoxious laugh. “Sir, go on home to her. I’m leaving.” She tried to walk away, but I grabbed her forearm, pulling her closer.
“We are not doing that. You wanna be a grown ass woman and hear what I have to say or are you going to make your own assumptions?” She could little boy her ex, but I wasn’t gonna deal with her immaturity. That was something I had told her in passing when we first started fucking around.
“I don’t want to talk.” She went to walk around me when I grabbed her waist, leaning down into the crook of her neck.
“You need to fix the attitude you have. I said we aren’t doing this. You wanna be in ya feelings, cool, but what you not gonna do is dismiss me.
“I can do whatever I want.” Her stubbornness was something I had to get used to, but she was so damn sexy when she was mad that I was up for the challenge.
Off to the side of the building, Koi avoided eye contact.
“You can, I’m not arguing with you about that, but when I do what I want, I don’t want to hear you screaming for me to stop.
” Koi’s brows furrowed. “Come upstairs and let me talk to you without these nosey people in our face. I see you like to put on a show, and while that may have been accepted in the past. Right here and right now with me, it’s a no.
” I grabbed her chin. “We are grown, and we conduct ourselves like grown ass adults.” Koi’s hard exterior was weakening.
Her demeanor changed as she rolled her eyes.
I used the opportunity to kiss her. Koi couldn’t resist as the low moan escaped, vibrating up against my lips.
“We are not fucking,” she warned.
“I didn’t say we were. I said let’s go talk, so we can fix this. You're the one thinking about sex.”
“I’m not,” her voice trailed off when we both turned around to the calling of her name.
“I know you didn’t make me come over here, and you got a nigga here.” A female walked up with her lip twisted.
“Sicily, I wasn’t expecting him.”
“And now that he’s here, what? You dismissing me?” She stomped her feet. “I thought we were going for wings.”
Koi sighed. “Nah shorty, she can go. Don’t even trip.” I leaned in Koi's ear. “I’ll be here when you get back. We still need to talk.”
“Don’t go through my shit, Roman,” she warned.
“I ain’t the type. I keep telling you I’m a grown man. Remove those insecurities from the past and let me love you correctly.” Koi blushed. “You let that dude change your perspective on men. If you only knew, you run the show. I’m just here for the ride.”
“Mr. Always talking smooth.”
“Go be with your-” I stopped short.
“Sister.”
“Go ahead and be with your sister. I’ll be here like I said.” Koi turned to leave after handing me her key and telling me what apartment. I pulled her back in my arms, hands planted on her ass. “Give me a kiss.” She couldn’t fight it.
After we locked lips, she and her sister were gone.
I got to her apartment and kicked off my shoes. I expected to see moving boxes lined up, but there wasn’t a box in sight. The furniture was delivered, and the apartment was together as if she had lived there for months.
Her taste in decorating was impressive. The gray and soft pink matched her personality perfectly. I sat on her sofa, cut on the TV, and relaxed. Rae had texted me a few times demanding to talk, but I wasn’t in the mood. She had me looking at her in a different light right about now.
What worked for us was supposed to work for a short time, yet Rae was trying to make it a lifelong thing. I had time to think, and that wasn’t something I was willing to do. Her family was just going to have to suck it up. She was a bisexual woman, and that was all.
“Hello.”
“Are you seriously gonna ignore me? We not bigger than this? Like are you being for real?"
“Rae, you're the one who decided to answer my phone. Since when? So, if you ask who isn’t being for real, it’s you.” I wasn’t in the mood to be arguing with her, especially not in Koi’s place.
“Wow. She must have a pussy made of gold.” Rae ended the call. I ran my hand down my face, letting out a deep sigh. Koi had a bar that had a few bottles on it. I poured myself a double shot, threw it back, and poured up another.
I opened my text messages and sent Rae a text.
Roman: I’m gonna stay away for a few days or maybe you should go visit your parents, but we need space. This shit ain’t healthy and you’re my friend first.
Rae: I’m over it. Let’s just get a divorce then. Some stuff you’ve said, I can’t get over.
Roman: I apologize. Take the days. We will get right.
I laid my head back, closing my eyes until I heard knocking on the door.
“Roman, open up the damn door!” She pounded on the door.
I hopped up, sprinting to open the door. She tossed her purse and phone down, rushing past me to the bathroom.
Her phone vibrated across the oak wood table that was by the door. The calls stopped and started up again. Part of me was about to do just what Rae had done, but I flopped down on the couch. When her phone rang again, I stood up just as she walked to the front.
“You, okay? You weren’t in here in my shit, right?” She chuckled.
“Nah, but you might wanna call whoever's been blowing up your phone back.” She raised her brow, screwing up her lip.
“So now you acting like we are a couple? I can’t get phone calls. Or text? Mr. Married man,” she said sarcastically.
“Do you, baby girl.” She rolled her eyes before walking towards the back of the apartment. “
“Hey, tonight is not a good night. I’m busy.” I heard her say into the phone.
She sucked her teeth, walked to the kitchen, and stood by the island. “So what? You come here after you and your wife get into some shit? I’m a rebound now?”
“What?”