Chapter 10
Ten
Irish stirred a bit before she stretched her limbs.
Her body was slightly sore from the fucking she and Noble had done for most of the night.
She turned over, expecting to feel his brawny frame next to her, yet all she got was the empty bed space.
Sitting up, she pulled the sheets up with her to cover her bare body.
Noticing light peeking from under the bathroom door, she figured Noble was there.
Irish reached over and checked the time on her phone.
It was a little after eight o’clock. She made plans to go to the warehouse and get some work done.
Buzzing from the other nightstand diverted her attention from her thoughts.
She noticed one of Noble’s phones vibrating on the edge.
Irish attempted to grab it before it fell but she reached too late.
Picking it up, she noticed there were several missed calls.
She also noticed a text that had her eyebrows in a pinch.
Danira: Hey, I just wanted to reach out and check the temperature.
I know last night was a lot and I’m sorry.
I understand that you're in a new relationship now and I wanna respect that.
I still value your friendship, Noble, and hope that we can move past that awkward scene from last night.
Let me know how you feel. Talk to you soon.
“Is he serious?” she mumbled, reading the message over again.
The door opened, and Noble emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Droplets of water rolled down his defined arms while he rubbed his palm down his fade.
“Who is Danira?” she asked, immediately.
Noble stopped in his tracks, peering at the phone in her hand with a deep gaze.
“We go through each other phones now?” he shot back.
“No, your phone was ringing and it dropped on the floor. I picked it up and noticed a text from somebody named Danira. Who is this?”
Noble exhaled and answered, “She’s my ex.”
“Ex?” Irish didn’t expect him to say that. “So you saw your ex last night?”
He nodded but didn’t elaborate verbally.
“Why?” Irish felt her body temperature rising at a rapid rate.
“Because…” He sat on the bench in front of her bed. “I wanted to ask her about you.”
Irish jumped from the bed, body naked as the day she had come into the world.
“Why would you be discussing me with your ex?”
Noble eyed her. “Calm down. She’s a therapist, and I wanted to ask her how to deal with you while you're grieving.”
“And you had to go to her house to ask her that?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?” she barked. “Why would you have to go to your ex-girlfriend’s house at night to ask her some shit you can ask over the phone?”
Noble narrowed his eyes at her. “Do you think I was cheating on you ‘cause you know I would never do that to you.”
“I don't know shit!”
“Word?” he was stunned, standing. “You don't know that I wouldn’t cheat on you, Irish?”
“Nope,” she spat defiantly, folding her arms over her breasts. “You brought your ass here last night and didn’t tell me you went to spend time with your ex. You think I would be certain that you wouldn’t cheat on me?”
Irish suddenly felt nauseous. In all the areas of her life, she always thought her relationship was solid. She assumed she had nothing to worry about because Noble was always honest with her. He wasn’t deceitful but as he stood in front of her, she didn’t know what he was capable of.
He approached her, gently putting his hands on her shoulders. “Listen to me, I’m committed to you. You're the only woman I love, and I would never fuck that up for nobody else.”
“What happened when you were at her house?” she interrogated, dismissing his latter statement.
Noble stalled then shook his head. “None of that shit matters. Give me my phone.” He snatched it from her hand.
“Why doesn’t it matter? What happened, Noble? Be honest.”
“Nothing fucking happened!” he raised his voice.
“So why did she say last night was a lot?”
“You know what? Fuck it!” He stood directly in front of her. “She wants to get back together. She made that shit known last night and guess what I did? Shut that shit down because I don't want nobody else unless her name is Irish.”
Her head reared; her eyes shooting him with a piercing gaze. “So you just found out that she wanted you? Last night was the first time that you knew your ex wanted to get back together?”
“What the fuck, Irish!” He threw his arms in frustration. “Damn, did you not just hear what I said? I said I shut that shit down. We don't even need to be having this conversation, fuck.”
Irish opened her mouth to retort but there was a knock at the bedroom door. Quickly, she grabbed her robe and covered her body before hurrying to the door. Cracking it, she noticed Ivory standing with a look of concern on her face.
“Are you okay?” she asked in a hushed tone.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Irish assured, inhaling a deep breath.
Ivory peered at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, yeah, are you getting ready to go to the warehouse?” She changed the subject.
“Yes, are you coming?”
Irish bobbed her head. “Yep, I’ll be there in a little while.”
“Okay.”
Irish closed the door and put her back against it. Little flutters filled her belly. She wasn’t sure if it was the baby or her blood boiling.
“See, you got her all worried for nothing,” Noble fussed, now fully dressed.
Irish stalked over to him, feeling so betrayed she was on the verge of breaking down.
“The fact that I didn’t know you were still in communication with your ex shows how sneaky you are. How am I supposed to trust you when you go see your ex at her home at night?”
Noble shook his head. “Listen, I went there with good intentions. As soon as shit started getting shaky, I left. Why would I fill you in on that when I know it would upset you? I handled it so let it go.”
“Let it go?” she yelled. “So, can I go get advice from my ex about you? Can I go over his house at night and talk to him about what’s going on in my relationship?”
“You should try it.” Noble snorted. “Let’s see how it play out.”
“You see. You wouldn’t like that but you're expecting me to just swallow your bad behavior and take your word that nothing went down.”
“So, now I’m a liar?”
“You didn’t tell me you were still in contact with your ex. I don't care about her being a therapist and you needing advice. You could’ve texted her.”
A sharp breath flowed from Noble’s nose. “If I would’ve seen her or texted her, you still would’ve been mad.” He shook his head. “It wouldn’t have made a difference but I’ll apologize. I shouldn’t have gone over there.”
Irish glowered at him. The disdain spread throughout her body as she watched him put his shoes on.
She felt foolish for thinking he was different.
Noble had always been straight up with her but she couldn’t get over him going to his ex-girlfriend’s house last night.
What had they done? Did he take one last dip before he came to Irish?
Did he fuck her with images of Danira on his mind?
Noble had opened the door for Irish’s mind to roam and when her thoughts raced, it was hard to contain them.
“Jovanis said you would hurt me right before he died. I told him you wouldn’t but damn, he was right.”
Noble paused his movement as Irish gulped. His head turned, peering at her with eyes she’d never seen. Love was always evident in his lenses but this was something different. It was sinister, making her regret the word vomit that passed through her lips.
“Fuck you just say?” he asked, brows fixed in a rumple.
Irish backpedaled toward the dresser as Noble edge toward her.
“Say what you just said,” he commanded.
Irish’s mouth suddenly went dry. Her tongue laid dormant as the words stayed trapped in her throat.
“You said that nigga told you I would hurt you. As if he don't got yo’ ass over here numb as fuck. You talking about the man that manipulated you for years? He got you to marry him and blocked you from experiencing true love. That nigga that was so fucking selfish that he would’ve been good with you dying alone.
You talking about that nigga?” he bellowed, prompting her heart to palpitate.
“I know you ain't talking about the man who handled something for you just to hold it over your fucking head. The same nigga that stressed you out so bad that you had a miscarriage. We can’t even share news about our baby because you so fucking traumatized about losing your last baby. That’s the nigga who said I would hurt you. Am I hearing that correctly?”
Irish suddenly felt a wave of humiliation cover her. It ran down her body as if she were in a hot shower, scorching her skin and making her wince.
Noble nodded. “Since you feel that way, let’s just end this shit. No need to be with someone you feel is going to hurt you. I’d rather let you go.”
Irish’s heart screamed in agony but she held her composure.
Just last night, they’d professed how much they loved each other.
They basked in their baby that was set to come in a matter of months.
Irish was just wrapped in his strong arms and now this.
Despite the condition of her shattered heart, she refused to run after Noble.
If this was what he wanted, she would allow it to happen.
“Text me and let me know when your next appointment is.”
He snatched his keys and second phone off the nightstand. Without saying another word, he left the room, taking Irish’s heart with him. Immediately, she slid to the ground and sobbed silently. Happiness was escaping her in this season, and she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to weather the storm.
One week later…
“Irish, what the fuck? I’ve been gone for three weeks and you and Noble done already broke up. What happened?”
Cali peered at the iPad screen, noticing Irish’s defeated expression. Although she was sad, her friend looked good with her ginger silk wrap and freshly done auburn lashes.