Chapter 12
Dos
Igripped the wheel, my knuckles turning white as Uno’s words played on a loop in my head.
"Her and her friends."
"Before the situation handles you."
That nigga wasn’t just talking shit—he was telling me something. That smirk on his face, the way he was so damn unbothered. He knew something I didn’t.
SirrusXM played some old-school R&B, but the smooth melodies couldn’t cut through the storm brewing inside me. My mind was racing, my pulse hammering in my ears as I replayed the last few weeks. Ivy had been acting different, and I chalked it up to her hiding shit with Crystal. But what if that wasn’t it? What if it was something bigger?
What if it was Uno?
The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning, and I damn near slammed on the brakes.
“That nigga and Ivy were still fucking!”
I felt the rage surge up my spine, raw and uncontrollable. My foot pressed harder on the gas. I was past my street before I even realized it, my hands gripping the wheel so tight, my fingers ached. I didn’t care. I spun the car around so hard the tires screeched against the pavement. If Ivy was where she said she was—at Nana’s—then I was about to find out the truth.
The driveway was quiet, the hum of the streetlights the only sound as I pulled in and cut the engine. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might crack my damn ribs. The blue glow from the front room TV flickered against the sheer curtains. She was here. I took the back way in, my hand steady as I punched in the alarm code—too late. The shrill beep cut through the silence like a knife.
"Shit."
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. Within seconds, Ivy appeared, her face twisted in concern.
"Dos?" she breathed, clutching her chest. "What the hell are you doing sneaking in like that?"
I stared at her, taking in the sight of her—barefoot, in one of my t-shirts, her hair slightly damp. Looking so damn innocent. But she wasn’t.
"How long?" My voice was low, controlled—for now.
Ivy blinked, confused. "How long what?"
I took a step forward, jaw clenched. "How long have you been fucking my brother?"
Her eyes widened, panic flashing across her face. "Dos, what are you talking about? I—”
"Don’t lie to me, Ivy!" I snapped, my voice ricocheting off the walls. "Don’t you fucking lie to me."
She flinched, glancing toward the hallway. "Keep your voice down! Nana is sleeping—"
"Fuck that," I growled, stepping closer. "Answer the goddamn question."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "It’s not like that—"
"Not like that?" I let out a bitter laugh. "Then what the fuck is it like, Ivy? You let that nigga back in your pussy? Huh? How long? Tell me how long you’ve been sneaking behind my back with him!"
She wiped her face, breathing shaky. Finally, she whispered, "Only a few times."
That shit hit me harder than I expected. I felt my stomach tighten, my fists clench.
"A few times?" I repeated, voice deadly quiet now. "So, you weren’t the one to end it with him, huh? He cut you off, didn’t he?"
Her silence was my answer.
I let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "That’s it, right? You keep running back to him, and he keeps fucking you and throwing you away. That’s what this is, huh?"
"No!" Ivy sobbed, stepping toward me. "It’s not like that, Dos. Please, just listen to me!"
I shook my head, staring at her like I was seeing her for the first time. And maybe I was.
"You were never over him." The realization hit me harder than any punch ever could.
Ivy’s face crumbled, fresh tears spilling over her cheeks.
"Dos, please—"
"You're always gonna love him, aren’t you?" My voice was hollow now. "No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, you’re always gonna choose him over me."
"It’s not about choosing—" she whispered, her body trembling. "I love you both."
My whole body stiffened. "What?"
Ivy’s sobs shook her as she gripped my arms. "I love you, Dos. I do. But I can’t lie to you anymore. I can’t live without either of you. I tried. I thought marrying you would end my broken heart, but it didn’t."
I stared at her, my vision blurring at the edges.
"I’m so sorry," she cried, gripping me tighter. "I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to stop loving him. I don’t know how to stop loving you."
My jaw clenched so hard it ached. My heart was breaking, shattering into pieces I knew I’d never get back. "Shut the fuck up, Ivy," I finally said, my voice raw.
She sobbed harder, but I didn’t care.
I couldn't. I just left out the house, slamming the door behind me.
I could barely see straight. My vision was tunneled, red-hot rage boiling inside me like a goddamn volcano about to blow. The tires screeched as I pulled up to Mystic, sliding the car right in front of Uno’s, blocking him in.
“Perfect fucking timing.”
The club doors had barely closed behind them. Uno and Crystal were standing by his car, laughing about something like nothing in the world was wrong. Like this nigga didn’t just rip my life apart. I didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate. I jumped out of my car, slamming the door behind me so hard, the sound echoed through the parking lot.
"Yo, nigga!" I barked, stalking toward them.
Uno turned, face blank for a split second before he smirked. Like he already knew why I was here.
"Damn, little brother," he said, shaking his head. "Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again tonight."
I didn’t even look at Crystal. My eyes were locked on Uno. "You been fucking my wife?"
Uno sighed, rubbing his jaw. "Ivy’s not just your wife, Dos. You knew that when she came back. What she was. I tried to push her away. She’s the one who wants me. She wants both of us."
His voice was too damn calm. Like this was just another night, another conversation, another game of chess between us. But this wasn’t a fucking game.
"Nah, nigga. Answer the question," I snapped. "You been fucking her?"
Uno shrugged. "She wants both of us. She always has."
That was it. That was all it took. The rage in my chest erupted, and before I could think twice, my fist was swinging. I caught Uno clean in the jaw. He staggered back a step, rubbing his face with the back of his hand.
"You little—"
Before he could finish, he swung back. His fist connected with my ribs, knocking the wind out of me for half a second. But I wasn’t done.
We went at it, fist flying, each of us landing blows. The sound of knuckles cracking against skin and the scrape of shoes on pavement filled the night air.
Uno was strong, but I was fast. I caught him in the side, but before I could follow through, he tackled me. We hit the pavement hard, my back slamming against the cold asphalt.
"Calm the fuck down, Dos!" Uno grunted, pinning my arms.
"Get the fuck off me!" I growled, struggling beneath him.
"Not until you listen!" His grip tightened. "You mad at me, nigga? For what? For telling you the truth? For doing what you knew was already happening?"
"Fuck you!" I spat. "You always take what’s mine! You always got your hands in my shit!"
Uno shook his head, exhaling hard. "I didn’t take her. You know that. She came back to me. Just like she always does. She was mine first, nigga. You can’t steal something and claim it’s yours when it never was. Ivy grew to love both our asses. Is it fucked up? Hell yea, but this ain’t nothing you don’t know already."
That stung. It burned like acid in my veins.
"Fuck you, Uno!" I yelled.
"Fuck you too, nigga!" he shot back. "You acting like you didn’t know this was coming! Acting like you can control her. You can’t, Dos! Neither can I!"
The weight of his words hit me like another punch.
"Nigga, I said get the fuck off me!"
"You calm?" he asked, raising a brow.
I swallowed my pride, my anger still burning hot, but I forced my body to relax. "Yeah. I’m calm."
Uno studied me for a moment before finally letting go, pushing off me as he stood.
The second I was on my feet, I wiped my mouth, tasting blood.
"Y’all done?"
We both turned. Crystal was standing there, arms crossed, her face a mix of amusement and irritation.
"Two grown-ass men fighting like teenagers in the parking lot over a woman who loves both of you," she said. "Y’all look stupid."
I shot her a glare before turning back to Uno. “You was in on this shit?” I asked Crystal as I looked her over. She didn’t answer.
“You know what? Fuck you too, Crystal!”
She just shook her head. “Dos, it’s really not that serious. You doing the most right now.”
“You know what? Uno, I fucked your girl, too. Now what, nigga?”
“She told me you, her, and Ivy had some fun,” Uno confessed nonchalantly as he looked in Crystal’s direction.
“You know what? Fuck both of y’all!” I said as I walked over to my car and climbed in. "This shit ain’t over," I yelled.
Uno just smirked, wiping his busted lip. "It never is, little brother."