Chapter 12 #3
“You shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”
Ward drove me to my destination in silence, reminding me to call him when I was ready. Walking inside Bar 20, I was glad I dressed down. The floors creaked, while people sang along with 90s R&B, but somehow, that made it better. It felt lived in, and right now, that was exactly what I needed.
I slipped into the booth, and Rylo’s sister, Aston, slid me a drink without asking what I wanted. I respected that.
“Damn bitch! You have a throat of steel!” Rylo joked, almost making me choke on the shot. I covered my mouth to prevent the alcohol from spilling out, using the free one to flip him my middle finger. “What did y’all fight about this time?”
“Damn. You didn’t have to say it like that!”
“I know the make-up sex is crazy because y’all are always beefing. Can I watch?”
I wouldn’t know and didn’t want to. Treason was dangerous with his clothes on. I could only imagine what he would do with them off. The last thing I wanted was to end up strung out and desperate like Thandie.
“Nigga,” I groaned.
“What? Closed mouths don’t get fed,” Rylo shrugged.
“Don’t mind him. I dropped him a few times when he was a baby,” Aston replied, shielding her face in shame.
“It shows too.”
“Anyway,” Rylo cleared his throat, “The problem is y’all are stubborn as fuck. Unless he did get someone pregnant. Was it Thandie?”
“Nobody is pregnant. What is wrong with you?”
At least I didn’t think so. Then again, her being pregnant could be my way out, but my luck hadn’t been that good in a long time.
“Did Thandie ever come over?” I asked, trying to piece everything together.
Rylo shook his head aggressively, “No. Treason doesn’t play that.”
“So he’s never brought a woman home?”
“Now that’s gonna’ cost you.”
“Money hungry ass hoe,” Aston joked.
I rolled my eyes, debating if I really wanted to know the answer. When you looked, you were bound to find more than you bargained for. I learned that lesson the hard way and didn’t have the capacity for anything heavy tonight.
“I’ll leave that to Tre. I’m not paying yo’ ass. Some friend.”
My eyes ballooned, picking up my empty shot glass, drinking the crumbs of alcohol to hide my embarrassment. Friend? Where the fuck did that come from? I quickly flagged the server because I needed another drink immediately.
“Ugh, fine. Tre runs a tight ship. The only women who have had access since I started, outside of family, are Danielle and you. He was more than likely cracking those hoes in hotels.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I know what a nigga on a pussy mission looks like.”
“Again, how do you know?” Aston repeated, laughing.
“The same way I can spot a nothing ass nigga before you,” Rylo said, shifting to Aston with hiked brows.
“And what did he look like?”
“Dressed down so he doesn’t draw too much attention, but always smells good. He always drove himself but never stayed overnight, so those bitches didn’t get it confused.”
“You should be working for the FBI,” I laughed.
“I am good.” Rylo boasted before asking, “You think Treason can get me in?”
“I don’t know, maybe.”
“Well, there you have it. Don’t let Thandie have you beefing with yo’ nigga. Everybody has a story when you’re happy. She just wants some attention,” Aston asserted.
“Y’all did look cute during that interview. He was cheesing hard as fuck, so what happened?”
“Tre wants shit his way all the time.”
“Welcome to fuckin’ with a boss. Is his way that bad?” Rylo inquired.
I drank the rest of my drink, the glass clanking against the scratched-up wooden table. “It feels like it.”
“Y’all are two sides of the same crazy ass coin. Your man is a control freak. And an asshole. I could really go on, but you are too. All that pride won’t keep either of you warm at night.”
“Damn, that was good, Rylo. You got me ready to call Keon.”
Rylo groaned at the idea, “He’d have to be a boss to qualify, and Keon doesn’t run shit but other bitches to Planned Parenthood.”
“ Allegedly !” Aston quipped.
“What did Keon do to you?” I asked.
“Not treat my sister right, and this fool is ready to give him a chance to do it again,” Rylo shook his head.
“Remember that shit the next time you call my phone complaining about Tyceon.”
“And who is Tyceon?” I asked, rolling my neck.
But Rylo waved me off, “Nobody friend.”
Watching them bicker made me miss my own sister even more.
It was something about siblings, sisters especially.
A bond that felt like a warm hug I could use tonight, but the Tequila shots were doing a damn good job.
I was even having fun with Aston and Rylo when a man and woman approached.
The man carried his confidence like a knife tucked in his boot.
“Hey, Aston.” The woman smiled, moving in for a hug. “It’s been too long!”
They exchanged quick pleasantries, catching up like old friends. Meanwhile, the man stared at me with a mischievous smirk.
“Sup, Navie.”
“Do I know you?”
Now his girl was looking at me like I was fucking her man. I didn’t even know his name and was confused how he knew mine.
“Nah, but I know Tre. We grew up together,” he said, introducing himself, “K-Low.”
His girl’s shoulders relaxed, but mine didn’t. K-Low wasn’t a friend of Tre’s. The hatred seeped from his pores, disguised as love.
“I’ll let him know,” I replied.
“You do that,” he said under his breath with a half-laugh. “I’m surprised he let you on this side of town.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why is that?”
“No reason. Tell your boy to holla at me though.”
The woman tugged on his arm. “Come on, babe.”
They walked away with his arm around her waist.
“What the fuck was that?” Rylo asked, eyes wide.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly.
Aston didn’t let us sit in the confusion long, ushering us to our feet. We danced, sang, and drank until Rylo grew tired. The temporary high faded the moment I climbed into the truck. This arrangement was starting to feel more real and less like work.
“Those drinks look like they did their job,” Ward observed from the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, but now I have to go home.”
“Home isn’t that bad.”
My face scrunched. “Your loyalty is admirable.”
Ward laughed as I looked down at Rayven’s name on my screen at this time of night. Answering quickly sobered me up.
“Hey, Squirt. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Are you okay?” Rayven repeated like a parrot.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
“Some reporter popped up on campus asking questions.”
“Questions about what?”
“You. Lorenzo. Sloane.”
“What did you say?”
“I didn’t say shit. I told him to leave me alone or I’d scream.”
My hand rubbed my forehead, the alcohol waning by the second. “What kind of questions?”
How did Sloane afford our house in Montclair Cove and designer clothes?
Do you know if she’s ever been on ‘exclusive guest lists’ for elite parties?
Do you think Navie’s relationship with Treason Westbrook is genuine?
Has Navie always been drawn to men with power and influence?
What was the nature of Navie’s relationship with Lorenzo Strathmore?
“Are you sure you didn’t say anything?” I pressed because Rayven was easily flustered in stressful situations.
“I didn’t! I swear. What the fuck is going on, Vie?”
“The election has people digging for dirt. Just focus on school and don’t say anything to anybody.”
“How am I supposed to do that? They’re digging, and it’s plenty to find. What if they find out what happened?”
“Then I’ll handle it.”
“You can’t handle it, Vie!” Rayven yelled.
She was right. Admitting that would send her spiraling, and I didn’t have enough strength for both of us, so I lied.
“I can. What I can’t handle is you fuckin’ up in school.”
Rayven paused, heavy with the weight of living her dream. She talked about becoming a doctor since she was a child, while I wasn’t sure I had ever had one.
“I tried to make s’mores, but they didn’t come out like yours.”
“You just can’t cook.”
“I never had to because I had you. I didn’t have to do a lot of things because of you. I can’t thank you enough.”
I knew what things Rayven meant. I just didn’t want to use our time together rehashing our tortured past.
“Don’t do that. God is just rewarding you early for all the good you’re going to do in the world, Dr. Dixon .”
Rayven forced a less-than-convincing smile. Sloane always got on her because she couldn’t hide her feelings from a blind man. It was then that I realized Rayven wasn’t cut out for it. Maybe that was the point. I went through it so she wouldn’t have to.
“I called Sloane,” she admitted, slowly with regret. “When I couldn’t reach you, I was desperate, so I called her.”
“Why the hell would you call her?”
“All she said was, Being a doctor isn’t guaranteed success. There’s more than one way to get money.” She mimicked Sloane’s diction, making me realize just how much I didn’t miss her voice. “She said I could move in with her if I wanted to drop out. I guess that’s progress.”
“You’ll have to go through me to get there. Moving in with Sloane is not an option. Do you hear me?”
“I’m just telling you what she said. I don’t want to live with her.” Rayven shared, then silence filled before Rayven tried to smother her sob, “Why is it so hard for her to show up for me? For us ?”
“I don’t know Squirt, but I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“My friends go on and on about their moms and how great they are. Ashley’s boyfriend broke her heart, and her mom came up for the weekend.
Deja got sick, and her mom mailed a big ass care package.
I smile and pretend I can relate, but I can’t.
If there is any inconvenience, big or small, they can call them. Then there’s us .”
Now I realized why Rayven was struggling. It had less to do with academics, but trying to find her way. Rayven was different, and nobody understood, except me.
“It makes me jealous sometimes, I’ll never know that kind of safety or freedom. I should be able to call my mom when I’m having a hard time, but I can’t.”
“That’s when you call me. I’ll always show up for you.”