Chapter 17 #2
“Take that up with your mom. She picked his weak ass,” I shrugged.
From where I was standing, Richard wasn’t worth the fuss. Any man who could be seduced to take his child out of his will wasn’t worth defending.
“Why don’t I take it up with your whore of a mother,” she continued, pressing this one-sided ass beef I was sure Sloane didn’t even remember.
“I’d rather have a whore for a mother who gets shit done than yours. Mine would’ve never let that nigga give my money away.”
“Men can’t see through that pretty smile dressed in designer clothes, but I can. I’m warning you, Navie. They’re happy. Let them stay that way,” Jazmeen defended her friend.
“Lorenzo is an abusive asshole, and I’m not Sloane. You’ll lose a lot more than an inheritance fuckin’ with me. You and your homegirl.”
Running outside for air now was a rookie move, and I refused to give either of them the satisfaction.
Instead, I introduced myself to Zora Johnson, the acting president, who also lived in our building.
She was more sober today than she had been the night I met Treason.
We chatted for a few moments, and before I escaped, I let out the breath I had been holding.
There were a lot of skeletons buried in Sloane’s closet. Mine wasn’t empty either, somehow making me think about Fallon. She was right. Tre couldn’t see past his ambition, jeopardizing us all.
Daige’s face relaxed into a reassuring smile. “Needed a break from the bullshit?”
“You have no idea.” I sighed, trying to pull myself together now that I had company.
“Trust me, I do. It’s overwhelming being the new girl. Everybody in your damn face trying to feel you out. Asking invasive ass questions about your man. Like, damn, do you want to fuck him?”
“I thought it was just me.”
“Girl, no. They’re nosey as fuck because they don’t have shit else to do.”
“Why do you show up if you hate it so much?”
“It’s a part of the game,” Daige shrugged, hoisting herself on the barrier as a seat. “It’s a bad look if Abdul Hampton’s wife isn’t in attendance. So I usually pop an edible and show up, but I ran out.”
“I’ll have to remember that. Thanks.”
“No problem. Don’t let them get to you or your relationship,” Daige’s advice came with a genuine touch on the shoulder, her wedding ring damn near blinding me.
“I love your ring,” I complimented, not sure how I didn’t notice it until now.
“Thank you. My man did well,” Daige beamed.
“Better than well. I’ve seen some of the rings floating around the room.”
“The way Treason’s been smiling ear to ear, you might be next.”
“No,” I rushed, then explained, as her brows dropped, “It’s still new.”
“You still have a lot to learn if you believe that matters to him. Every time Tyra touched you, he almost lost it.”
“That doesn’t mean he wants to marry me.”
“We’re having our annual yacht party soon. You and Treason should come. It’s work for them, but you look like you need a good time and not at a damn sex club.”
“Hmm, is that your way of apologizing for not giving me a heads up?”
“Listen, I don’t judge what people are into. I just know I’ll knock a bitch out for touching mine. Anyway, I spoke to Abdul and we’d love to donate to Treason’s campaign. It’s time to shake shit up around here.”
“Thank you.”
“But you better have your ass at my party so we can shake something else!” Daige threatened.
“I have to check Tre’s schedule, but it sounds like a good time.”
“Let me know after you check with Tre .”
Following Daige’s command, we walked back inside. I endured another hour because it was a lot easier to navigate following her lead. She was the perfect coach and connected me with a few women eager to help my cause. Evina and Jazmeen kept their distance but hawked my every move until I left.
Reaching the end of the hall, I pressed the elevator button while reading Rylo’s text.
Rylo: Miss you boo! We need to hang soon.
Me: Who is this again?
Rylo: Oh hoes got jokes?
Me: I miss you too. What are you doing today?
The doors opened, and I slammed into the devil himself.
“Damn,” he muttered, steadying me by the arm.
My chest tightened as if invisible hands wrapped around my lungs. Lorenzo looked the same. Too fine and confident for someone who should be buried in regret. He’d have to be sorry to feel guilt, and judging how pushed me into the corner, he felt nothing but entitlement.
“What did you tell him?” he gritted, lips curling. But there was no humor in it.
“What?”
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t play dumb, Navie. You know exactly what I’m talking about! A gang of thugs ran up on me! Look at my face.”
There was a black ring around his eye that I hadn’t noticed until now. The hallway blurred as ringing started in my ears. The dizzying sensation only made my heart beat faster and sweat bead on my forehead.
“Get the fuck off me!”
“You got these people dragging my name through every news cycle because your nigga can’t run his own campaign.”
“You think I want to talk about you!” I cried, hating that I even gave him the satisfaction, “I. Hate. You! I’d like to forget you exist and everything you did to me!”
“ What I did to you ? What the fuck did I do but try to love you?” he asked, shaking his head like a math problem he couldn’t solve. “If you’re so happy with him, keep my fuckin’ name out of your mouth and stay away from my wife!”
“Fuck you and your wife!”
Lorenzo grabbed my face so hard that it forced me to shut up. Feet barely on the ground and struggling to breathe as anger-filled tears spilled out.
“I have big shit on the horizon. Shit that can’t be tainted with your tall tales of abuse. Don’t fuckin play with me, Navie.” His hand slid to my ass while kissing my face. A warning and promise wrapped in one, “Still looking good as fuck though. No wonder that nigga’s head is gone.”
Footsteps nearing the other side of the wall forced Lorenzo to step back. After all, he couldn’t be caught groping and harassing me in the hallway. Daige turned the corner, wearing a smile, and rushed over to me.
“Hey girl, you left your bag,” she leaned back, still holding my shoulders. The look in her eyes told me to play along. “Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the yacht party. Excuse us,” she took my hand, guiding me away from Lorenzo’s delusions.
The rays from the sunlight hit my back, reminding me I was no longer backed into a corner with Lorenzo.
“You okay?” Daige asked, handing the valet her ticket. I could hear her melodic voice, but it was my own that was lost. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride home.”
Daige grabbed my hand, walking me to her G-Wagon.
“W-ward is picking me up,” I announced.
“Can you text him? Tell him I’m dropping you off.” I nodded and went to our text thread. Daige waited until it sent, not complaining that it took me forever to type out a simple sentence. “Does Treason know?”
I nodded.
“Anybody else?”
“Renzo’s family, but they helped cover it up, so.”
“It doesn’t have to be tonight, but you need to tell Treason.
” My mouth opened, but Daige shook her head so sternly that I closed it.
“Don’t give me that strong black woman shit.
I know you’re strong, but this isn’t your battle.
Let a man handle a man. Or a bitch pretending to be a man, but you get my point. ”
I was positive Treason would lose his fuckin’ mind.
Then I’d be policed under the guise of protection.
Typical Lorenzo, he always found a way to ruin a good thing.
Daige made minimal conversation during the ride.
Enough to keep me out of my head, but nothing that required too much effort.
Daige pulled up at the front of the building, and for the first time in a while, I dreaded going upstairs.
“I’m tired,” I mumbled.
Daige was seasoned enough to know I didn’t need a nap. My soul was tired and drained from carrying the weight of the past. The kind of tired made me want to crawl in Treason’s lap and stay there forever because it was the only place that made sense. The only place that felt peaceful.
“Stop trying to carry everything yourself,” Daige replied, lifting my chin.
“It’s not that simple.”
“You’re just scared because that means being seen.
He’ll see the cracks you hide behind because that little voice is still in the back of your head telling you you’re not worthy.
I know what it’s like to flinch at kindness, to confuse control with care, to only trust when your back is against the wall.
When you grow up thinkin’ the person who’s supposed to love you the most is the same one who makes you feel the smallest, you expect pain, even when peace walks in.
Sometimes you even crave it because pain is familiar, but peace is scary. ”
Daige shifted toward me, reading me like a book, sounding a lot like Ward. I froze, listening to her bring life to all the feelings I buried inside.
“My father had a voice that could hush a room. Charismatic, well-dressed, the kind of man folks thought was a pillar, but we knew him differently. My older sister got it the worst,” Daige shook her head. “I got it, too, but being the baby shielded me. She did too.”
I looked up, my eyes glossing slightly, knowing all too well how Daige’s sister felt.
“Now you’re stuck with a hole in your heart nobody can see, but you feel it every time someone tries to love you. You survived Lorenzo by disappearing, but Treason isn’t him.”
“That’s the part nobody talks about. Not being able to trust your own voice anymore because all you hear is there’s .” I dropped my head to hide my tears, “I don’t think Treason is like Lorenzo, but there was a time I didn’t think Lorenzo was a monster.”
“You know, but saying it out loud feels too much like peace, and you’re afraid of being wrong. Again .”
“So what do I do?”