Under The Influence: N 2 Deep

29. Overtime

Shawnie's POV

I sat in the back of Joe's car for about 10 minutes before he unlocked the door and sat in the driver seat. His hair was disheveled and he was breathing heavily.

I was still crying but trying to calm myself down because I was almost having a panic attack and that's what I didn't want. I was shaking and I was having flashbacks of what happened in the bathtub.

"You okay?" He asks

"No." I say looking at him through the rearview mirror. "I can't believe he did that. If I hadn't left out of the room I don't know what would've happened."

"Just try to calm down. Everything is okay." He says

"I'm trying..." I take a couple of deep breaths.

"Breathe slowly, in and out." He says

I try to do what Joe was telling me and it's working. I don't know why, but Joe always seems to call me down when I am borderline having an attack. I'm just so pissed off at myself and the situation. Aubrey has completely lost his mind.

"I'm so sick of this. I'm tired of leaving. I'm tired of having to remove myself and my kids from the home. Aubrey doesn't get anything until I have to do drastic shit. Yes, leaving will hurt him but I'm at the point where I just don't care anymore. He's been hurting me for months."

"You can't put up with that anymore. That behavior is unacceptable. I see what kind of guy he is and I don't like it. I know I don't have a say, but I don't want you around him. He's dangerous.. and if he would do that in front of everybody, sure he'll do a lot worse when it's just you two."

"........yeah."

I feel Joe's eyes on me.

"You know, today was our anniversary." I look down at my son in my arms.

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, that's why he was trying so hard. He even got me the Tiffany's yellow diamond I asked for. I don't even know how he did it, but he got it."

"I'm sorry this happened on your anniversary." He says

I sigh, "I am too. I don't know what is going through his head. I hate this. He hasn't been himself lately. Fighting with everyone? That's not Aubrey."

Joe was silent for a couple of seconds. I looked at him, and it was kind of like he didn't wanna say anything, but he spoke.

".....They just had to pull me off of him." He says

"What happened?"

"I told him he shouldn't be putting his hands on you. I know you're not going to just come out and tell me, but I know he's done more than that to you. You don't have to confirm, but just know that I know."

"I don't want to talk about it." I say

"And you don't have to. I'm going to protect you because that's what I'm here for. You don't have to worry about that as long as I'm around."

"I think you just look at him as just being some rapper but Aubrey is dangerous. He's well connected. All he has to do is make one phone call and—I don't want you getting involved in any fights with him because he doesn't know how to let anything go. He will keep coming at you until he's done."