His Emancipator🖤 [His Duet #1]

CHAPTER NINETEEN

She's baiting me. So I put on my best straight face. "We're just friends and besides, I haven't even seen her since the gala." I lie.

"I'll ask again, do you take me for a fool, Darelle?" She snickers.

"You're the one who keeps saying it. You tell me." That was out of pocket and clearly something I wouldn't have dared say if I wasn't tired and hungry.

My confidence charade is short lived when a back hand connects with my cheek, her ring no doubt leaving a mark.

"I'm going to my room." Fuck the food, sleep will do fine.

She pecks my undoubtedly bruising cheek. "Good idea. Maybe when you wake up any thoughts of you walking out on me will be gone. Remember what's at stake, Darelle." How could I when it's what keeps me up at night? When it's what's fueled my partnership with Zuri? Not forgetting how the father daughter duo make a point of reminding me at every small opportunity.

I sidestep her, embarking on my journey to my room but not before she yells, "If I see you near Keilee or that bitchy best friend of hers, I will make sure the repercussions come sooner than intended." She sounds just like her father. Truly, they give meaning to the proverb; blood is thicker than water.

I trudge to my room with malice boiling in me, wondering what my life would be if I never fell for her good girl persona. Now that I think of it, her behavior was so pick me coded.

They told me to stay away from white girls but I dismissed them with love is love. Well in true sense it is but to me, it never was at least not after a few months of dating. I guess you learn from your mistakes but how can you gain experience when you're still stuck in the same mistake?

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"Mom." I acknowledge into the phone. After racking my brain for a way to release the pent up anger for the past thirty minutes, I settled on calling mom since I'm banned from having friends.

"Hey baby. How are you? We've missed you." She says softly, almost bringing me to tears. There's a lengthened silence as I struggle to find the right words.

"Darelle, you there?" Concern drips from her tone.

"Yeah mom I'm here." I mumble.

"Why do you sound strained? Are you sure you're okay?" I wish I could tell you.

I sigh deeply. "I'm fine. Just came from the gym maybe that's why." My web of deceit keeps knotting. I hate lying to her but it's for her own good. She can't lose Elle. She won't survive it. We both won't. So for now it's best she doesn't know. Not until Zuri has something substantial.

"Okay." She agrees reluctantly. "When are you visiting?"

"Actually that's why I called. Can I come over on Saturday?"

"Darelle, you don't need permission to come over. This is your home. It'll always be no matter what happens." She chastises not knowing one misstep and we lose it all.

"Okay."

"Bring that girlfriend of yours if you want." That's code for, 'bring her at your own risk but if it were for me she would never set foot in my house.' Perhaps them never getting along should have been the first red flag but we've been conformed to the notion that mothers never get along with their son's significant other and hence I saw it as that.

An idea crosses my mind. "I think I have a surprise for you when I come." That is if the surprise agrees to corporate.

"Darelle Larue Jones, please don't tell me you got her pregnant." I have to pull my phone away from my ear because of how shrill her voice gets. I can feel her panic all the way here.