~Armani POV
I've been calling Bryson's phone for hours, and I've been getting sent to voicemail. I understand his confusion and thinking that I'm cheating but I'm not. I can't tell him what's going on though. I don't know what to do. As I sat on the couch, I heard the front door unlock.
I jumped off the couch meeting Bryson at the door.
"Oh my gosh, where have you been! It's almost midnight." I said. He ignored me and walked past going upstairs. "Bryson. I know you hear me." I said following behind him. "Yeah, I do." He sighed laying on the bed. He kicked his shoes off and put his forearm over his eyes. "Bryson, can you talk to me."
"Can you turn the light off. Shit making my head hurt." He said rolling over. "Bryson can we please talk. I'm telling the truth; I'm not sleeping around." I said. "The light. Hit it."
I gave up on trying to explain myself. I walked downstairs pulling out my phone to call Jacobs.
"Hello." Jacobs said answering the phone.
"Where did you go earlier today?" I asked.
"To handle the information that you gave me." He said.
"The file? You took care of it." I asked.
"I handled it. Bryson won't see the file. No one will."
"How do you know that? Are you sure?"
"Armani it's taken care of. I got to go." He hung up the phone giving me a sigh of relief.
"Was that the side nigga of the hour?" Bryson said from behind me. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. "No, it wasn't. I was talking to a family member." I said turning around. "Right, a family member." He scoffed walking past me. "Where are you going?" I asked as he grabbed his keys.
"Sleeping at a hotel tonight."
**Next Morning**
~Draco POV
I walked into the house smelling food being made. I walked into the kitchen and Armani was making breakfast. "You came back." She said with a small smile turning her attention to me. "Was I not supposed to?" I said sitting down at the island. "Can we talk?"
"I'm sorry about last night." I said.
"You don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." She said sitting down next to me. "I walked out on you last night. Didn't give you time to actually have a conversation and explain yourself. That's my fault." I said. "If I want this relationship to work I need to work on my communication so that was bad on my part. Now you, you got some explaining to do. What's been up with you?"
"I know how crazy it may seem and look but I promise I'm not sneaking around. Some things are just meant to be private." She said making me raise a brow. "This is a relationship. I know I'm new to this type of shit and I'm not the best at it, but I thought we were supposed to share everything with each other." I said. "We are, and eventually I will tell you what's going on. But right now I don't think it's the time to tell you."
"I can respect that. But you promise that you not doing no shady shit? You not fucking me over in any way possible?" I asked. "I promise you, I'm not doing anything."
I sat there for a minute.
"I think we need a date night." I said bringing a smile across her face. "Really?" I asked. "Yeah, it's been a minute since we've both been out. Just the two of us. No work. No child. Just me and you." I said. "Who's going to watch Brandon?" She asked. "We can drop him off at Will's. Kiyanna is going to be with him tonight." I said.
"Fine, but after that we are getting a nanny."
"Yeah, whatever. Since the feds done backed down from the business I'm going to the spot. Got a new worker that I haven't met yet and I need to do business with him." I said. "Okay, what time will you be back?"
"Seven - ish. I'll text you when I'm on the way back." I said kissing her and walking out the door.
**
"Draco, this is Mason. Mason, this is Draco. The other ringleader." Will said introducing the both of us. "Nice to meet you." Mason said holding his hand out. "Likewise." I said shaking it. "Feels like home being back in the spot. Glad to know we ain't get busted on no fuck shit." I sighed as I started to roll up.
"Yeah, I heard about all the shit that went down. Shit be crazy out here." He said. "But that's old news. Let's crack down on the new shit. Since we been out of business, we lost customers. And we lost connects. They moved on to an organization in the Southside. A broad running business with her brother." Will said. "We losing business to a female? No way." I sighed.
"Yes way, we need our fucking business back."
"How are we going to do that?" Mason asked. "Well, from what I've heard, you're pretty solid. I think you can handle a lick." I said. "A lick is cake." He said making me laugh a little. "Say that then. A lick on them, tomorrow night. Get them for they product and they won't have no business to come back to." I said.
"Sounds like a plan." Mason said nodding in agreeance. "You know what Mason, I think we're going to get along just fine." I said dapping him up.
After talking for a little while, Mason dipped. "Say, before you head out, you think you can do me a solid tonight?" I asked Will. "Wassup bro?"
"I'm taking Mani out tonight; I need somebody to watch Brandon. I know you and Kiyanna got yall date night and shit though s-" He cut me off. "Man, Brandon's a good kid. He ain't gone do shit but sleep anyway. I got you." He said. "My nigga. I'll catch you later."
**
Before going home, I stopped at the mall. With all the arguing and the shit that me and Armani have going on, I haven't really made time for her. She's done everything for me. Staying at home to take care of Brandon. Keeping my head on my shoulders. Keeping me out of jail. I never stopped to think about her and her own life. I think it's time that I showed my appreciation.
"Welcome to Zales!" A lady said as I walked into the door. "Hey, how you doing." I said walking around. "Looking for anything in particular?" She asked. "Something that says "I'm sorry" and "I appreciate you" and "Thank You."" I said with a small smile. "Trouble in paradise?" She asked with a slight chuckle.
"Something like that. I'm just not used to this whole relationship thing, so I just want to make sure I think through everything that I do." I said. "Well, whoever she is, she's got a good one. Most guys don't even put in the effort." She said pulling out a box.
"This necklace. I'm not big on shiny things and materials, but my husband and I got into something heated. He brought this necklace home and the happiness that I felt was just, amazing." She said. "How much?" I asked.
"It's a Princess-Cut Diamond frame so around $1,750." She said.
"Ring it up." I said pulling out my card. After getting the necklace and making some stops to her favorite clothing stores, I made my way home.
~Armani POV
"Finally." I said walking down the steps hearing the front door open. "Had to make a few pit stops." He said. I came around the corner seeing him holding gift bags and a big teddy bear. "Oh my gosh Bryson!" I said with a smile. "You did not have to do this."
"I did. You deserve it."
Hearing him say that and seeing everything made me feel the worst. I don't deserve this. If only he knew what I've done. What I've been doing. He'd hate me. Gosh I feel horrible. "I just got you some clothes, shoes and some jewelry. And obviously Big Bertha here." He said sitting the bear on the floor. "Thank you so much baby." I said hugging and kissing him all over his face.
"I love you." He said looking me in my eyes. Over the past few months, we've both said the words "I Love You". But right now, this is the first time I've felt like he'd actually meant it.
Fuck man.
"I love you too."
"Alright now let's get dressed. I put my name down for a reservation tonight." He said. I followed him upstairs. "There's nothing that could come between us right?" I asked breaking the silence in the room. "What you mean?"
"I want to keep this relationship. I just want to make sure that there is nothing that could come between us." I said. "Unless you just do some grimy shit towards me, we good Mani. Nothing can come between us that communication can't solve." He said grabbing my hand.
"Now, let's get in the shower. I got one more gift for you."
**
After showering, with other things of course, we were finally dressed. "I'll get Brandon, take the keys." He said walking out and into Brandon's room. I walked downstairs seeing the bear on the couch. I can't live with myself knowing what I've done. I have to tell him. I will tell him. Tonight. I'll tell him at dinner. He can't physically murder me in front of all those people.
"You ready?" Bryson said coming down the steps interrupting my thoughts. "Uh yes. Let's go. I'll text Kiyanna and let her know we're on the way." I said with a small smile. We got in the car and headed to Will's house to drop off Brandon and headed to the restaurant.
**
"This restaurant is beautiful." I said to Bryson as I sat across from him. "I figured you'd never tried this place before. I wanted you to try something new." He said. "I'm glad we can do things like this." I said. "Like what? Go on dates?" He asked.
"Well that too. But being able to put our differences aside and come together like nothing ever happened." I said trying to ease my way into telling the truth. "I told you, nothing communication cant fix. You told me you'd tell me what was going on when you're ready and I'll respect that. You deserve your privacy like anybody else."
STOP! STOP BEING NICE AND LOVING AND CARING AND PASSIONATE AND THOUGHTFUL DAMMIT! YOU'RE MAKING IT HARDER FOR ME TO BREAK THE TRUTH!
I wanted to scream that so bad. But I couldn't. "I got Will to agree to keep Brandon for the night so we can get a repeat of what happened in the shower." He said smiling a little.
"Bryson I need to tell you something." I said taking a deep breath. "Wassup." He said giving his attention to me. "Like I've said, what I've been doing had nothing to with sneaking around or cheating on you with another man." I said.
"Don't tell me you was cheating on me with a broad." He said jokingly. "No Bryson. Can you be serious for a second, I'm really nervous to tell you this." I said. "Nervous? Why?"
"I'm scared on how you might react."
"Mani you can tell me anything. Wassup." He said. Before I could say anything, my attention shifted to what entered the restaurant.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
"Armani?" Bryson said. "Um, what I was, um." I couldn't get my words out as I watched Jacobs search around the restaurant with two officers behind him. Bryson turned around as his attention went to the same thing I saw. Jacobs and Bryson locked eyes as he walked over to the table. He looked back at me.
"Armani, what's going on?" He asked me. "I-I don't know." I said. "Stand up." Jacobs said approaching the table. "For what?" Bryson asked. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Stand up." He repeated. "Why should I?"
Jacobs looked back at the officers signaling them. They both walked up grabbing him by his arms and dragging him out the booth.
"Bryson Jones, you're under arrest for the murder of Detective Wilburn Jackson. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?"
Bryson looked down at me.
"Everything will be okay. I love you."
They walked him out of the restaurant.
I love you too. But if only you knew the truth ...
MAKE SURE TO VOTE ⭐️
MAKE SURE TO COMMENT 💬
MAKE SURE TO ADD TO YOUR LIBRARY 📚
~ashkash2 💋
Next Time On Street Affection ...
"So they just walked him out of the restaurant in handcuffs?" Kiyanna asked. "Yes, and I feel horrible knowing that it's possibly my fault. It is my fault. If I would have never became a witness this would have never happened." I said. "What are you going to do now?"
"I need to talk to Jacobs."