Tae.
"Ssssshit" I hissed under my breath, closing my eyes as I settled my breathing. Realizing what I had done yet again, I hurried to wrap some toilet tissue around my hand, wiping my kids off my hand and the bathroom sink. I hated this shit.
"You good Bro?" Julio asked as soon as I rounded the corner, wiping my wet hands on the sides of my Gucci Joggers. "You missed a whole blunt."
"I'm straight" I took my seat back at the card table, in between Mel and Mila. Mila was always the only Woman around, but she acted just like us, held her drugs like us, and talked more shit than we did so she always fit right in.
"Yeah now he is." Mila messed with me, already knowing what had took me so long. "Left or right?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Shut the fuck up." I laughed, picking up my glass of Hennessy.
"I hope you cleaned up my shit." Jerzee nosey ass always had something to say. Big ass airplane wings he had for ears.
"Nigga, fuck you and that cheap ass looking bathroom!" Julio got on his ass every chance he got. They deadass had some underlying beef going that neither one of them spoke on. "Mothafucka look like a $40 dollar a night hotel room bathroom!"
We all laughed while Jerzee sat back and shut up, pretending to be looking at his hand of cards. We all were gambling at his crib tonight instead of chilling at his weak ass Lounge.
"Mi, roll up another blunt." Julio handed her weed across the table. "You been pearling them shits all night."
"Thank you, thank you very much." Mila imitated Elvis Presley causing us all to laugh again. She was funny as fuck.
We played in silence for a while minus the occasional shit talking. I was up a few hundred but I was starting to get irritated— I was losing more money than I was winning.
Mel slapped his whole hand down. "Plowwww on all y'all ass!" He laughed excitedly, clapping his hands loud as hell in my ear. "I'm rich!" He damn near leaped on the table grabbing his earnings. He gabbed my $200 along with everybody else that was playing this round.
"Fuck" I cursed to myself, sitting back folding my arms across my chest. If I lost one more round I'd be down a thousand.
"What's the matter Tae?"
"That nigga ain't used to losing that's the problem!"
"Nigga off his game tonight!" They all started clowning me.
"He missing my Sis, that's the problem." Mila finished rolling. "Go ahead and call her so you can stop pulling at your dick."
"We not together." I really couldn't say anything else. I indeed missed the hell out of Nicole, but I'd be damned if I called.
"Well you don't let her date so might as well be."
"Damn, she shouldn't have told you that." I shook my head, sipping my drink. Mila told me I was wrong multiple times. "When you gone let it go? She don't care."
"You've convinced yourself that she doesn't care and she doesn't want to upset you but you know I don't give a damn." She made me laugh. "I'll beat your ass for her."
"Foreal bro, that shit is not what's up." She got Julio started. "Y'all still not together or even involved romantically so I think you should fully let her do her."
I honestly had been thinking about it but I wasn't about to tell them that. It wasn't anybody's business and they had their own shit to be worried about. "Drop it" They knew that meant to completely change the subject.
A few hours and multiple glasses of Hennessy later, I found myself banging on Nicole's front door. "Baby, I'm sorry for it all!" I wasn't the type of nigga to get all emotional when I poured my heart out, but that liquor was doing something to me. "Baby!" I knocked repeatedly, placing my forehead against the door.
"Nicole!" The door swung open. "Hey baby" I smiled once I finally seen her.
"Tae what are you doing?" She looked out into the hall before quickly yanking me inside by my wrist. She hugged her pink lace robe close to her body, turning on the kitchen lights. I could see worry and fear written all over her face. "Your loud ass knocking could've woken up our kids! What are you doing at my door this time of night? It's almost five in the morning, Tae!"
She stood in front of me with a mug on her face and her arms tightly folded across her chest. "Are you dumb?" She snapped her fingers in my face, realizing I'd zoned out.
"I just miss you Baby." I grabbed her, pulling her into me.
"Ew, gross!" She roughly pushed me back, hurting a nigga feelings. "Don't do that please." Her voice shook as she wiped the side of her face where I kissed her. She hesitantly moved further away from me. She really was scared of me.
"So you really done?"
"Tae, you're drunk!"
"The way you acting all scared and shit I'm not anymore." I shook my head, staring at her. "How the fuck we get here?"
She shrugged her shoulders like she really didn't give a fuck. "It's a long story." She looked me in the eye.
"You really throwing us away like that?" I asked her. "Because I'm sick without you and this shit starting to feel real permanent."
"Maybe it is, Tae."
"Hell nah, I won't let it be."
"Trust me I know that already and it's ridiculous." We stared at each other for a minute. "You can stay here for the night because I don't wanna risk you getting on the road intoxicated, but you need to be gone before I get the kids up for school."
She can't be serious....
"The guest room is upstairs, last door on your right." She turned the light out on me, heading towards her bedroom. "Goodnight" I heard her say before she shut and locked her door behind herself.
I stood in shock for a while, replaying what just happened over and over again in my head. I heavily contemplated on whether I wanted to sleep in her guest room for a couple hours or just head home.
Deciding it's be best if I just slept it off, I took the stairs two at a time, not bothering to turn on any lights to light my path. I followed her directions and headed towards the back of the hall where the guest room was.
I kicked my shoes off, flopping down on the bed.
Me- Can we please talk before you go to sleep? 5:29 a.m.
I stayed in our message thread until she read my text.
Nicole💍- We truly just need to have one big discussion to lay everything out there.... it's too late rn. 5:30 a.m.
Me- You busy tomorrow night? We can go out to dinner? 5:30 a.m.
She typed for a few minutes before her message finally popped up.
Nicole💍- Can I think about it? 5:34 a.m.
My heart sank into my stomach. It shouldn't have been shit for her to even think about.
Me- Go ahead Baby 5:35 a.m.
I didn't wanna risk her telling me no so I left before the Sun fully rose. I bought myself a shitload of Breakfast from the Donut Shop that was close to my neighborhood before heading to the house.
Nicole called me on her lunch break and agreed to go out with me; so I took a long nap, went and got a fresh haircut, and her a few gifts before I went to pick her up. It was pretty last minute so I just swung by the Mall and got her a purse from each of her favorite Designers.
"Thank you." She tried to hide her smile as I handed her the red Roses I picked up at the CVS next door to The Odyssey.
"I got them at the last minute so my bad that they're not as nice as what I normally get you." I gave her a side hug, kissing her temple. I wanted to really surprise her with her new Purses so I would just take them with us. "You look nice." I hadn't even really looked at her yet— Nicole just made me wanna be a kiss ass for her.
"Thank you and I like them anyway." Her hair swung from side to side and her heels clacked as she walked away from me, going to put them in a vase.
My dick jumped as the smell of her perfume hit my nose. "You smell good." I complimented her again.
"Ok Tae." She let me know she knew I was kissing up without coming out and telling me.
I licked my lips, stretching my neck to get a good look into her living room. The tv was on but I didn't know who was in there.
"Taejin and Troi in there?"
She looked behind her before turning back to me. "Mhm, I'm surprised they haven't heard you in here." She filled her vase with water. "Nic probably got them all into a movie."
I refrained from saying something I'd regret. "That's who watching them while we gone?" I figured he would be, but I wanted to make sure.
"Yeah, because I don't know what time I'll be back and I didn't wanna have to go pick them up from somebody house late an-"
"It's cool, you don't gotta explain." She raised her brows at me. "I understand" I felt like I had knives in my throat. I didn't like it but there was nothing I could do.
"You're faking but I appreciate the effort." She chuckled at me. "Taejin and Troi!" It wasn't long before we heard little feet running towards us.
"Daddy! Hey Daddy!" Troi danced around holding her arms out for me to pick her up. She kissed my cheek, hugging my neck. "Troi miss you!" She told me, pointing at herself.
"Daddy missed you too, Fat." I kissed her cheek multiple times. "What's up Killa?" I hugged my Son.
"Hey Dad" We did our handshake. "Come on Troi Troi, we missing the movie." Troi immediately got down, running back into the living room with her brother.
"Well they don't got time for me right now so you ready?" We had reservations for seven anyway.
"Yeah, let me just get my purse." She slightly jogged the short distance towards her room.
"Damn" I cursed in my head once she came back. She was carrying one of the exact purses I bought for her.
"What?" She looked down at herself. "Something on me?"
"Nah, come on."
"I'm leaving Nic!"
"Alright, enjoy yourself and I love you!" He shouted behind her.
"Love you too! I love you Taejin and Troi!" She yelled before closing the door behind herself.
I parked in the parking garage that was on her floor so we didn't have to walk too far or get on the elevator.
"I see you chopped that bush off finally." She laughed as I rubbed my hands over my head. I knew Nicole liked me better with a fresh cut and very little facial hair; so I had my barber, East, get me right for her.
Since she already lived Downtown, it only took us fifteen minutes to get to the Restaurant instead of forty.
"Ohhhh Sushi?" She looked at me surprised. I knew she liked the raw shit and normally it would always be a no for me, but I had some kissing up to do tonight.
"Just be happy I'll try it this once." I told her before she could joke on me. "Ima drop you off in the front and I'll be in there in a few." I stopped in front of the Restaurant. Her face fell. "You don't got shit to be looking like that for, trust me."
"Fine" She opened the passenger door. "The reservation is under your name?"
"Yeah, pick a table in the middle."
"Ok" I watched her walk inside before driving my car to Valet. I explained what I wanted done and they agreed to let our Waitress know to bring out Nicole's gifts right before our Dessert.
"I ordered a bottle of Champagne." She told me as I sat down across from her.
I nodded my head "That's cool. You good?"
"Yes, I'm happy to be here. I haven't been in so long since none of y'all like Sushi."
"Shit gross, that's why."
"You've never even tried it."
"Well it's looks gross." She shook her head at me, scanning the menu. "You ready to talk?" I was tired of the small talk.
"Go ahead" She encouraged me.
"I really don't know where to start. I mean, are you completely over the relationship at this point?"
"I love you and I'll always love you, but you've said and done a lot of things solely because I wanted to save my brother's life. I'm not saying I'm holding it against you, but you went so hard for so long." She closed her eyes as she spoke. "You intentionally did whatever you could to hurt me. You used our kids to get back at me, you blatantly disrespect my brother in front of me all the time— call him names, tell me I'm wasting my time on him, and just belittle my love for him whenever you see an opportunity." She was right, I did do all of those things. "And last but certainly not least, you think you have the right to control my life. You killed someone over nothing and you've instilled this fear in me to where I don't even wanna make friends— Guys or Women. We've just been through so much with one another and it's so exhausting to keep coming to this point." She further explained.
I grabbed both of her hands in mine, rubbing my thumbs over her soft skin. "I can't say shit to justify my actions besides that I was angry and resentful that you put your life on pause to help somebody that was on drugs. Again, I know he's your blood but the loyalty I have towards myself..." I trailed off. "It's just certain things I'll never be able to do— not for you or anybody else."
"I've only ever asked you to be cordial."
"I cannot do it, Nicole." I was telling her the honest truth. "I'm a real ass nigga, I can't be cordial with a nigga that crossed me and got me shot. I'm sorry."
"I need the most important men in my life to at least be cordial for me. How am I suppose to grow in life with you if you and my brother hate each other?"
"Easy as fuck." I told her straight up. "I'll tolerate being in the same room as him but that's it."
"That's a life full of unwanted tension and stress all the time." She sighed. "Like what can I do to help the situation?"
"Nothing Bae, not shit." I poured us both a glass of Champagne. "It just comes down to you doing what you feel is best for you."
She looked at me intently. "It's a lot more than just that situation.
"Tell me, that's what we here for."
"Your street life" I knew it was coming. "I need it gone, done, faneto." She stressed to me. "If you can't do that then I'm telling you right now I don't want to be with you. I've been asking you to get out of it since I was pregnant with Taejin and you still haven't made any changes in that area."
"Nicole-"
"Either you leave the streets alone or you leave me alone. Get a legit legal business and make your money that way. You're a talented man Taelor, you don't have to make street money all your life."
"The streets are a part of me, Nicole. I love that shit and all that comes with it." She looked like she wanted to start crying. "That money is all I know." I corrected myself.
"Don't sell yourself so short, I hate when you do that!" She scowled me. "If you just don't want to make a change then say that, but don't expect me to be here waiting for you."
That's exactly why I won't say it....
I stared at her face as I thought. "It's obvious we not getting anywhere." I ran my hand over my face. "It's gone kill me, but I owe it to you." I wanted to cry like a damn baby.
"What?" She sipped her champagne.
"Do as you please, Nicole." I spoke to her with my head down. "If you wanna go on a couple dates or whatever then do that. I won't be stalking you anymore and I promise you I won't kill anybody you choose to associate yourself with; my word." I pat my chest. I cleared my throat, repeatedly swallowing to keep my tears from falling.
I heard her snicker "Why do you think I put up with all this from you?" She asked me.
"Because you love me and you see my potential." She told me all the time.
She touched my hand. "Can you look at me?"
I shook my head no. "I can't right now." If I even glanced her way I knew I would start crying.
"I appreciate you trying to set me free, but I don't want anybody but you, Taelor. I'm not interested in being with anybody else. I just hate that you felt you could control me in the first place."
I didn't say anything.
"The only thing holding us back now is your street life." She brung it back up. "That's the one main thing that will keep me from being with you and I really would like an answer before we leave here tonight."
My hands immediately started sweating and I fell sick to my stomach. "What?" My head shot up.
"You heard me. I need to know tonight if it's gonna be your family or your street life." She was deadass serious with my ass. "And I'm not talking about hitting a few licks here and there, no. I mean getting out of the streets completely!" She stressed to me. "I know it'll take time to figure out what you're gonna do about the girls-"
"Wait a damn minute." I looked around dramatically. "You want me to stop my business too? What the fuck Nicole!"
"Yup" She popped the P. "Like I was saying, I know it'll take time to figure all that out so I'm willing to give you four months to find all of them homes or whatever you gotta do."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You want me to be fucking broke." I spat, furrowing my brows. I angrily picked up the Champagne, pouring myself a full glass. I couldn't help but feel some type of way. "Why four months?" That wasn't nearly enough time. "I need at least six if Ima really do the shit."
"Well four is what I had with Nic."
"You started with two." I reminded her. "Let me get my six— that's only fair."
"I'll let you have that one but nothing else." She whispered as our Waitress got closer to our table.
I sighed hard. "You do know if I do this I'll be broke?" I asked after our orders had been taken. I hadn't looked at the menu so I just ordered what Nicole ordered.
"Tae stop, you'll never be broke and we both know that."
"I won't have no income besides my rent houses and that's broke to me." I was used to drowning in money and she wanted that to completely stop. "You know how much money I average a month off my business?"
"I don't care! It's illegal-"
"It's really not."
"Every woman that works for you may not be selling her body, but they have to kill. That's illegal and I'm not dealing with you doing that anymore."
"You killing me." I ran my hand over my face again, stressed. "I'm flourishing right now, Bae." I tried to get her to understand where I was coming from. I took my phone out of my pocket, going to my bank info. "Look" I slid my phone across the table for her to see.
She sighed, rolling her eye at me as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "What am I suppose to be looking at?" She tapped the screen.
"Everything— my deposits, savings-"
"You have thirty-six million dollars in your savings?" Her voice went up an octave. "Who has that kind of money just sitting around?"
"That's just for Wells Fargo." Nicole and I didn't really discuss our finances because there wasn't a need to. As the Man, I took care of everything and her money was her money.
"Tae, what the hell?" She tapped away. "You deposited one hundred and sixty thousand dollars into your account on Monday; and another two hundred and forty thousand dollars into your account on Wednesday. Who needs this kind of money?"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you."
"You have made more than enough money to last us eight lifetimes." She gave me my phone back. "You've done exceptionally well in life so I don't see why it's a problem-"
"I'll feel like a Bum, Nicole. You going to your Spa everyday and I'm just sitting at the crib."
"You've earned your right to just sit at the crib!" She laughed it off. "I wish I could just sit at home all day."
"You can"
"You know what I mean." Her smile warned my heart. "So you've made your decision?"
"Yeah" It hurt me to my core, but Nicole and my kids were more than worth it. "I'll hang up my hoodies and steel toe boots for good."
***********************
"You're an idiot!" Julio fussed, speeding through a red light. "Why the fuck would you jump the fence when you could hear them niggas shooting at us? The fucking gate was open!"
"Man shut up and just get me to the hospital." I applied more pressure to my leg.
"That was a rookie move, Nigga! You ain't no fucking rookie!"
Nicole's demands had me all fucked up and off my game. Since I had to give up my ways of income, I was dedicating the next week to making as much money as I possibly could from sun up to sun down.
Julio and I were doing a quick job when shit went sour. Being that my mind wasn't in it, I ended up getting shot in my fucking thigh.
"Nicole gone-"
"You can't tell her bout this shit!" I lifted my head up as best as I could.
"She'll see for herself!"
"No she won't if you keep your mouth shut!" I already had a plan up my sleeve, all he had to do was stay quiet. "Act like this night never happened!"
"Alright Man" He pulled up to the side of the hospital, letting me get out. "Be careful, Nigga." He said as I opened his passenger door.
"I got it, you just keep your mouth shut and I'll be cool." I reminded him.
He smacked his lips. "Man, Nigga close the door, Nigga!" He barked. "We don't do Hospitals, remember? What the fuck we doing here?"
I knew we shouldn't have smoked before we attempted to handle our business. Duke had some shit called Crescent Moon and we both were over the Moon.
He speed off "Where you taking me to? I'm losing all my fucking blood!" I closed my eyes, sweating hard as hell.
"Aw Nigga, you should like a little bitch." He glanced over at my as he drove. "It's just a fucking leg shot and the bullet went right through you."
"If you ever call me a little bitch again I'll shoot you in your skull, Ju." I told him seriously. "We been in this fucking car for a minute and my shit leaking." I looked down at my thigh. Blood was all over the passenger side.
"Hang tight, we almost there." He weaved through cars.
"Where you taking me to?"
"My House"
"So Korea can see me and tell Nicole? Hell no, turn around!"
"Ain't nobody there, chill out Nigga!" He continued weaving through cars until we pulled into his garage. "You can stand?"
"Yeah, I got it." I ignored the constant throbbing in my leg, lifting myself out of the car. I limped into the house and headed straight for his torture room. He already had gauze, alcohol, tools, and ointments ready.
I hopped up on the counter as best as I could, pulling my wounded leg up by my pants. I had patched up many gunshot wounds before so this leg shot wasn't shit. I tore my pant leg open, observing the wound.
Julio stood on the side of me, making sure I was good. "You hit one of them?" I was referring to him shooting back at the niggas that shot me.
"One of them I got in the chest, but the other one in the same position as you." I clenched my teeth as I dug deep into the wound, making sure the bullet really did go through me. I pulled out a few bloody fragments of metal and sat them on the side of me. "I'm sure the one I got in the chest a dead man."
"Probably so" We went silent before we both started laughing.
"You better pray you can keep this shit from Nicole foreal." He leaned over on the counter as I cleaned out my wound, pouring alcohol inside the large hole. "She gone flip."
"I honestly wish I would've sat this one out." I already had fucked up my fresh start and it hadn't even been 24 hours. "Something told me to just go home."
"You can always just come clean and explain what happened." He suggested. "She'll be mad for a minute but it's better than hiding it from her."
"I'll take my chances." I was taking a big risk either way, but I'd rather hide from her than let her know I totally did the opposite of what I said I would.
My phone rang causing me to stop my operation. I dug it out of my bloody hoodie pocket, sliding my thumb across the screen. "Yeah?" I put it on speaker, sitting it beside me.
"What are you doing?" Nicole's voice blared through the speaker.
I looked at Julio and he already was looking at me. "Might as well tell the truth." He mouthed. "This your chance."
"I ain't doing shit, Baby. What's up?" I could see Julio now pacing back and forth out the corner of my eye.
"You at the house?"
"Nah I'm at Julio's for right now. What you need?"
"Nothing, I wanted to see if you wanna come stay the night. Tomorrow's Saturday— I can cook a big breakfast like I used to." I could hear the hopefulness in her voice. "I know when you dropped me off we said we wouldn't just go back to normal, but I figured you staying one night with me wouldn't be a big deal."
"I'll be over there in a couple hours, Bae." I used my teeth to open up a tube of ointment. I used the entire tube before wrapping as much gauze as I could around my leg.
"Why so longggg?" She whined. "The kids are sleep, Nic is minding his business, and I'm bored." She complimented to me.
"I gotta go home and take a shower, get some clothes, and make sure the house is ok."
"Take a shower here and you have the app for the house security cameras on your phone."
"I said I'll be over there in a couple hours, accept that." I really just wanted her to leave it alone because I felt bad.
"You must gotta go check in with your new bitch." She spat causing me to smirk at her sudden attitude.
"This mothafucka is crazy." Julio mumbled under his breath.
"You really gotta stop jumping to conclusions every time something doesn't go your way. I'll see you in a little bit." I hung up the phone, getting down.
"Now how the fuck you gone pull that off?" Julio questioned.
"I really don't know so wish me luck."
I took some pain medication when I got home. After I got out the shower, I bandaged my thigh up as best as I could. I figured I could just sleep in pajama pants and Nicole would never know.
"Hey" She grinned from ear to ear, letting me inside her Penthouse.
"Hey Baby" I walked in taking my hood off my head.
"Are you hungry or anything before we go in my room? I'm about to warm up some leftover dinner that Nic made."
"Nah, I'm good." I actually was hungry but I refused to eat anything her brother made. "If you got some ice cream or something then I'll take that."
"You know I keep a fresh pint on me." She was so lame. "You can head in my room and I'll bring it to you."
"Thank you." I needed to lay down anyway, my leg was throbbing.
"You're welcome Daddy." She said seductively. She still had her makeup on and her hair down; and from what I could see she had on lingerie underneath her robe.
She wanna fuck and I can't with my dumb ass....
I really started regretting my decision when I seen her bedroom. She had candles lit and the mood was set. "Damn man" I smacked my lips, disappointed in myself.
"Okkkk" She soon came into the room with two pink bowls in her hands. "Here you go" She handed me my ice cream.
"I can't have sex with you tonight, Bae." I wanted to go ahead and let her know before she started with me. "My body sore." I somewhat told the truth.
"From what?" She was mad as hell, huffing and puffing.
"I was working out with Julio."
"Really?" She looked in my eyes. "Swear"
"I swear" I lied to her. "Give me a few more days and I got you." I ate a spoonful of my Cookies and Cream Ice cream.
"You've never used being sore as an excuse before! Are you lying?"
"No, Nicole"
"You been fucking somebody else?"
"Hell no"
"You not attracted to me?"
"Shut up"
"Then what is it?"
"I told you already." She started pouting. "Don't start Nicole."
"But look" She stood up, dropping her robe at her feet. I stared in awe as she slowly spun around letting me see everything she had to offer. "It's new and it fits like a glove, think so?" She bit her lip at me.
"Let me taste it." I licked my lips at her, motioning for her to come towards me with my head. She stood in front of me with her hands on my shoulders as I rested my head on her stomach, wrapping my arms around her waist.
She lifted my chin with her nail. "Dick too?" She asked, raising her brow.
"No-"
"Then I don't wanna do anything!" She pushed me off of her, stepping back. "I don't want head and head only."
"Ok, well goodnight."
"Taeeeeee"
"I'm not having sex, Nicole." I repeated for the third time.
"Ouuu you get on my fucking nerves!" She stomped to the light switch, hitting it with all her might. She then turned the tv off and angrily climbed in the bed leaving us both in the dark.
"I'm not tire-"
"I don't care!" She cut me off, yanking the covers. "You act like you that fucking sore— what kind of shit is that?"
I turned on my side, staying quiet.
"Now you don't got nothing to say?" She just wanted to argue. "You a Mute now?"
"What do you want me to say Nicole?"
"Why you came over here if you weren't tryna give out no dick!"
I laughed "I can't just enjoy your company? Why we gotta fuck?"
"Because we haven't in almost half a year, that's why!" She yanked the covers again, leaving me with just enough.
"I need more cover than what you giving." I could've yanked the whole damn comforter off her with one pull, but I didn't wanna do her like that.
"Come closer then."
I sighed, clenching my teeth as I moved my body into her personal space. My leg was on fire and I had to act as normal as possible. I left a little room in between us, draping my arm over her body.
She flipped over to face me. "Why you acting like that?" She closed the small space in between us, hugging my body close to her. "Love meeee" She went to put her leg over me but I quickly smacked it down.
"I told you I'm sore."
"What don't you want me to see?" My heart dropped into my stomach. "You still got on all your clothes and you always ALWAYS sleep in just your boxers— what is it? What did you do?"
"Nothing Bae, go to sleep."
"I really hope you're not lying to me and we just got back on good terms."
"I'm not, chill." I spoke with my eyes closed.
"Tae" I felt her shaking me. I hadn't been asleep fifteen minutes and she already was waking me up. "Are you sweating?" She asked with her head resting on my chest. "The sheets feel a little wet."
"Nah I'm cool." I didn't feel any sweat on me. "Go to sleep."
"Well something is dripping onto my $500 dollar sheets and I need to know what it is." As she got up to turn on the light it clicked on me causing my eyes to shoot open.
"Ok, Bae I got something to tell you." I was talking fast as hell. She flicked the light on, coming back to the bed and pulling the covers back. There was a big blood stain on the upper thigh area of my orange pajama pants as well as a stain on her white sheets.
"Tae what the hell!" She quickly went to rip open my pajamas while I let her. "You cut yourself?" She touched the side of my face, genuinely concerned. "You were fine earlier."
"I got shot, Bae." She slapped the piss out of me. My face went one way while my spit went the other. "Please let me explain." I held the side of my face with one hand and tried to grab her as she got up with the other.
She went into her bathroom, shutting the door behind her. I stood to my feet attempting to take her bloody sheets off the bed.
"Fuck" I couldn't be pissed at anyone but myself. I looked towards the bathroom door, surprised she was coming out so soon. She held multiple bottles in her hands along with a first-aid kit.
"I'll help you with your wound, but after that I want you out." She didn't even look at me.
"Can I please explain why I did what I did in the first place?"
"It doesn't matter." She used a pair of small scissors to cut open my bandaging. "You lied to me and I know you weren't gonna say anything if you weren't shown up. The fact that you can make a promise to me and then break that same promise only a couple hours later shows that you don't respect me at all. You'll never change, you just do whatever Tae wants to do and I'm suppose to be the one making all the changes." She scoffed, shaking her head. "You're meant to live life like a Bachelor so I'll take you up on that offer. I see I really need to stop wasting my time on you."
"Don't say that Baby."
"It's true" She sighed. "I can't believe you would do that and then lie about about it. The streets really are your first love."
"I just was trying to make as much money as possible before I get out for-"
"Save it, Tae." She cut me off. "How much was the job for?"
"Huh?"
"You heard me."
"L-like forty-five thousand."
"Well I hope that forty-five thousand was worth losing your family for." She gave me something to think about while she carefully wrapped my leg. "You can leave now."
"Nicole-"
"Goodbye Taelor." She held her room door open for me. "My front door will lock behind you so don't worry about it." She motioned for me to hurry up and leave.
"I'm not leaving, Bro." I made myself comfortable. "I know you serious, I'm not voluntarily throwing away my family like this."
"You already did when you put on one of those hoodies and them steel toe boots that I hate so much!" She yelled. "I'm not playing with you and you take me as a joke!"
"I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart, Nicole. I fucked up but wouldn't you rather I fuck up now in the beginning than later on down the line? You can't expect me to just be able to stop my livelihood cold turkey like that, that's not realistic."
She stood in the corner of the room with her legs crossed and arms folded across her chest. Her facial expression never changed so I kept talking.
"I just wanted to dedicate this next week to making as much money as I possibly can from sun up to sun down." I explained. "Seven days and then I'm all yours for good, Baby."
"Ok and on day one you already got shot in your leg!" She snapped. "You wanna be rolling around in a wheelchair for the rest of your life?"
"No Bae" I answered her question first. "I only got shot because I smoked some crazy ass shit Duke got and it had my head messed up." I left out her having my head messed up as well. "You know I'm as careful as careful can get." She rolled her eyes at me. "Please, please just give me these next seven days to get it out of my system." She stayed silent. "Come here— you see I can't get up and come to you."
She slowly made her way to me, carefully easing down on my good leg. "I'm sorry, ok?"
"For?" She always wanted her ass to be kissed.
"For breaking our promise and more importantly, lying to you. I was wrong and I should've came clean and told you earlier when you called."
"You should've, but I understand why you wouldn't. You're scared of me and I'd be scared of me too." She laughed into her hands as I disagreed. "I'll let you have your little seven days but you better be able to buy me a Birkin once the week is over."
"I'll buy you a Birkin tomorrow, Bae."
"No you're not." She shook her head, laughing. "I don't wanna be seen anywhere with you, cripple man." We shared a laugh.
"That's how you gone do me?"
"Yup, that's how ima do you." She smiled at me. "I'm sure Taejin would love to push your wheelchair though and you know Troi will sit in your lap to keep you company."
"Fuck off me." I lightly pushed her on the bed as she laughed like she was fucking Katt Williams. "That shit wasn't even funny."
"It was to me!"
**********************
Nicole.
"Bosslady, what got you looking so sad?" Ray asked as he sat across from me with his feet up on the side of my desk. He had a family size bag of Sour Cream and Onion chips along with the matching dip. He had already eaten a box of Hot Pockets, some Noodles, and drank two bottles of Strawberry Soda. It was lunch time and he decided he'd sit and chill with me in my office instead of leaving.
"I haven't seen Tae in a couple days." I sighed, resting my head on my arm. "I miss him." Today was day four of his seven day journey and I hadn't seen him since he left my house Saturday morning.
He woke me up to some dick that had me begging him to stay longer. I had no idea a crippled man could lay it down that good, but he definitely filled me in.
"Awww Bosslady, I'm sure he'll pop up when you least expect it." Ray smacked on his chips, nodding his head at me trying to assure me.
"I hope so" Tae called me and FaceTimed all throughout the day, but every conversation was brief.
"You ate yet?" Nic knocked on the door causing Ray and I to stop over conversation.
"I had some candy like an hour ago." I answered him, looking him up and down. He was dressed his his security work attire. I missed my brother and he was standing right in front of me. Ever since he got his own vehicle, we rode to work in separate cars everyday. He'd come home way later than me on most days— Mila was seeing him more than I was these days.
He didn't agree with my relationship and I definitely didn't agree with his, which caused a drift in our relationship big time. I rarely mentioned anything concerning Tae to him, but he stayeddddd telling me about Lexi like I cared. I knew he only wanted me to like her but I never would and that was that.
"You want something from Minnie's or JJ's?"
"Ouuuu Soul food or Seafood?" Ray asked out loud. "I'll take a large Oxtail with Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes, Greens, and a piece of Strawberry Cake for the dessert. Make sure they make my Cabbage fresh if Lisa in there cooking!" Ray picked up his purse from the floor.
"You can get me what Ray got." I wasn't really in a eating mood.
The rest of the day went by pretty quick and I was dreading going home to my empty house. After picking up my kids from school, I headed to Ms. Karen's.
"Hey hey hey!" She let us inside with a grin on her face. She hugged me after I put Troi down. "How you been Baby?"
"I'm ok, have you seen Tae?" I went to sit down on the couch.
"Not since the weekend. I know he's been busy this week." She sat beside me. "Your friend is on her way over."
"Which one?" I perked up a little bit.
"Mila, Chile" She stood up going into her kitchen. "She's coming to get a plate and I wanna see my grand baby."
"Yessss, I could use some Sunny to brighten up my day."
Once Mila got to Ms. Karen's, she somehow convinced me to tag along with her to go stalk Marcus. "I know he with that blue haired bottom!" I held onto my seatbelt as she drove. I seen why her car was so beat up, she didn't give a shit about it. "He wouldn't text me back about his kid but he got time to fuck somebody in the ass!"
"Why don't you just go ahead and file child support on him?"
"Because then he really wouldn't do anything for her, Nicole." She had a point. "I won't give him that satisfaction."
We pulled up in front of his house and there was a navy blue Jetta parked on the concrete. "That car looks familiar." I furrowed my brows, trying to think of where I'd seen a blue Jetta before.
"Let me show you a picture of the bottom." She typed away on her phone. "You might be able to tell me who he is."
"You have pictures?"
"Of course, but they're suppose to be a secret so keep it between us." I leaned over being nosey. "I keep them in my Google Dropbox." She clicked on a picture showing a guy on his knees with a penis in his mouth. "This the bottom"
"Mila, you know who that is too!" I couldn't believe my eyes.
"I do? No I don't." She scrolled through different pictures, confirming his identity for me. "I've never seen this man before."
"Yes you have!" I nodded at her. "Milan, that's Byron!"
"Byron?" She was so slow. "Byron who?"
"Byron as in Ray's boyfriend of two years, Byron!"
"Aw shit"