SAVAGE

23

After spending an hour at the psychiatrist, the appointment was finally over. Jersey sat at the edge of the soft couch She looked around and examined the scenery before her.

Doctor Nguyen's office was furnished with comfortable decorations. She came up with the idea to make her office comfortable for her patients who visited her often. As expected, she had a lounging sofa-adjacent to her desk. Pillows crowded the chaise, along with a throw blanket that laid across the top of the sofa.

There was a coffee table that held a dish of candy such as peppermints, a large box of tissues, and some recent magazines. Her wall was decorated with degrees, awards, and achievements from her awesome work. She even had pictures of herself. Dr. Nguyen took pride in her work and it showed.

Jersey watched as her doctor took a sip of coffee from her mug. She had offered her some earlier, but Jersey declined. She often had the jitters after consuming coffee.

Her doctor placed her mug on her desk and leaned over to make eye contact with Jersey. Dr. Nguyen's black hair was down and parted evenly. She was of Asian descent-her slanted brown eyes, yellowish complexion, and small, button nose gave it away.

If it was up to Jersey, should would have picked a black woman as her doctor. The clinic did have a black psychiatrist, but she didn't see adults twenty-one and older.

Bummer.

However, Dr. Nguyen was great.

"I want to hear from you more, Jersey." Dr. Nguyen said sincerely. "We didn't talk that much about your problems. I mean, we talked about how the medicine is helping you sleep and think better. But that was it. I need for us to connect. You understand?"

Jersey darted her eyes-left to right- and placed them back on the doctor. There was no way in hell she was telling her doctor about her situation with Malcolm. It would be too weird to do so, in her opinion. Instead of declining, she just nodded her head and said, "Yes."

"So." The doctor trailed off as she grabbed a pen and scribbled away on her notepad. "I want you to get yourself a journal and I want you to write down your daily activities-each and every day. If you have any problems, any situations, write it down. We can talk about it. If not, then I'll recommend therapy for you."

Jersey just sat there watching her continue to write. She was more than ready to leave the office.

"I'll see you in about four weeks, that'll give you enough time to start it." The doctor ripped off the paper and held her arm out. Jersey thanked her quietly as she accepted it.

"So, I'm going to keep you on the same dosage since it is helping you." Dr. Nguyen informed her as she clicked away on her iMac. "Is that fine?"

"Perfect."

"I'll just send it off to CVS and you can pick up."

_____________________________

As soon as Jersey's foot hit the concrete, she felt relieved. She shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand as she made her way to the truck. Candace was sitting on the driver's side, waiting for her with the air blasting.

When Jersey hopped inside, she told Candace to take her straight to the library. Her appointment was for nine in the morning, so she managed to let her boss know that she would be coming in late.

Instead of bothering Candace who seemed to be in her own zone, she just decided to sit back and enjoy the ride. A small smirk etched across Jersey's lips as she thought about her past encounters. The thought of Malcolm confessing his feelings for her crossed her mind numerous of times. Part of her was elated that he finally opened up to her. However, she knew that he only confessed because he was afraid of her moving on with someone else.

Typical nigga.

Malcolm figured that if he opened up to Jersey, she would be faithful to him. He wasn't ready for an actual relationship, so he labeled them as a situation-ship. Jersey did agree to it, but she was still going to do her, regardless.

Her buzzing phone snatched her way from her thoughts. She inched it closer to her face and noticed an incoming call from Kelli. Jersey squinted her eyes as she contemplated on answering the call or not. She'd been ignoring Kelli's calls lately-of course she had some valid reasons to do so. Instead of ignoring it, she answered the ringing phone and brought it up to her ear.

"..."

Quietness took over the line for a while as both women held the phone. They were way too stubborn to speak first.

"Yeah?" Jersey greeted dryly as she looked out the window.

"What's wrong with your phone?" Kelli asked coolly. "I've been calling you since last week."

"I don't know." Jersey shrugged as if she could see her body gesture.

"You really acting like this with me? Over a fucking apartment?"

"It wasn't just some fucking apartment; it was Malcolm's apartment that your boyfriend vandalized. The damage is horrible. That man has to pay a lot of money to get it fixed and in order to avoid a lawsuit."

"It's not like he's hurting for it." Kelli jibed.

Jersey knitted her brows as she scoffed. "Are you kidding me? See, that's why I didn't want to answer my phone for you. Kelli, you just don't get it. You lied to the police in order to save your nigga. He put his hands on you and you saved his ass from going to jail the very same day. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Kelli stayed quiet as she tried to gather a response. Apparently, Jersey's message really did fuck with her.

"You don't understand..." Kelli trailed off.

"I don't understand?" Jersey reiterated as she touched her chest. "I was literally on drugs, Kelli." She spilled, not caring if Candace could hear her conversation. "When I dated Quintin, he got me hooked on drugs and my life was...so complicated at the time. I saved his ass a lot and I do regret it because I've made some enemies. Not only did I make enemies, but I sacrificed my education for him, so don't tell I don't understand because I do. I'll never take up for a man when he's in the wrong-I'll never do that again."

"I didn't call you to hear you preach to me." Kelli stated.

"Then why did you call me?"

"Travis and Quintin are missing...I haven't heard from Travis in about week."

"So..." Jersey scoffed while leaning her head to the side. "You're calling me about Travis and Quintin?"

"I know that Malcolm has something to do with their disappearance."

Jersey shrugged her shoulders once again. She knew that Malcolm was holding the men, but she wasn't going to tell Kelli that.

"I don't know where they are, and I could care less." Jersey replied smartly as she shook her head. She pulled the phone away from her ear and ended the call. She was done with Kelli. The bitch was toxic just like her boyfriend.

_____________________________

The bar was closed due to the horrible incident that took place-Malcolm's orders. He wanted a complete shutdown to evaluate the problem. A body was dropped off in front of his bar and he wanted answers.

Dean found the body and discovered that it was Lorenzo. He checked for a pulse and realized the man was still alive. Immediately, he ordered the staff to call the paramedics. Blood gushed from Lorenzo's side as he laid there unconscious. Dean pulled his shirt up to check out the damage. He realized that there were some unusual injuries on the man. The letter C was carved in his side, the wound was deep as if he was almost gutted.

Mad was not a word to describe Malcolm's emotional state. He was livid about the situation since the shit happened in front of his bar. People talked and he knew that it would spread around Brooklyn like a wildfire. Also, Lorenzo was an old friend of his, he didn't want him to become a target.

Dock's house was picked as the meeting spot for the men. He was the only one who owned a house that was a three-story. They took up their planning in his mancave. The men all sat around at the table with the poison of their choice. There was a bar with a variety of alcohol on the layout. Malcolm sat in his seat with a glass of whisky in his hand. He held a nonchalant expression on his face as he sat there listening to the men around him.

"You know..." Dean trailed off while shaking his head. "I don't fuck with Lorenzo like that, but that shit is fucked up."

"Yo..." Ryder drawled, "Who that lil' nigga got beef with?"

Dean scoffed and said, "Probably a lot of people. He can't seem to keep his mouth shut."

Dean had no clue of Malcolm's moves. He didn't know that his cousin killed Nieko. He also didn't know that Malcolm was after Nieko's kin, Catcher.

"Catcher is behind this shit." Malcolm spoke up, clearing his throat afterwards. The group of men quickly placed their attention on him. Everybody looked confused, except for Ryder.

"Who is that?" Dean questioned as he sat up.

"Some boasting ass nigga." Ryder spoke while doing a chin gesture at Malcolm. "He's been doing a lot of talking about Malcolm."

"Does this explain the carving on Lorenzo's side?"

Dock raised his eyebrows as he placed his glass down. He looked over at Dean and said, "carving?"

"It was a letter C on his side." Dean continued.

"Damn." Ryder cursed.

Only Dean and Malcolm knew about the carving. Hearing the new evidence had both Dock and Ryder in shock. They sat there in their chairs, processing the evidence.

"That's him." Ryder replied coolly.

"I know his pops, we used to work together." Dock blurted out, thinking about Catcher and his father who was now deceased.

"So, wha-what I mean..." Ryder trailed off, obviously tongue-tied as he lifted his hands. "What are we going to do about this shit? We just can't let that nigga get away with it."

Dock squinted his eyes and said, "We need more information." The older man grabbed his glass and brought it up to his lips. Before he could drink it, he pulled back and finished his sentence. "Before we make any moves."

"What more information do we need?" Malcolm spoke up as he looked over at his uncle. "I know that he is the one behind this shit." He noticed the quietness and touched his beard. "And I also know that he has support behind him."

"Support?" Ryder reiterated curiously.

"Support as in Seema, she was at Newts too."

"How is all of this shit connecting?" Dean asked ignorantly. "She could've just been there to watch the fight like you."

"I know what the fuck I'm talking about." Malcolm replied calmly. "All of this shit does connect." He looked off while thinking about the previous moves he'd made. "Seema wanted me to handle Nieko because she claimed she was afraid of him talking to the law, so I handled him. Somehow, she's connected to Catcher and she told him that I killed Nieko. Now he wants his revenge." Malcolm stated as he parted his lips to speak once again. "He saw me at Newts...that's why he carved that letter on Renzo."

"Fuck, man. You shouldn't have trusted that bitch." Dock scolded his nephew with a scowl etched on his face. "She got you in this bullshit and don't forget that the law is still trying to find that nigga's murder."

"I know...I fucked up." Malcolm replied, taking responsibilities. He was being honest with everyone at the table. Dock and Dean were blind to his barbarous behavior. They had no idea that he was the one who killed Nieko.

"So... what are we going to do about this shit?" Dock asked. "Because, they won't stop until they get to you. Some of your men are dead because of them-Ryder got shot because of them. How can we handle this shit?"

"I'm ready to kill that bitch." Ryder spat with a frown on his face. Revenge was on his mind; he wanted both Seema and Catcher handled.

"Nah, that bitch is heavily protected. We can't get to her like that." Malcolm objected while shaking his head. "She has an army of guards with her at certain times. I just need to speak with Lorenzo first. I need to know his connection with the both of them."

Ryder scoffed while shaking his head. His nostrils flared in irritation because of Malcolm's reply.

"What you need to do is calm your ass down. I don't want you trying to ambush her, Ryder. You won't win doing it your way." Malcolm stressed to his friend. "Just...stay cool and keep your head straight, man. For the sake of Hope and Haven."

Ryder looked over at Malcolm. He didn't reply verbally, he only nodded his head. Suddenly, the sound of the door opening caught their attention. All eyes went on Micah who walked in with a smirk on his face, but no one seemed to be entertained by it.

"You walkin' in late with a fucking smirk on your face?" Malcolm questioned him seriously as he sat in the chair. "Nothing is funny, yo."

Micah twisted his baby dreads as he closed the door behind him with his empty hand. He walked further in the room and lifted both hands, "Ya'll done with the meeting?"

"Yeah." Ryder answered simply. "Where you been, man?"

"I caught up..." Micah trailed off.

"In what-June?" Malcolm blasted him with a frown.

Dock set his glass down and said, "ah shit."

The sudden outburst caught Micah by surprise. He looked over at Malcolm because he didn't understand how his boy found out about him fucking with June. They both agreed to keep their relationship on the hush.

He chuckled to play it off and followed by saying, "The fuck you talkin' about, man?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Malcolm muttered seriously. "You've been messing with my sister for three months. Now, that's real fucked up, yo. I would never do no shit like that to you. I've been around your sister and I never thought about making a move on her."

"Why you on my case, man?" Micah questioned him smartly. "You all upset and shit."

"I'm on your case because I don't like the relationship you have with my sister." Malcolm responded as he eyed the guy.

Micah eyed Malcolm with narrowed eyes. "And I don't like the relationship you got with that crackhead." He jibed with a shrug. "But I can't tell you to stop fucking her and kick her ass out of your apartment."

Malcolm didn't respond this time to Micah's smart reply. Instead, he hopped up from the table and immediately pounced on Micah as if he was his prey. He wasted no time throwing a left hook that connected with Micah's jaw.

The men ran over to separate them since Micah returned the jab as well. Both men were throwing connected punches instead of trying to grab each other.

"Stop it, now!" Dock yelled as he watched both Dean and Ryder tried to hold each man back. Once separated, they decided to take the time to catch their breath.

Malcolm pushed Ryder off him and said, "I'm good man, I'm good."

He wasn't good, at all. Micah's smart response really did get to him. He didn't like it when people tried judging Jersey about her past. Hearing Micah spit those words out just made him want to rearrange his face.

He looked over at Micah who was busy moving his mouth around and pressing on his jaw.

_____________________________

After picking up her medicine, Jersey decided to go to the apartment and relax. She took a quick shower, threw on some clothes, and jumped right on the couch with piles of paperwork. She ran her right hand through her thick curls as she tried to think of a simpler method.

After tallying and putting each child in their correct tutoring class, she was left with only six kids. Still, it was difficult for her to keep up with them. The children had specific curriculum that she would have to go over herself. Honestly, she wasn't prepared for the upcoming week. She needed an affordable laptop to keep up with everything.

Suddenly, the door opened, grabbing her attention. Jersey looked over at Malcolm who was busy locking the door behind himself. He didn't bother to speak and the look on his face expressed his sour mood. She examined him closely and noticed a bruise that covered the side of his face.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Jersey questioned him in concern as she knitted her brows together.

"...I'm good."

Jersey traveled to him and eyed his face. From her close view, she could tell that the bruise was swollen. "But you don't look okay. You have a bruise on your face...it-it's swollen."

She tried touching it, but Malcolm sighed while moving her hand. He walked away and said, "I told you I was good."

"Malcolm..." Jersey trailed off, following behind him. She knew that something had to happen, and he was being stubborn about it. She touched his side and jumped right in front of him, preventing him from walking further.

Malcolm stood there leaning his head to the side. He glared at Jersey, trying to intimidate her. Unfortunately, his gallant act didn't scare her off this time. She grabbed his empty hand, trying to clasp it with her small hand. He wouldn't latch his over hers. Stubborn.

"Sit down on the couch..." She trailed off while giving him a stern look. "Now."

Malcolm licked his bottom lip as he stood there stubbornly. Eventually, he nodded his head and made his way to the couch. He dropped down while running his hand over his head.

"I don't have time for this shit, Jersey." He claimed with such exhaustion. "I have too much on my mind."

It took her a minute to respond since she was busy in the kitchen. Malcolm frowned as he continued to listen to her active noise. The drawers and cabinets slammed repetitively.

"The fuck is she doing?" He whispered to himself as he looked over at the pile of paperwork on the coffee table.

"I'm only trying to help you." Jersey stated, making her way into the living room. Malcolm noticed a Ziplock bag filled with ice. He shook his head while looking at her.

"You don't have to do that."

"But I want to, you're hurt." She claimed while nearing him.

"Jersey, it's only a lil' bruise. I'll be fine, I can shake this shit off."

Instead of listening to his orders, she ignored him and pressed the cold bag to the side of his jaw. Malcolm took in a deep breath as he winced from the frigid object.

"I just want you to be okay. This bruise may look like an ordinary minor injury to you, but it could worst-like a hematoma or something."

Malcolm didn't say anything, he sat there and watched her closely. His thick brows were furrowed, as if he didn't understand what she meant. Jersey noticed his expression and decided to clarify herself.

"Hematoma, you know-it's when a person suffers from blunt trauma. The blood vessels are then damaged and that's not good at all. You could be hemorrhaging." She continued while pulling the Ziplock back to look at his bruise once again.

"Yo..." Malcolm trailed off while shaking his head. "You tripping. Calm your ass down-it's just a bruise."

"Hold you head still." She demanded while pushing her body against him. She was so close that Malcolm could both observe and smell her. She stood against him wearing a white tank top that showed off her brown nipples, black shorts, and a pair of slippers on her feet. Malcolm inhaled her soft fragrance that smelled like the soap she used to shower with. Her long legs were moisturized, shimmering, and smelling like her lotion. Pearberry Shea.

"What happened-wait never mind. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She stammered with her words as she looked off.

"I had a fight with Micah."

Jersey froze for a moment; she eventually placed her eyes on Malcolm as she raised her eyebrows. She was in total shock to hear that he fought his friend.

"Why did you two have a fight?"

Malcolm's motive to fight Micah was about her-June was in the mix too. However, he didn't plan on putting his hands on Micah about his sister. As Micah stated earlier, June was grown and she was going to do whatever she wanted, with or without Malcolm's approval.

"Over some shit about June..." He replied, looking off. "What pissed me off the most is that we had a meeting today and he showed up late and shit."

"Oh..." Jersey trailed off. "What about June?" She probed.

"He's fucking her," Malcolm responded simply with a shrug.

Jersey, however, was surprised to hear him say that. She wasn't expecting it at all. Then again, both Micah and June had something in common-they hated Jersey.

"Wait a minute-June has been messing with Micah?" She tried to mask her smirk since she knew he was upset. "Really?"

Malcolm only nodded his head as he kept a subtle expression. She noticed the serious look and calmed herself down. While pressing the ice against his cheek, she said, "I don't care for him..." She informed him. "This should be a sign or something for you."

Malcolm didn't want to talk about Micah anymore. Instead, he decided to switch up the subject. "You remember the guy that I helped get a ride back at the bar that night?"

Jersey thought about the night she rode with Malcolm to check on his friend. She could remember the man vividly. He was a tad bit shorter than Malcolm, a little scrawny with dopey looking eyes. His whole behavior spook Jersey out, which is why she wrinkled her nose up in disgust when Malcolm mentioned him.

"I remember him." She sneered. "The drunk one who couldn't stop feeding me with his goofy compliments."

"That's him. He's an old friend of mine-from my old neighborhood." Malcolm explained as he touched his jaw. "Somebody fucked him up and dropped him off in front of my bar."

Jersey's mouth parted as she pulled her hand back. Hearing the news of Lorenzo's misfortune made her feel bad, instantly. She examined Malcolm who didn't hold an ounce of expression on his face.

"Is he okay?"

"He's alive and at the hospital, that's all I know. I haven't seen him."

"Oh." She replied while holding the cold bag in her hand.

He tossed his hand over at the pile of paper on the table and said, "what's all of this?"

"Oh." Jersey looked over at the papers and said, "My paperwork for Givin' Back." She answered while blowing out some air.

"Tidy your shit up." Malcolm demanded softly. "You can lose all of it by keeping it out in the open. Don't forget about Ivy-she'll chew it up."

"I was about to, but you came in here with your face all bruised up." Jersey admitted while collecting her clutter. "I have to figure out a better method. My students require specific curriculums and I can't keep track by pen and paper." She complained.

"You need a laptop or something?"

"Yes." She answered honestly. "A cheap one, but I was going to ask you if I could use your iMac?"

"Nah." He objected with a headshake. "I work on that computer. I'll get Candace to bring you a laptop out here tomorrow morning."

Jersey just nodded her head as she placed her pile of work on the table in a neat stack. She raised up and placed her attention on Malcolm who was busy typing away on his work phone.

"So, are you feeling better?" She asked.

Malcolm touched his jaw and said, "I'm good, jaw still tender though." He managed to swoop Jersey into his embrace. She found herself sitting on his lap. Gently, he ran his hand down her backside while looking at her with a come-hither expression. Jersey's eyes were drunkenly low as she sipped on his warm embrace.

Malcolm looked at her with his honey brown eyes. She couldn't help but to be hypnotized by his green irises. He was such a mysterious creature and she couldn't help but to explore every part of him. Malcolm traced her lips his thumb before pulling her in and pressing his lips against hers.

Jersey's chest rose as she gave in and kissed him back. Her stomach buckled as butterflies began swarming around, due to the passionate ambience she was in.

Malcolm never tried to take the kissing to next level. In fact, he pulled back and watched her for a minute. Jersey touched her lips as she eased her eyes on him as well. Him staring at her intensely made her feel nervous, so she decided to speak up.

"What's wrong?"

He looked at her again and dropped his eyes on her pebbled nipples. She was indeed aroused, and he couldn't wait to help her out. Malcolm felt like sex could definitely put him in a better mood.

"You've been asking me questions..." He spoke lowly while running his hands up and down her waist. She couldn't help but to shiver under his touch. "I want to know how your day went. How was your psychiatrist appointment?"

Jersey was surprised to hear him say that. Malcolm never asked her about her day, at all. He would just speak and keep it on moving. She assumed he wasn't the type of person to ask those kinds of questions. However, he'd fooled her, yet again.

"Um..." She trailed off with a small smile. "It was okay. Doctor Nguyen is a great psychiatrist, but she did complain about my lack of communication. She wants me to talk more about my problems-other than the medicine and the symptoms I'm having."

"Hmmm..." Malcolm hummed. His deep voice made Jersey's breathing increase. She loved how raspy and deep his tone was. It turned her on-sexually. Whenever he gave her oral, he would hum and suck on her clitoris, causing her to cum instantly. His smooth and soothing voice was dangerously magnificent. "Talk to her more...she's your psychiatrist." He trailed off, looking towards the ceiling. "Just watch what you tell her."

"I know." Jersey sighed, "But she's recommending me to this psychotherapist-Dr. Flores. She says I need it."

Malcolm looked over at her and asked, "You gone go?"

"If it's for the best." Jersey shrugged her shoulders.

"Then go, better yourself."

Jersey nodded her head as she looked off. Suddenly, an idea hatched in her brain. She looked over at Malcolm and remembered the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings that clinic held on Wednesday nights. She wanted to let him know about it since he was in need of some help.

"You know..." She trailed off as she parted her thick lips to continue. "The clinic where I go for my psychiatrist appointments hold Alcoholics Anonymous meetings on Wednesday nights." She informed him sweetly.

Jersey noticed the frown forming on his face. He licked his lips as he eyed her as if he couldn't believe she had said such words in front of him.

"So." He remarked.

"I... thought it would be helpful to you. I mean-you've been drinking so much lately, and I worry about you." Jersey replied with nervousness. The look on his face was deadly.

Malcolm wrinkled his nose in disgust as he watched Jersey. She felt the burning glare and decided to speak to him again. This was not the reaction she thought she would get.

"I just-"

"Get up." He demanded calmly while tossing her a frosty look.

"I didn't mean it like that, I just want you to be safe." She continued, trying to explain her reason.

"Get the fuck off me, yo." He cursed while pushing her a little. Jersey's mouth dropped as she sat there flabbergasted. She didn't understand why Malcolm's mood had changed that quick. She removed herself from his lap and watched as he shot up from the couch, fixing his clothes. Malcolm looked over at her with his cruel glare. He pointed his finger at her and said, "Mind your fucking business."

Jersey watched as he snatched up his things and went right out the door. She wrapped her arms around herself as she thought about what just happened.

_____________________________

Ding!

As soon as the doors slid open, Malcolm stepped off the elevator. He looked around the busy hallways of the hospital, trying his best to go in the right direction. After looking at the different signs, he cut the corner and was soon introduced to some rooms with assigned numbers.

392...392...392

Found it!

Malcolm found the room he was searching for. He stood there for a moment, staring at the wooden door that was plain and not decorated-unlike some of the others on the same floor. He placed his hand on the doorknob and managed to push the door open.

Malcolm looked around and noticed that Lorenzo was lying in the hospital bed. A bluish blanket covered his lower half, protecting him from the cold air. Malcolm assumed he would be asleep or maybe hooked to many machines. Instead, he noticed his old friend flipping through the channels with the remote. When he noticed Malcolm, he nodded his head with a nonchalant look on his face.

"Come in, man. Don't just stand there." Lorenzo pressured as he used his strength to push the rolling table on the side. He'd just finished his meal and dessert brought it by his nurse. Malcolm noticed the slight slurring tone, which meant he was probably doped up on narcotics.

Reluctantly, Malcolm walked further inside the room and allowed the door to close behind him. He neared him while checking the room out. Lorenzo was by himself; no one was with him at the hospital.

"It's good to see you up." Malcolm stated as he nodded his head. "How are you feeling?"

Lorenzo looked around before placing his attention on Malcolm. "A lot better...than I was before." He narrowed his eyes as he studied Malcolm's face. "What happened to you?"

"Fist fight, it's nothing really."

"You tough as hell, man." Lorenzo commented.

Malcolm breathed in deeply as he took a seat. He clasped his hands together while observing Lorenzo and his bruised face. His left eye was swollen shut, he had a thick knot on his bottom lip, while he sported purple bruises all over his brown face.

"Some detectives were here earlier." Lorenzo continued. "Asking questions and shit. I didn't talk."

"What happened?" Malcolm asked as his brows knitted together in suspense.

"Shit..." Lorenzo cursed as he shook his head. "I don't remember too much."

Malcolm could tell he was lying. He knew that his boy was holding out. Lorenzo looked fearful as he fidgeted with his hands. He was afraid of telling Malcolm since he knew that it was a possibility he would be in danger.

"The truth...I need the truth, Renzo." Malcolm badgered him. He knew the suspects behind Lorenzo's beating. He just wanted to make sure he was able to get Lorenzo's perspective.

Lorenzo sighed while shaking his head. He looked over at Malcolm and said, "Some woman named Seema. Sh-she had me beaten."

Just like Malcolm suspected, Seema had something to do with Lorenzo's injury. He leaned his head to the side and said, "Seema...I know her. How did you get caught up with her?"

"At work..." Lorenzo trailed off. "I was out working on the ground and she just so happened to show up and talk to me-with armed men."

"What was the conversation about?"

Lorenzo shrugged and said, "She just asked about my skills as a construction worker. She claimed she was looking for a team to build her business. She offered me a position, saying she'll pay me more than what Wilson is paying me."

Malcolm just dropped his head and rubbed his temples.

"I told her I would think about it. So, she invited me to this restaurant to talk more business." Lorenzo continued. "After a while of thinking, I decided to go. Malcolm, I didn't think about any consequences, I just wanted the money. When I arrived, her and some other man were there along with the same armed men. We had a lot of drinks and...if I can remember, they tried to get information out of me about you. I ran around their questions...not answering them, so they got serious and... started beating my ass."

Malcolm couldn't speak, he was too upset. He didn't like what happened to Lorenzo. He had nothing to do with the situation.

"A-and the guy who was with her, he cut me on my side." Lorenzo ranted as he leaned over and tried pulling his gown up. Malcolm stopped him and said, "I heard about it."

Lorenzo settled down and let out a deep breath. "I was so scared because...I was supposed to be dead."

"I didn't mean for this shit to happen, Renz." Malcolm spoke, feeling the one to blame. "This shit had nothing to do with you." He placed his eyes on Lorenzo and watched as he prepared to speak.

"I don't blame you for this." Lorenzo spoke.

Malcolm's Bar was being watched and he knew that. Lorenzo had made himself a regular there and so, they picked him as their target. They figured he would give them some useful evidence that would bring Malcolm down.

Suddenly, the door opened and caused them to look over. Malcolm noticed that it was the same woman from the church. Pastor Allen's wife and Lorenzo's stepmother. Tanya. Abruptly, she stopped in her steps and darted her eyes over at Lorenzo before placing them on Malcolm. She gripped her cup of coffee tightly while managing to balance her purse that was nestled in the crook of her arm.

Instead of saying anything, she just looked outside of the room and walked out. Lorenzo already knew what Tanya was about to do. He looked over at Malcolm and said, "It's always some shit with her, yo."

Malcolm looked over with a curious, yet hardened expression. Before he could reply to Lorenzo's random outburst, he noticed Pastor Eric Allen making his way into the room. He had traded in his formal suit for a Nike jogging suit. He made sure to keep his watch on his left wrist and he smelled like he'd drown himself in sandalwood cologne.

The smell made Malcolm nauseous.

Eric placed his attention on Malcolm as he walked inside with his wife, Tanya, right behind him. The old man held a tight expression on his face as he considered his words carefully before speaking. He didn't want to say the wrong thing. Not because of Malcolm's reputation. He wanted to keep his modesty.

"You shouldn't be here." He spoke, finally while looking over at Lorenzo. "My son is in terrible shape."

Malcolm placed his eyes on Lorenzo for a quick second. He didn't speak at all, but he did manage to drop his head. Eventually, Malcolm stood up while placing his eyes back on the pastor who made sure to keep a frosty glare on him.

"I just wanted to check on him, that's all." Malcolm responded coolly. From what he could understand, him and Eric were on a cool level. He had no hard feelings towards the man, even though he told Lorenzo where Frieda's house was located.

"Hold this baby." Eric didn't give his wife time to make a decision. He pushed his cup of tea into her hand as he opened the door and placed his attention back on Malcolm. "Let's have a little talk."

Malcolm casted him a curious glance before walking. His mind wondered as he walked outside into the cold hallway. Eric made sure to close the door behind himself as he clasped his hands together.

"Why are you here?"

"I just told you why I'm here." Malcolm replied as he leaned on the wall.

Eric narrowed his eyes and said, "I want the truth. I know you're not just here to check on my son. You got him in some trouble with some ruthless people."

"And how you figure that out, pastor?" Malcolm asked curiously.

"Because I know you..." Eric trailed off as he neared the young man. "You walk around here, got people praising you like you're God. You're connected to powerful people who don't mean the world no good."

How does he know that? Malcolm asked himself as he stood there nonchalantly. Perhaps, the pastor has been researching him. Or maybe he's one of them.

Malcolm shook his head and said, "I still don't understand, man. What does any of this have to do with me seeing Lorenzo?"

"Humph." Eric scoffed as he looked around, making sure no one was close by to eavesdrop. "I know what you do. I know that you're trafficking drugs, killing innocent people, and getting away with it."

Malcolm couldn't help but to smirk as he touched the back of his neck. He found it funny how Eric was trying to call him out. Instead of arguing with the elder, he just stood there coolly.

Eric pointed his finger at him and said, "You're the devil and the devil has tricked my son. The devil introduced my son to his bar and now the devil has my son hooked on alcohol."

That statement stung Malcolm a little. He was the one who introduced Lorenzo to alcohol. When his old friend first arrived at his bar, he offered him a Moscow. Lorenzo hissed at the burning liquid, but he eventually grew accustomed to it.

"I didn't put the glass to your son's lips." He shrugged his shoulders.

Eric scoffed and said, "I don't believe you." He looked Malcolm up and down in disgust, "That bar of yours need to be torn down. A lot of people have died in there-because of you."

Malcolm shook his head, not knowing how to address the man. He pushed himself off the wall and stood up straight, only towering over Eric's five-nine height. Malcolm buried his hands into his pockets as he eyed the old man. He wasn't stupid, he knew that Eric wanted to tear down the whole block. He picked up on the old man's energy and motive.

"Look man, I didn't come out here for this." Malcolm snapped as his nose flared. "For you to disrespect me."

"Well I did." Eric jibed. "And let me tell you something else. You better stay away from my son and I mean it. If you don't..." He trailed off, not saying anything else.

Malcolm gave him the once over while walking away. He didn't want to stand there any longer. Visions of his fist impelling the pastor's head over and over had him hyped. He was close to making the mental visual come to life.

"That bar of yours will be gone!" Eric finished as he raised his voice.

Suddenly, Malcolm's stride slowed down as he turned around and looked over at Eric with those piercing eyes. That look-the specific look made Eric shudder in a horrendous way. He didn't notice Malcolm's facial expression before since he didn't wear this specific one.

"Try me..." Malcolm stated as he walked away. He didn't have to say much for Eric to get the picture. If he wanted war, then he would get just that. It wouldn't take him long to dig up dirt on the pastor. He could ruin his life and reputation if he wanted to.

_____________________________

Later that day, Malcolm found himself walking into the apartment. He treaded to come since he knew he had to face another situation. He sighed tiredly as he past the first room, where his office was located. Earlier, he ended up spazzing out on Jersey and now he had to fix his mistake.

He didn't mean to snap on her like that. Malcolm had a lot of shit on his plate already and her trying to address his alcohol problem made him flip out. It was the only thing that could soothe him-besides her. Alcohol was his number one go to whenever he had too much shit going on around him.

When he walked into the room, he noticed that Jersey was knocked out with Ivy who had raised up. She looked over at Malcolm, but she didn't jump up and run to him. Malcolm frowned a little-that was unusual. Usually, Ivy would be hyped to see him.

Instead of addressing it, he just looked over at Jersey who was buried under the blankets. Judging from the cold apartment, he knew she was all bundled up and warm.

He trailed to the bathroom and immediately stripped free of his clothes. Malcolm turned on the shower and didn't waste any time jumping in. He allowed the water to cascade down his muscular body, washing the day away. After cleaning himself thoroughly, he dried off and made his out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Ivy?" He called out, looking around for his dog. She wasn't in the room anymore, which had him searching for her. Simultaneously, he opened his drawer and pulled out a pair of boxers to wear to bed. After putting them on, he started a search for Ivy.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he realized she was on the couch-wrapped up in her blanket. Malcolm furrowed his brows as he watched her closely, he didn't understand why she was in there. Instead of bothering her, he just made his way into the room and cracked the door.

Malcolm climbed in bed and immediately traveled to Jersey's side. He snaked his arm around her waist. He pushed his nose into her curly coils and eventually trailed down to her neck. She smelled great-from her coiled locks to her dark brown skin. It was a mixture of floral and amber scents.

Last night, he'd spoke from his heart. Malcolm did have feelings for Jersey. They weren't just any regular old feelings, like a small crush because you found someone attractive. It was much deeper for him.

Malcolm thought about Jersey all day, he wondered what she was doing and what was on her mind. He grew high from looking and touching on her. He didn't even want people talking about her in a negative way-his ill temper couldn't take it. He liked conversing with her. She knew how to carry a conversation. And let's not forget about the sex. The sex wasn't over the top spontaneous, but it meant a lot to Malcolm. Whenever he connected with her, the shit was just different from the other women he'd slept with. It was like...fireworks with Jersey. The pleasure was always great and for some reason, she was addicting. Her slim body was addictive to taste, suck, and lick. Those kissable lips wrapped around his dick made his toes curl, and the way she rode him seductively while lubricating his thick rod with her natural secretions. He was falling hard for her and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm sorry." He blurted out as he laid there, spooning under her. He didn't say anything for a minute since he was trying to process his apology. Malcolm was not the type of man to apologize. He didn't do that often-especially to a woman he was fucking.

Jersey didn't say anything. She wasn't really asleep; she was only laying there. When Malcolm walked in, she woke up.

"I mean..." Malcolm trailed off while sighing. His beard tickling her neck as laid under her. "I should have never spazzed out on you like that. You didn't deserve it. I should've handled the situation better. It seems like all I've been doing lately is fucking shit up."

Eventually, Jersey turned around and looked at him. She held a nonchalant expression on her face as she eyed him closely. A subtle look etched across Malcolm's face as he stared back at her. He grabbed her hand that was relaxing on her stomach.

"I just want you to be patient with me." He continued, noticing the serious expression on her face. Jersey didn't look like she bought his little apology.

Instead of addressing it, he just leaned over and kissed her on the lips. She didn't kiss him back. Instead, she just pressed her hand against his shoulder since he was trying to raise over her. She knew he was trying to have sex and she wasn't in the mood for it.

"No. I'm not in the mood." Jersey muttered in a low tone as she pushed him away. Malcolm furrowed his brows as he laid back in his spot. He watched as Jersey turned on her side and pulled the blanket over her body.

_____________________________

The disrespect wasn't something Jersey wouldn't tolerate. She had already been in an abusive relationship before. Malcolm's reaction to her suggestion had her shook, yet cautious. His little apology did seem genuine, but she wasn't buying it all. Simply because Quintin did the same shit-only he gave her a black eye.

After leaving her old boyfriend, Jersey promised that she would treat herself better. She didn't want to feed poison to her body anymore. Therefore, the drugs and the toxic men were gone.

Bzz! Bzz!

The buzzing noise caused Jersey to avert her attention to her phone. She noticed a text message from her brother, Laurence. A small smile appeared on her face as she opened his text. Hearing his voice, the other day was...refreshing yet, nerve-wracking. Jersey didn't know what to expect as she held the ringing phone up to her ear. She hadn't heard her brother's voice since he was a little kid. As soon as he answered she grew emotional over the phone. She stayed quiet for a while as he continued to speak into the phone. Eventually, she sucked up her tears and answered before he could hang up.

Pushing away her thoughts, Jersey read over the message he'd sent. Her eyes widened in shock when she noticed it was a picture message. Her brother was leaning on a car, throwing up some sign she wasn't aware of. Other than that, he looked great and dressed neat. He wore a white shirt with some jeans that sagged a little and a pair of all white Nikes.

Laurence hair was long and curly-unexpectedly. He sported long plaits-braided neatly with a nice, tapered line. He had little facial hair-not much. Laurence was a shade lighter than his sister. And from the picture he sent, he was taller-approximately, 5-11.

"My baby brother..." Jersey trailed off, covering her mouth. She closed her eyes, trying to make sure she was really seeing him. When she opened them, his picture was still there. She tapped on the blank space and began to send him a message. Her thumbs worked overtime as she typed away.

You're so grown up and handsome now. I can't wait to see you in person. Jersey

Shoot me a picture, I want to see you. Preach

Jersey shook her head as she exited out of the messages. She didn't take pictures on the daily, but she was photogenic. She had a secret Snapchat where she would take pictures and save them to her phone, for her own personal viewings. Jersey didn't have social media accounts-simply because she just couldn't vibe with it. However, Kelli and Vena were always on social media. They were on Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter.

She went straight to her photos to pick out an appropriate picture to send her brother. As she scrolled down her gallery with her thumb, another message popped up.

You read my message and didn't reply. I want my picture. Preach

She smirked while quickly replying back to him. Her thumbs worked quickly.

I'm trying to send it now. Jersey

Jersey continued her searching until she ran up on a nice selfie of herself. It was from her date she had with Sean. She plastered a smile on her face as she examined the photo cautiously. She looked gorgeous-like a piece of artwork.

Jersey's exaggerated features made her look like a Bratz's doll. In the picture, she made a serious, yet pouty expression. Her makeup looked magnificent and her hair had thick, defined curls sprouting all over her head.

Another message did come through, but it wasn't from Preach. Jersey noticed that Candace had texted her, letting her know that she was parked outside and ready to pick her up.

_____________________________

"This feels sooo good." Alesha commented as she looked over at Jersey with a smile on her face. Jersey looked over and watched the Asian man who was busy massaging Alesha's legs. Jersey couldn't help but to smile back since she was getting the same treatment.

After a long shift at the library, the girls decided to go and get pampered. Well, Alesha actually broke one of her nails trying to carry some heavy books earlier. She ranted the whole day since she'd just went and got them done. In order to shut her up, Jersey suggested they both go and get the whole package.

"It does." Jersey concurred as she looked over at the Asian woman who was busy lathering some jelly-liked substance on her legs. It had a great, fruity smell that lingered in the air.

While sitting in the chair, Jersey decided to scroll through her phone. She was on Gmail looking at her unread emails. She looked at some of the unimportant mail and kept it moving. However, her finger stopped once she laid eyes on the email sent from Radhika. Jersey opened the email and read it carefully, not wanting to miss anything.

Radhika sent Jersey her schedule. While reading, Jersey learned that she would have to work all week-working in the morning. She raised her eyebrows while exiting out of her email.

"What's wrong with you?" Alesha questioned her as she studied Jersey who wore a look of confusion on her face.

"Radhika sent me my work schedule for Givin' Back."

"Oh yeah, so how are the hours?"

Jersey shook her head and said, "From nine to five."

"Sounds like a time conflict to me." Alesha stated with calmness.

"It is. I don't know how I'm going to deal with it. I mean-I have to be at the library around that time."

"See!" Alesha bellowed out as she leaned over with her face distorted. She knitted her brows as her glossed lips parted. "I knew it. You're going to quit working at the library."

Jersey shook her head and said, "I don't know..." She wasn't quite sure on what she wanted to do. She was expected to show up at the tutoring center tomorrow and she didn't want to leave them hanging.

"Wait a minute." Alesha called out, briefly closing her eyes. "I'm being selfish," she looked over at Jersey and said, "I can't say that. Jersey, do what makes you happy."

"I'll try to keep both." Jersey assured her with a head nod. She didn't want to leave Alesha by herself at the library, but she needed to grow. Alesha had a good position at the library, she made more than Jersey. She didn't have to worry about much.

"No, no, no that's impossible to do..." Alesha objected with a wave of her hand. "You should just do that job-full time. I know the benefits are crazy. I heard Givin' Back pays well, really well."

Jersey raised her eyebrows in agreement. She didn't tell Alesha her hourly pay because it wasn't Alesha's business.

"They do, but it's my choice to make. I'll think about it." Jersey remarked as she slipped her phone into her bag. She laid back and observed the woman who was busy wrapping her legs. She shut her eyes, finding her quiet place.

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted Jersey's relaxation. She fluttered her eyes open and placed her attention on the slim, yet shapely figure that stood beside her.

The woman held a hardened expression on her face as she stood there holding a plastic cup in her hand. Judging from the name on it, she made a quick stop to grab a smoothie from the juice shop-located next door.

Jersey examined her quickly-she looked comfy and casual, her usual fashion choice. Her long hair was down and reaching below her shoulder blades. She wore a cute jogger set that Jersey assumed was designer-she just didn't know the exact label.

"Well..." The woman trailed off as her eyes traveled everywhere, "it's surprising to see you here."

Jersey leaned her head back and said, "Vena."

"Don't Vena me." Vena replied, waving her off. "I've been calling you and... you haven't been answering."

Jersey just shook her head. She didn't want to deal with Vena and her shenanigans.

"I'm serious." Vena continued as she knitted her freshly threaded brows. "I've been calling you-a lot. Me, you, and Kelli need to sit down and have a serious conversation. It's a lot of shit going on and we need to settle everything."

"I don't want to talk." Jersey remarked. Alesha sat beside her, trying to keep her cool. She wore a subtle expression on her face as she examined her legs.

Vena wrinkled her nose and said, "You don't want to talk?" She reiterated. "We're your best friends, you should want to talk to us."

Jersey didn't look at them as best friends. As of lately, they didn't deserve that title. Her having nowhere to go proved that theory. They didn't try to offer her a place to stay and she was still hurt by it.

Jersey wasn't able to reply due to the interruption that caught her attention. She snatched her attention away from Vena and placed it on the corpulent woman who'd just walked in.

"Jersey! It's nice to see you!" The friendly woman didn't waste any time pulling her into a bear hug. Jersey's mouth flew open from the unexpected invasion. Instead of making a big fuss about it, she just patted the woman on the back and enjoyed the great smell that lingered from her hair.

When she pulled back, Jersey was able to get a good look at her. She cheesed away, showing off her braces. Her chubby face was covered in makeup and she wore her black hair in a styled bun that showed off her laid baby hairs.

"Hey, Sylvia." Jersey spoke while plastering a smile on her face. Sylvia was Vena's annoying and talkative cousin. Whenever she was around, she clung to Jersey. Besides her clinginess, she was a great makeup artist who had her own business. Sylvia was a real boss and her lifestyle showed it. She had a significantly large number of followers on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter-she also uploaded all of her work on Snapchat as well.

"I haven't seen you in a minute." Sylvia continued as she darted her eyes over at Vena who stood there with her lips pursed. "Vena told me you just moved back to Brooklyn. Where were you staying?"

Jersey placed her attention on Vena and narrowed her eyes. She didn't like it when people talked about her when she wasn't around. Eventually, she looked over at Sylvia and said, "I was in Manhattan for a while."

If she asks me why, I'm going to tell her the truth. Kelli, her vacuous boyfriend, and his crackhead friend caused me to get kicked out of the apartment I was living in. Jersey said to herself as she rubbed her arm.

"Nice." Sylvia nodded her head as she held her smirk on her face. "Yeah I've been thinking about moving out there too."

Silence fell upon them as they all looked around awkwardly. Sylvia decided to speak up once again as she poked around the nail polishes that sat on the display. "So, did Vena tell you I'm expecting?"

Jersey raised her eyebrows from the surprise announcement. She had no idea that Sylvia was pregnant. She was always a plus-size woman and she carried a stomach that could hide a pregnancy-no disrespect.

"She didn't, but congratulations." Jersey smiled as she eyed Sylvia who was touching her belly. "I'm happy for you, girl."

"Thank you." Sylvia cheesed. "It's a boy, by the way."

"You would have known if you answered my calls." Vena blurted out as she eyed Jersey with her lips pursed.

Jersey leaned over, drawing close to Vena, "I don't want to talk to you nor Kelli right now. I'm not ready to deal with that situation. I'm not in the mood for it."

"You're not in the mood and yet you're out here getting pampered with your friend or whatever." Vena addressed, tossing her hand over at Alesha who was watching the whole thing.

"This is a different mood, sweetie." Jersey stated with hostility. "I'm out here getting pampered with a friend who genuinely cares about me. I'm stress-free and I'm not dealing with any drama."

Vena jerked her head back and blinked a couple of times. That statement stung her right in the heart. She gaped her mouth as she eyed Jersey for a moment.

"Alright, Jay." Vena nodded her head and placed her attention on Alesha. She narrowed her eyes before speaking. "Hey, Alesha. I didn't mean to ignore you."

"Hey." Alesha muttered.

"Girl, I didn't know you had it in you. You were lit at the party two nights ago." Vena spilled as she looked over at Jersey.

Alesha didn't have a reaction to Vena's outburst. She knew it was coming by the whole conversation she had with Jersey and the way she kept throwing daggers at her. However, she did feel a little embarrassed about the whole situation.

"That's right." Sylvia chimed in as she pointed her manicured finger at Alesha. "You're the one who's dating Robert." Alesha nodded her head and said, "yeah, I am."

"I'm going to call you later on...so uh, answer your phone." Vena told Jersey after taking a sip from her smoothie. She didn't give the woman a chance to reply back. She just tapped her cousin and told her she was heading out. Sylvia told them bye before walking out with Vena.

_____________________________

The drive back to Alesha's house was pretty quiet. Candace made sure to play music-filling the truck with something. Jersey was busy scrolling through her selfies that she'd decided to take this morning. They were cute, but they started looking ugly to her after going through them for the fourth time. She exited out of the photos app and locked her phone. Instantly, her eyes traveled to Alesha who was busy looking at her phone as well.

Jersey parted her lips to speak as she clasped her hands together. "I don't want things to become awkward between us. You know I won't judge you. I mean-it's okay if you're upset with me."

Alesha scoffed and shook her head. She wasn't upset with Jersey at all. Her friend had nothing to do with her crestfallen mood. Alesha was Muslim and yet she was doing unholy things that would be looked down on by her fellow religious friends and family. She was supposed to be dedicated to Allah and yet she was getting drunk and doing other things that wasn't right.

"I'm not upset with you Jersey." Alesha spoke up finally placing her eyes on her. "I'm...upset with myself for...letting this mess get out of hand."

Jersey sat there and listened to Alesha speak as Summer Walker crooned out.

"I can't believe I let everything get so out of hand."

"Alesha, mistakes happen all the time. Don't beat yourself up about it-you're human and you're flesh. You're going to sin sometimes because there's this thing called temptation."

"I changed...for Robert and I don't know if I made the right decision."

Jersey gave her friend the side eye and asked, "what do you mean by change?" Hearing that come from Alesha made her think of so many possibilities that she could be talking about.

Alesha placed her eyes on Candace through the rearview mirror and looked over at Jersey. She leaned over and waved her hand for Jersey to do the same. When she followed her instructions, Alesha whispered in her ear.

"I let him go down on me."

When she pulled back, she noticed the expression on Jersey's face. Her thick lips were gaped as she nodded her head. "Okay." Jersey stated as she raised her eyebrows. "Well...shit happens, you know."

"I know that but I'm regretting it because...I wanted to do things the right way. I wanted to be married first."

"Did y'all go further with the-?"

"No." Alesha responded quickly while shaking her head. "He wanted to but I told him no."

"Then you have nothing to worry about. Just...don't let it happen again. You can still do things the right way-if you want to."

"I do." Alesha gave her a small smile and placed her hand on top of Jersey's. "Thank you so much for listening to me. You're the only person I can talk to."

"I'll always be here for you."

Alesha would remember Jersey saying that.

_____________________________

When Jersey arrived at the apartment, she noticed a group of men at the door. Judging from their uniform and them carrying a heavy box into the apartment, she assumed they were bringing in furniture. Her eyes popped open as she stood to the side and allowed them to do their job.

One of the movers looked up and noticed Jersey waiting to go in. He gave her a head nod as a friendly greeting. "You live here miss?" Jersey only nodded her head as she stood there gripping her bag. He looked over at his co-worker and told him to speed it up since he wanted to make a way for her to walk in.

Once the doorway was cleared, Jersey made her way into the apartment. She blinked a couple of times, noticing the massive clutter that took over the living room. Men walked in and out of the apartment-bringing in furniture while taking some out.

She noticed Malcolm who was busy holding the phone up to his ear. He was casually leaning against his island as he watched everything in front of him. Suddenly, he darted his piercing brown eyes towards Jersey. They stayed there for a while-he didn't want to look away from her. He used his head as a signal, telling her to come by him.

Reluctantly, she did walk into the kitchen area where he was located. He checked her out-again. Eyeing her new set of nails that glammed her slim fingers. Her face didn't have a drop of makeup, but she managed to get her eyebrows cleaned up and saturate her large lips with lip gloss.

"Setup the meeting for tomorrow. I'm free around eleven-thirty. Sounds good man, later." Malcolm ended the call and pulled his Blackberry away from his ear. He looked over at Jersey who had her arms folded as she gazed away. She just stood there chewing on her bottom lip as she watched the men work.

Malcolm grabbed her left arm, breaking her concentration and comfortable stance. She looked over at him, not smiling at all. Still, she was upset with him and he could see that-clearly. He sighed out while leaning over to whisper in her ear. "I told you I was sorry about that shit last night. So why are you still upset about it?"

Jersey pulled back from him and frowned. Malcolm had a lot to learn about her. She'd been a forgivable person all her life. However, she was going to put an end to that. Jersey felt like people didn't take the word 'sorry' serious.

"Because you don't really mean it." She replied back hastily while rolling her eyes.

"What the fuck." Malcolm cursed before licking his lips. "The fuck are you talking about?

Apologizing is rare for me. I did it because I meant it." He continued while looking at her, "I was wrong for doing that to you. You didn't deserve it."

Jersey folded her arms again as she looked elsewhere, not placing her eyes on Malcolm who was still trying to talk to her.

"What you looking at?" He asked, following her gaze. She was looking at the men who were opening the boxes and pulling out furniture parts. Instead of addressing her, he just walked in front of her view. "I'm still talking to you and I expect your full attention."

She pursed her lips while looking up at him. Malcolm managed to place both of his hands on each side of her as he leaned them on the counter.

"Unfold your arms-that's a sign of hostility."

"I am hostile." She remarked and watched as he leaned over and buried his face into her neck. Immediately Jersey tensed up when she felt him peppering kisses on her neck while inhaling her scent. Her eyes blinked a couple of times as she tried to remain calm. Malcolm was behaving so abnormal. She wasn't used to him showing her affection and she definitely wasn't used to him showing her affection around other people. They always kept their business confidential.

"Fuck, Jersey...I'm trying. You know I'm not good at this love shit." He whispered before kissing her ear. Jersey just rolled her eyes as she tried to control her breathing. He pulled back and stood up completely, towering over Jersey once again.

"Why are all of these people here?" She asked.

"I'm turning my office into a room for your brother." Malcolm spoke coolly with a shrug.

Jersey's eyes widened as she looked over Malcolm who had pulled out his iPhone. So much had been going on and she felt stupid for not putting the pieces together. Jersey automatically assumed Malcolm was just buying new furniture. She had no idea that he would turn his office into a room for her brother.

"You really...turned your office into a room for my brother?"

Malcolm pulled away from his phone to look at Jersey. He touched the back of his head and said, "I'm doing it for you and I'm also doing it because your brother is coming way out here to get an education."

"Thank you..." She trailed off, feeling emotional. Malcolm had his problems, but he had some good in him.

"No problem." He replied as he thumbed her lips. "Just stop being mad at me."

Jersey didn't say anything, she just pulled away from him and said, "I need to shower. I'm a little tired."

"Alright." He pulled out a chair and took a seat. "I left something on the bed for you."

She nodded her head while making her way toward the back. Jersey had to wait for the hallway to clear in order to gain access to the backroom. When she arrived inside, she noticed that everything was clean. Ivy was laying in her bed, chewing on her squeaky toy. When she noticed Jersey, she spit the toy out and ran toward her.

"Hey, girl!" Jersey greeted her as she rubbed Ivy's head. Her tail wagged in excitement as she tried to lick Jersey's face. Jersey moved just in time-her smile dropped when she noticed a white box on the bed.

She moved away from Ivy and neared the bed. The white box had a gold MacBook in the middle. Jersey sighed while shaking her head. Malcolm was always going out of the way with buying her things. She knew that voicing it to him wouldn't change it. Instead of making a fuss about it, she just picked up the box and examined it. The MacBook came just in time for her job.

Suddenly, her buzzing phone caused her to turn her attention to it. She rummaged through her purse and pulled out her phone. A smirk crossed her face when she noticed a text message from Sean.

Have you decided on a date for us? Sean.

Jersey tapped her nails on the face of her phone as she contemplated on going on a date with Sean. She didn't know if it would be right. She'd made an agreement with Malcolm to never see Sean again.

_____________________________

"I never meant to make you get upset like that." Jersey spoke lowly as she laid in bed, looking at the television. Malcolm had some show on from Hulu. She didn't know the name of it exactly. He laid beside her, hands behind his head as he watched the show. This was something he didn't get a chance to do since he worked a lot.

"It's my fault." He claimed. "I overreacted and that was wrong."

She sighed while placing her attention on him. "I was only trying to help. Well-I thought I was helping. Lately, you've been drinking too much and... I'm scared for you. Alcohol is just as bad as drugs. I know that for a fact."

Malcolm stayed quiet for a while as he studied Jersey's face. The room was dimmed, but not completely dark due to the television. However, he could make out her face just fine. While examining her, he thought about what she'd just said. Jersey was right-his drinking problem was worse now.

"I don't want to go to an AA meeting." He replied honestly. "That's not something I want to do-not with everybody in my business. Besides, I'm not ready to stop drinking."

Jersey fidgeted with her fingers with the look of disappointment etched across her face. She didn't want him anything bad to happen to him. Hearing that he wouldn't go made her feel...down.

"Well...how about going to a one-one-one therapy session for alcohol addiction?" She suggested while watching him frown. "I just want you to get better-I don't want you to end up hurt over this addiction."

Malcolm sighed and said, "I don't know...just let me think about it."

"Okay." Jersey replied as she raised up and pressed her lips against his. "I like that answer better than no." She continued to kiss on his lips until he pulled away to speak.

"What you doing? You know we have to get up in the morning." He looked over at the clock that set on his nightstand. "It's already two in the morning."

"So." Jersey pushed out as she scooted down and peeled the covers back. "We'll manage." She looked down and noticed that he was only wearing his boxers. He lifted up and helped her removed them swiftly. It didn't take Jersey no time to get started. She wrapped her hand around his dick and stroked him gently. Malcolm licked his lips as he watched her attentively. She looked beautiful under the dimmed light. Her brown frame was slim, yet voluptuous in the right areas. Her toes were smooth and painted white. She eyed him seductively as she licked the head of his rod while expertly stroking him.

He closed his eyes when he felt her warm mouth wrapping around his dick. The sensitive nerves caused him to buck his hips a little from the good feeling. Malcolm opened his eyes once again and watched Jersey moaned softly as she made love to his dick-sucking as much as she could. He watched as she went lower, going right for his balls while jerking his shaft. His watery mouth dropped as he groaned from the good feeling.

"Ahh." He groaned, yet again as she placed all of the attention back on his dick.

She eventually pulled back and stripped out of her shirt. Malcolm watched as her small breast popped out-showing off her hardened nipples. Quickly, Jersey pulled her bottoms off and climbed right on top of Malcolm.

He found her behavior strange. Usually, she didn't make the first move. He was always the one initiating the sex. However, Malcolm didn't sweat it. He just took it as a sign of her getting comfortable around him.

"Aw." Jersey moaned as her lips parted in pleasure. With her feet planted on the bed, she worked her lower half slowly by moving up and down on Malcolm's dick. She bit her lip as she grew wetter with each stroke.

Malcolm reached out and tweaked her chocolate nipples as she started to bounce on him. Her moans grew louder as she enjoyed every inch of him. His brows snapped together in concentration as he watched her intensely. He felt a wave of pleasure hitting him as she rotated around his rod. The sight and the feeling mad him harder as he curled his toes.

"Fuck, keep doing that shit. Just like that." He breathed out, smacking her on the butt. She moaned out while doing as instructed.

Suddenly, she started to see stars as her chest rose and muscles contracted. Jersey threw her head back and whimpered from the rippling orgasm that caused her buck against his dick. She lost some of her energy, which caused her to change her riding position. She was no longer riding on her feet. Malcolm took this as a sign to take over. He gripped her waist as he stroked her deeply. She threw her head back, enjoying the deep, yet fast strokes. Malcolm watched her closely, feeling infatuated.

_____________________________

"I agreed to the meeting with you..." Her eyes lingered over Arthur who stood beside Malcolm. "But I never agreed to a plus one."

Yesterday, Malcolm was able to setup a meeting with Seema. Instead of avoiding the situation, he decided to settle the shit. He didn't understand why she flipped the script on him. She was the one who wanted Nieko dead, she was the one who assumed he was working with her biggest enemy-the law.

Malcolm looked over at Arthur who wore a hardened expression on his face. He wouldn't hesitate to lay Seema out if he had to.

"Wait outside." Malcolm ordered Arthur.

"What?" Arthur looked over at Malcolm with his eyes widened. "Hell no, I'm not leaving you with her."

Seema wore a smirk on her face as she stood there with her arms folded. She narrowed her eyes at Arthur before parting her lips to speak. "I don't plan on causing any harm to Malcolm. If I wanted him hurt or either dead my people would've shot the both of you down when you crossed that line out there."

Arthur stood there fuming as he watched Seema for a few seconds. Eventually, he turned his attention to Malcolm and said, "I'll be back to check on you."

"Do as you must." Seema smiled while waving Arthur goodbye. She placed her attention on Malcolm while clasping her hands together. She looked cute in her black pantsuit and heels. Seema had long weave that looked like she grew it from her own scalp. Her makeup was bold-the red lips complemented her well.

"Now, let's talk." She stated while walking towards the door. Malcolm followed her cautiously as they walked inside. The room was small yet decorated. Pictures and decorative sculptures graced the room. The modern furniture caught Malcolm's attention and the minibar that was filled with alcohol. "Have a seat." She offered while holding her hand out.

Malcolm did as instructed as he continued to look around. For some reason, he felt like he was being watched. He knew that he would have to watch his choice of words.

"You want anything?" Seema asked, "I have scotch-"

"I just want to talk." Malcolm interrupted as he looked at her coolly. "I didn't come here to have a drink with you."

"Alright." She replied in a high-pitched voice while nodding her head. "Let's get right to business then."

Malcolm leaned over as he contemplated on his questions. He didn't want to beat around the bush at all. "What's your connection with Catcher?"

"Catcher?" Seema reiterated.

"The boxer from Newts."

"Oh-him." She pursed her lips and said, "An investment."

"An investment. Is that all?"

"Well..." Seema trailed off. "I've slept with him a few times and that's it."

"Seema." Malcolm stated with authority as his nose flared. He didn't care about her sex life. "I know that you're working with him. You're trying to take me down. I need to understand why the fuck you're doing this?"

Seema didn't speak immediately. She leaned over and poured herself a glass of scotch from her decanter. After pouring a hefty amount, she nursed the glass in her hand and took generous sips from it. Eventually, her eyes did dart over to Malcolm's piercing ones.

"He's my connection." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Your connection?"

"Yes, my connection...to this huge cargo company."

"So, let me get this straight-you betrayed me for a connect."

Seems shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't look at it as betrayal-"

"Shit, you told that nigga that I killed Nieko." Malcolm ranted. "You wanted him dead because you feared he was talking to the feds."

"Because he was talking!" She raised her voice. "And he planned on turning me in-I have the proof."

"You're treacherous." Malcolm stated as he nodded his head. "Not only did you go and betray me, but you're working with Catcher to take me down. I lost some of my best men behind this shit-people are coming up hurt because of you."

Malcolm didn't let her know about Lorenzo. He figured it would be best to keep that to himself. Lorenzo was supposed to be dead-Seema and Catcher made sure he wouldn't live to see another day.

Seema blinked a few times, trying to register what Malcolm had said.

"All I'm saying is..." Malcolm trailed off as he looked her dead in the eyes. "You better figure out a way to end this shit or I will."

Seema was flabbergasted as she eyed Malcolm who seemed to be upset. His authoritative voice and menace behavior had her perplexed. She didn't see him like this often-all upset and ready to destroy.

"Malcolm...I don't take threats lightly." Seema informed him casually as she looked down at her glass. "I understand that you're upset about this situation, but don't you forget who I am."

He leaned over, checking the woman out. "And who are you, exactly?"

"I'm Seema Devoe-owner of Seem. I make shit happen. And if you keep this hostile shit up with me, I'll make that little girlfriend of yours disappear."

Malcolm couldn't help but to wrinkle his nose in anger. He watched the clever smirk etch across Seema face. She knew about Jersey-she had to be talking about Jersey. Her caustic threat caused him to grow alert.

_____________________________

Ryder opened his eyes and looked on the right side of the bed. Hope laid there with a black scarf tied around her curly hair. Her pink lips were puckered as she snored away. She was in a deep slumber and still beautiful to him. He leaned over to kiss her on the lips and made his way out of the bed.

He took a quick piss, washed his hands, and left out of the room. Ryder walked into his daughter's room and immediately frowned. Hope's mom, Penney, was busy cleaning up her up. He touched the back of his head while knocking on the door.

"Yo, what you doing here?"

Penney turned around looked over at Ryder who held a tight frown on his face. He didn't understand why she was here and in his daughter's room.

"Hope called me. She told me she wanted me to get Haven for a few hours, so she can catch up on her sleep."

"She didn't run this information by me." Ryder claimed as he shook his head. His daughter had her eyes opened as she looked around while holding her tiny fists out. "So, Haven isn't going anywhere."

Penney stood up straight to look him directly in the eye. "What? Are you saying that I can't spend time my granddaughter?"

"I'm not saying that at all. I just want a heads up-alright? She's my daughter too and Hope didn't tell me that you were coming over."

"My daughter is with this baby all day and night while you are out doing God knows what. She deserves this break because we all know that you're not going to watch her."

Ryder furrowed his brows; he didn't like the way she was coming at him. He took up a lot of time with his daughter. However, he had a club to manage. He couldn't be at home with Hope and Haven all day-money had to be made.

"I see to my daughter whenever I'm home." Ryder jibed. "I can't be here all day when I have a business to run."

"Yeah, right..." Penney trailed off. She didn't care for Ryder because she knew that he was trouble.

Ryder walked over and gently picked his baby up from the changing table. He watched as she looked up at him with her brown eyes. She gave him a gummy smile and that caused him to lean over and kiss her on the cheek.

"Bring her back by eight o' clock tonight." He looked over at Penney who didn't speak. She just grabbed Haven's diaper bag and held her hands out. Reluctantly, Ryder gave her the baby and watched as they left out. As soon as Penney was gone, he stormed into the room and started with Hope.

"Hope!" Ryder raised his voice. "Yo, get up. We need to talk."

Hope moved around in the bed, stirring in her sleep. She pulled herself up and looked over at Ryder who was leaning against the dresser. He eyed her sternly while fidgeting with his watch that set in the palm of his hand.

"What time is it?" She muttered, sitting up. He watched as she reached over to see the time on her iPhone. Her brows knitted as she looked over at Ryder. "Why are you waking me up?"

"Why the fuck did you tell your moms to come over here and get Haven?" He questioned her with a frown etched on his face.

"Because I need rest." She stressed out while scratching her head. "I have two kids to take care of-its hard on me to do the shit on my own."

"The fuck you talking about-on your own?" He spread his arms and said, "I'm here. I see to my daughter, a lot."

"Only when you're here." She pointed out. "You run that club and do your own thing all day while I'm stuck here with DJ and Haven. I asked my mom if she could take her for a few hours and she said yes."

Ryder scoffed as he leaned his head to the side. He wasn't holding Hope hostage at the apartment. She was the one who wanted to be a full-time mom and stay at home. Before dating Ryder, she worked as a secretary, but now she was unemployed. It was her choice to quit her job after discovering her pregnancy with Haven.

"Just run the shit by me next time. Haven is my baby, too and I don't want your mom just running up in here and taking her." He narrowed his eyes and said, "how did your mom even get into my crib? Where she gets a key from?"

"Me."

"Hell no, Hope." Ryder objected, not feeling the privilege Penney had. She was not about to run in and out of his crib whenever she felt like it. He paid all of the bills; she didn't contribute to shit. "Get my key back. My mama doesn't even have a key."

Hope stood up and sucked her teeth. She stood there looking incredibly comfortable in her graphic shirt and leggings. Her body had toned down after giving birth to Haven. However, she was still a curvy woman. Hope had large breasts, a pudgy stomach, and a wee bit of ass. However, her thighs and legs were naturally toned.

The sound of knocks caused them to divert their attention. He sighed while standing up straight to answer the door. As soon as Hope walked past him, he smacked her on the butt and said, "get my key back." She waved him off and walked right into the bathroom.

When he made it to the door, he looked into the peephole and noticed Malcolm on the other side. He noticed the expression on his face, so he wasted no time opening the door.

"Yo..." Ryder greeted as he stepped back and allowed his boy to walk in.

"What's up, man?" Malcolm replied in a lifeless tone.

"You? Shit, you looking sad."

Malcolm shook his head and said, "shit is crazy right now. Where your family?"

"Hope is in the back. Her moms came and got Haven and DJ with his other people." Ryder replied coolly while taking a seat. Malcolm wasted no time doing the same. "So, what's going on?"

Malcolm touched his head and said, "I talked to Seema."

_____________________________

As expected, Jersey had an important decision to make. She could either go to work at the library or go to Givin' Back. Of course, she chose Given' Back. This was a big opportunity for her, so she took it. Her first day was pretty hectic, but she was still excited about everything.

The supervisor, over the tutoring department, David, had his assistant to show Jersey around the building. She was surprised to see how many offices and elevators Givin' Back had. When they arrived in her room, she examined everything. The room had a considerable size, but it was rather empty and bland. She would have to add her own taste-David's assistant, Melody, already mentioned it.

Eventually, she was left alone to settle in. Since it was her first day, she didn't have to worry about any students coming to her room for tutoring. Jersey only had to worry about planning her curriculum and decorating the room. She spent most of her day inside the office, plundering through the recent English textbooks that she found buried in the storage closet. She was definitely going to put them to use.

While on her lunch break, Jersey ran into some of her co-workers who were in the break room. Like her, some of them were tutors. She was busy grabbing herself a cup of water from the dispenser when one of the women stood beside her. Jersey glanced over and noticed that the woman had grabbed a coffee pod and placed it into the machine.

"I need my coffee." The woman chuckled as she pressed the buttons on the coffee machine. She stood there with her blonde tresses flowing down her back. She was tall, boney, and had a caramel complexion.

Jersey never replied to the woman, she just stood there and gulped down the cold water. She was starting to feel ill, so she figured she needed some water and food to settle her stomach. She'd been confined in her office without consuming anything.

"Are you okay?" The blonde asked again, a look of concern crossed her face. "Oh, I'm sorry...my name is Faith-but are you okay?"

"I just...need to eat something. I'm going to grab a snack from the machine." Jersey replied coolly as she gave Faith a small smile. "I've been in my office all day trying to get everything together."

"You're the newbie." Faith pointed out. "What's your name?"

"Jersey."

"Oh." She smiled while grabbing her paper-hot cup. "David was bragging on you."

Jersey raised her eyebrows; she had no idea that her name would be lingering through Givin' Back this quick. She grew alert, waiting for Faith to finish speaking.

Faith shrugged her shoulders as a smirk tugged her lips. "He just said that you weren't playing during the Givin' Back event. You had a lot of students to sign up, that's good girl."

"Thanks." Jersey smiled, moving to the vending machine. She looked over the items and settled on the bag of chips that seemed appetizing. Going to a local restaurant would be nice, but she wasn't trying to do a lot of walking today. She didn't have the energy.

After putting in her money, she punched in the code and watched as the tasty bag of barbecue chips dropped to the bottom. She bent down to grab the chips and heard Faith speaking.

"I got my coffee, now I'm going back to help my students. I'll see you around." Faith spoke to Jersey, not giving her time to respond. She noticed the lady heading out and starting a conversation with a white woman.

Now Jersey was left alone. Her other coworkers had left break room earlier.

"See you around." Jersey replied sarcastically as she took a seat at the table. She unlocked her phone and scrolled through her notifications. Vena had called and texted her-over the same shit she complained about at the nail salon. Still, Jersey wasn't ready to talk about the situation, so she politely swiped those notifications away until she landed on a message from Sean. He wanted to go on a date, but Jersey had been dodging him. She didn't feel like dealing with him either, so she swiped his message away.

Jersey sighed hard while placing her fist underneath her chin. Curiously, she used her thumb to swipe through her apps until she landed on the specific app. Quickly, she clicked on it and noticed a calendar on the screen.

"Four days late..." She trailed off with her face distorted.

Jersey figured her period would be late since she started taking her birth control pills. However, she didn't feel right. She knew that something was off about her. She made sure to take her birth control every day, but she had a little slip-up with the Plan B. Before getting on the pill, she did take the Plan B past seventy-two hours. She had so much going on; she didn't think about it until later.

"Pssh." She hissed while shaking her head. "The test was negative-I have nothing to worry about." Jersey said to herself while setting her phone down and opening the bag of chips.

Suddenly, she paused and looked off for a minute. "Yeah, I still need to make sure..." She was definitely going to the drug store after work.

Before she could eat her chips, she noticed Malcolm walking inside the room. Her eyes widened with surprised since he looked so handsome. Jersey couldn't help but to notice his thick muscles that bulged from his arms. The long sleeve shirt he wore did him no justice and she couldn't help but to bite down on her bottom lip.

"Don't give me that look." Malcolm told her as he shook his head. "You might just start something."

"I might want to start something." She replied seductively as she watched him. He placed a bag that was filled with plates on the table. "You brought me lunch?"

He nodded his head while rubbing his hands together. "Yeah, I figured you would want something. What you eating on?" Malcolm grabbed the bag of chips and sucked his teeth. "Some stale ass chips, really?"

"I got them out of your vending machine." She explained while making her way towards the sink. "And besides, I don't feel like walking today."

"Why not?" Malcolm questioned her as he eyed her closely.

She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I just didn't feel like it today, that's all."

"Good thing I brought you some lunch." He stated while nearing the sink as well. "Shit, I got myself something too."

"You're having lunch with me?" She questioned him with a smile on her face. She stood there watching him wash his hands. "That's so sweet."

"Nah..." He objected while shaking his head. "I'm just hungry."

She scoffed and couldn't help but to smile afterwards.

The pair made their way to the table and started grabbing their plates. When Jersey opened her plate of food, she gasped. Malcolm had gone out the way and ordered her a plate of Jamaican food. She couldn't help but to stare at the meaty oxtails that graced her plate.

"What's wrong?" Malcolm asked, leaning his head as he unintentionally licked his lips. "You don't eat Jamaican food?"

"I do...its just that it looks so good and so authentic." Jersey looked over at him and said, "Thank you."

Malcolm shrugged his shoulder while filling his mouth with rice and peas. He didn't even try to say you're welcome. That was him-set in his own ways. Jersey grabbed her plastic fork and couldn't help but to think of her many possibilities. She didn't want to be pregnant and she hoped she wasn't. Having a baby wasn't something she wanted.

She looked over at Malcolm and watched as he pulled his fork out of his mouth and dug right into his food.

"We pick up your brother tomorrow, right?" He asked, breaking her thoughts.

Jersey had forgotten all about her brother who was making his arrival tomorrow. Suddenly, a smile appeared on her face as she thought about Preach.

"Yeah."