Page 20 of Grown Folks Confessions: Black Lush

“How are you so sure we didn’t have sex?”

His throaty laughter filled the room, and I felt like a few of his tattoos winked at me. “Trust me, I would have remembered that. And my clothes were on before I removed them, remember?”

Right, he’s naked now. How could I forget what’s under that sheet?“Yeah, that sounds accurate.” Was I disappointed though? Surprisingly, when Ares had been helping me fulfill the assignments from Nevaeh, it hadn’t been awkward at all. We had managed to look like we were married without trying too hard. It didn’t mean that I was immune to his tatted, deep caramel dipped in bronze skin that seemed to glow when the light of my camera had hit him just right. Or that fuckboy or not, I wanted him more than I’d ever admit out loud.

Ever since we were in high school, there’d been something about Ares that I couldn’t ignore. He got on everyone’s nerves back then and we constantly fought. Hell, we still did. Yet, I was drawn to him in a way I was too young to accept years ago. Other than that unforgettable night, things between us had never been really serious.

When Ares would joke around and propose we date on those rare occasions that we got along without debating about something, I used to have to take a deep breath because it really messed with my state of mind. Had a girl thinking she could actually get some of the things she fought so hard not to want and that the king of not-dating was actually wanting something serious.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“Nothing,” I lied, but obviously not a good one based off the way his lips creased into a sexy know-it-all smirk. Luckily, a loud knock at the door disrupted him asking me any more questions.

“No housekeeping!” I yelled, my eyes still on Ares.

Before I knew it, a key was slipped into the door and several people entered.

“Fuck!” Ares exclaimed when three police officers entered our suite.

“What the hell?” I yelled, finding my dress somewhere in the sheets and slipping it on. “We have rights and you can’t barge into people’s rooms.”

“Is this them?” one of the police officers asked, ignoring me.

“Yes, it is,” some short, plump guy wearing a lime green suit replied, coming from behind the cops. “They are the idiots who stole my Lamborghini and charged two-hundred dollars’ worth of food at In and Out Burger to my credit card that was in my vehicle. I guess I should be grateful they didn’t charge this room to it as well!”

It was only then that I noticed the food tossed all around the room and my credit card next to the room key and another card I didn’t recognize.Shit. The last thing I needed was to charge an expensive ass hotel room to the card that was almost tapped out. My heart was beating out of my chest as the officers informed us to quickly get dressed, worried that things could take an even worse turn if we disobeyed in any way.

“I can’t believe this mess,” I mumbled, looking to Ares who didn’t seem that fazed as he put back on his clothes, still not giving a damn that he was giving a show to our intruders.

’How are you so calm?’ I mouthed, to which he just shrugged and uttered it would be okay in a low voice.

“I hope you both rot in prison,” the short man spat when we passed him. “My fiancée and I didn’t even get a chance to tie the knot after you stole my car outside of the chapel.”

I would have stopped dead in my tracks at his words had the cop still not been leading Ares and I out of the hotel room. “What did you say?” I asked.

Instead of responding, the man just kept on talking straight through my question, but I caught onto other key words like wedding, witness, and kiss. Matter of fact, from the sound of it, “We got married last night?”

My head flew over my shoulder to look at Ares, who seemed just as shocked as I was from what I could see before the cop made me continue to walk forward.

“The back of your dress has a gold stain, and I think you’re wearing a plastic ring on your finger,” he said. “Shit, did we really get married?”

Short man decided to answer Ares and confirmed we got married and that he and his fiancée had watched us tie the knot before we stole their car while they were supposed to be getting married.

Ohmydamn.Even though it had been his idea to have a night in Vegas and drive to Phoenix, I couldn’t blame Ares for this. Honestly, at this point, most of the day and night was still fuzzy. Yeah, we’d been kind of reckless before if you count that night. And we’d gotten into some trouble over the years with our friend group. However, how did us throwing back shots result in us getting married? I felt like I was starring in a sappy and predictable rom-com, except it was my life and there was nothing predictable about the predicament we found ourselves in.

I’d never been arrested, and the shit wasnotfun at all. Even walking through the hotel had been embarrassing, and I inwardly vowed never to show my face in Vegas again.

By the time I was allowed to make a phone call, my mind was reeling at what all of this meant. Did getting arrested mean that I could no longer be in the competition? We were supposed to be in Phoenix today, but obviously that wasn’t going to happen.

I was so grateful when Meeka answered right away, but hearing her voice just made everything feel much more real. I hadn’t called Ivy since she was still enjoying newlywed life and jail was more of a Meeka kind of thing to do anyway.

“Meek, I don’t have much time,” I informed her after she asked if everything was okay.

“I’m here,” she confirmed.

I knew once I laid it all out there, she’d have my back. Yet, telling one of my best friends was difficult for some reason. Meeka loved to say everything in some crazy rhyme or song that she called her little ratchet rhymes, so I found myself taking a deep breath before I murmured in a way she’d understand, “Roses are red. Orange is the worst. They put me in jail. But I must admit first. I accidently married Ares. No, I’m not fine. Bitch, you better bring bail before I lose my damn mind.”

Her gasp filled the line at the same time I told her we were in Las Vegas.

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