Page 9 of Love me Like XO

“I am over that, Ree. I can’t say I won’t make do on my promise and beat Stephanie’s ass in the streets next time I lay eyes on her. I promised her a lifetime of ass whooping’s every time she was in my sight. A promise is a promise.”

I laughed knowing this wasn’t a joking moment, but the seriousness in her face made it impossible. “Seriously, Em. It’s time to stop with the meaningless sex. You’ve been at it with Benson for about what almost a year? Now this guy. I have to admit part of me hoped that I wouldn’t have to say this to you, but I need you to give love a chance at least one more time. Please.”

“I did give love a chance and it blew up in my face on my engagement night in a room full of people. I gave love all I had and look at what it did. With all that in mind, I am not saying I’m not open to dating, because I am. I’m just not in a rush to fall in love and put all my faith in one nigga. Not right now,” she admitted honestly.

“But rando?—”

“I’m not sleeping with random niggas. Well old boy was random last night but that’s about it. Benson is a wrap though because his knack for drama and that possessive shit doesn’treally work for me. On the date note though, Khalil Seagram has been in my messages something heavy recently. So, I may take him up on his offer to fly me out and have dinner.” She smiled at me giving me that look she did when she was just trying to fuck with me.

I narrowed my eyes. “The one who plays for the New Orleans Pirates? The football player you met in Nobu?”

“Yeah.”

“Owee! Feel his vibe out. See what he’s about. He talks a good game about not being like all the others in interviews. See if that’s true.”

She looked at me. “I’m not looking for love.”

“I know. You want to have fun, date, and enjoy good company. But if love comes knocking on the door, you better answer it. Every nigga ain’t Dionne.”

“You’re right.”

We talked for a while longer before she took an Uber home and I finished my day-to-day routines. Tomorrow was a long day for me because I had five installs and two fillings scheduled. I knew for sure I’d be on my feet all fucking day, but money was the best motivation.

When I finally did take a seat from doing little things around my house, I checked my notifications and saw that I had two missed calls from Hadees. Instead of calling him back I bypassed them and went onto my social media. I was the last person who should’ve been giving any advice to my sister, because at the end of the day I was in my own deadened ass situation. I loved Hadees, but I needed more. I was so in need of more than when old boy’s fine ass stepped to me at the bar the other night, I was tempted to take his number. Imagine being so comfortable in a situation that you’d rather cheat on your significant other than just tell them that it isn’t working. It was purely a fucked up situation no matter how I tried to play it. Yeah, Hadees was amama’s boy, but I knew that from the beginning, but why was it now a problem for me? Why did it bother me now? It bothered me because instead of growing some balls and leaving before I hurt him, I would rather step out.

Chapter 2

Partition

MALIK -A FEW DAYS LATER…

Laughter spilled from my mouth while me and my boy had breakfast at our usual breakfast spot inLittle Italy.He was having a moment because I guess you could say my boy was never the type who didn’t wake up to a bitch trying to make him breakfast in bed.

“Maybe you didn’t lay it down as well as you thought.” I shrugged and forced a fork full of eggs into my mouth.

“Impossible. I handled mine.” He didn’t even look me in my eyes. He looked away like his pride was hurt.

“Maybe she meant what she said, nigga. From what you said she wasn’t looking for anything serious and from what I understand you wasn’t either, right? Take the win nigga and stop moping.”

“I ain’t moping, bitch.”

“Then what do you call it? You said it yourself shit would’ve been mad awkward since her pops is marrying Tete.”

“So.”

“Now you wanna be a child, right?” I couldn’t help but laugh at him. This shit really bothered him. He was used to bitchesbeating down the door, but the fact that this Empress chick didn’t seemed to have the nigga questioning his manhood.

“I ain’t being no fucking child. Shit doesn’t make sense.”

“It probably doesn’t but it isn’t for you to make sense of. She fucked and ducked you. She pulled you on you and now you’re sitting here doing what you made a million other bitches before her do. Questioning yourself while wondering if you need to step to her. Don’t do it nigga, but if you do I’ma go with you because I’m dead ass about her fine ass sister. She doesn’t even know she’ll be sporting my last name in one year.”

“One year? It was only one fucking conversation, Malik.” Now it was his turn to try to judge me.

“I said when you know, you know,” I reiterated what I told him that night I first talked to her.

“How? Didn’t you tell me she had a man? The fuck you gonna do? Make her nigga disappear?”

“If I have to.” I was already thinking of ways I could get rid of that nigga from her life. “Speaking of, let me hit her up right now.”

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