Page 87 of Tangled Hearts
Noir slowed her pace, her eyes dragging across the hollow space. Money had put Hov in a palace, but it couldn’t give himpeace. It made her chest ache, because she loved him like a brother, and she hated seeing him like this. So good at fixing everyone else yet drowning in silence he couldn’t fix for himself. It was unfair. Borderline cruel that somebody like him had everything except the one thing he deserved the most.
Love.
By the time Noir stepped outside, she had wiped her face clean. Cash was leaned up against his car, head dipped while he and Hov traded quiet words. Both men looked up when she pushed through, her heels clicking against the stone.
Hov’s eyes narrowed. “You playin’ a dangerous game, Noir.”
She tapped his chest. “Ain’t that what life is?”
“Not really,” Cash spoke up.
Noir glared at him, almond eyes turning into slits, head cocked to the side. “But you’re here… looks like you like a little danger.”
“You’re the fuckin’ danger.”
“Glad you know.” Noir blew Cash a kiss.
Knycole had finally unstuck herself and made her way outside.
Noir smiled, making her way to her bestie. “You want honesty, Knyc?” she asked, tilting her head. “Order ain’t what you need. What you need is to stop confusing men who needfixingwith men who canactuallylove you.”
“I hear you,” Knycole mumbled too emotional to get into another truth sparing match with Noir. “You be good.”
Noir looked from Knycole to Hov. “You be nasty… freak nasty.”
Knycole kissed her on the cheek while laughing.
Noir got in the car once Cash held the door open for her. It just so happened he was in town and didn’t hesitate to pull up on her.
As they pulled off, Knycole gulped. “Um, are you taking me home?”
Hov walked past her, eyes low—probably from smoking. “It’s plenty of rooms… pick a bed and take yo’ ass to sleep, kid.”
She sucked her teeth but moseyed behind him into his house that didn’t feel like hers. That was a new feeling for Knycole. Even before their love bloomed, Hov made everything he had feel like it was hers too.
Now, he had her out in the cold—rightfully so.
Like Noir said, this was the bed that she made so she had to be the one to cry herself to sleep in it. At least until she found some order.
“Aye, you think you can cook something? Nigga got the munchies like hell,” Hov asked, rubbing his belly. His eyes hung low, movements slow, but his lips moving had Knycole in a trance. “You be looking at me like it’s all love but shit…” he gripped the back of his neck. “Ain’t no love there, for real.”
How he went from food to pouring his heart out, he didn’t know. Probably just high.
“Don’t say that,” Knycole fussed. “I love you so much.”
“So much that you left me cold in the world… nigga just out here.”
Her mouth hung open. “Hov…”
“Nah,” he stopped her. “I ain’t trying to make you feel bad or no shit like that. Shit, I’m just high.” He pushed his hand across his face again. “But on that food?”
Wetting her lips, Knycole wanted to unpack his revelation but decided to glaze over it. That was easier. Her shit wasn’t in order yet. “Do you even have food in here?”
“Man, stop playing with me like Qua ain’t here most of the time. I got food.” He smiled, lightening the mood.
“Let me see, then.” She walked towards the refrigerator. “This big ass refrigerator, you better have more than juice, eggs,and milk.” She nodded in approval when she saw Hov had a fully stocked kitchen. Grabbing everything she needed to make a bomb ass sandwich, she looked in the cabinets, equally as impressed that he had dishes.
Hov’s lips curved at the shocked look on her face. “Stop playin’ with me… you see all that. But don’t act like you ain’t used to making magic outta nothin’.”
