Page 43 of Treason's Temptation
Chapter 11
The sound of leather hitting leather echoed off the walls like gunfire. Sweat beaded at my temple and rolled down my jaw as I let the next punch fly.
“Left’s dragging,” Ward called out from behind the mitts.
“Ain’t shit dragging.”
“It ain’tlandingeither.” I cracked Ward with a combo that made him stumble back with a short laugh. “There we go.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“Oh yeah? So what’s the play with Navie?”
I grabbed a towel and leaned on the ropes, asking, “Where the fuck did that come from?”
“Say it,” I demanded, prepared for the looming conversation.
Ward grabbed his water, took a sip, then sat on the bench, calm and composed.
“I’m on whatever you’re on. You know that, but I can’t do my job if I don’t know where your head’s at. If something happens to you, I gotta answer toInez. Where’s your head, Tre?”
Ward climbed back to his feet, holding the mitts steady, inviting me to take a few more swings.
“Right now, get this money and shift perception so I can win this election. As long as she doesn’t try any more bullshit, we’ll kick it and play the game until the election ends.”
“Then what?”
“What are you getting at?”
“Just answer the damn question. Then what?”
“I don’t know,” I replied truthfully.
Ward chuckled, absorbing the hit from the combo I landed.
“Bullshit Tre. You taught Tonio how to use supply and demand to negotiate turf. Had grown men rethinking how they flipped product because of something you read inCivics.”
“I don’t remember you complaining when I hustled enough money for those Jordans. Forbothof us.”
“Then you blackmailed Principal Dorsey to transfer into Langston Prep. You engineered a world we weren’t supposed to touch, now one night with Navie, and you want me to believe you don’t have a fuckin’ plan.”
A dry laugh escaped. “That was between Dorsey and the PTA.”
“Niggayouleaked the picture of his secret side family to the PTA.” Ward tossed me a towel. “You miss it.”
“Miss what?”
“Life before fancy ass dinner parties and polling numbers. When you were still trying to hustle your way into what you have now. You built this life, and now here’s this woman who doesn’t give a fuck about any of it, just the love sick nigga inside the house.”
“Fuck you, Ward.”
“You like Shorty. Stop being pussy and just say it,” he joked.
“I’ve never been scared of being with one woman. That’s yo’ ass.”
Most men treated love like an Achilles’ heel that made you move sloppily, act out of character, or lose everything. Lovewasn’t my weakness. It was a strength most men were too scared to wield.
“Just so fuckin’ picky that you don’t. Not since Dani.”
