Page 97 of Treason's Temptation
Rylo: Oh hoes got jokes?
Me: I miss you too. What are you doing today?
The doors opened, and I slammed into the devil himself.
“Damn,” he muttered, steadying me by the arm.
My chest tightened as if invisible hands wrapped around my lungs. Lorenzo looked the same. Too fine and confident for someone who should be buried in regret. He’d have to be sorry to feel guilt, and judging how pushed me into the corner, he felt nothing but entitlement.
“What did you tell him?” he gritted, lips curling. But there was no humor in it.
“What?”
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t play dumb, Navie. You know exactly what I’m talking about! A gang of thugs ran up on me! Look at my face.”
There was a black ring around his eye that I hadn’t noticed until now. The hallway blurred as ringing started in my ears. The dizzying sensation only made my heart beat faster and sweat bead on my forehead.
“Get the fuck off me!”
“You got these people dragging my name through every news cycle because your nigga can’t run his own campaign.”
“You think I want to talk about you!” I cried, hating that I even gave him the satisfaction, “I. Hate. You! I’d like to forget you exist and everything you did to me!”
“What I did to you? What the fuck did I do but try to love you?” he asked, shaking his head like a math problem hecouldn’t solve. “If you’re so happy with him, keep my fuckin’ name out of your mouth and stay away from my wife!”
“Fuck you and your wife!”
Lorenzo grabbed my face so hard that it forced me to shut up. Feet barely on the ground and struggling to breathe as anger-filled tears spilled out.
“I have big shit on the horizon. Shit that can’t be tainted with yourtall talesof abuse. Don’t fuckin play with me, Navie.” His hand slid to my ass while kissing my face. A warning and promise wrapped in one, “Still looking good as fuck though. No wonder that nigga’s head is gone.”
Footsteps nearing the other side of the wall forced Lorenzo to step back. After all, he couldn’t be caught groping and harassing me in the hallway. Daige turned the corner, wearing a smile, and rushed over to me.
“Hey girl, you left your bag,” she leaned back, still holding my shoulders. The look in her eyes told me to play along. “Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the yacht party. Excuse us,” she took my hand, guiding me away from Lorenzo’s delusions.
The rays from the sunlight hit my back, reminding me I was no longer backed into a corner with Lorenzo.
“You okay?” Daige asked, handing the valet her ticket. I could hear her melodic voice, but it was my own that was lost. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride home.”
Daige grabbed my hand, walking me to her G-Wagon.
“W-ward is picking me up,” I announced.
“Can you text him? Tell him I’m dropping you off.” I nodded and went to our text thread. Daige waited until it sent, not complaining that it took me forever to type out a simple sentence. “Does Treason know?”
I nodded.
“Anybody else?”
“Renzo’s family, but they helped cover it up, so.”
“It doesn’t have to be tonight, but you need to tell Treason.” My mouth opened, but Daige shook her head so sternly that I closed it. “Don’t give me that strong black woman shit. I know you’re strong, but this isn’t your battle. Let a man handle a man. Or abitchpretending to be a man, but you get my point.”
I was positive Treason would lose his fuckin’ mind. Then I’d be policed under the guise of protection. Typical Lorenzo, he always found a way to ruin a good thing. Daige made minimal conversation during the ride. Enough to keep me out of my head, but nothing that required too much effort. Daige pulled up at the front of the building, and for the first time in a while, I dreaded going upstairs.
“I’m tired,” I mumbled.
Daige was seasoned enough to know I didn’t need a nap. My soul was tired and drained from carrying the weight of the past. The kind of tired made me want to crawl in Treason’s lap and stay there forever because it was the only place that made sense. The only place that felt peaceful.
