Page 105 of Treason's Temptation
“I’m telling you now, and you’re still screaming at me! You asked me to be honest, and I am, but it’s nothoworwhenyou want it, so it’s not good enough. If I wanted another controlling ass nigga, I would’ve stayed with the one I had!”
“At least this one keeps his fuckin’ hands to himself!”
A low blow, which caused my neck to buckle, as I watched him grab a t-shirt and pad out of the room. A few moments later, the elevator dinged, and he was gone. Falling back on the bed, I froze, mind and body both numb and exhausted. I found the strength to grab my phone because, despite being mad as fuck, I didn’t need Tre doing something stupid on account of me.
Me: Check on Tre. He left the house pissed. I’m worried.
Ward: He’s with me.
Me: Is that a good thing?
I imagined his subtle smirk at my question because Ward and I spoke the same language.
Ward: I got Stink. Relax and get some rest.
Me: Thanks Ward.
Ward: Anytime, sis.
I’d never had an army behind me ready and willing to go to war if that meant keeping me safe. I thought my conversation with Ward would help me rest, but the bed felt too big, too empty without Tre beside me. I wrapped the sheet around myself, trying to calm the tremor in my hands, wishing he’d come back.
God answered my prayer.
He slipped in, closing the door gently behind him. I didn’t move, watching as he sat on the edge of the bed. His posture was tense, but his eyes softened when they found mine.
“I’m sorry about how I responded, but nothing about that shit is okay. It never was, and it’s not now.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about.”
“I do because I lost it. You needed me, and I couldn’t control my shit.”
“I should’ve told you sooner. I just didn’t know how.”
“Just say it. Text it. Something, but don’t keep shit like this from me all day. I do know how hard this is for you. That’s why I’m angry. You don’t have to go through shit by yourself. I don’t know how many more ways to say it.”
“I wasn’t trying to get through it alone. I just needed to do it my way, but your way is the only one that matters.”
“I have to work on that, but if you want me to be okay with anybody hurting you, wrong nigga. I don’t know how to do that, and I don’t want to, but I should’ve listened earlier. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. We both did.”
I don’t know what Ward did or said, but Treason chuckled. A sound I didn’t expect to hear for a while, “When a man is wrong, he apologizes. I said a lot of foul shit tonight. Let me be wrong.”
“Okay,” I whispered, and even though my body was tense, part of me melted knowing he’d returned, and apologized, “Tre. . . I love you.”
“I love you too, Blue.”
Even in anger, he cared. Tonight, that was enough to let me finally close my eyes. I doubt he even went back to sleep. How could he when his mind joined me for laps on the track?
Chapter 18
Icouldn’t remember the last time I smoked or felt the need to, but tonight I needed something. Inez taught me early the price of making decisions on temporary emotions. The emotions swirling around in my chest, forcing my fingers to lock into a fist, weren’t fleeting. They were permanent.
“I’m going to kill that nigga.”
Ward paused, rolling up, and stared at me. The kind of stare that reminded me it wasn’t wise to get my hands dirty. I was the cash cow, and without me, all this shit crumbled, but as a man, I couldn’t sleep at night until I heard that nigga like he’d hurt mine.
“I’m not asking for permission or taking suggestions. I’m going to kill that nigga.”
