Page 33 of Loyalty, Lust, Love
Even though her friends knew the dynamics of Fateema and Lynx’s relationship, she was embarrassed about how things had just unfolded. She stood and led Cornell into the hallway near the front door.
“Are you fucking him?” Cornell shouted.
He was so loud that everyone in the family room could hear him.
“Cornell—”
“You had me smiling in that nigga’s face, and you’ve been fucking him the whole time?”
“No, it’s not like that. Calm down and let me?—”
“Don’t tell me to calm down, Fateema. Answer the question.”
“It’s not that—ahhh!” She screamed when his fist whipped past her head and connected with the wall.
She was startled by his act of aggression, and her hands instinctively went up to cover her face as she screamed. Before she could react any further, Lynx had Cornell by his throat pressed against the opposite wall.
“You should already know I don’t play about that one,” Lynx said, relatively calmly considering the situation.
“Fuck you!” Cornell spat.
Cornell’s tough guy attitude pissed Lynx off, so he punched Cornell in the stomach, causing him to bend over in pain. “Get your shit and go. When you walk out that door, don’t even think about contacting her again.”
Lynx shoved him against the wall before releasing him. Cornell had to walk through everyone to get his phone and keys from the family room. Nobody spoke until the door closed behind him.
“You good?” Lynx asked Fateema, grabbing her wrist as she tried to walk past him.
She snatched away from him. “I’m fine. Meaghan, can you give me a ride home?”
“Hold up, Bunny. Why are you leaving?” Lynx questioned before Meaghan could answer.
“Because I’m sick of this.”
“Sick of what?”
“This!” She pointed back and forth between them. “You and me and this… situationship. I haven’t had a real relationship in all of my adult life because I’ve been foolishly holding on to the idea of being with you. I’m not waiting for you anymore, Lynx. I deserve to be with someone who will love me out loud, completely, and fully, not just when it’s convenient.”
“That’s what you think?”
“It’s what I know, and if you think about it and be honest with yourself, you know it too. I’m tired of it, and I want something real. If you can’t give me something real, leave me alone.”
“You don’t think I love you?”
“I know you love me, but you’re notinlove with me. A man in love would never be okay with her being with another man. Meaghan, please take me home.”
“I’m ready whenever you are,” her friend responded.
Fateema pushed past Lynx and the others to grab her things from the family room. Shyla remained seated in the same spot she’d been all afternoon. Their eyes connected, and Fateema wanted to smack the smug look off her face but decided not to resort to violence.
“Lynx is all yours. I don’t want him anymore,” she told Shyla.
“Sounds to me like you never had him, but thanks.”
“Your mouth been slick all afternoon and it’s taken Jesus, Mary, and all the disciples to keep me off your ass. If you sayone more word to me, even they won’t be able to stop me from beating your ass.”
Fateema waited for Shyla to open her mouth, but Shyla was smarter than she’d given her credit for, and didn’t say another word. In fact, Fateema suspected Shyla had stopped breathing. No more words were exchanged between them, and Fateema continued out of the room.
“Bunny—”
