Page 35 of Loyalty, Lust, Love
“You’ve never suggested it?” Meaghan asked.
Fateema took a moment to think about it before answering. There were times in the past when her and Lynx had deep conversations while lying in bed after several rounds of lovemaking. One thing she noticed was Lynx never wanted to talk about the future, always guiding the conversation back to the present.
“No.”
“Would you consider it if he asked?” Octavia pressed.
“Possibly, but he’s never asked, so there’s nothing to consider. I can only assume he doesn’t want me there since he’s never asked.”
“Both of you have to be willing to make sacrifices if you want to be together,” Octavia added.
“I’ve sacrificed enough. It’s his turn to do something.”
“What do you mean? What have you sacrificed?” Octavia pressed.
Fateema thought about the biggest sacrifice she’d made for him, but it wasn’t something she wanted to share with her friends.
“He was my first everything. From the age of almost eighteen up until I was twenty-five, I didn’t have a sexual experience with another man, and there’s only been a few others. He’s the only man I’ve ever loved and the only consistent lover I’ve had.”
“I guess giving him your virginity was a sacrifice, in a sense, but I was thinking something like a job or an opportunity,” Meaghan said.
“I get what you’re saying, Meaghan, but her giving him her virginity could be why he has such a tight hold on her,” Octavia added. “A lot of people say it’s hard to get over the person you gave your virginity to.”
“Well, I’ve never given up a job or opportunity… but I have given up a baby.”
“What?” Meaghan and Octavia chimed simultaneously.
“What’s the deal with Shyla?”Adam asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Are y’all a thing? I mean, it didn’t seem like it, but I don’t understand why she was here if she’s not your woman.”
After Shyla left, they returned to the family room. Lynx pretended to watch the NBA playoff game with them but was actually deep in his thoughts. Adam asking about Shyla annoyed him because he didn’t want to talk about her.
“I met her a couple of months ago at a coffee shop. We’ve kicked it a few times, and we were together when I got the call about my father.”
“Did you ask her to come?” Joaquin asked.
“Hell nah. She came on her own dime and is lucky I didn’t make her stay at a hotel. She was pissed I made her sleep in the guest room.”
“It’s obvious she thinks your relationship is more than what it is,” he continued.
“She shouldn’t because I’ve made it clear what it was. I make it clear to every woman I deal with that if they’re looking for love and marriage, I ain’t the one.”
“Damn, Lynx. That’s cold,” Adam said.
Lynx shrugged. “I love Bunny, and she’s the only one I see myself spending my life with.”
“Is this how you pictured it, though, with you living in DC and her in Chicago?” Ryan asked.
“Not forever.”
“Have you talked about one of you moving?” Ryan prodded.
“I’ve made it clear I don’t want to move back to Chicago, but we’ve never talked about her moving to DC.”
“In all this time, she’s never mentioned moving to DC, and you’ve never asked her?” Joaquin questioned.
