Page 44 of Loyalty, Lust, Love
“Yeah, me too. I don’t know his plans with Fateema, but I’d warn her to be careful if I were you.”
Lynx nodded as he looked in Fateema’s direction again. She and Rodney stood next to their table, having what looked to be an intimate conversation. When she looped her arm through Rodney’s, they headed toward the exit, and Lynx followed suit.
“Let’s go,” he told Tatiana.
Lynx waited for Tatiana to slip into her shoes before offering her his hand. Once she was on her feet, they fell in line with the others leaving. Fateema and Rodney were ahead of them, and Lynx was anxious about how he’d handle the situation.
Once outside the venue, Lynx saw his friends waiting at the bottom of the stairs. The four of them had come together, and he hoped they wouldn’t mind taking Tatiana home.
“Do you mind if I have my friends take you home?” he asked Tatiana.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, genuinely concerned.
“For now, yes, but I’m not sure how this will go.”
“What are you about to do?”
He sighed, contemplating whether to tell Tatiana what he overheard Rodney say. Since she shared her experience with Rodney, Lynx decided he could do the same. While Lynx and Tatiana talked, Fateema was a few feet away, talking to Rodney.
“I’m not sure about the after-party, Rodney. I don’t know any of your friends, and their dates weren’t very friendly toward me. It probably wouldn’t be much fun for me.”
“C’mon, baby. I want to spend a little more time with you to get to know each other better.”
Fateema was slightly flattered by his words but still not sold on attending the party with him.
“Well, if that’s true, we have the whole summer. Besides, how much talking can we do at a party?”
“There are other ways we can get to know each other that don’t involve talking.”
His eyes were lustful as he waited for her to catch his drift. It only took a second for her to realize what he meant.
“Oh, really?” she questioned, stepping back and folding her arms across her chest. “Name one.”
Fateema’s physical appearance may have morphed into a woman, but the tomboy in her was never far behind. She was two seconds from punching Rodney in his nose.
“Where we’re going, there are plenty of bedrooms, and I don’t plan to do much talking at all.” He reached for her arm, and she snatched it away from him.
“What exactlywereyou planning to do?” Lynx asked, appearing out of nowhere next to Fateema.
“None of yo’ business, nigga. What I do with my date ain’t your business.”
“You must have another date somewhere because she’s not going anywhere with you. Let’s go, Bunny.”
Lynx walked away first, assuming Fateema would be a step behind him, but Rodney grabbed her arm. “You think you?—”
“Let go of me!” Fatema shouted as she yanked away from him and punched him in the jaw.
Lynx turned around when he heard Fateema shouting, but before he could react, she’d left her fist print on Rodney’s face.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Let’s go.”
“Let me see your hand.”
“I said I’m fine. Where are you parked?”
He led her to his car in silence. Neither of them spoke until he’d maneuvered from the parking lot.
