Oh, so she isn’t claiming me this week. What the hell she mad about now?
“Um, I know we’re just now cool again, so it’s not my place. But if that’s your man, get a new one. He was way too excited when he was checking me out. And I’m not trying to be funny or anything, Joi. I hope you know me well enough to?—”
Joi cut her girl off, holding up a hand. “Nah, it’s cool. I’m about to handle that right now.” She glared over her shoulder toward the back of the building where her office was, knowing the decision she was making was the right one. “It’s not just you. I’ve been seeing a lot of suspect shit with him lately.”
Ria raised her brows and stared at her friend. She had been away, but they would always be cool. If her so-called man needed his ass handed to him, she was down. Another reason she was glad to be from under Lue’s thumb. He would lose his mind if he knew she had a thought like checking a man for her homegirl.Hood shit.
“No, it’s cool. He isn’t gonna do anything but beg.” Joi rolled her eyes then laughed. “That should be a clear sign that I need to remove him. A man handles business, makes his position clear, and never leaves room for a woman not to know where she stands. That’s definitelynotReg. I guess we’re both starting over.”
“I can see if my dude has a friend.” Ria grinned, totally feeling her girl’s pain.
“Girl, I don’t know your dude, but I’m straight. Let me just go handle this. Call me later.”
“I will, and Joi, I promise I’m sorry for bailing on you. It will never happen again.” The two women hugged, Ria left, and Joi slowly walked back to her office, trying to mentally prepare for the standoff with Reg.
When she made it to her office, he was sitting behind her desk and had the check with his name on it in his hand.
“What’s this?” His face was tight. Reg wasn’t a dummy, so he knew something was up. Her little comment to her girl had somewhat tipped him off.
“It’s for you. The money you gave me to start this.” Joi looked around her office.
Reg laughed sarcastically. “It wasn’t a loan.”
“I know, but I still want you to have the money back. This is my place. I want to have full ownership and I can’t do that knowing your money is a part of it.”
“You don’t owe me. I said it wasn’t a gotdamn loan. But I’m sure it’s not about that. What’s really going on, Joi?”
“You’re right, it’s not just about the money...” She hesitated and he quickly jumped in.
“Aight, so…”
“So, I need a break. Things with us are…”
“Maaaan, don’t come at me with that shit. You’re always trying to put another woman on me when I’m all about you.”
Joi laughed angrily then shook her head. “How do you assume it’s about a woman? Maybe I just want to focus on my business, and since you have a problem with not being the center of my attention, then I’m asking for space. Why is another woman the first thought you have?”
“Because.” He stood quickly from the chair he was in and slammed his hands down on her desk, looking her right in the eye. “Every time I don’t text you right back or answer a call, you swear I’m cheating. You know how much I hear that shit from you? It’s annoying as fuck.”
So, you’re just going to ignore everything I said and make your own reason for why I need space. That just screams guilty, asshole!
“Well, let me help you with all the annoyance I apparently cause. Don’t worry about my calls or texts because they won’t be coming. You can do whatever you want without myannoyingass. Take your money and go.”
Joi pointed to the door. His guilt was all over his face. She could see and feel it, but she really didn’t care.
“Wow, you’re on some shit, Joi. You got East sniffing up your ass for one second and you’re trying to dismiss me.”
Joi’s face showed every bit of confusion she was experiencing and Reg was on her quick. He moved in so close Joi inadvertently took a step back.
“You don’t think I know shit? You’re so worried about me being with another woman, but you’re all up on another man. Sitting in his lap and grinning in that man’s face. Not tomention, you left with him too. Yeah, I know all that. Why do you think you haven’t heard from me lately? I needed time to figure out how to deal with that shit. It was disrespectful as hell. I really wanted to snap your gotdamn neck for playing me like that. Do you know who the fuck I am, Joi, huh? You have me out here looking crazy with your disrespectful ass. Did you fuck him that night? Shit, you might as well have because everyone thinks you did.”
“Are you really asking me that?”
“Hell yeah, I am. Why wouldn’t I? You’re moving real grimy right now.”
“I guess that makes two of us,” Joi was quick to throw back at him. She didn’t have solid proof, but she knew. She was also well aware Reg would never admit it, but secrets always had a way of surfacing. It was simply a matter of time.
“No, the fuck it doesn’t. I’m only about you.”
