“So.” she sniffled. “When you said he had something over me, I wanted to correct you and say that he didn’t hang that over my head. I assumed he did in our argument, but he explained that he was reminding me that our bond is deeper than what we’re going through.”
Bullshit…
But Noble wouldn’t elaborate on that.
“Jovanis was my first protector even when my mother failed. He literally took care of me since I was fourteen. If I needed toiletries or clothes, he made it happen. He even looked out for my little sister when he didn’t have to. I have great respect for him because he’s so loyal. He taught me how to be loyal…” She paused. “Or maybe that was a form of manipulation… I don't know.”
Noble silently celebrated her connecting the dots. Jovanis may have been a lot of great things to Irish, but he still manipulated her loyalty.
Irish turned to him, face saturated from the tears of her past.
“Jovanis has been a great friend to me. A part of me owes him my life because he saved me from going through a lot of trauma.”
“He may have saved you from experiencing worse trauma, but you still went through trauma, baby.”
Irish shook her head. “No, I didn’t. Emanuel never got to do what I’m sure he planned.”
“Look, trauma ain't just physical. That shit is psychological, too. Your mama sold you out to him. She’s supposed to protect you, but she sacrificed you for money. Her ol’ man was touching you and even though it wasn’t in your private area, he still touched you inappropriately. He had niggas looking at you, knowing their thoughts weren’t pure. He put you on a platter for grown men to desire you. At fourteen, that’s fucked up. You’ve experienced trauma. You just had a friend that saved you from being completely ruined.”
Irish sat in silence, seeming to ponder what Noble had just said. He couldn’t believe she had chalked up in her mind that she hadn’t gone through anything traumatic.
“I always thought because he didn’t rape me that I was saved.”
Noble seesawed his head. “In a way, you were saved from worst circumstances, but you still suffered. You were scared to go home that night. You still don't think you went through trauma?”
She nodded. “If you put it like that, then yeah.”
Waves from the ocean took over their conversation. Noble was relieved Irish had given him access to that part of her life. It gave him a full scope of what she had been through and how Jovanis played a part in it.
“I appreciate you telling me about your past. I know that shit wasn’t easy.”
“No, it wasn’t.” She looked down at her red nails before peering at him. “I’m ready to experience my life, my way. I’ve dedicated myself to Jovanis and he has done the same to me, but I don't want to be stuck anymore. I paid my debt to him. I just want to be free and make decisions without considering him… I know it’s selfish but—”
“But you gotta do what you gotta do,” he interrupted her. “This is your life, baby, and you shouldn’t have to be devoted to that man forever.”
She swallowed hard, scraping her teeth over her bottom lip. “I know and that’s why I’m here with you. Things have changed, and I’m choosing me. I have to. I really have no other choice now. The stakes are different.”
The austere expression on her face alerted him that she was serious. This time, there was no doubt toying with her. Irish was firm in her decision, and Noble was elated by that.
“I gotta tell you something else.” She sighed, suddenly avoiding his eye contact.
“What?”
“…I had a fight with your ex-wife.” She cringed. “I tried to avoid it, but she was trying me. I could handle her words, but she threw a flat iron at me, so I beat her ass. I’m not proud of that but she wouldn’t leave me alone.”
Noble smirked before lowly chuckling. “I already know. She called me the day it happened.”
With a knowing expression, Irish replied, “Let me guess. She blamed everything on me, right?”
He confirmed with a nod. “Yep, but she said she won the fight.”
Smacking her lips, she retorted, “She didn’t win anything. I even got kicked out the shop because I beat her ass.”
“I already knew she was lying.”
“But I don't want us to be at odds as crazy as that may sound. You’ve got a son with her, and I don't want his life to be hard because we can’t get along.”
This was one of the traits that made it so easy to fall in love with Irish. Her maturity and willingness to put aside her personal issues were attractive.
