“What the hell are you doing here, and how did you get in?” he demanded.
“This is a nice little setup you have here. It costs you what? Just over three grand a month?”
“What do you want, and why are you here?”
“I heard that you’ve found some work, Professor Settles. Teaching ethics online. That’s ironic, considering there is not an ethical bone in your body. But you do have a nice little setup here to teach online classes. You came up pretty good for yourself,” I stated, looking around at the tiny apartment from the leather recliner that I occupied.
“Why are you here?” he repeated.
I was leaning forward with my arms resting on my knees, turning my phone over in my hand repeatedly and staring at it rather than at Clayton.
Although it was a studio apartment and wasn’t very big, it was in a wealthy section of town. The building had plenty of amenities for its residents, including a bookstore, coffee shop, gym, and a computer and technology center.
Refusing to answer his question directly, I spoke what was on my mind instead. I would not allow him to control the direction of the conversation. I did not give a damn if I was in his place.
“You know, there are a few people in this life that I cannot stand. One is an abusive person. That man or woman is a coward and doesn’t deserve to be around other people; they should be doomed to a life alone. The second is a cheating bastard; he should have his dick encased in steel and never be allowed to use it again. The third thing that I hate is a lying coward, especially when it’s someone I’m partnered up with.”
“Is this going somewhere?” Clayton asked.
“No, but you are.”
“Where am I going, Naijhel?”
“You’re going to make shit right with your ex-wife. You’re giving her back every penny you stole from her.”
He chuckled. “Like hell I will.”
“You’re going to give her back the money, you’re going to apologize for slandering her name on social media, and you’re going to publicly apologize on there for dragging her the way that you did.”
“What the hell have you been drinking and smoking? I didn’t rip her off. I only got what was owed to me . . . with your help. Thanks.” He smirked.
“You believe that shit, don’t you? The only thing that happened is that you lied to me, falsified documents, and presented them in open court as factual statements.”
Clayton frowned at me with narrowed eyes and argued. “You can’t prove that.”
“Nigga, you have no idea what I can do. I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t able to back my shit up.”
He shrugged. “There’s nothing that you can do. After all, I’m protected by attorney-client privilege.”
“That no longer applies. You’re not my client.”
“But I gave you those documents while I was still your client. What are you going to do with them?”
I stood and walked up to him. I didn’t stop until the tips of my shoes touched his.
“You have three weeks to return the money she paid you to the penny, two weeks to apologize publicly for humiliating her, and one week to get the fuck out of town.”
Clayton laughed. “Are you fucking her or something?”
I snatched his glasses off his face, dropped them on the floor, and stepped on them. I leaned into his face and replied, “Not yet.”
“Are you kidding me? What the hell is wrong with you?”
“You.”
“I’m not leaving town for her.”
“Stick around and see what happens.”
