He snatches me by the arm and jerks my body against his. I plant my hands on his chest, and we stare into each other’s eyes for a long time. His breathing is just as heavy as mine is, and I wonder if he is recalling everything that he loved about me the way that I’m recalling all the things that I loved about him.
I press up on my toes as if I’m going to kiss him. The air around me grows cold when he leans toward my ear and whispers, “What I tell you ’bout trying to play me, Charisma? You thought I was fucking playing with you?”
“No.” I shudder with the way that he grips the neckline of my sundress in his hand and lifts me clear off my feet.
“What the fuck is these tied bedsheets for, huh?”
“Nothing. I was just bored.”
“What did I tell you about lying to me?”
“You think you run me, Chaos, and you don’t. Not anymore.” I sob.
He sneers and runs his fingers over my lips. “I still run you—and I still fucking own you. Whoever this nigga is that’s got you running wild on a string without any protection and thinking you can talk fly, he’s about to get fucked up playing with what’s mine and treating you like a toy. You must have forgotten who you belong to.”
“You don’t own me!” I hiss, snatching away.
He grabs my arm again and pulls me away from the wall and drags me toward the steps.
“What are you doing?”
“You want to get out? Ya ass ain’t gotta escape.”
“Let me go! I can walk!” I shout, jerking to free myself.
Chaos is too strong for me, and he damn near drags me down the stairs.
We’re shouting at one another, and on one hand, I’m glad that my son cannot hear the noise, but on the other, I wishedthat he could help me. He can feel the vibrations of movement and shouting, but I also know that he’s a hard sleeper.
I immediately douse those thoughts because I will never put him in a dangerous situation. I know that Chaos won’t do anything to him, but I never want him to have to choose between us.
Chaos drags me to the front door and opens it.
“Chaos, stop! What are you doing?” I scream.
He shoves me out of the door. “Get gone! You wanna go? Get the fuck outta here!”
“Wait! My baby!” I scream as he closes and locks the door on me.
Standing in the large foyer just on the other side of the elevator, I feel so alone. I shout and bang on the door, kicking and screaming. I pray that CJ can feel the vibrations and will wake up looking for me.
The harder I kick and scream, the more it seems that Chaos ignores me.
“Please let me in!” I sob. I cry so hard and bang repeatedly until snot is running down my nose, and my tears intermingle with it.
“Puleeez!” I cry, dropping to my knees and banging my fists against the door.
I have no idea how much time passes, but he finally opens the door and sneers down at me.
“The fuck you want?”
“I want to come in, please. My baby’s in there. You can’t keep me away from him, Chaos.”
“You mean the way you kept me away?”
“I didn’t.” I sob.
“When you walk back in this door, you better act like somebody with some sense. Your ass had better remember who owns you,” he announces as I step inside.
