“Says the actual hoe,” Kelli spat with pure disgust.
Renae sucked her teeth. “No need for the name-calling. I pulled you back here to vent, thinking you’d be on my side, but I see how it is.”
“You lucky I don’t beat your ass. I’m truly so disappointed in you, Nae, for real.”
Najee detected the disheartened tone in Kelli’s voice, but he didn’t care. As far as he was concerned, she was guilty by association, so it was fuck her too.
“That’s fine. I’ll have to live with that just like I have to live with this and take it to my grave,” Renae concluded.
This bitch gon’ be in a grave sooner than she thinks,Najee thought.
“So, you don’t ever plan on telling him?” Kelli asked.
“Girl, what? No. You think I’m about to throw away a good situation ‘cause of some shit I did while he was gone? I’m sure he has cheated, and it just never got back to me.”
Kelli sighed. “Still, that’s foul.”
It was beyond foul. Renae had pulled the ultimate betrayal. Najee couldn’t move. He didn’t even breathe as he contemplated what he wanted to do next. If he hadn’t heard her with his own ears, he would’ve never believed that she had played him like this. Cheating was one thing, but to let another man nut in her and get her pregnant, then have a fucking abortion was grounds to have her family making funeral arrangements. With the way he was feeling, Najee was going to make sure it was a closed casket.
His heart pounded in his chest so erratically, and for a moment, he saw nothing but red. First, blood, then red and blue flashing lights with yellow tape in the distance. Just as quickly as those images flooded his mind, he reeled them in.
He made a promise to himself that those cell walls would never see him again, and he meant that. If he acted on his impulses right now, he’d become the type of man he despised: an abuser. Stepping back, Najee ran a hand over his waves and gave himself a few seconds to compose himself.
Then, he stepped toward the door like he hadn’t heard a thing. As if he didn’t want to knock Renae’s head off her shoulders. He didn’t condone violence, especially to women, but looking at his cheating ass soon-to-be ex-girlfriend, Najee could somewhat understand why a man would put their hands on them. The type of anger he felt was unhealthy.
“Aye,” Najee called out roughly.
Renae turned fast, startled, but quickly masked it with a smile. “Hey,” she greeted, running a hand through her hair. “Everything okay?”
Najee just stared at her. His facial expression was as calm as he could make it. She’d just admitted to doing the grimiest thing and had the nerve to be smiling.
“It’s time to toast.”
“Oh. Okay. I was just talking to Kelli.”
Yeah, I heard,is what he wanted to say. Instead, he said nothing and walked away.
Renae looked at her sister, who gave her a side-eye and shook her head like she didn’t want any part of what was about to happen.
“Come on,” Renae said, following behind him and out to the main floor.
Kelli huffed, but she followed suit. The crowd had already started to gather around the raised platform near the DJ booth. Nyesha figured that spot was better since everyone could have the perfect view.
“Okay, okay. Hey, everyone! First, thank y’all for showing up and out for my brother. Y’all know they couldn’t keep a real nigga locked up forever,” Nyesha said, getting the crowd hype.
Najee would’ve smirked, but he was far too angry to do so. He just stood at the front, watching as his family passed out flutes of champagne.
“We’re gonna do a toast, but Najee has something to say first,” Nyesha said, holding the mic out to him.
Off to the side, Orielle felt Cheyla bump her shoulder. She glanced her way. “What?”
“He and his girlfriend must’ve gotten into it,” she whispered. “He looks mad as hell.”
“I hope not because of me. I do not want that man,” Orielle confessed.
Zoey sniggered. “We can’t tell.”
Waving them off, Orielle focused her attention back on the front. She was certain something had happened with the way he kept flexing his jaw, but she hoped it had nothing to do with her. She watched him toss back a shot of dark liquor that Saleem handed him, before they dapped and he stepped to the side. Renae slid in next to him, giving a closed-mouth smile like everything was picture-perfect.
