I wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t his fault that the Feds got ahold of him, but I was sure his connect didn’t care. Kalim’s actions indirectly led them to the plug’s door. A powerful drug lord that lived in Colombia but had a few homes in the states. He was the kind to kick a bunny rabbit and rob Santa. Luis was even more ruthless and evil than Kalim.
I was angrier at Kalim than I had ever been and still, I didn’t wish death on the man. That was it. My father was no more. We’d never mend our relationship. There would never be any apologies. No closure. It was over. Just like that. Tasha entered the room with her phone in her hand. She was truly devastated behind losing her mother. She was barely eating. Just crying and sleeping, but that wasn’t going to stop me from what I was about to say to her ass.
“You answered my phone the other day?” I asked. Her lips parted, but no sound came out of her mouth as she stood there like a deer caught in headlights.
“Answered your phone?” she played dumb.
“Yeah, when Vanya called. I didn’t talk to her, but the call wasn’t missed.”
“Oh yeah. She called when you were in the shower. I forgot to tell you.”
“Since when do you answer my phone?”
“I used to answer your phone all the time.”
“Key word. Used to. We’re not together, and your hands shouldn’t be on my phone.” I wasn’t yelling or being disrespectful.
“You said the marriage to her was about protecting her from Kalim. You said it wasn’t real.”
“I also said we’re not back together, so why does it matter to you? You don’t know why she was calling. I don’t believe that you forgot to tell me. I was nice enough to let you into my space, and this is what you do?”
“Let me into your space?” she drew back. “I used to live here.”
“Key word is used to, nigga.” I felt myself about to get irritated, so I rubbed my temples. “Tasha, it’s been four days. I know you loved your mother, and you won’t be over her death anytime soon. Honestly, you’ll probably never get over it. But it’s time for you to bounce. I want my space back.”
Tears filled her eyes, but I wasn’t changing my mind. She didn’t get to call any shots after she left my ass high and dry. I admitted that she had the right to feel some kind of way about finding out how I made my money. None of that justified her leaving me without a word, however. I didn’t care how intimidating Kalim was. She could have left town and called me after. I would have gone wherever she was just to look her in the eyes and tell her Kalim didn’t dictate shit about my life. But she didn’t give me the chance. Now, I was good on it.
“I really can’t believe you’re treating me like this. I get that you’re upset but it has to be because of her. I’m. not stupid, Pearce.”
“Okay what if it is because of her?” I stared in her face. “What if I want to talk to her, and I’m mad that you blocked that. What if I miss her? What if I just want to see how she’s doing?”
Tasha’s face crumpled. “All it took for you to fall in love with someone else was a month?” she sobbed.
“I don’t love her, Tash. I don’t. I don’t think I do, but I just…man, I don’t fucking know. I can’t sit here right now and tell you that I’m good with never seeing her again. Because I’m not.”
“Woooooooow,” she drawled dramatically. “You know. I think your father lowkey did us a favor. One month! That’s all it took for you to toss my ass to the side like trash and move on to someone else. There’s no way you’re in love with me. There’s no way I’m your person. You’re fighting harder for her than you did for me.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it. I went to your job. I went by your mom’s apartment numerous times and when I finally caught her, I had to pay her to get her to talk. Every time the phone rang, I thought it was you. When I found out what happened, I went straight to my father. I was pissed. He wanted me to kill Vanya, and I wanted to piss him off. So, I protected her from him. She was a distraction from missing you. Maybe she was a rebound at first, but,” I shook my head because I didn’t fucking know.
I didn’t understand how she came in so fast and snatched my heart just like that. I didn’t want to choose. Had Tasha stayed gone I wouldn’t have to choose. But I didn’t want to let Vanya go, and I wasn’t going to keep apologizing for that. I heard people talk about finding their person, and that shit sounded soft as hell to me. It wasn’t anything I’d ever say but I really felt like Vanya was it for me. Maybe Kalim did do me a favor. Damn.
“You got it. Better yet, she got it. She got you. I’ll never forget how you did me after I lost my mother. Fuck you, Pearce and fuck your dead ass daddy.”
She was upset, and she had a right to be but honestly, all I could think about was getting to Vanya.
Three times. That was how many times I had to go by Vanya’s apartment to catch her. When she pulled into a parking space and I got out of my car, she looked as if she’d seen a ghost. “Hey. What are you doing here?”
“When you called me the other day. I never got the message.”
Vanya gave me a small smile. “It’s okay. I figured as much. I was just calling to see when it would be a good time to get mythings from your house. No rush. I know you have a lot going on.”
I felt like a sucka. All I could do was stare at her. I had really missed her. How the fuck could I just switch up like that? From Tasha to Vanya and hands down, Vanya was the winner. Vanya’s brows rose as I stared at her like an idiot.
“That the only reason you were calling?”
“Like I said. You have a lot going on. I didn’t want to add to your stress. I figured you’d reach out if you wanted to.”
“You don’t miss me?”
