A Heart Full of Lies (20 page)

              Sasha fixed her dress, and stood up straight. “Um, no we’re good thank you.” She couldn’t help but notice how fine he was. He wore a simple white vee neck t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and some coke white huaraches. He had a tattoo sleeve on his right arm that she’d never noticed, probably because the only time she’d seen him was at the office.

              Malcolm looked her over. “Don’t I know you?” Squinting his eyes and tilting his head to the side he rubbed his chin. “Sasha, right? You work for my brother Michael, or at least you used to. How have you been?”

              Sasha gave a surprised look. At the office she couldn’t even get a simple goodbye from Malcolm, now here he was asking her how she’d been. “Good and you?” She stumbled a little, as she tried holding Skyy up.

              Skyy interrupted. “I’m happy that y’all know each other but I’m going home. It’s cold out here.” She tried to walk off but Sasha grabbed her arm.

              “I don’t think so, you can barely walk.” She laughed at how drunk they were.

              Malcolm offered to help. “I can take both of you home, if you want, I was leaving anyways.” He shrugged his broad shoulders.

              Sasha looked down at a drunken Skyy and sucked her teeth. She was too lit to drive and she was definitely not letting Skyy drive home alone. “What about our cars?”

              Malcolm pulled out his phone, making a call. “Don’t worry about, I’ll handle it.”

              Jeanette placed the plate of fried chicken, macaroni, and green beans in front of a pouting little Kory. He started picking at it and whining. “KJ, stop it and eat, or go to bed.” She sat down at the table across from him. “I’m not playing.”

              Little Kory huffed. “This is nasty, I don’t even like green beans.”

              Jeanette rolled her eyes. “Well tonight you love them. Eat up.” She watched as he stabbed at the macaroni with an attitude. She was about to send him to his room when she heard the front door open. She rolled her eyes and continued eating. She wasn’t in the mood for Kory’s bullshit tonight. She was happy that she’d filed the restraining order against him, because sooner than later she knew things between them would only get worse.

              Kory rubbed his eyes as she sat down at the table with them. “What’s up little man?” He rubbed the top of his sons head. He ignored Jeanette as he reached for a plate and some silverware.

              Jeanette stood up and went to the kitchen counter. “Kory, we need to talk. I can’t allow you to live off me anymore.” She opened the kitchen drawer closest to her and pulled out a white folder. “This relationship is destroying me, and you…you’re destroying me.” she sighed as tears welled up in her eyes.

              Kory scoffed. “Don’t start. I’m not in the mood for your crybaby ass tonight.” He bit into his chicken, giving her a mean mug.

              Jeanette sat back down at the table. “Lil’ Kory, go to your room please so I can talk to your daddy.” She opened the folder up pulling out some papers. Lil’ Kory hopped up from his seat glad he was getting away with not having to eat green beans.

              Kory shook his head putting his fork down and leaning back into his chair. “What now?” He snatched the papers out of her hands and quickly skimmed through them. “Restraining order, on who?” he asked with his eyes still glued to the pages in his hands.

              Jeanette rubbed the side of her neck nervously. “On you, I went I got it a couple days ago.” She watched his face turn up and his chest heave up and down quickly. He balled his fist up and slammed it down on the table, causing her to flinch.

              “Bitch! Are you serious!?” He stood up rapidly with the papers still in hand. “This how you doing it? You ungrateful muthafucka?” he asked her becoming belligerent. He ripped the papers up and threw them in her face. “I’m not going nowhere!”

              Jeanette grabbed the pieces of paper as they fell in her lap. “Get out!” She stood up and jumped in his face unafraid. “Get the fuck out of my house!”

              Kory’s eyes widened in shock, as he watched her stand her ground, with her finger in his face. All the years he’d known Jeanette she’d never been so outspoken, yet these last couple of weeks she seemed to be transforming into a totally different person. He snatched her by her shirt collar and spoke coolly into her ear. “I’m not going nowhere.”

              He roughly released Jeanette and she started seeing red. She rushed back over to the drawer she’d just come from and pulled out a black 9mm Glock. Pointing it directly at him, she moved slowly in his direction. “Kory, get out.” She spoke calmly but firmly. Within a blank of an eye Kory was rushing towards her. She closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.

              Erin combed through her hair as she sang along to Kelly Rowland. She and Tone had been in California for three days now and she genuinely enjoyed his company. They’d gone shopping all day the day before and made love all night. Tone was a breath of fresh of air and she loved being around him. The chemistry they shared was so deep it scared her a little. Tone brought out feelings she’d forgot even existed.

              They were going to the beach today and she was hype. She’d never been to the beach, but she was ready to put her toes in the sand. Erin pulled her hair into a messy bun and laid her edges down. Putting on her midnight blue, strappy wireless chain bikini set she stepped back to check out how her body looked in the swim suit. Giving her tattooed body an approval, she grabbed her towel and headed towards the suite’s living room area.

              “Santonio?” she called out as she slipped her feet into her gold sandals. When he didn’t answer she went looking for him. “Santonio?” she called out again opening the bedroom doors.

              Tone was laid out on the bed with his feet propped up, skimming through his phone. “Wassup?”

              Erin noticed the attitude in his tone of voice. Plopping down on the bed beside him she tried snatching his phone out his hand. He quickly moved his phone away from her and gave her a mean look. Erin smacked her lips. “What’s your problem?” She’d only been away from him for thirty minutes, what could have possibly changed between them that fast.

              Tone ignored her still skimming through his phone. Standing up, she placed her hands on her hips. She was tired of Tone’s bipolar ass. One minute he was happy, all up under her, laughing. Then as soon as something was going wrong with “business”, he treated her like a common bitch. She was going to put an end to that, and she was going to do it now.

              Erin fixed her face, clearing her throat to speak, but Tone spoke instead. “Erin, don’t say nothing that’s gone piss me off.” Tone knew Erin was outspoken, and unfiltered, if she felt the need to set something straight, she did it, and in that order.

              Erin rolled her eyes. “Naw, I just asked nicely what the problem was, and you ignored me. So let’s get some shit straight. You’re not ‘bout to ignore me, when I haven’t did shit to you.” She was frustrated, and didn’t even want to go to the beach anymore.

              Tone looked her over slowly, and then looked back down at his phone. “Take that fuckin swimming suit off. You got too much ass for it.” He continued scrolling through his phone. Erin looked damn good in that bathing suit. Her tattoos on her arms and thighs popped, and her smooth caramel complexion was oiled up and flawless.

              “I’m not taking nothing off.” Erin rolled her neck. “Did you not hear what I just said? I don’t have to put up with this shit.” She rushed over to her luggage opening her bags. “I’m going home; you can enjoy the rest of this trip by your damn self.”

              Tone laughed to himself, here Erin was being her usual dramatic self. “You’re not going nowhere. Now go and take that damn swim suit off.” He didn’t feel like arguing with Erin for two reasons. One, that wasn’t his style and two, he needed to get down to the bottom of some he say/she say bullshit.

              Erin pouted as she continued rummaging around the room for her belongings. “I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to spend my Christmas here in California ANYWAYS!” she yelled. “I don’t even know why the fuck I came.” Erin was speaking out of anger. She loved being around Tone, and this trip had only brought them closer.

              Tone jumped up, tossing his phone onto the bed. “Take your ungrateful ass on then, fuckin’ crybaby.” He invaded her personal space as he looked down at her. He hated that he’d went back on his word and allowed Erin to knock him off his square. He didn’t really want her to go, but he’d already told her he didn’t tolerate disrespect from nobody.

              Erin gave him a hurt look. Yea she was packing her things like she was leaving, but she wanted Tone to stop her. “Fuck this.” Her pride wouldn’t let her give in. “You’re so fuckin’ wishy washy Santonio. If you got a fuckin’ issue with me, then let me know what’s up. Quit beating around the damn bush.” She didn’t budge as she looked up at him, challenging him.

              Tone licked his lips. Erin was even finer when she was mad. His baby had heart too. She didn’t back down from nobody, which was one major reason he was attracted to her in the first place. Tone fixed his platinum chain around his neck. “Alright, since you wanna be Billy Bad Ass, who is this nigga you bailed out of jail?”

              Tone watched as her expression changed and it confirmed what he was hoping was just a rumor. Amina had called him a couple days ago telling him Erin bailed her ex out of jail. At first he didn’t believe her, because he knew Amina would do anything to break them up. The only thing that didn’t sit right with him was when Amina said it was TreVell who’d she supposedly bailed out. TreVell was a little petty hustler that would make runs for him from time to time. A week ago he’d gotten a phone call that TreVell’s dumb ass had gotten pulled over for speeding and running through a stop sign, with fifty keys of coke in his trunk.

              Luckily the cops allowed someone to go get his car before it was impounded, so Tone had to have TreVell’s brother Peanut, go and pick up his truck since he had a spare key. Now Peanut was nowhere to be found. Tone balled his fist up and closed his eyes. “You bailed that nigga out of jail?” he asked through gritted teeth.

              Erin rubbed the side of her arm slowly. “Who said I bailed somebody out of jail?” She wasn’t sure what all Tone knew, so there was no way she was going to throw herself completely under the bus.

              Tone punched the wall, putting a hole a little wider than his fist in it. He’d given Erin the benefit of the doubt, hoping she would tell him herself. He’d given her ample amount of time to tell him, so since she hadn’t, he now assumed her and TreVell where still fucking around.

              “Santonio, it’s not even what you think. His mama called me and-“

              Tone cut her off. “I don’t give a fuck about none of that. You fuckin’ this nigga?” He grabbed her by her face looking into her eyes for a hint of dishonesty.

              Erin frowned. “NO! I wouldn’t do you like that.” She cursed herself for not just telling him when she had the chance.

              Tone held onto her face. “Don’t lie to me Erin.”

              Erin tried to ease out of the hold he had on her face, but failed when he squeezed tighter. “Tone, let go of me! I’m not fuckin’ him! His mom asked me if she could hold some money, so I helped her out. I would never do you like that.” She tried pulling his hands off again.

              Tone shook his head at her, pushing her roughly away from him. “Man, you fuckin this nigga.” he scoffed as he reached for his phone. “What the fuck that look like Erin? Muthafuckas telling me my girl bailing niggas out of jail and shit?” When Erin didn’t reply fast enough he yelled at her. “HUH!? How the fuck that make me look?”

              Erin pushed him back. “Don’t put your fuckin’ hands on me! I’m not one of these punk bitches you be fuckin’ with!” She became enraged. “I’m telling the truth, I’m not messing with him! His mom called me. I haven’t even talked to him!” Tears of frustration filled her eyes.

              Tone waved her off. “Yea, them same bitches put a nigga up on game, when your ass is being sneaky. If it wasn’t nothing then you should’ve told me. You weren’t going to say shit about it, so why the fuck would I believe you now?”

              Erin wiped her face. “Fuck you Santonio. You let another bitch pump your stupid ass up. I didn’t tell you, because I knew you would overreact. I’m not a scandalous bitch, I would never fuck you, then go and fuck with somebody else. I CARE about this relationship too much.” She zipped up her luggage and grabbed her phone.

              Tone rubbed his face. Erin was breaking him down. He never wanted to be the reason she cried, ever, but she had him fucked up. “We can catch the next flight back to Missouri, chill out.”

              Erin started pulling her luggage towards the door playing him off. Tone shook his head at how hardheaded she was. He grabbed her arm gently. “Did you hear me?”

              Erin sniffled. “I want to go home now.”

              Tone sighed. “I said we were catching the next flight, so calm your dramatic ass down.” He wiped the tears from her face. Even though she’d pissed him off, he never wanted to see her cry over him, or any other nigga.