My Slime

18. Ain't No Goin' Back Now...

Shanae staggered toward the elevator of her condo building, still feeling the lingering haze of Kentrell's blunt and the shots they'd downed before he dropped her off. Her mind swam in a mix of exhilaration and exhaustion, every step feeling a bit wobbly. She managed to fish her keys out of her bag as she stumbled to her door, barely registering the footsteps approaching behind her.

"Shanae." The voice, sharp and unmistakable, sliced through her foggy state.

She turned, eyes widening as she recognized Jay standing there, his arms crossed and his gaze hard. She blinked, trying to focus, realizing from his expression that he knew she was beyond fucked up.

"What... What'chu want?" she slurred, clutching the doorframe to steady herself.

Jay's jaw tightened as he took her in—her glassy eyes, her unsteady posture. "What am I doin' here? Damn, Nae. You out here fucked up like this, and you really wanna ask me that?" He stepped forward, sliding a hand under her elbow to support her, his touch surprisingly gentle despite the irritation flickering in his eyes. "Come on man, you need to lay down."

She didn't resist as he guided her into her condo, closing the door behind them. The familiar scent of his cologne filled her senses, pulling her back to memories she'd tried to bury. She shrugged off his hand, swaying as she leaned against the wall.

"You ain't my babysitter, Jay," she muttered, her voice defiant though slurred.

He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he looked her up and down. "Clearly, somebody needs to be. Look at you. Out here gettin' high and drunk with that—" he cut himself off, anger flaring in his eyes. "With that low-life ass nigga KT. What happened to the Shanae I knew? The one who actually cared about herself?"

Her eyes narrowed, feeling a flash of anger bubble up despite the haze in her mind. "Oh, so now you care about what I do?" she shot back, slurring slightly. "Funny, 'cause you didn't seem to care when you was playin' me, keepin' me on the side."

Jay's expression darkened, his hand raking through his hair as he exhaled sharply. "I told you things was complicated, Shanae." His voice softened for a moment, almost as if he was pleading with her to understand. "But this? This ain't you. And that nigga JT... He just usin' you."

She let out a bitter laugh, stumbling as she tried to move away from him, only for him to steady her again. "Using me? You really wanna talk about who's using who, Jay?" She met his gaze, her eyes shining with anger and hurt. "I'm finally doin' what I want, bein' with who I want... You hate that I'm out here not waitin' around for you while you with you with your family?"

He took a step closer, his gaze intense, jaw clenched. "I don't hate it, Nae. I'm worried about you." His voice dropped to a low murmur as he reached out, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "This ain't you. You don't need to be doing this to prove somethin' to me or nobody else."

Her breath caught, the warmth of his hand lingering on her cheek. She knew she should pull back, that she shouldn't let him affect her like this. But the mix of alcohol, weed, Percs and the familiarity of his touch clouded her judgment, her defenses crumbling in his presence.

"Jay..." Her voice softened, her gaze flickering between his eyes and his lips. "Why you really here?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he held her gaze, his eyes searching hers as if he was trying to read every thought in her head. Then, with a resigned sigh, he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a tentative, questioning kiss. She didn't pull away—instead, she leaned into him, the warmth of his mouth against hers igniting something reckless and desperate within her.