If You Make a Deal With a Shadow...

Chapter 41

"You don't want my love. I swear, you don't want it. You don't want my trust. I swear, you don't want it. Gave you my all for what? I swear, you don't want it. You don't want it bad enough, imma' take it back. I don't want your pieces."

- Pieces by Tamar Braxton

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The doorbell rings. Once Payton realized that it was still ringing he gets up from the couch with a sigh. He opens the door and comes face-to-face to a cheesy faced Hearst. Payton rolled his eyes at him before opening the door wider for him to step in.

"You miss me?" he asks as he steps through the door and into the foyer.

"No. Not as much as I know you hoped I did," Payton tells him before laughing.

"It's okay, Shadow. I missed you too, buddy," Hearst gives him a hard smack on his shoulder and Payton cuts his eyes at him as he closes the door.

Payton walks in the direction of the game room, and Hearst followed him knowingly. Aubrey emerged from the kitchen just as they were passing by. She looked at them and smiled.

"So, I see you're back in the kitchen. Is it for good this time?" Payton asks, hopeful.

"'Fraid not, Mr. Hampton," she replies. "I'll be leaving in the morning," she throws him a tight smile before sauntering off. She was gone before Payton could even retort.

"Looks like someone isn't getting any tonight," Hearst laughs, smacking his shoulder again.

Payton growls before turning to him. "Watch it before you get hurt, Hearst," he spat.

He holds his hands up defensively, retreating. "My fault, man," he grinned.

Payton mumbled something under his breath and continued walking at a fast pace. He followed closely him and let's out a chuckle every once and awhile.

"What's so funny?" asks Payton with a nasty tone. He was already agitated with him and it had only been a few minutes since he got there.

"Oh, nothing. I was just remembering that time when you told another one of your chefs to walk around naked," he laughed again before a short pause. "You think you can tell Aubrey to—"

"If you even think to finish that sentence I'll punch you so hard that you'll have to ask Geno who wired his jaw," he whispered coolly, still keeping his pace.

Hearst decided to keep his Aubrey jokes to himself at that point. He could tell Payton had a soft spot for her. "Fine, let me gone 'head and kick your butt in 2K so I can win some of my money back," he exclaims before sitting in one of the bean bags.

"You can't beat me, it's okay," Payton laughed and turned on his PS5.

After about six games, with Payton winning four of them, Hearst was definitely over getting his áss handed to him. He looked at the time and realized it was almost seven in the afternoon and knew it was time for him to head back home. "Alright, Shadow, imma head back home because I'm sure dinner is ready," he stood up. Payton followed suit and they dapped each other up.

Once he left Payton got in the shower and ordered himself a pizza. By the time he was done eating it was almost nine so he knew everyone had more than likely already retired to their bedrooms. He checked up on everyone just to be sure. Of course, he stood in Aubrey's room a little longer. He didn't want to come off as a creep, but he loved watching her sleep. After kissing her forehead he went to bed himself. He wanted to get a good nights rest because he had a surprise for her in the morning.