Nina & Dee

Five

It was a quarter after three by the time I got home. During the drive back, my eyes kept darting to the rear view mirror, checking to see if I was being followed or not. But I didn't see anything that looked at all suspicious.

I locked the door behind myself and placed my bag onto the island. The guys were gone and the house was back to how I liked it; clean.

I made my way to the bedroom to find Dee sprawled in the middle of the bed, scrolling away on his phone. My eyes wandered his body. His muscles and tattoos went so well together. He was only wearing his Ralph Lauren boxers, but I had a feeling he was just trying to subtly seduce me into forgetting about our conversation earlier. Not today pal.

"Where were you?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of his phone. I tossed mine onto the bed before gathering my pajamas for tonight. It wasn't even evening, but I knew that I wasn't leaving the house anytime soon for the rest of the day. If anything, I'll order something to be brought up, but I wasn't leaving my condo.

"The cemetery."

He didn't say anything for a moment, so I took the opportunity to leave the room, heading straight to the bathroom to take a shower. I turned on the faucet and heard the soft squeak of the bed. He was following me now.

I began to undress when he stood in the doorway, watching me. Usually, this sort of thing excited him. He'd practically drool over me the entire time, telling me how beautiful I am, before asking to join me. Now wasn't the time and the mood was completely different than what were used to and he knew it.

He stood with his arms crossed and the pit of my stomach ached. Dee and I hardly ever argued and we were always on the same page. But this bothered me, more than it should have. I wished he were upfront with me, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if he had a reason for keeping it from me. I argue with myself over that thought. Am I just giving him the benefit of doubt? An excuse for lying?

I couldn't answer my own questions. He was the only one who could.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as I stepped into the shower. It was seethrough, not made to include a curtain so he could see me fully well.

"I could be better." I answered dryly, more dry than I intended.

"Look Nina, yeah I lied,"

I jerked my head towards him, shocked by how bold he was. But it wouldn't be Dee if he weren't blunt.

"But I can't tell you. It's one thing about me that I'd rather you not know."

"We live together Dee. We've been together for two years. Don't you think we can tell each other everything by now?"

He shook his head and walked further into the bathroom. I could tell that he was battling whether to tell me or not because his eyes weren't looking at me, they were looking in the mirror, at his own reflection.

He stayed silent for a minute before he answered me.

"I'll tell you because I love you and we know better than to keep secrets from each other. But once I do, don't bother trying to change my mind."

I looked down at my wet toes, watching the water as it splashed. Now I wanted to know, but was pretty apprehensive to find out.

He turned to look back at me to see my reaction, but I only kept a straight face.

"I do underground work."

His words hung in the air and I struggled to grasp them.

"I trap."

The way he simply put it. The nonchalant tone in his voice as if this were something he spoke about everyday. How had I not known? Had he been doing this when I met him?

I stared at him as the water hit my skin, but I didn't speak a word. He took that as his opportunity to leave the bathroom.

Part of me felt like I knew. The money lying around and the weed. Just why today? All this time he managed to keep it under wraps as far as I was concerned, but why did I find out today?

I thought about his brothers. They were used to hanging in the streets, but I never knew of them getting involved into something too dangerous.

I bathed as my mind wandered, trying to piece everything together, but I wasn't done. I needed him to elaborate, give me something more than just "I trap."

I walked back into the bedroom and Dee was right back in his original spot, sprawled out on the bed. The television was on. Shark Tank, something we loved to watch together.

"So, you trap. Meaning?"

"I sell drugs, I make sure my money is coming in. I protect you. That's what I do."

I slid into bed, working my way on top of him. I rested my head on his chest and placed my leg right in between his.

"Why, Dee?"

He sighed and put down his phone. His arms snake around my waist and he pulled me closer to him. I could stay like this forever if I had a choice. I loved to be up under him and to feel him reciprocate that was all the better.

"It's just what I'm good at, Nina. I run folk. I mean, I wish it weren't in drugs, but that's just how it is. I've been doing this since I was sixteen.. with my dad."

My eyes widened and I shot up, staring at him. His father? Why did it feel like I was meeting him for the first time? Dee has never mentioned his father. Not once.

When I met Sanni, his father was never around. At the dinners and family events, his father was never there and no one ever mentioned his name. It's almost if he never even existed. To hear those words come out of Dee's mouth, my mind started to spin.

"Wait, what? Your father? What do you mean, Deondre?"

He sat up and ran his hand over his head.

"My dad has been running the streets for as long as I remember. We do it with him. Kyle, Harlem, and Syte. We make things happen."

I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off.

"Listen, it wouldn't have been my first choice, but the money comes in a lot quicker this way. Mom doesn't know. She doesn't even know we see Dad. It's a little crazy, but it gets our bills paid and then some. I don't go around killing people, but if this girl keeps showing up, she's going to push me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Half of me already knew the answer. He knew I wouldn't accept it and he'd think I'd hound him everyday about quitting. To tell the truth, I really wanted him to quit. I couldn't believe it now, but I'd slowly change his mind. I'm sure of it.

"Tell my super intelligent, gorgeous girlfriend that I've been selling drugs since I was sixteen and that's how I like to make money. No, I couldn't risk it."

"Risk what?"

He wrapped his arms around my waist again and pulled me back down to his chest.

"Risk losing you."

I placed my hand ever so gently to his cheek and kissed his lips, just as passionate as my mouth would let me. He'd need to do a lot more to lose me.. but he's smarter than that. I know it.
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