White Knight [Editing]

5.

After the situation with Monroe, I took her to the hospital to get a rape kit done and test if she was pregnant.

She's not. Thank God.

She is, however, dealing with RTS. Rape Trauma Syndrome, which explains why she threw up and why she has more frequent anxiety attacks and such anger towards everybody. They were all symptoms.. symptoms that I completely looked over.

I tried not feeling guilty about it, but she refuses to tell me what exactly happened or where it happened, so I can't pinpoint when it happened. All I know is, somewhere I let her go or someone I sent her with, ruined my sweet girl.

Rhonda has been around extra lately and anytime she's not at the club or her other businesses, she's with us. Monroe prefers her over me anyway.

I haven't been back to the club since Monroe told me and that has caused a lot of confusion between me and Bryan.

We have to constantly remind each other we aren't in a relationship, we're barely friends.

We just had sex once.

We've discussed the whole "dating" thing and truthfully, our minds aren't in. Only our bodies.

I still appreciate him checking in on me and letting me rant to him about how horrible of a parent I am. And he calls and rants about his business, he apparently owns a business of his own.

We're comfortable acquaintances.

Speaking of...

"Hey B." I said lowly.

"Why you quiet? I woke you?"

"No, I'm just watching Monroe sleep. It's the first night she's actually slept through in a while." I vaguely said since he doesn't know about the rape part of the story. He just knows Monroe thought she was pregnant and has trauma, but she's actually not.

"Oh, want me to call later?"

"No.. I should probably leave her and stop stalking her anyway." I chuckled. "How you been?"

"A'ight. I been better." He said with obvious frustration behind his tone.

"Well, considering you live at your job, I'm not surprised."

"Aye, what'chu cooking? Mind if I stop over for a quick meal."

I hesitated my answer.

"Or not, I'on wanna impose or nun'."

"No, it's cool. I made some chicken and rice. I'll send you the address."

"A'ight, thanks mama."

I blushed at the pet name and hung up. Now I have to make some chicken and rice before he gets here.
~

"You a chef, now, huh?" Bryan said as he ate another forkful of the food I made him.

I dusted off my shoulder trying not the brag. I'm the best cook around, though.

He laughed as I tooted my own horn and continued to eat.

"You could slow down, though, geez. The plate doesn't have legs, it's not going anywhere." I said helping him to a napkin.

"Nah, ma, I haven't ate nun like this in a long ass time, like since my moms been gone." He said.

I looked down and apologized to him for his lost.

"It's alright. Guess it's just one more thing we have in common."

I grinned. How am I falling for a man I know nothing about? What is wrong with me? I'm not even sure if it's me or my Susie that wants him.

"So, what you plan on doing tonight?"

I gave him the side eye. I hope this man is not–

"I thinking maybe I could convince you to watch a movie with me." He said interrupting my thoughts. I could've sworn he was going to ask for sex or a trip to the strip club... movies is the complete opposite.

"I don't want to leave Monroe here, just in case she wakes up and needs me." I said politely and indirectly shooting his offer down.

He held up a movie case and said, "I didn't mean that. Let's just hang out here."

Love and Basketball.. Fuck. My favorite movie.

I rolled my eyes and agreed, only because I haven't seen this movie in a few months. I took the case from him and showed him to our theatre room.

"Shit, you a baller, tiny T." He said amazed by my theatre room. It is pretty decked out if I must say so.

I popped the movie in and sat beside him on the front row couches. I don't have seats, I preferred the couches because I enjoy cuddling with my girls.

He put his arm behind me on the couch back and lowered his body in the chair. I moved and laid my head down on the other arm of the couch.

I don't care if anything happens tonight, but if I can prevent it, I will do anything to.

The movies played through and we were talking throughout about all kinds of things that lead back to his mother. Usually talking during a movie annoys me, but with him it felt good.

"I ain't know her allat well but she was my moms so everythang I do now is fa' her. Everythang she woulda wanted from me is what I try to be."

"Like with your business?"

"Yea. The label is fun but all of it is because I thrive to be best fa' my mom. Of course, I do it for ma' chirren, too... The future ones."

My heart stopped when he said children. Thank God that man finished his damn sentence or his ass woulda been kicked the fuck out.

We sat their in silence for a while longer.

"I dig the vibe." He sarcastically said making me laugh.

"Yeah. We literally know everything about each other, now. It's that crazy. In the span of two weeks, you've became the person who knows more about me than my own children." I said with a small chuckle following.

"True, but, I feel like I'on really know you. I know ya story."

True.

"How 'bout dis. I wanna get to know the great Toni Braxton, not just ha' story. I wouldn't imagine why you won't wanna get to know me." He started making me laugh. "Let's stop talking for a minute, then we'll know where to take all dis."

My smile turned into a frown in a matter of seconds.

"You want us to stop talking?" I asked.

"Yeah, not forever. Just to see what this is."

My eyebrow rose at the statement. What this is?

"I dig ya vibe, short stack. I wouldn't mind this being a... for life kinda deal." He is basically saying he wants a relationship... indirectly.

I'm not against it but I could've sworn we agreed not to go that path because of multiple different reasons.

"Fine." I said going against my thoughts.

He held his hand out and we shook on it.

"Well den, I'll catch ya short ass whenever." He said standing up.

I stood up and showed him to the front door.

"Good night, stupid." I said biting my lip.

"Night, ma."

I closed the door and slid down it. What am I getting myself into...
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