The Only Exception

23

Letoya

"Okay... I did something." I mumbled to Essence who was riding with me to Jo's house.

"What did you do?"

"No... I'm saying I did something to upset Jo. Cause she's upset about something. She kept getting all quiet and in her head back at the office."

"Well, you keep spending time with a woman that has feelings for you. Probably feels like she's competing for something that is already rightfully hers."

"What?" I chuckled in disbelief. "Please. Jo doesn't feel threatened. Jo is one of the most powerful women in this city. She is anything but jealous."

Essence sent me a look as we pulled into Jo's driveway behind her car. "Tuh, how much do you wanna bet?"

Jo got out the car and helped Shawn with her bags. She didn't even spare me a glance. We got out and followed them in the house. I got inside and looked for Jo and didn't see her. "Shawnette, where's Jo?"

She pointed upstairs and I nodded as I walked up the steps. Going to her bedroom, I found her rummaging through her draws as I closed the door. She pulled out some tights and turned around. We met eye contact and she turned back around. She began unbuttoning her shirt and I walked around and faced her as I did it for her.

"Okay, what did I do?" I asked her as I got to the last few buttons.

Jo shook her head. "Nothing."

"You gone look at me and tell me nothing?"

She looked at me and took a breath. "Letoya, why do you keep meeting up with Kelly?"

Damn. I'm glad I didn't bet with Essences ass.

"She called and I—."

She took her shirt off and let her slacks fall to the ground as she stepped out of them. "No, that wasn't my question. I'm asking why do you keep entertaining this girl."

"She was my best friend. I guess... I just want her to go back to how she was."

"I don't want you to keep meeting up with her Letoya." Jo told me suddenly and in all seriousness.

Nodding without hesitation, I replied. "Okay. I won't."

The last thing I wanted to do was see that bitch anyways.

"Thank you." She kissed me as her hands pulled me into her. When we pulled apart, she mumbled. "Think we got time for a round?"

"If we make it quick and quiet." I answered against her lips.

She picked me up causing me to squeal softly from not expecting it. Placing me on her dresser, I spread my legs and pulled her in between them as we made out. Her hands pulled my hoodie off and soon it was off my body completely. She laid kisses on my collar bone and I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the feel.

Jo ran her hands up my body and placed her hand under my chin, before mumbling. "Let me get this bra off."

I leaned up some and she reached around me and unclasped my bra. Holding my arms out, she pulled it off but stopped suddenly. "What?"

She grabbed my arm and looked at it. "Who the hell put this bruise on your arm?"

Looking over at it, I mentally cursed myself out. I hate the fact that I bruise so damn easily. Trying to be quick on my feet, I lied. "It's probably from when you tied me up baby, you know I bruise easily."

Jo chuckled. "Nice try. I know what my rope bruises look like on you Letoya. I see them every time I untie you and then they go away the next day. This is by itself and it's way too big. So let's try this again, who hit you?"

"Don't get mad." I mumbled.

"Too late but continue."

Sighing, I answered truthfully. "Kelly and I fought."

Her face furrowed before she shook her head. "So Kelly has a death wish is what I'm hearing?"

"No. We were talking and things got disrespectful. We both said some stuff then she said something about Grayson and I said something about her mother. She slapped me and it went from there."

Jo began analyzing me further and began staring at me. "You have makeup on your neck. Wipe it off."

Shit. This woman analyzed too damn deeply.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you don't need it right now. Why do you not want to wipe it off?"

"Baby, we were in the middle of something..." I tried to pull her back into me and she raised a eyebrow at me before walking into her bathroom. "Jo... come on." She came back with makeup wipes and when she began wiping it off I asked. "Seriously?"

She wiped all of it off and I could see the steam began blowing from her ears. "She choked you?"

"It was a fight Jo."

"So why did she choke you? She tried to kill you Letoya. That shit isn't alright and the fact that you covered that up with foundation tells me that you know that."

I put my head down. "Baby, it's not that serious okay? I didn't want you and Essence getting all upset. Like I said, she said she was moving out so it's going to be okay. Plus her licks barely connected, I'm fine."

In all honesty, I was sore as hell from us flying into every piece of damn furniture in our dorm. When Kelly and I fight, we go for blood and we definitely did. I wasn't going out easily and neither was she but when she was choking me and I scratched her eyeball she fell off.

"Tell me the truth. You aren't fine. Just tell me what happened, I won't get mad."

I still hesitated for I didn't believe Jo wouldn't get more pissed off than she was right now. Standing up, I turned around and showed her my back which was all bruised up from us hitting the walls and the furniture.

Her hands trailed against my bruises gently and her fingers were cold causing me to sigh as I blinked away the tears. "We... it just wasn't a good fight. Kelly and I were close, so when we get to that point it just becomes bad. We hit almost every piece of furniture in our living room and truth is I'm sore as hell and my muscles hurt."

Jo took a deep breath before turning me back around. "Come on baby, let me get you into the tub."

"I have to go study with—."

"She's here for three weeks, you have time to study. Right now, I want you to sit on the bed while I start your bath water." She pointed to the bed and I didn't argue but instead went and sat down.

The moment I told her, was the moment I began regretting it entirely. She kissed me softly a few times before walking into the restroom and I heard the bath water start. For a moment I got lost in the sensory of the sound. She came back out and held her hand out for me to take. I took it and allowed her to walk me into the bathroom.

She pulled my underwear down and I stepped out of them as I she helped me get in the bubble bath that smelled like nothing but lavender. "My mother used to always make these home remedies and she taught me to make some, so this one is my lavender scented one. It'll sooth your body, just soak."

When she went to leave, I called her back. "Jo wait." She stopped and walked back in. "Get in with me."

Shaking her head slightly, she stripped the rest of her clothes and I leaned up to allow her space behind me. She got in behind me and wrapped her arms around me. Laying a kiss on my shoulder blade, she mumbled. "I got you, you know that right?"

"Of course." I mumbled back as I leaned back into her.

"Good." The next kiss landed on my neck before she settled her head into it. We stayed like that, because this was the most securest place I had right now.