1995

XVI

Jude.
I sat home and listened to gospel music trying to cleanse my system from all this hate I had inside of me. Call me fucked up, but I realized I did all I could do when it came to Kennedy's situation. She gotta want that shit for herself. I tried hard even when it came to the cheating allegations but I will continue to help her but the time she pushes me away I'm either going to beat her ass or just give it to her real. Quite frankly, I rather beat her ass cause she knows better.

I got dressed and parked across the street from the house. I looked out the window still ducked down but still looking. I seen her husband leaving for work and I knew that he was going to be working long cause he was a workaholic and plus I knew he messed with other women and he'd probably go cuddle with other woman then stay home with the woman he beat and married. I rolled my eyes just disappointed by his behavior and that Kennedy was dumb.

I waited 10 minutes before I decided to get out the car. I got out and banged in the door until she answered. She answered the door the makeup on her face was so clumpy and packed on I almost wanted to swipe it off with my hands. "Jude!" She smiled and tears came out of her eyes. She hurried up and opened the door wide enough for me to come in. I held her in my arms as she cried before we could even sit down to talk. "Go get your stuff." She ran to her room and I heard dresser doors slamming and then she called me. "Help me get the kids things." I said okay and began helping them.

Within an hour we were all packed up and sitting in the car. I told her to trash her phone and the kids also as soon as I buy her another one. All the strippers at Macdaddy's had hella money cause we worked damn near everyday so I paid for everyone's phones.

We sat in my truck eating Mcdonald's I broke the comfortable silence. "Remember what I told you to do last year? About the whole picture thing." She nodded her head and unlocked her phone showing me bruises and pictures that she took on her phone. I nodded my head. "Good job, that's all the evidence you need.. Ima have y'all staying at La Quinta at the moment and tomorrow we'll be heading down to the station so you'll at least get granted a divorce. He didn't find out about the bank account I have in your name did he?"

She shook her head. While I was driving I had time to sort this out in my head, she'll get her older son to tell the truth about the way his father abuse her cause the twins were still babies, and for the children's sake she'll be granted a divorce and probably leave with half of everything.

Daniel.
I got dressed in my outfit and headed downstairs. I planned on going to the club with Gia. I had on a midnight blue Fendi shirt with some light blue pants on and white air forces on. I made sure I iced my wrist out too making sure I looked like a crisp blue when i went out. Plus, I took Gia out to

get whatever she wanted, I liked her a little bit but I wasn't ready to confess my love yet.

It was around 12:15am when we pulled up to the club. I had my pockets filled with money and I had my girl around my arm as we walked to the V.I.P section. "Aye man." I dapped my barber up and kept it pushing.

Moving through the crowd I heard so many people whispering my name, looking shocked that I still looked fresh as fuck and I wasn't down and out like Alicia portrayed me to be even though she was right but only me her and Gia knew that. We arrived in the section and it was only six people in there with us which was my barber and his girl and two other people. I grabbed a bottle of Ciroc and began to down it then pour it into my cup. "Gia, you look so fucking good girl!" I said as we both took a sip out of my cup. She sucked her teeth.

"Man you look amazing.. You make me happy seeing you enjoy yourself." She placed her hands on the side of my face and gave me an unexpected hug. I was kinda confused, so I leaned in for the kiss and I gave her a peck. She looked confused at first but then smiled to herself.

I held her hands as she sat on my lap grinding on me while No Guidance by Chris Brown was playing. She laughed then got close to me. "Honestly I thought you liked girls like my roommate, but I don't have time for games Daniel. I mean you fine and everything but I'm way to sexy to be ya rebound if you know what I mean, you probably would have been married by now if things ain't happen the way they did." I nodded my head trying to process everything over the music.

"Who said I was on games?" I said gripping her waist tighter and biting her neck. She laughed then removed my hands.

"You are, and exactly like this, nigga." She laughed distantly and got off my lap. I just stared at her admiring her beauty, but I could tell her vibe was off like she didn't wanna be here anymore and the party was just getting started.

Like I said I wasn't ready to confess my love yet. It was too early and I didn't wanna rush into something I was still trying to get over and it just seems like love ain't for me no matter how hard I try. Maybe I was only falling for Gia cause she was nice like that Hero Syndrome shit Jill Scott was talking about on Why Did We Get Married scene with Troy at that restaurant. That's exactly why I rather sit and wait then tell her I love her just for it to change later on.

Just then I looked up and I seen Jeremy and Alicia holding hands headed towards our section. I wanted to beat his ass and hers cause she scammed the fuck outta me and his dumbass sat there and let me fuck this hoe and make her suck my dick just for a couple thousand cause I damn sure wasn't no millionaire, she played herself and I was most definitely about to beat that ass. Female or not, she got me fucked up.

Just then Jeremy came in but he didn't see me Alicia did and she looked spooked but good thing Gia caught her glance cause she already had her heels off. "Bitch, I sure am glad to see you." I said walking up to her smiling my biggest smile yet.

Her man stepped in front of her. "Nigga, who you callin' a bitch?" I unbuckled my necklace getting prepared to smack his hoe ass.

"I'm callin" yo bitch a bitch my nigga... Don't try and be captain save a hoe or i'll do yo' ass in. You and yo scamming ass girlfriend, and Alicia I'm not playing, yo' ass better run me back my money."

"Scamming? My girl got her own money she don't need to take shit from you, you 'round here dressed in Fendi that lil money probably ain't a damn thing to you."

I laughed loudly. "Oh shit, everything makes sense. This nigga don't know bout me?" Alicia grabbed his hand. "Baby lets go." He snatched away from her. "Nah, lemme hear what he gotta say." She sucked her teeth.

"This hoe scammed me. She told me her daddy cut her off from college so I started helping her, after a while she took interest in me and we started dating so we was finna get married, do you know she left me, cleaned out all my accounts and ran her damn mouth at that gossip filled salon on how she ran me completely broke? Jeremy I fucked yo bitch under yo nose man, I fucked her inside out and man she real talented cause I can't seem to understand how she possibly could have both of us at the same time." I shrugged my shoulders and laughed as she looked embarrassed with tears in her eyes as he looked at her with wide eyes.

He lifted up his hand revealing his wedding ring. "Damn, so you was already married shawty? You know you real fucked up." I sucked my teeth as he twisted his wedding ring off his finger.

"Baby, I'm sorry I was just doing it cause we needed the money!" She was crying and the makeup was running off her face. He shook his head.

"Don't you sit here and lie to me Alicia! How the fuck he know about yo damn daddy cutting you off?! Yo daddy cut you off in 2016, we got married October 2017!" He boomed. "And money? You start fucking for money now? Damn."

I chuckled as she couldn't even look him in the eye.