Page 24 of Adonis Gates

“Move and I’ll drop you where you stand, pussy nigga.” Adonis had his gun trained on Derrick.

While I’d usually be terrified to see him with his weapon drawn, I was completely unfazed in that moment. Iwantedhim to shoot him. He needed to hurt like I did. Maybe that would have made me feel a little better.

“Jru…”

“Don’t touch me!” I seethed when Derrick reached for my arm.

“Baby, I can explain,” he stupidly said.

“You don’t have to explain anything to her ass.” Bonita snapped.

She’d gotten her punk ass up, so I popped her in the mouth again causing her to fall back into Derrick’s arms.

“Jru, what the fuck?!” he barked.

“Fuck you! Fuck this bitch!” I pointed. “And fuck y’all’s bastard ass baby. I hope all of you die!” I spat, turning on the balls of my feet. I needed to get the fuck out of that house and away from them before I caught a murder charge.

I also didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry because I felt the tears coming on. I begged that nigga to tell me if I wasn’t enough, and he assured me that I was. Even though he’d cheated before, he promised that he’d gotten that shit out of his system and was all about me now, but that was obviously another lie, and I was tired of putting up with it anyway.

I was stupid and not only mad at them, but myself too. I should have never allowed him to cheat and get away with it, but part of me felt like if I couldn’t give him what he needed, then I shouldn’t trip as much, but I was fed up and over it now.

“Ay, Jru.” I heard Adonis calling after me, but I ignored him and continued my stride out of the house. Iespeciallydidn’t want to cry in front of him. I was embarrassed enough. “Jruelle, wait,” I felt his arm wrap around my waist from behind.

He pulled me back and turned me to face him. I could no longer hold it together, so I began to sob into his chest. I was so angry with myself for even letting it get to this point. I wasn’t the woman that I’d allowed myself to become throughout the years I’d been with Derrick. He got in my head after I was diagnosed, and it had been a downward spiral since.

Adonis allowed me to get it all out before he pulled back and peered down into my eyes.

“What you need me to do, baby?” He asked, thumbing away some of my tears. “I’m on what you on. You want me to go back in there and beat that niggas ass, I got you. You want him dead, just say the word and he’ll be pushing up daisies.”

As good as both of those alternatives sounded, I shook my head.

“I-I just want to go.” I confessed in a whimper. “Can you find my sister s-so w-we can leave?”

“I got you but come on.” He took my hand and led me down the street by where his Jeep Wrangler was parked. He started the car and turned the air on before helping me into his truck. “Just chill right here ‘til I get back.”

I nodded and sniffled. He walked away after shutting the door while I just looked straight ahead. The shit hurt and had me pissed because if nothing else I expected him to have more respect for me than to cheat while we were outtogether, but for years I’d given him more credit than he deserved.

Not even five minutes passed before my sister came barreling my way. She snatched Adonis’s door open and began to examine me frantically.

“What happened, Jruelle?! Are you okay?”

“Yes.” I cried. “I just want to go home, Geri.”

“Come on.” She started to pull me from the car. “Home like where you stay with Dick Head or…”

“No.” I shook my head. “I’m going with you.”

She nodded. “Good. Let’s go.”

I started to walk off, but Adonis gently wrapped a hand around my wrist to stop me. I looked up at him over my shoulder.

“You gon’ be aight.” He pulled me into a tight hug and kissed the top of my head. “I know you need some space and shit right now, but I’m gon’ hit you tonight to check on you.”

I opted out of verbally responding and just nodded before stepping out of his embrace and following my sister to her car. I didn’t want to start back crying like a fool and embarrass myself any more than I already had.

The ride back to my sister’s was quiet. Geri and Cam didn’t ask a thousand questions, and I was grateful. I didn’t feel like talking at that moment. I had things at her house, so as soon as we got there, I went to the guest room and got right in the shower. I stayed in there for about an hour, and Derrick called me the entire time. I blocked his number then called my mom.

“Hey, baby girl,” she answered. “I was just thinking about you and your sister. Did you two have fun today?”