Page 38

Most of the night, Bria tossed and turned, feeling so disgruntled with herself.

Seeing Lo had been an unwelcome surprise.

Only because deep down, underneath her resentment, she missed him badly.

Only the good parts of him though. The rest of his makeup, she could deal without.

There was something different about Lo last night.

A pleading that resided in his eyes. It tugged on Bria’s heartstrings.

She wanted to pull him to her bosom, and assure that their marriage would survive, but she couldn’t lie to him.

Bria couldn’t envision herself being tied to someone who was not only emotionally unstable but emotionally absent as well.

There were way too many highs and lows within their relationship, and they hadn’t even reached a full year of marriage.

It pained her to walk away from him. Each step was like walking away from her heart.

The weak side of Bria wished she could open her heart to him, but he had said too much to her.

When her phone rang, she noticed it was Cali, so she answered.

“Hello?” She placed the call on speakerphone while putting on mascara.

“Hey.” Cali’s tone alerted her that something was off.

“What’s wrong?”

There was a slight hesitation before Cali revealed, “I really hate to call you with this news but… Dough was found dead at his house.”

Within an instant, Bria’s mouth gaped as her mind processed what Cali had just told her.

Her eyes gathered water before they were pushed from her lids.

Guilt rested on her shoulders as they quivered with each sob.

This was heartbreaking news, but Bria wasn’t surprised.

She’d inserted him into a beef with Lo that ultimately ended his life.

Granted, Dough had made terrible choices further complicating the situation, but Bria felt it was her doing.

“I’m sorry, sis. I know you cared about him.” Cali sighed.

“It’s my fault.” She shook her head. “I should’ve never stepped out on Lo and caused this.”

“Listen, I’m not about to be that person who tells you that it’s going to be okay and not to blame yourself. Maybe you did play a part in it, but Dough also knew what he was doing when he continued to deal with you.”

“I just… I just wish I would’ve left him alone. This is all on me. What are people saying?”

“Well, not much. Even Rio is tight-lipped about it.”

“Damn.” She sat on the edge of the tub, trying to make sense of this.

Truthfully, there was no sort of logic in this scenario. A life had been lost because of bad decisions on both of their parts. Bria was remorseful. She wished she could edit the part of her life that decided to keep creeping with Dough.

“What should I do? Should I go to the funeral?”

“Absolutely not. Going to his funeral will set so many people off, including your husband. I know you two are beefin’ right now, but you don't want to make the situation between you two worse. Just mourn by yourself, Bria.”

“Yeah, you're right.”

Every ounce of Bria wanted to pay her respects to Dough, but it would’ve set a blaze of more problems.

“Just keep your head up and stay low for now. I’ll call you later to check on you.”

“Alright,” she mumbled.

For a while she sat on the toilet, wishing she didn’t have to carry the burden of Dough’s death on her heart. There was a bond shared between the two. A love that was once genuine until Hurricane Lo came in and wrecked her entire being.

“Lord forgive me,” she whispered.

Despite the news she’d learned, Bria had a class to teach so she placed her grief to the back of her mind.

After showering and putting her hair in a bun, Bria got dressed and booked a car.

Grabbing her Alyak duffle bag, she exited her hotel room.

She checked her messages on the elevator ride to the lobby.

Stepping off, she headed toward the exit until her feet came to a sudden halt.

Lo stood, walking toward her piercing her with a pensive stare. He was in different clothes. A white Dolphins jersey, orange shorts, and citrus Jordan 11s to be exact.

Seeing him reminded her of Dough’s murder. She knew he had done it, but she couldn’t ask him about it. There were certain questions she couldn’t bear to let release from her mouth. This was one of them.

“Why are you still here?” she asked. “I don't want to be around you.”

Especially, after what you did to Dough…

“I got a room here last night. Look, I know shit is fucked up right now, but I need you to give me a chance to fix it.”

Bria scoffed. “No, you're sick in the head, and I can’t take being around you right now.”

Lo angled his head, piercing her with his mesmerizing eyes. “Where we about to go?”

“ We aren’t going nowhere. I have to go teach a class.”

“Well, then I’m coming with you.”

She shook her head. “No, you’re not. Lo, leave me alone.”

He revealed, “I can’t do that. I need you, baby.”

“Why? I don’t want you anymore. You’re fucking mean and you broke your promise. I don’t deal with men who don’t keep their word.”

Rubbing his tattooed hand down his wavy fade, he nodded. “Listen, I hear you. I fucked up at the hospital. I shouldn’t have turned my anger on you. I’m just trying to make shit right between us.”

“You can’t. I don’t like you.”

Lo smiled, almost provoking Bria to melt in an instant. It was rare for him to smile but when he did, she saw the innocence in him making an appearance. Trying to fight a man away who was simply irresistible had proven to be more difficult than she imagined.

“It’s cool if you don’t like a nigga right now. I can handle that.”

Bria rolled her eyes and continued toward the exit.

Hearing Lo’s footsteps behind her increased her irritation.

Thankfully, her driver was out front with the back door open.

Quickly, she got inside, hoping Lo got the picture.

She looked out the window, wondering where he had disappeared to when she heard the other door open.

“Get out!” she yelled as he slipped in the back seat with her. “Go away. Damn, I didn’t know you were so annoying.”

“I’m not leaving until you forgive me. So, get comfortable with me being around.”

Bria gaped at him as he got comfortable in the seat. The driver got inside the truck and looked back at her.

“Ma’am, are you okay? Do you need assistance?”

Lo smacked his lips, causing Bria’s anxiety to surface. Even though she couldn’t stand him at the moment, she knew he had no problem fucking this driver up.

“Assistance? Call ‘em,” Lo dared him. “So, I can turn this bitch out.”

“No, it’s okay. No need for any assistance. I’m not in danger.” She cut her eyes at Lo. “See, this why I don’t want you near me. You doing too much.”

The driver quickly turned around and started driving. Lo reached for her hand, but she snatched it away.

“You talking about me being mean when you acting like I got a fucking disease.”

“I’m only following your lead.”

Bria turned her body toward the door and looked out the window. She had no conversation for Lo, not when she needed to prepare mentally for her class. After fifteen minutes, they arrived with Lo walking closely behind her.

“Seriously, Kylo, can you go? You’re going to distract me.”

“I’ll be quiet. I swear.”

Bria went to the studio and as soon as she entered, the dancers gushed, enamored by her presence.

She never took in how much of a big deal she had been to ballet.

Being humble, Bria liked to shy away from the attention, but she was an accomplished dancer who had won countless awards, been featured in films, and toured with the cream of the crop.

“Hello, everyone.” She waved. “I’m so honored to train with you guys today. We’re going to have so much fun so let’s do some stretches so we can prepare.” Bria glanced back at Lo. “Oh, don’t mind this guy. He’s a fan that wants to sit in on training.”

“Wow.” Lo laughed, making Bria smirk. “A’ight, Bri-Bri. Don’t make me embarrass you.”

She ignored him and started doing stretches. If she could block out Lo for the duration of her class, Bria would be good to go.

Lo was in awe as he watched Bria train with other ballet dancers.

He thought he’d be bored, sitting around watching her but he was engrossed with everything about her.

Even her ballet dancing enamored him in a way that he wanted to watch her dance for hours.

He couldn’t even tell Bria had sprained her wrist a few weeks ago. She was just that good.

Witnessing her body contort in such delicate ways aroused him, physically and emotionally.

How could he part ways with this girl when he was literally obsessed with her?

Every thread of his being wanted Bria. She was his cure.

A medication he would willingly take for life as long as she promised to be his.

Lo didn’t care about getting anything right except for her.

He had to whoop his own ass if he planned to be Bria’s husband.

She deserved protection. She was entitled to the softer side of him.

It all should’ve been a given, which was why he was going to make a vow to himself to be a better man for her.

Lo’s phone chimed, signaling a text from Devyn.

Dev: Where you at? I need you to handle something.

Lo: I’m unavailable.

Dev: Nigga, that didn’t answer my question. Where you at?

Lo: I’m tryna save my marriage, bitch!

Dev: LMAO I hope she leave your dumb ass. Tell her to hit me if she needs an attorney.

Lo: Fuck u!

He looked up and noticed Bria walking toward him.

“I’m going to lunch.”

There was no invitation in her statement but that didn’t stop Lo from trailing behind her.

“Where we eating?”

She cut her eyes at him. “It’s funny how it’s we now.”

“It’s always been we. Don’t play with me.”

“I guess that we disappeared the night at the hospital when you were willing to throw me under the bus.”