Page 21 of Intentional Foul (The Complexity of Love #2)

My phone vibrated with a message from Anissa.

Bestie

Are you okay?

My eyes danced up to Malcolm and then back to my phone.

“Shit, this is coach Campbell now,” Malcolm said as he answered on speaker.

“Coach!”

“Malcolm, we have a team meeting tomorrow at ten at the training facility. It’s going to be a long one. I don’t know what the commissioner implemented. Tell Marquise,” he said, and Malcolm laughed.

“Alright, coach. I’ll let Marquise know. Shit, these people playing with my pressure,” he said.

Finally, a golden opportunity presented itself for me to get out of dodge. I see I’m going to have to do Malcolm similar to how I ditched Calvin’s cheating ass.

Me

Hey, I’m fine. The overprotective twins are bossy.

Bestie

They’re texting me now. You could always stay with me. Is Malcolm coming on to you?

Yes, more like made me cum.

Me

Why would you say that?

Bestie

Maybe I’m overthinking it, but he was hovering as if he was your man.

My eyes darted up to Malcolm as he continued to stare at the sports news. This could be my opportunity to get the upper hand, and I was taking it. As I strolled back through my conversations with Anissa, it made me wonder. She’s always temperature checking me when it comes to Malcolm.

Me

Anissa, stop it. But can you hook me up with a ride to Kansas City tomorrow?

Bestie

Sure.

Me

Please keep it between us. Marquise wants to be on the album.

Bestie

To do what? He can’t sing or rap.

Me

For the women.

If Marquise knew how much his sexual appetite bothered his mother, he would slow down. She told me about the ransom demand she received for sex tapes and pregnancy claims. A few of them, she had to alert the FBI because those emails were scary.

“Why yo momma ain’t answering the phone?” Marquise asked Malcolm.

Bestie

Figures.

Me

They are upset about the cup and championship after the season.

“Mom.”

“Yes, Marquise,” Anissa said through the speaker.

“Did you know about this mid-season championship?” Malcolm asked next.

As they continued to talk to Anissa, I put my plan together.

After I touch down in Kansas City, I’m ghosting to my favorite city, Chicago.

I booked a shipping company to pack up my condo until I can find a new home base.

I needed to stay low until the beginning of the season and focus on securing this divorce.

“Mom, you could have given me the heads-up,” Malcolm said.

“First, I’m not your agent. Shouldn’t you be calling your dad? Relax, it’s a tournament within your regular season games,” Anissa said.

The more I listened to them talk as a family, I knew I was making the right decision. I might break his heart, but in time, he would get over it. No one was immune to getting their heart broken and I’m okay being that person. I hope one day he understands I did this for the good of us both.

This morning, Malcolm pulled me into his body, aligning my face with kisses. Last night, I didn’t fight him on being held. Shit, I wanted it more than I let on. Considering the next time we meet will be a courtroom, I figured, what the hell?

“I have to go,” he said. “Your bacon, egg and cheese toast sandwich is in the microwave.”

“Yea,” I said and snuggled more in the bed to sell my sleep routine.

I waited twenty minutes before I hopped out of the bed, brushed my teeth, and slipped on leggings.

My timing had to be spot on. The moving company is coming at 10:00 to miss Malcolm.

The car service will be here in twenty minutes.

I rushed to pack my items. Sadness pulled at my heart as I passed the unused studio.

I touched the door because the gesture alone touched me, but Anissa wouldn’t understand.

My phone vibrated, alerting me to the moving company and the proximity of the driver.

I grabbed my sandwich before I left the apartment.

The moving guys assured me they would have my condo packed in a shipping container in two hours.

I changed my clothes and booked it to the airport, turning off my phone.

Jhae was on ice but Estelle Grimes had awakened.

One Week Later

I took a seat in Jason McKnight’s office.

He was the top divorce lawyer in the Midwest. My body was exhausted after I spent a night in Kansas City with Moe.

Then I booked it to the train station this morning.

It took me seven hours to make it, but I didn’t mind.

I wrote two songs, “Misunderstood” and “Never Be” on my new prepaid phone.

“Jhae Davis,” he said as he entered.

The warmth of his office almost put me to sleep with the view of the Riverwalk and comfortable leather seats.

With the wall of law books behind his desk, I hoped my way out rested somewhere within the pages.

Jason McKnight was a fine but married man.

His skin held a warm brown hue, gray beard, and bald head.

He had a nice, structured body behind his tailored suit.

“Anything you tell me will fall under attorney client privilege,” he said as he readily put his hand on the legal pad.

“Okay. I’m trying to get an annulment or divorce from my unwilling husband. We were married in Vegas while I was drunk,” I said, and my voice trailed off toward the end.

“Oh, that shouldn’t be too hard. Do you have any proof or witnesses?” Mr. McKnight asked as he sat back in his chair.

I chuckled as he underestimated my husband.

“They’re not talking,” I said.

“Excuse me,” he stated after clearing his throat.

“Let me give you the rundown. My husband is Malcolm Shaw-Jefferies, and he doesn’t want the divorce or annulment.

The witnesses were his twin who isn’t going to turn on him, and my ex-label mate, Chasity, who is also on his payroll.

She said I was sober. My PI, Papers, can’t find any videos of me drinking or being at the nightclub.

The officiant is nowhere to be found. Look, I need a quiet, no press divorce,” I said as I moved to the edge of my seat.

Mr. McKnight’s mouth was ajar as he rubbed three fingers across his forehead.

“If Papers couldn’t find them, they don’t exist. I’m going to be honest with you. This isn’t going to be easy with him contesting. It isn’t going to be quiet with you both being high profile. His mother is the shark. Does she know? Why didn’t you have her fix it?” he asked.

I sat back in my seat. “She is my best friend,” I said.

“Excuse me,” he said.

“I’m trying to divorce the son and keep the friend. I threatened to tell Anissa, and he gave me his driver’s license and quoted he was a grown man. He doesn’t care if she knows because he loves me,” I said and caressed my temples in a circular motion.

“Is he mistreating you? Did you guys sign a prenup?” he asked.

I tossed my hands in the air and chuckled at the thought of Malcolm mistreating me.

“Malcolm doesn’t care about money. He bought my masters to get me out of a record deal and built me a studio in his penthouse.

He is bank-rolling my next album amongst the diamonds and flowers he buys on a regular basis,” I said.

Mr. McKnight’s brows crowded his forehead. “If you could keep the friend, would you divorce him?” he asked.

I dropped my head and told the truth, “no.”

“She means that much to you,” he asked.

“Yes. She was there for me at my lowest. I would’ve been homeless in L.A.

if she hadn’t let me live in her guest house.

She helped me get a manager. I owe her everything.

Fucking her son will not sit right with her, but he doesn’t care.

Malcolm has this fantasy of us being in this happy marriage.

He bought us property for a family compound.

Treats me better than any man I ever dated, but I can’t hurt Anissa. What are my options?”

Mr. McKnight nodded his head in understanding.

“I hope she one day appreciates what you’re giving up.

To annul the marriage, you will need to live in Nevada for six weeks.

You could try to push the annulment without him finding out.

If he contests it, this could take weeks or months.

Then there is the fight for your music. There is no clean way to do this.

Anissa is going to find out and still be upset, so you might as well stay with him. How do you want to proceed?” he asked.

I sat with his words as my head pounded.

Walking away unscathed wasn’t going to happen.

Malcolm’s words about him attaching me to him rung true at this moment.

He had blocked me at every exit point. Regardless of the path, I was going to hurt someone I loved.

There is a good chance doing the right thing would cause me to still lose everything and everyone. Do I take that chance or be selfish?

“I don’t know. Give me some time to think,” I said.

“Before you leave. The question I would ask myself is whether she truly is my friend. A friend would be happy her son found someone who would love him back. But you know how to reach me,” he said, and we stood and shook hands.

I walked out of the lawyer’s office with a pair of sunglasses and a decision to make.

“Jhae!” Nia said as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

I called her on the train, and she put me into what she called a mini suite. My mouth dropped at the high-end finishes, large bed, the amenities, and the view.

“Nia, you are beautiful. Your skin and the ring finger are glowing,” I said.

I held Nia’s hand away from my eyes and squinted as if the diamond blinded me. She tapped my hand, and we giggled. She agreed to meet me at the restaurant attached to Exclusive. We met in college with our ex’s playing basketball. Neither one of them was worth a damn, both notorious cheaters.

“How is the five-time Grammy winner?” she asked, and I sighed, rolling my eyes.

We took a seat in a booth and ordered drinks.

“Married life treating you good,” I asked, and Nia blushed as she combed her cropped hair.

“Ace is everything,” Nia said.