Page 3 of Intentional Foul (The Complexity of Love #2)

“Wait, you need to chill. It was a mistake. Anissa is my best friend. I wouldn’t betray her by dating her son. He is practically family.”

Chasity turned her petite frame in my direction before she ran her fingers through her pixie cut.

“Malcolm didn’t get the memo. He kissed you, Jhae, and he wants you.”

I scanned her mocha-tinted skin, taking in her squinted brown eyes and firm jawline. For the sake of denial, I wanted to defend my previous statement, but I struggled not to agree.

“From half court. Malcolm made it. He made it,” the announcer said and refocused on the crowd.

Malcolm stood surrounded by teammates, including Marquise, celebrating his shot, and panic covered me. I secured my phone to start damage control.

Me

Bestie, are you up?

I bounced my right leg in a repeated motion, waiting for Anissa to respond. Once the three dots appeared, my nerves subsided.

Bestie

I’m trying to watch the game, but your niece isn’t being nice about it.

Me

Awww, I need more pictures.

Bestie

OMG.

Me

You might need to get your social media team to do some damage control.

The people in the crowd jumped, startling me. Marquise dunking on the opposing team replayed on the big screen, putting my heart at ease again.

Bestie

What happened?

Me

You know how me and Malcolm hug.

Bestie

Yes. You hug his neck and then kiss his cheek.

Me

Yeah. He turned his head too quickly, and he caught my lips.

“And a three by Malcolm Shawwwww-Jefferiessss,” the announcer yelled, egging on the crowd.

Chasity bumped me as she stood and cheered with the crowd. I wanted to join in, but I need to get ahead of the social media rumors and pictures. No one does crisis control on the level of Anissa.

Bestie

So, what? You had me panicking for no reason.

Seeing her words loosened the tightness in my chest, but it brought forth another problem.

I needed to have a one-on-one conversation with Malcolm.

Anissa teased him about having a crush on me, but I think he took it to heart.

It was almost cute. Malcolm and Marquise both had grown as men.

Hell, they even had facial hair, but we needed to nip this crush situation now.

The buzzer for the second quarter sounded off, and the dance team stormed the floor. I stood to take in the entertainment and clapped along with the crowd. Chasity and I moved from side to side, soaking in the energy.

“Hey, you want to get a drink?” I said after I bumped her arm.

She shook her head in agreement. I waved my VIP pass, and her smile widened. We both secured our purses to head out. Frank stood with us, but the crowded aisle caused us to pause.

“Jhae,” a deep voice said my name.

I turned to find Malcolm glaring at me from his seat with focused brown eyes.

“Where are you going?” he asked, and I chuckled before turning my head. “Jhae!” he voiced with more authority, but I didn’t acknowledge his presence.

Instead, I stepped forward as the man in the black tee migrated into the aisle. I don’t know what the fuck is going on with Malcolm, but it needs to stop. A pointy nail tapped my shoulder, and I turned to the source.

“Girl, I know you hear Malcolm calling you,” Chasity informed.

I plastered a fake smile as I grabbed her hand.

“Jhae!” he demanded my attention again, even after the whistle blew.

I knew time wasn’t on my side as I bullied my way into the aisle, dragging Chasity along.

“Excuse me. Excuse me,” I said repeatedly until Chasity tugged at my hand.

“I am wearing stilettos. Slow down,” she projected from behind me.

Once we landed on the platform, I shuffled us over to the clear stop and released her hand. Chasity bit down on her bottom lip before she smirked.

“Malcolm did not like you ignoring him, Jhae. Marquise grabbed his arm to keep him from moving the chairs. It might be on social media later,” she warned.

I pinched the bridge of my nose with two fingers to settle myself. The thought of someone posting us and things being taken the wrong way worried me.

“He is going through something because this is not that,” I said, lifting my hands.

“He ain’t going through shit. Malcolm has eyes for you. Hook me up with Marquise,” Chasity asked.

I tilted my head to the side, with twisted lips.

“What?” she asked.

Hooking her up with Marquise wasn’t happening on my watch, and for good reason. He played the field with no intention of stopping. I wasn’t holding her hand when he fucked and left her alone.

“No, and thank me later,” I said.

Chasity rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to me.

A rush of fans flooded in, wearing their favorite player’s jerseys, filling the small concession space.

I pulled her toward the VIP elevator and flashed the badge.

The silver-plated door opened, and we climbed in with Frank.

We traveled two floors up before the doors pulled back.

Chasity gave me a satisfied grin as we exited the elevator.

Soft music and dim lights greeted us along with a bustling crowd of suits and designer attire.

The floor mimicked a basketball court with a large logo in the middle.

Plush seating was tucked into the pockets of the room, giving it a more intimate setting.

Chasity and I locked arms and landed at the bar.

“What’ll you have?” the bartender asked.

“Water because she is a lightweight,” Chasity teased.

I rolled my eyes before I scanned the top-shelf liquor neatly displayed with the labels out.

“I want something fruity with a pinch of alcohol,” I ordered.

The bartender gave me a smile as one of his locs fell in front of his eyes. He leaned in, showcasing his seductive smile. I gave a tempting glare taking in his toned abs peeking through his fitted shirt.

“What about a drink we call timeout? It’s a mix of strawberry drink and a shot of tequila,” he said, and I bunched my shoulders upward.

“Sure.”

“And you?” he asked Chasity.

“Anything brown but keep it lady-like,” she said, and he tapped the bar top with his knuckles.

I exchanged glances with familiar faces in the music industry and offered a wave or head nod.

“Ladies,” the bartender said.

I turned to find our drinks resting on the bar top. He garnished my drink with strawberry slices and mint. I reached for my purse, but he stopped me.

“This one is on me,” he said, and Chasity wiggled her brows.

It was the fourth quarter before we returned to the sideline with the bartender’s number.

I figured by now Malcolm had calmed the hell down and worked off the adrenaline.

Everything about his text messages were out of pocket.

Maneuvering around people to our seats frustrated me as I tried to protect my cup.

I pulled my red drink to my lips and scrolled through social media.

Ordinarily, I would doom scroll, but I searched for any videos of Malcolm and me kissing.

“Baby, I have the time...” rang through the stadium, and I slammed my eyes shut.

“A timeeeee lesss,” Chasity belting out the lyrics to my song caused me to cringe.

I composed my expression and peered upward, mouthing the words with the crowd.

If people knew how it pained me to sing this song, they wouldn’t sing it.

Even after the music stopped, they continued to quote the lyrics, and I waved my hands for them to continue.

Please end this damn song, I thought to myself as I plastered on a fake smile.

I scanned the arena, and my eyes landed on Malcolm.

The intensity with which he stared suggested he could see right through me.

I diverted my attention to Marquise, and he smirked as if he knew something I didn’t.

Finally, the song ended, and the air returned to my lungs.

People will not allow me to grow from heartbreak or evolve.

Malcolm

I twisted in my seat to put my eyes on my woman, but she stood and secured the bag I bought. Panic traveled through me at the thought she could be meeting someone else or leaving. Tonight, I planned for us to relax and talk about us after the game.

“Jhae,” I yelled from the bench, drawing a few of my teammates’ attention.

Those big brown eyes landed on me, and we glared at each other for a second.

“Where are you going?” I mouthed.

Audacity laced her face as she scanned my body as if we were enemies. She chuckled and turned away instead of answering my question.

“Jhae,” I called again.

Chasity’s mouth parted as she observed the interaction. She tapped Jhae, but my woman refused to address me.

“Jhae,” I said again.

I received no answer or acknowledgment, and it heated my core. Gripping the top of the cushioned folding chair, I attempted to move it out of my path but Marquise secured my arm to pause my motion.

“Bro, you need to chill out and check back in the game,” he said after he chuckled. “Mom is gon’ kill yo ass when she finds out.”

Jhae’s refusal to answer my question raged at both ends of my emotions.

One side of me panicked from the unknown of her whereabouts, while the dominant parts of me demanded control.

After the whistle blew, my brother pushed me back onto the floor.

Peering up at the scoreboard, we were under two minutes before halftime.

Right now, I didn’t give a fuck about this pretend ass basketball game no one put any effort into playing.

I’m thankful the fans voted me in, but right now, I'd rather be following Jhae’s slim-thick ass.

Bane checked the ball and moved it over to half court.

He passed it to me, and I shot it from the three-point line then turned before it connected.

The crowd yelled as I jogged down the opposite end of the court.

Marquise shook his head once we made eye contact.

He knew I was pissed the fuck off. The buzzer sounded, signaling half time, and I scanned the seats again, but Jhae hadn’t returned.