Page 34 of Intentional Foul (The Complexity of Love #2)

“Oh shit, Niecy triggered your panic attack,” Khalil said.

The sight of Anissa approaching us caused me to turn away. I struggled to get my hand free of my ring, cuffing it inside my purse.

“I got you, Jhae, but I’m not going to lie to my wife,” Kahlil said.

I shook my head in agreement at his comment but I was also upset with myself. This was not supposed to be this way. I was going to sit with the wives and girlfriends. When Anissa asked, Malcolm and I were going to come clean together.

“Jhae, are you okay?” Anissa asked, but I couldn’t voice an answer.

It’s as if peanut butter coated my mouth, making my words sticky and hard to pronounce.

“Yeah, she is better. She had a mild panic attack,” Khalil answered in my place.

Anissa’s eyes widened as she tried to grip me, but I shied away from her touch. She gave me crowded brows as if she was offended.

“I’m okay. I needed to reset,” I said.

Khaira reached for me, and I pulled her out of Ivey’s arms as a distraction. She wore a T-shirt jersey with Marquise’s number and two curly ponytails. Khaira played with my necklace Malcolm bought.

“Jhae, you are headed up the wrong way. We have an extra seat,” Anissa said.

I shook my head yes and followed them to their seats.

Once we sat, we played pass the baby with Khaira, but she ended up with Anissa. I’m thankful Khalil sat between Anissa and I. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to breathe. The lights dimmed momentarily, and a spotlight hit the middle of the floor. Music boomed as the team ran in for introductions.

“At the Power Forward position, number six, Marquise Shaw- Jefferies.”

“At the Shooting Guard position, number eight, Malcolm Shaw-Jefferies,” the announcer said next.

The crowd screamed in excitement. Khalil and I remained seated. I moved to leave, but Khalil gripped my hand, stopping me from being the coward I am. Once the lights popped back on, the team began their shoot around.

“Show up for him, Jhae. You guys can figure it out later,” Khalil whispered to me.

I pressed my inner tear ducts with both index fingers to stop the tears from rolling. Khaira reached for her dad, and he kissed her puffy cheeks.

“Key! Key!” Khaira said, pointing toward the basketball court to Marquise with her pink headphones covering her ears. Next, she said, “Mal! Mal!” she said, pointing at her brother as she stood in Khalil’s lap.

Malcolm and I made eye contact, and I frantically shook my head no.

He would’ve come over and ousted us if I didn’t stop him.

Malcolm diverted his attention to his sister.

They both waved at her and my heart sank into my stomach.

He was disappointed, and we both knew it.

Khalil patted his heart at Malcolm, and they shared a father and son communication.

I was dazed while the game flew by. Malcolm took his anger out on the basketball court. He played lights out in the first half. At the end of the fourth quarter, I wasted no time getting out of the arena. The walls were closing in on me. Once the L.A. air hit me, my lungs inflated again.

I knew our marriage was over because I couldn’t face Anissa.

My first stop was our bedroom. I packed a bag and bolted downstairs.

I’m beyond thankful I didn’t sell it after Malcolm encouraged me to do so.

Stepping back inside my old condo, the homey atmosphere had long gone.

My stuff was there, but it didn’t have the same meaning.

I sat at the table and tried my ring on for the last time.

My phone vibrated next to me, and I glared at the messages.

Khalil

Malcolm is worried about you.

Hubby

Music Note.

Marquise

We got your back.

Anissa

Jhae, what is going on? The guys are upset and why are you having panic attacks. Talk to me.

I didn’t respond to anyone’s text messages; instead, I sat in stillness until the doorknob turned.

Standing, I remained by the kitchen table as he entered.

The expression on his face gave me no insight into his mood.

Right now, I couldn’t really tell if he was upset or didn’t care.

Hopefully, tonight’s win would be enough for him to overlook my cowardly act.

He examined the room, chuckling at my bag resting on the couch.

In three large steps, he was on me, attacking my lips.

The taste of him was intoxicating, filling my body with the liquid courage to submit to his every demand.

Ripping his lips from my face, he turned me around and stretched me across the table.

Every nerve in my body responded to his domination.

He removed my shirt and ripped the side of my required black lace panties.

He left me bear with only lust covering me.

The gripping of his large hands inched underneath me, lifting my waist to his middle.

A stinging sensation hit my ass cheek.

“Tell me why you didn’t keep our agreement?” he asked.

Pleasure surged through my body.

“I-I didn’t sit where you told me,” I murmured.

He slapped the same ass cheek again.

“Why didn’t you have on your ring, Jhae?” he asked.

I exhaled, leaving behind a moist imprint on the table.

“I hid it,” I mumbled through his rough pleasure.

A harder smack touched my skin and cum leaked between my thighs.

“Were you leaving?”

I shook my head, placing my forehead on the table.

“I can put the bag in the trash, right?” he said.

“Yesss,” I lied.

He positioned himself at my opening. The fresh, raw sensation of his dick moved forward and backward against my swollen clit.

I moaned roughly as he invaded the pussy he claimed.

Malcolm pounded me with a vicious but pleasurable motion, and I fought my body’s demand to explode.

The sound of flesh meeting and him slapping my ass was what I’d been craving all day.

I wanted to sink into this table as he moved deeper inside me.

“I fucking missed you,” I moaned.

“You couldn’t have; you left the arena,” he said and pulled me back on his dick.

I wanted to plead my case, but I couldn’t formulate words.

“Mmmm. This misses me,” he said in a moan.

Once his hands gripped my hair, I smiled. My head left the table controlled by him as his pounding and hair pulling worked in perfect sync.

“Please, don’t fucking stop,” I begged.

We were approaching the finish line and a scream exited my mouth. He released my hair and returned my body to the table, leaning his large body over me.

“Jhae Shaw-Jefferies, we are telling my mother tomorrow night,” Malcolm whispered, and my heart shook in fear. “Pops told me you had a panic attack. I’m over it, Jhae. We need to tell her so you can regain control over your life,” he said with our foreheads touching.

I shook my head in agreement before he lifted me in the air.

Malcolm

The chef I hired laid out a nice spread for the family dinner.

We had both steak and chicken, a variety of steamed vegetables and sides to choose from.

After eating and laughing, hopefully everyone would be too full to argue.

Marquise stood in the kitchen next to me, brushing his waves with his hand.

“Early predictions?” he asked.

“Mom is going to lose her shit. It will be an uphill battle,” I said with folded arms.

“Has Jhae come out of the studio?” Marquise asked.

I peered over at him and shook my head no. She’s been holed up in the room for two hours. Jhae thought I was joking when I said we were having a family dinner, then Chef Bernard showed up and she booked it to the studio.

“How are you going to get her out?” Marquise questioned.

“She will come out.” I said, and he shrugged.

“Oh, and for the last time, stop unblocking your bio mom. I cursed her ass out. You know I don’t care about her gold-digging ass,” Marquise said.

I turned to him as we faced off. “Stop unlocking my phone and blocking her,” I said, and he smirked.

When I didn’t hear from Toni for a week, I checked my settings to find her on my blocked list. Marquise was the only person who hated our bio mom.

Jhae never picked up my phone, leaving him the only person who could have done it.

My phone vibrating interrupted the heated conversation between me and my brother. Reaching in my pocket, I retrieved my phone to view the text message.

Pops

Parked. Let’s get through the hard part.

Me

Thank you.

Pops

You are a man. Take care of your wife, and I got your mom.

I inhaled the air and released a hard exhale at his words. He was right; Jhae was my wife and my priority. I didn’t want to hurt mom, but my heart wanted who it wanted.

“The old rich people are here,” I told Marquise, and we dapped hands as a temporary truce. Later, we would have it out about us touching each other’s phones. I migrated up the stairs and tapped on the door to the studio.

“Jhae, unlock the door. If we do this one time and get it over with, the panic attacks will stop,” I said, low enough for her to hear but silence greeted me.

“If you want this marriage, you will come out of the studio,” I spoke into the door.

Within seconds, the door unlocked and opened to my wife. I went in for a kiss, but she rejected me, turning her head away. Stepping inside the studio, I caused her to step backward. I hovered over her, cupping her chin for her to acknowledge me with eye contact.

“We need to be on the same page, Jhae. I’m not doing this to hurt you. I’m tired of the panic attacks and you avoiding Mom. We can’t get to the healing if we don’t rip off the Band-Aid,” I said.

“Okay,” she said through gritted teeth.

Jhae wrapped her hands around me and buried her chin in my chest. I knew this was hurting her but we couldn’t continue to live in seclusion and fear.

“I’m supposed to be the wise one. I’m the oldest,” she said.

“Therapy,” I responded, and we both laughed.

A tap came at the door. “The old people are making demands,” Marquise said.