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“Shunta cool and all but you know I love me a chocolate chick.” He bragged and pinched my cheek. “Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, cocoa powder brown. I like my chicks dark with an ass that’s round.” He rapped.

“Ignorant ass.” I grinned. “You got bonus points for not taking the bait though.”

“So, you really was interested huh? Yo ass was just playing my nigga for weak.”

“You’ll never know.” I winked at Lucas. Taking a sip out of my cup, I peered at Julius over the rim before saying. “He tell y’all I whooped his ass with a belt.”

“See now you ‘bout to piss me off. Get yo shit and let’s go, Nariah.” Julius said and stood up from the table.

The guys were doubled over in laughter while I sat there smirking at him. I knew he had told them ‘cause I heard him on the phone asking Tito what he could use to get that welt to go down.

A cute lil frown etched across Julius’s face when he sat back down. “I’on think I ever got my ass whooped that hard.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you what the fuck was going on in your head when you did that shit.”

“I’on know.” I hunched my shoulders. “He hurt my feelings, so I wanted to hurt him.”

“Nawl yo ass played me. You weren’t even supposed to be at the crib yet.”

“I keep telling you I’m always gon’ be ten steps ahead of you.” Julius was trying to surprise me and got surprised himself. He thought I wasn’t around when he was talking to my mama, but I heard their whole conversation.

When he asked her to keep Jude, I was cool with that because I had planned on confronting his ass anyway and didn’t need my baby around to hear it. I don’t know what was going through my mind but when I heard the truck pull up outside, I got pissed off all over again.

Jude’s belt was the first thing I put my eyes on, so I used it.

I tried to whoop him something serious with that fucking belt for playing with me.

Julius was telling a bitch ass lie ‘bout him being at the studio.

I knew it just like his ass did. He thought I fell for that lil spill but that was the furthest thing from reality.

Truthfully, I don’t know where he was or who he was with. That shit was still a mystery to me. I searched his Apple devices front and fucking back and hit a brick wall every time. No cap something in my heart was telling me to just ride it out ‘cause the truth was going to reveal itself soon.

I can’t explain it, but it was this feeling that I had. A feeling I ain’t never felt before. Like to the point where I was damn near restless at night. I was lying beside this nigga staring at the walls ‘cause I couldn’t sleep. Something had me so uncomfortable that it kept me up at night.

That’s how I knew Julius was fucking around.

I ain’t have the evidence but my heart knew it.

We were a couple of years shy of being together for ten years and this nigga was being a nigga.

As much as I hated the thought of splitting up my family, I was prepared for it.

That shit was going to hurt Jude more than it did me, but it wasn’t fair for him to see me at my lowest.

‘Cause lets keep it a stack. If I found out Julius was doing me wrong, I would be hurt. Hurt beyond words ‘cause I had been holding his ass down for years. Never stepped out, hell never even looked at another nigga. A nigga couldn’t get close to me if his name wasn’t Julius Jones.

And everybody in the city knew that. So yeah, a bitch would be fucking devastated if some shit did come out.

Taps to my temple jarred me from my haze. “You in that big ass head of yours?”

“My bad. I was thinking ‘bout the stuff I need to get done next week.” I lied.

“Nari, when is you launching your stuff?” Tito asked.

“A week from tomorrow.” I beamed.

“Yo IT team make sure your website can withstand the traffic?”

“They said they did. I can only hope for the best.”

“I’ll stop by your warehouse and check out your server.” He let me know.

“Thank you for that.”

“You know it’s nothing.”

Tito was a god send. Thanks to him I didn’t have to have a team.

Outside of the talent agency that I was signed too, and my assistant, Tito helped me for whatever else I needed.

It was nothing for him to pull up at my warehouse to help me with anything.

I really appreciated him for that because with me being in school and being an influencer sometimes things kind of fell to the side.

It was him and Julius that stayed on my ass about my designs and the logistics of my business.

“Nari ‘bout to have the biggest drop of the century.” Lucas cheered. “Them hoes ‘bout to go crazy for that shit.”

“I hope they do.” I giggled. “I worked hard on it and spent a bunch of money so it would be nice to get a lil return.”

“If you don’t you know I got you.” Julius let me know.

“I already know you do but I don’t want that. I want my stuff to really sell out.”

“Nari the Great.” Bryon chided, making everyone at the table laugh.

Out of everyone around me Julius knew how much Jurni meant to me. My feelings would be so hurt if my line wasn’t a success. Especially since this is what I planned on doing instead of actually putting my degree to use.

Elbowing me lightly Julius peered down at me. “Get out ya head. You got mad followers, them girls gon’ sell you out Nari.”

Tonguing my cheek I smiled. “Thank you, Julius.”

“It’s nothing.” He shrugged while biting down on his bottom lip.

It had been a long three weeks. Julius and I were very sexual so not getting my cat played in had my ass extremely horny.

The fact that Julius looked damn good tonight played into the mix.

The way he was staring at me ‘caused my face to flush. When he leaned down and whispered, “you ready to slide?” I couldn’t stop my head from nodding.

I had kept him on ice as long as I could.

Now I was going to let what happened in Miami rest, at least until something came out.

Wasn’t no sense in living in misery while sitting back waiting for the shit to fall into my lap.

If my relationship was on the verge of ending, I might as well enjoy what was left of it.