Page 6

FEW DAYS LATER…

Money being tight was an understatement. It was crazy how just a couple months ago, money was really nothing to me, but now I found myself penny pinching. As badly as I didn’t want to, I would have to find a regular job because the career that had paid my bills for the past few years was over with for good.

I tried to take regular clients for a bit, but the money was coming too slowly. Not to mention the constant complaints about my pricing, though I had dropped it far below what I felt like I should be paid. Now I was lucky to get one booking every two weeks, and that coupled with the low amount I was charging wasn’t enough to feed me for even a week or two.

Picking up my phone, I dialed my aunt Rosabel. She and my other aunt Rosette were all I had ever since my mother Roslyn, their sister, died from alcoholism when I was just twelve years old. It was a hard time for me, but if I hadn’t had them to at least clothe and feed me, there was no telling what would’ve happened to me.

Now, I talked to them weekly, mainly Rosabel or Aunt Bell as I called her, but our outlooks on life differed so that it kept us from being as close as I would’ve liked us to be.

“Hello?” Rosabel answered.

“Hey, Auntie. You busy?” I bit my lip nervously, not knowing what she would even say to what I was about to ask of her.

“No, just watching one of my stories. What’s wrong?”

I tried to chuckle it off, but it ceased shortly after it started.

“I wanted to know if you had any extra cash I could borrow.” I stood to pace, something I always did when I was feeling anxious.

“Extra cash? Kabrina, what are you talking about?”

“I skipped some stuff, huh?”

“Very much so.” Her worried voice went up an octave.

Last thing my aunt knew was that I had a well-paying career as a celebrity makeup artist and often lent her cash or paid for things she needed. So to know I was now in need of a loan was astonishing, and rightfully so. She didn’t pay much attention to news of any kind, so it wasn’t surprising that she hadn’t heard about the scandal.

“So, AJ is married, and I found this out along with the world. So now, the world thinks I am a side chick by choice, even though their asses didn’t know of his marriage either, and I can’t book a well-paying client to save my life. Normal people don’t wanna pay my prices, even when they’re low as hell.

“As you know, I stupidly depended a lot on AJ, and now I have to take over a lot of my expenses, so my savings dwindled pretty quickly now that I don’t have a revolving income. So now I need to take care of something time sensitive, and… I’m hoping you can help.”

I often broke my aunt off with two to three thousand dollars a month, just because I could, so I was hoping she’d saved most of it since she usually lived good enough off her pension and social security.

“Why do you have to take over your expenses, Kabrina?”

I was caught off guard by her question, causing me to sputter a bit. “I—I have to because AJ was paying and now?—”

“Was? Why did he stop? He should wanna pay that shit for lying to you.”

“I don’t want him to pay, Aunt Bell. I don’t want shit from him. That’s why I got my own place and a different car. I don’t need him to do a thing for me.”

“Seems like you do need him to do a thing or two because you’re on my line trying to borrow money.”

I chuckled mirthlessly before inhaling and exhaling to calm my nerves. This was still my aunt, so I wanted to be respectful.

“No, I don’t. He is a married man, he played me, and I just… I don’t need him. Are you gonna let me borrow the money or not?”

“What did he say to you after all this came out?”

Rolling my eyes, I replied, “The same old bullshit most men say about how he loves me, and he is waiting for the right time to leave his wife for me.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“The problem is I don’t want his ass. I don’t care if he is dead serious. I don’t want a nigga who lied to me about being not only taken, but legally married. I don’t want a nigga who would be plotting to leave his pregnant wife. He is not it for me, and I would really appreciate it if you’d stop insulting me by implying that I should continue a relationship with him.”

“I’m just saying, Kabrina. He seemed like a good man. He was nice, handsome, and made a lot of money. Maybe stick around and see if he is being honest with you and plans to leave her. It’s not a lot of options out there, baby, and you are already twenty-six. That is late to have to start all over again, especially with how long these new-aged niggas take to ask for your hand in marriage.”

I wanted to throw in her face that I was actually married already, but I decided against it, knowing it wasn’t what I would be making it sound like. And it would only prove her point once Unique and I got this shit annulled.

Shutting my eyes and holding the phone tightly, I asked through slightly clenched teeth, “Can you loan me the money or not?”

Sighing, she inquired, “How much?”

“Seven hundred.”

“Noooo, baby girl. You gon’ have to ask AJ for that one.”

“Okay.” I hung up before I said something I had no business.

I knew my other aunt didn’t have the money because she constantly complained about being broke but would never take money that I offered her.

I paced some more, trying to think of what I could do in order to pay for this abortion. I couldn’t have this baby. Even if I had to meet a strange bitch in an alley and have her use a coat hanger, I would before I birthed AJ’s child. It was definitely his per the doctor that gave me the exam that cost me three hundred damn dollars. It was another six hundred for the termination pill.

My aunt had been spewing bullshit but low-key, she was on to something. Why should I stress about paying for this abortion when I didn’t make this baby myself? AJ’s ass should pay for this shit, and sadly, he was my last resort before I threw myself down the stairs of this building.

Going into my phone, I unblocked his number then called. It was risky, knowing his wife could maybe answer now that the cat was out of the bag, but I was at rock bottom when it came to my reputation already anyway. And hell, maybe if I told her ass the situation, she’d give me the money.

“I knew you’d be back,” he picked up. I could hear the smug ass smile painted on his face.

“I need to speak with you. When are you free?”

“Shit, right now.” He chuckled. “I missed you.”

“I’ll text you the location to meet me at.”

“Aye aye, wait, who gon’ be there?”

“What?”

“Who gon’ be there? ’Cause that nigga Unique pressed me about you, and I know he know people.”

Rolling my eyes, I snapped. “Nigga, it’s just me! This has nothing to do with Unique or who he knows!”

Just as I hung up and sent the location to the coffee shop a few blocks from here, I remembered Unique’s brother making him jump from the yacht. I chuckled a bit at the thought, realizing AJ actually did have reason to be suspicious after his and Unique’s altercation on set, on top of the yacht incident.

If he didn’t give me the money, I just might threaten to tell Unique all the big shit AJ was talking about his brother and how he only jumped off so he wouldn’t whup Asif’s ass and catch a case. I didn’t believe his ass then, but I loved him, so I went along with his pitiful explanation.

I was already dressed, so I just grabbed my purse, keys, and slipped on my shoes by the door before heading out.

I got to the cafe in no time since it was nearby where I’d been living these days. I actually loved Unique’s building because it was walking distance to a lot of stuff, even a cute little nail shop.

Entering the spot, I located AJ at the back wearing shades with his corny ass. While he was famous, no one really cared about his ass like that. Ramonté was the star of the show, so on occasion, people would ask him for a picture, but it wasn’t like the nigga couldn’t grocery shop or do normal shit.

“Damn. You look good.” He slid out of the back booth and tried to hug me.

“No, it ain’t that type of party.” I slung my purse into the seat before plopping down. I shook my head at the woman who was approaching to ask me if I wanted anything. She simply nodded curtly and flipped back around. “I need you to give me six hundred dollars.”

I’d asked my aunt for seven, wanting an extra hundred for some cushion, but I didn’t want AJ’s money for cushion. I wanted him to pay to get this baby removed from my womb and nothing else.

Laughing, he said, “You think you can diss me, not talk to me, and then get some bread? You realized that independent woman shit ain’t the life for you, huh?” He stretched his hands across the table arrogantly. “I got you on that princess shit.”

How was I ever attracted to this man?

“It has nothing to do with that and everything to do with this problem being yours just as much as it is mine.”

“What problem?” He sized me up, pulling his arms back in toward his person.

Leaning in just in case someone was eavesdropping, I said, “The baby we made.”

AJ’s mouth opened and closed a few times, as he looked around to do the same thing I did—make sure no one was listening or even watching.

“Man, how I know it’s mine?”

“Because it is, and you know it is. But if you’d like, I can tell your wife about this, and then shit will get really bad for you. Men don’t survive scandals like this in the industry. You’d be lucky to book another job after Dough Boyz finishes.” I raised a brow, and I could tell by the way he stared down at the table with his mouth twisted up that I was getting to his ass.

“Man, Zosia been watching everything, especially our accounts, and she gon’ inquire if I pull out that type of money.” He finally picked his gaze up to land on me.

“Well, use whatever account you had that you were supporting my lifestyle from. I’m sure you have a couple hundred dollars in it.” I frowned, but when he just looked at me, realization hit me like a freight train. “Wait, please tell me you weren’t using her money to…”

“She richer than me. You knew damn well I wasn’t making enough for the shit I was doing for you, Kabrina!” he shouted through a whisper.

I didn’t know exactly how much money AJ made, but I knew it was a nice amount. However, when he would spend large amounts of money on me, I figured he either got paid more than I thought, or he saved a lot. Or even maybe the nigga had other investments like Unique with his apartment building.

“Oh my gosh.” I massaged the bridge of my nose. It seemed to be something I did hourly now with all this shit going on.

“And look, I don’t want you to kill my baby.” He softened his tone.

His comment made me snap my head up.

“Well, you don’t have a fucking choice, Alvin. I would never have a baby by you. Are you crazy?” I spat, not caring one bit about the sad ass look on his stupid ass face.

Glancing off, he turned back to me and said, “Aye, I’ll see what I can do about getting you that money. Maybe I can get my assistant to loan it to me until I can figure out how to take cash from our joint account and pay her back.”

“That works.” I nodded. “When will I get the money? I wanna do the pill, and after a while, you can’t, so this is time sensitive.”

AJ shook his head then sighed. “Possibly tomorrow, Kabrina. Before the weeks is over for sure.”

“Good.” I slid out, taking my purse along with me.

I felt AJ grab my wrist, making me turn to look his way. His touch made me feel disgusting, and I couldn’t believe I’d had sex with this man all while he’d belonged to someone else. And now, I was married to a man who also belonged to someone else. It was like I was paying for the sins of my mother.

“I love you, Kabrina. Everything I said to you was true. I have never loved Zosia. If I could leave her today, I would and be with you.”

“No you wouldn’t because I would never be with you. She could drop dead right now, and I still wouldn’t fuck with you.” I snatched my arm and stomped out.

At least I’d gotten my damn money though. I was praying AJ didn’t bullshit me, but if he did, I would have to resort to blackmailing that wife of his maybe. She seemed like the type to want to avoid scandals of any kind.

* * *

TWO DAYS LATER…

I stared at my phone as I checked my account for the hundredth time. AJ had claimed his assistant would Zelle me the money today, and nothing had come yet. It was late in the evening, and the nigga had told me this yesterday morning. Something in my gut told me things had hit a snag, and the thought made me sick to my fucking stomach.

My doorbell ringing startled me a bit. After seeing the money still wasn’t there, I rose and shot off a text as I made my way to the door.

Me: Where is the money, Alvin? Don’t fucking play with me.

Pocketing my phone into my gray sweatpants, I looked through the peephole to see Unique. Usually, his presence right now would annoy me in this moment, but I was assuming he was here to give me an update on the annulment or some information Mack had given him.

“Hey.” I forced a smile as I opened the door. “What’s up?”

“Damn, a nigga can’t come in? You rude as hell.” He slipped past me, almost bumping my shoulder with his tall ass.

“I’m kind of busy right now, Unique. Just because you own the building doesn’t mean you get to pop up at my place whenever the want hits you.” I folded my arms.

“Smell like you had a candle lit. Fuck was you doing, masturbating?” He plopped down on my couch. “Lil deejaying ass.”

“No, what the fuck? And what does my candle have to do with masturbating?” I rounded the couch to join him.

“Set the mood.” He huffed, letting his head rock to the left to stare at me. “And if you wasn’t, you need to be masturbating. You a lil tight. Busting a nut will have you less wound the fuck up.” He winked.

He seemed to get more handsome every time that I saw him. I would always see a new feature that I hadn’t noticed before.

“Who said I needed to masturbate for that? I got friends that can handle that for me.” I hiked a brow, making him snicker a bit with a nod.

“You bet not. You married. Let me find out a nigga don’ hit while you my wife and it’s gon’ be a muthafuckin’ problem.”

“I’m your wife in name, Mr. Compton, and nothing more. Just like I’m sure you have slept with your women since that fateful night.”

“Fateful? Damn. That’s how you feel?”

“Kind of.” I shrugged. “When I get married, I want it to be real.”

He looked off, out of the floor-to-ceiling windows as he put one of my couch pillows into his lap. His side profile was one for the books, so I admired it as long as he had it in view.

“Sometimes you can make shit real. Arranged marriages still happen, and a lot of them muthafuckas fall in love after they say their vows.”

“True, but they at least intended to get married. We didn’t. It was an accident.” I put a pillow in my lap, too, but out of nervousness. I never knew the serious side of Unique, and I didn’t know if it was just awkward or if it made me take an interest in him. “Speaking of, what’s up with Mr. Duarte?”

“Said the bartender told him you were coherent the whole night, especially when you got an attitude with her.”

That stupid bitch better not had said that.

“She did not say that.” I was hoping he was joking, just as my phone buzzed in my pocket.

“Swear to God.” He chuckled cutely. “And the officiant claims we weren’t drunk. Mack believes he said that so he wouldn’t lose his fucking job ’cause you ’posed to turn muthafuckas away when they appear to be intoxicated.”

“This is terrible, Unique! Why the hell are you so calm?” I felt my brows dip as I took in his relaxed demeanor. “Mack said if he didn’t find evidence, we’d have to get a divorce.”

“So. I’ll pay for it if it comes down to that.”

“But then it will be on our records, Unique.”

“So.” He laughed again while wearing a confused expression. “What the fuck does that mean? You act like it’s a criminal record or some shit. Ain’t like you can’t marry the next nigga when you want to.”

“I don’t want that. You may not care about something like that, but I do. I want my first marriage to be my last.”

He began talking, but when I read the message on my phone, I went deaf and heard none of it.

Loser: Asia told Zosia I was trying to borrow the money and I had to tell her why. She think we still together.

Me: Who the fuck is Asia?

I typed a mile a minute, heart beating damn near out of my chest.

Loser: My assistant. I guess Zosia told her to report my moves or anything I did that was out of the ordinary. She told her about the cafe meet up then the money.

Shutting my eyes, I grunted involuntarily. Though I talked shit about exposing Zosia and AJ, I truly didn’t want to be one of those women. I planned to launch a makeup line one of these days and didn’t want to be remembered as not only the mistress but the mistress who got pregnant and crashed out on social media about it.

“You good?” Unique broke through my mental Olympics of trying to figure out my next damn move.

“No, I um, I need a favor, and I promise I won’t ask you again.” I peered into his pretty eyes.

As badly as I didn’t want to ask for help, it was either eat humble pie or have a side baby.

“Anything.” Unique turned his body a bit more toward me, worry throughout his expression.

“I need an extension on rent. I will pay you this month’s and next together if you just let me skip a month.”

Honestly, I didn’t know how I’d get the one thousand down the line, but I had to fake it until I made it.

“What’s going on, Kabrina?”

“I just need an extension, Unique. Can you please give me that?”

“Why you need the extension? Not only are we married, but I’m ya landlord, so I deserve to know.”

I wished he’d stop mentioning us being married as if this was a real-life thing.

“I need to get that abortion, and the only way I can pay for it is to use the last bit of my savings and the rent money I put to the side,” I explained. This wasn’t the time for me to play secretive. The quicker I got this abortion, the better.

“How much is the abortion?”

“It’s six hundred.”

Sliding his hand into the pocket of his track pants, he pulled out some folded bills then counted off a couple more than the six hundred I needed. After he pocketed what he counted off, he then handed me the rest.

“I ain’t the richest nigga in the world, but I can handle some shit for you, love. Do what you gotta do to get straight, aight?”

“Unique. No. I cannot take all of this.” My eyes bounced between him and the thick stack of money sandwiched between my fingers and thumb.

“You can.” He nodded. “And don’t even think about the shit. Act like it’s yours.”

“You have to let me pay you back, please.”

“Hold it for me, love, and if I need it, I’ll come to you. Just remember this shit in case a nigga need bail or something.”

I giggled, nodding to him. I liked that arrangement.

“Okay. I will. I won’t forget this, Unique.” I scooted closer to hug his neck.

His arms wrapped around my body, and I lingered in his embrace a bit longer than I intended because of how good it felt. When I pulled back, our lips were too close for comfort, making me turn away and fall back on my haunches.

“I gotta go, love, but… I um, I’m gon’ be on Mack’s ass about this shit, so don’t trip. Remember, we got four years to get this shit done, so it won’t be on your record.” He brushed a finger under my chin, and it sent chills down my spine.

I noticed every touch of his, no matter how minimal, made me horny. But not only that, it sped up my heart rate and had me feeling things I shouldn’t have been.

“If it takes four years, Unique, we might as well stay married.”

“Might as well.” He shrugged, wearing a smile I couldn’t quite read.

I wanted to trust that Unique would get this done, but he often made me feel like I couldn’t.