Page 14 of Obsessive Love

FABLE

“So he locked you in here, huh?” Xoey asked when I walked out of the bathroom. I hadn’t seen her for a few days and wondered if she’d ever show back up. Lowkey, I liked her; she was crazy as fuck, that much was obvious, but she was fun and genuine. “How long have you been up here?”

“A week,” I answered as I sat on the floor. The furniture hadn’t been replaced yet, and I was standing firm on the fact that I wouldn’t lay in a bed that another bitch had. “Almost two at this point.”

“Damn,” she sighed as she walked around the room looking at everything. “That means I owe Givens’ high yellow ass two bands.”

“Why?” I stretched my legs out in front of me and crossed my ankles.

“We have a bet going on how long he will actually hold you,” she answered with a shrug. “You’ve made it to the bedroom, baby; you’re almost free.”

“I’m almost free?” I asked. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but if Xoey was saying what I thought she was, I could hold off. “Like, I can go home?”

“Home?” she laughed, throwing her head back. “Girl, this is your home; this mansion is where you will reside for the rest of your life unless you say otherwise.”

“Well, I say otherwise,” I said, shaking my head. “I want to leave here.”

“And go where?” she asked. “Knowing Pyrite, he’s already put it in motion to sell your house, car, and any other possession you have. He’s not letting you go.”

“I’ll be homeless.” I dropped back onto the floor and threw my arm over my face. “All because of fucking Javien. I swear if he isn’t already dead, I’ll kill him.”

“Which Javien?”

“Both,” I answered. “At this point, it needs to be both of them. Senior started this shit, Jr. continued it, and I was dragged into it. I was an innocent bystander.”

“I was only after Javien Jr.,” Xoey said, and I lifted my arm to look at her. “Right now, he’s hanging upside down in my warehouse, begging for his damn life.”

“What?”

“You want to see?” She grabbed her purse from next to her and dug into it.

“I keep a live feed going for when I’m bored at one of my jobs and need some entertainment.

” She pulled her iPad from her purse, swiped the screen a few times, and slid it across the floor to me.

“I saw him this morning, but he didn’t say a thing I wanted to hear, so I waterboarded him a few times, then left him and had him lifted. ”

“You’re legit crazy?” I said more to myself than Xoey. I stared at the screen, watching Javien swing slightly from the ceiling by his feet. “Like, for real, off your damn rocker.”

“Girl, there is no need to flatter me,” she said, waving me off. “We’re already friends.”

I jumped to my feet and stared down at her. “Lady, I have been kidnapped by a crazy ass nigga, driven to a different state.”

“Flown,” Xoey said, correcting me. “There is no way Pyrite would drive from Texas to here when he owns a plane.”

“Flown,” I sighed and shook my head. “It doesn’t matter if he flew, drove, walked, ran, crawled; he took me from another state without my permission. Locked me in a cell in the basement.”

“Now you’re in here,” she said, pointing around. “This room is nice.”

“It’s not my room, Xoey,” I sighed. “It’s not my space. It’s his! I was brought here against my will.”

“Then leave,” she suggested as if it were that easy.

“How the fuck am I supposed to do that? Unlike the cell I was in, those doors are locked.” I pointed to the bedroom doors.

“Have you asked him if you could leave?” she asked, and I wanted to shake the shit out of her.

“Why would I ask him to leave?” I yelled. “I’m kidnapped. The most human interaction I have is you and him when he comes to eat.”

“He's already eating the box?” she gasped. “Damn, my nigga moves fast. I surely thought it would take him a couple more weeks.”

“He’s not eating my pussy!” I threw my hands in the air in frustration and shook my head just as images of Pyrite doing just that flashed through my mind. “He wants to kill me, and you think he’s eating my pussy. What kind of shit is this?”

“Let me call Earth,” Xoey said, then dug back into her purse.

“Who the fuck is Earth, and what do they have to do with this?”

“Earth was kidnapped by McCoy like two years ago.” Xoey pulled her phone from her purse and then swiped at the screen. “I think you need advice from the other side. I’ve only ever done the kidnapping. Hold on.” She held up her index finger to stop me from speaking, and I sat there confused as fuck.

The phone rang a few times, and then a deep voice answered. “What’s good, Xoey plus twelve?”

“Earth, when you got the McCoy pulled on you, did you ever ask her just to let you go?” Xoey asked.

“What the fuck is a McCoy?” I asked.

Xoey looked up at me and smiled. “It’s what we call a kidnapping. Earth’s wife, McCoy, kidnapped him. You know a little Uno action with the reverse card and snatched her nigga up.”

“That ain't the what the fuck happened,” Earth laughed.

“Yes, it is,” Xoey said, nodding. “My friend had them boys snatch you up, locked you up in her house, then like the nut you are, you fell in love with her.” She smiled at me, and I could only stare at her. “Now y’all got a cute little girl; it’s a good love story.”

“Xoey, get off my phone or tell me why you called,” Earth said. “Cuz, I know you ain’t call just to talk shit.”

“I already told you why I called,” she answered. “I want to know if you asked McCoy if you could leave when she had you locked up like Akon?”

“Nah, I ain't ask,” he laughed.

“Why?”

“Because Coy was my home,” he explained, and Xoey playfully rolled her eyes. “The moment I saw her, I knew I wasn’t going anywhere. I just needed for her to learn to trust me, so I stayed put, even though that shit killed me.”

“So you don’t regret it?”

“Fuck nah!” he answered. “That’s my damn wife, the mother to my child; I’d burn this bitch down before I let that shit happen.”

“See!” Xoey said, looking at me. “You heard the man; he fell in love with his captor, and they have a good life. She made a hood nigga a stay-at-home husband.”

“He doesn’t work?” I asked.

“Yeah, he works, but that’s beside the point.” Xoey waved me off, and I couldn’t do anything but shake my head.

“What is the point, Xoey? Because I’m confused as fuck right now.”

“Beat him,” she replied with a serious expression. “Pyrite ain’t gonna just let you go. So you’re going to have to beat his ass until he does.”

“Xoey!” Earth yelled and laughed. “Stop giving that girl ideas. Pyrite crazy ass ain’t gonna let her just beat his ass.”

“He’s going to love it,” Xoey said as if she knew a secret that we didn’t. “Trust me, all the voices agree. Beat his ass a few good times, and he will be eating out the palm of your hands.”

“Ay man, you not hanging out with my wife no fucking more.”

“Whatever, I’ll be over to see her and Sloane when I’m done here,” Xoey said, then hung up the phone. “Now, back to you, what are you going to do? Beat his ass or stay put?”

“I-”

The door to the bedroom opened, and Pyrite walked in. He was dressed in ball shorts and a tank with slides with a mug on his face. “Here, it’s time to check in.” He handed me the phone, mugged Xoey, and left the room.

“Hey, best friend’s best friend,” Xoey said, taking the phone out of my hand. “My name is Xoey; what’s your name?”

“Yamari,” she answered with a laugh. “You’re Xoey plus twelve, right?”

“The one and only,” Xoey answered with a smile. “You’re Purpose’s friend, right? The art curator?”

“That’s me,” Yamari replied.

I put my hand out for the phone, and Xoey looked up, confused. “I would like to talk to my best friend,” I said, motioning for her to give me the phone. “You can go talk to your friend.”

“Fine,” Xoey sighed and handed me the phone. She quickly got up, grabbed her purse, and closed the distance between her and Pyrite. “Let me out, big man.” Pyrite stared down at her and lifted his brow. “I won't go through your shit this time.”

“And?” His deep voice rumbled and washed over my skin. Even though he wasn’t trying to be sexy, it came naturally.

“Or eat your food, damn.” Xoey rolled her eyes, and Pyrite nodded. They walked to the door, and Pyrite pressed his thumb onto the scanner and I watched as the door opened. Xoey threw me a quick wave before she left the room.

“I’ll be back in thirty minutes.” Pyrite gave me a final look, then walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“How are you doing, friend?” Yamari said, and I looked down at the phone. “You look tired.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled as I sat on the floor. “I’m over here trying to figure out a plan to save my life, and the first thing that comes out of your mouth is that I look tired. Where is the support?”

“Girl, that man is not going to kill you,” she sighed and waved me off. Yamari was in her home office, at her desk, more than likely researching some old ass painting that was worth more than I could even imagine. “If he were, you’d be dead by now.”

“He could like torture,” I mumbled, which caused her to laugh. “Ain’t shit funny, Yamari!”

“Yes, it is,” she said, nodding. “If you think for one second he would be going out of his way to make sure you’re comfortable, only for him to kill you later, then you’ve lost your mind.”

“I’m kidnapped,” I said slowly. “I am a prisoner in his home, a big ass home, but still, I can’t come and go as I please.”

“You need something to do,” she suggested. “Ask him to let you in the kitchen, and offer to bake him something. You know, as a peace offering.”

“What the fuck do I need a peace offering for? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Are you trying to get out of the room or what?” she questioned with a laugh. “Be nice to the nigga, damn, Fable. Your mean ass has been locked up for a month and haven’t learned shit.”

“It’s been a month?” I yelled. “How the fuck has it been that long already?”

“Because time hasn’t stopped since you’ve been gone,” she replied, and I flipped her off. “Look, all I’m saying is you need to be nice, hold a conversation or two with him, and maybe, just maybe, he will let your ass out of the room and eventually the house.”

“I doubt it,” I mumbled. “He’s more stubborn than I am.”

“I know,” she said, nodding. “We talk every day, damn. He calls me at the same time every day, checks in on me, my job, the bakery, all that shit.”

“Damn, it sounds like y’all are dating,” I said with an attitude. “You like him, Yamari?”

“He’s a nice person,” she answered with a shrug. “But I’m not attracted to him, so get your panties out of your ass and chill with the attitude.”

“I don’t have-”

“Bitch, lie to someone else because I know you just like you know me, and your ass caught a quick little attitude when I mentioned he calls me daily. I don’t want Pyrite Stone’s crazy ass, so don’t worry about it.”

“Whatever,” I said, rolling my eyes. I wouldn’t lie and say I didn’t feel a particular way about hearing Yamari say Pyrite checked in on her daily, because I did.

We had all three meals together daily, and he never mentioned that he had spoken to her, but that could also be because we never spoke while eating.

He came into the room, handed me my plate, and we sat on the floor to share a meal, then he left.

The only words ever spoken were when one of us blessed our meal. “I’ll try to be nice to him.”

“It’s not something you need to try and do. You are going to do it because you need to.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I sighed as I laid down. “Now, fill me in on your life. Tell me what I’ve missed.”