Page 48 of Obsessive Love

“I’m going to take the ankle monitor off her,” I said to Yamari as we walked through the arena.

The AAU tournament was starting tomorrow, and Fable had spent the entire day at the house getting ready.

She still didn’t know about the storefront being finished, and I wanted to keep it that way until later.

“I can’t believe you put that monitor on her,” Yamari confessed as she shook her head.

Her long braids swayed behind her. Yamari was beautiful; that was undeniable.

She was tall, standing a little under six feet, curvy, with a round face, full cheeks, a small button nose, and big brown eyes.

Her skin was golden brown, and she had a few freckles across her nose and cheeks.

“You gave me the idea,” I said with a shrug. “I thought the shit sounded like a good idea since you’re her best friend.”

“I was just joking when I said it, Pyrite,” she laughed. “I even said I was joking when you told me you would look for a monitor.”

“Sounded like solid advice,” I replied. “Next time-”

“There won’t be a next time,” she interrupted me to say. I started to say something, but she shook her head and gave me a pointed look. “There won’t be a next time, Pyrite.”

“Alright,” I agreed as I nodded my head. “No next time.” We approached the storefront, and I pulled the key from my pocket to unlock the gate. “I had Zane and Yuri working nonstop on this.”

“I know, they told me,” she said, looking around, “We talked daily, trying to make sure we got all the small details down.”

I unlocked it and then lifted the gate. It still smelled like paint and new wood, but I knew the smell would disappear as soon as Fable started working. I turned on the light and couldn’t help but nod in appreciation. They’d gone above and beyond to make it perfect.

“So, what do you think?” I asked Yamari as she walked around inspecting everything.

“They did amazing,” she said, walking around. “It’s almost identical to the shop back home.” She glanced over at me and smiled. “Which was your plan the whole time, right? Make her feel like she’s home so she won’t want to leave?”

“Something like that.” I ran my hand over my braids and refused to meet her eyes.

Yamari and I talked daily, and not because she was Fable’s best friend.

She was easy to talk to and didn’t judge me for how fast I fell for her friend.

If anything, she encouraged it. Saying that Fable deserved to be loved unconditionally.

“You know she’s going to love this, right?” she asked, and I shrugged. “Pyrite?”

“Yeah?” I finally met her eyes and found her smiling.

“You did a good job, and she’s going to be happy.”

“Happy enough not to leave?” I asked, and she looked away. “Exactly.”

“Would it be so bad if she left?” she questioned, instantly putting me in a bad mood.

Hell yeah, it would be bad if Fable left.

I’d spent the last two months trying to live in her skin to be close to her.

When we weren’t together, I was stressed and yearning to be back in her space.

We hadn’t had sex in the last two weeks, but she slept on my chest every night so that I could have physical contact.

I’d even intentionally pissed her off one day to see how she would respond, and she blacked both of my eyes.

I wasn’t even mad at her. I was so damn turned on that I ended up jacking off in the shower while she slept.

The next day, I asked her why she thought it was a good idea to keep putting her hands on me, and she said it was Xoey's idea. She said that Xoey said I needed to get my ass beat from time to time. I sent Xoey Gift’s number as a thank you.

“I don’t even know how to say how I would feel if she left,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s like trying to imagine functioning without your heart in your chest. It’s not possible.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think she will leave,” Yamari confessed, and for the first time, I realized how hurt she would be. If Fable moved here, that would leave Yamari all alone. “She loves it here, even if she won’t admit it to you.”

“She enjoys it, the people she’s met, the opportunities she’s had, but that’s it.”

“You know nothing about my friend if you think that,” she argued, shaking her head. Her phone rang, and she pulled it from her pocket. “It’s Fable, I’m going to answer, but please don’t say anything.”

“I won’t,” I said, nodding.

Yamari swiped the screen and then put it on speakerphone. “Hey, Fable, what’s up?”

“Nothing,” she answered. I could hear her banging pots and pans around and imagined her in the kitchen, probably standing at the stove, hands on her hips, with her notebook on the counter next to her, as she read it over to make sure she was doing everything right.

“I’m making breakfast and decided to call you since Pyrite isn’t here. ”

“Where is he?” Yamari asked as she smirked. “Hiding from you, possibly killing him again?”

“No,” she laughed. “He said he had to run some errands before the tournament started tomorrow.”

“Has he eaten anything you’ve made since the Epi-pen battle?”

“Yes,” she replied. “He did take all the seasonings out of the pantry, though, and replaced them with new ones.”

“I don’t blame him,” Yamari said and stuck her tongue out at me. “I wouldn’t eat shit you made for years.”

“Thank goodness you aren’t Pyrite then,” Fable replied and sighed. “I wish you were here.”

“Why, what’s wrong?” she asked, her face twisted like she was concerned; then she looked up at me and lifted her brow.

“I just miss you,” she answered, then sighed. “I fucked up, Mari.”

“Hold on, love.” She put the phone on mute and looked at me. “Listen, you might be my friend, but she’s my best friend. I need to talk to her in private. Give me a minute, and I’ll find you when we’re done.”

“Alright,” I nodded, even though I didn’t want to leave.

I hated that Fable sounded so sad. She really did miss her friend, which was the reason I’d flown Yamari into town.

She needed her own people, someone to talk and vent to who was loyal to her first. My people loved her, but they were my people first. She needed someone solely on Team Fable, and that was Yamari.

“I’ll be at the court making sure everything is set up.

It’s through those doors down there.” I pointed to the doors so she would know where to go.

“Okay,” she nodded.

I left her at the storefront and headed to the courts.

The Queens were getting in one last practice before the tournament tomorrow.

They were trying to figure out how to move since Legacy would be out for another few days and could miss the opening game.

She’d been attacked recently, and a few of her nails had been ripped from the beds.

Her recovery would take time, but no one was rushing her.

She’d been through a lot over the past few weeks, and we only wanted her on the court when she was mentally and physically ready.

“They look good,” I said to Diara as I approached her. She looked over her shoulder at me; her eyes didn’t hold the usual spark they had when she was doing anything with basketball. “They don’t?”

“No, they do,” she said, turning back to watch them walk through their offense. “Even with Legacy possibly being out, they are working through the kinks.”

“Then what’s with the face?” I asked, and she shook her head. “Nah, Ara, talk to me.” I touched the small of her back and led her to the bench. “What’s the problem?”

“I umm,” she paused and shook her head before squaring her shoulders. “I need to step down as coach of the Queens.”

“Why?”

“I need to leave,” she said, refusing to meet my eyes. “I don’t know if or when I will be back.”

“Nah,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s not about to happen. Tell me what the problem is so I can fix it.”

“It’s Theo; he’s been calling me, talking about he’s coming home,” she said, finally looking at me. Her eyes watered, and I saw how afraid she was for the first time. “He said he’s coming to see me when he gets out.”

“Diara-”

“I won't be here if he gets out, Pyrite; I can't be,” she said, shaking her head again. “I spent two years in a marriage I shouldn’t have been in. I worked with the police to lock him up; he was supposed to stay gone, and now he’s talking about he’s getting out.

I can't be here for that. I can't put my life in jeopardy like that.”

“I know,” I said, nodding. “Listen, before you decide, let me talk to some people. Find out what’s going on, and then we can talk.”

“I don’t know.” She shifted her weight from foot to foot like she was ready to run.

“Give me until tomorrow,” I damn near begged. Her shoulders dropped, and I knew I would get my way.

“You have twenty-four hours, and then I’m gone,” she said, nodding.

I pulled her into a hug and exhaled. Over her head, I saw Morning sitting in the cut.

The lights were dim, but I could still see him clearly.

He sat leaning forward, his hands tented in front of his mouth.

He sat back and smirked, and his diamond-studded K-9s sparkled in the little light around him.

“Ay, Coach, you good?” Vine Carter asked as she approached us.

Diara let me go, wiped her face, nodded, and then turned around. “Yeah, I’m good. Are you ready for your interview after practice?”

“No,” Vine said, shaking her head. “I don’t even want to do this shit.”

“Well, too bad you drew the short straw and are stuck doing the interview.”

“It won't be horrible; Emrick is cool and won't touch on subjects you outlined as no’s,” I said, trying to give her a little hope.

She cut her eyes to me and nodded. “If he does, I’m cutting the interview short. I don’t care about the fines; I’ll pay them.”

“It won't go that far,” I chuckled as I put my hands in my pockets. “Emrick said he would respect your wishes.”

“We’ll see,” Vine said, then walked away.