Page 23

A month after meeting Silas, he had become a staple in my life with Cassius. It wasn’t that I was bothered by his presence—it was just that something about him didn’t sit right with me. I was trying to give him a fair shot, so I hadn’t asked Naomi anything else about him. But I did notice Cassius was different in a way I couldn’t explain.

Tonight, we were all at a lounge in Orlando for R&B night karaoke, enjoying a private room. Jonas, Silas, Cassius, Naomi, me, and some random blonde girl Silas had brought were all there. She was really pretty, with tan skin, but she had a BBL that didn’t look right on her small thighs. Naomi kept cutting her eyes at the girl. She was definitely the no new friends type.

Keyshia Cole’s "Love" came on, and I couldn’t help myself. I was on my feet, singing along, my voice mingling with Keyshia’s. Naomi started swaying in her seat, her eyes half-closed, vibing to the song. Tipsy from vodka and the brown liquor we drank before leaving the house, I was all offbeat.

Cassius was behind me, sitting, his hands roaming over my hips and down to my ass, rubbing and squeezing. He stood, and I leaned into him, feeling the heat of his body against mine. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and we danced for a few seconds. Then, I think he came to his senses—his need to look composed overriding his tipsiness. He left me to dance by myself.

As the song ended, I plopped down onto the couch. That’s when I noticed Silas, seated across from us, with the blonde straddling his lap. His hands were all over her, but his eyes were locked on me. I cut my eyes at him before looking away. It felt strange, him watching me so intently while he was touching her.

I swear I could feel his eyes still on me until I excused myself to the restroom. “I’ll be right back,” I said, tapping Cassius on the thigh.

The hallway that led to the bathroom was oddly quiet, and I used the wall to steady myself. In the bathroom, I peed a flood, then I took my time, splashing cold water on my face and taking deep breaths. I needed to stop drinking.

My face was puffy, and my eyes were red. I pushed away from the sink.

As I stepped out of the restroom, Silas was waiting, leaning casually against the wall right outside the door. He straightened up as soon as he saw me, a slick smile playing on his lips. His gaze traveled slowly from my eyes to my lips, lingering there before meeting my eyes again.

“You smell good,” he drawled to my back.

When I returned, Cassius was waiting with a warm smile, pulling me back into his arms. “You gonna let me suck your pussy tonight?” he whispered in my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. Suddenly, it was like the prior minute didn’t happen. All I could think about was his lips on me.

I nodded, and then I was being pulled out of his embrace. “Baby Daddy” by Kennedy Ryan had started. Naomi snatched me up next to her, and we put on a show.

Later, as Cassius and I were undressing for a shower, I decided to tell him about the encounter with Silas.

“Silas waited for me outside the restroom,” I said, my voice uneasy. “He got really close in my space. It was... weird.”

Cassius shrugged, dismissing my concern. “Silas is just over-friendly. He doesn’t mean any harm.”

I stared at him. “It didn’t feel harmless, Cassius.”

He pulled me into his arms, kissing my forehead. “Babe, he’s just like that. Don’t let it bother you.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but then decided to leave it alone.

The next day, I called Naomi and told her what happened.

Naomi sighed. “He does be wanting everything Cassius got, and you fine as hell, got your own. Men like Silas be preying on women they think ain’t hip to their games. Next time, knee his ass in the balls. He’ll stop playing with you.” She advised.