Page 24 of Taming a Menace

The door chimed, prompting me to look up.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had to be in the Twilight Zone , or at the least I was having a nightmare.

That was it. I was fucking dreaming. That was the only logical explanation for Doctor Wyatt Lowe strolling through the door with some woman on his arm.

Contrary to the feelings that had been eating me alive for the past few months, he looked absolutely happy as he opened the door and allowed her to walk in first.

If seeing my ex with another woman weren’t bad enough, she was pregnant.

With one hand on her stomach, he led the way to the back of the line.

That’s until he spotted me. Recognition set in quickly, sending his big feet stomping over in my direction and leaving his pregnant friend behind to wait in line.

I shook my head, but that didn’t stop him from approaching me.

“No need for niceties, Wyatt. I would prefer if you pretended not to know me if ever we’re unfortunate enough to run into each other in the future.”

“Hello to you too, Iyla.”

“Good night, Wyatt,” I spat.

“You can’t answer my calls or let me know you’re OK, but you can sit here alone in a seedy restaurant in the middle of the night?”

“Absolutely,” I said, standing to walk away from him.

We weren’t talking loudly, but I hated to make a scene. I was not about to have a screaming match with my ex in my favorite take-out spot. I had to eat here, but I didn’t have to ever see Wyatt again. Prayerfully, I never would. Wyatt stepped in front of me and cut me off before I could walk away.

“Women like you were meant to be alone. Instead of coming to me like an adult and discussing our problems, you ran away like a child. How could you just throw away everything we had over one mistake?”

“The pregnant lady over there proves that there had to be more than one mistake.”

“You were always so fucking na?ve. I used to like that about you. Now I’m having a hard time remembering what I saw in you, especially after you let yourself go.

Don’t come crawling home begging me to take you back once you realize that you’ll never find another man to treat you the way I did.

I actually loved you. The rest of these guys only want to lay with you. ”

“You think I want another man to make a fool of me the way you did? I thought we had something, but in reality, we didn’t have shit. I advise you to go back over there to your friend before she realizes what it took me too long to figure out.”

“Baby, did they call our order yet?” Keywan asked, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.

He smelled so good, and his hard body was so heavenly pressed up against mine that it took a second for me to gather myself to answer. Plus I was praying that Wyatt walked away while he could.

“Um, no. Not yet.”

Kissing my cheek, he moved around until one hand rested on my waist as he still held me firmly against his side.

“Who’s this?” he questioned.

“Uh, h-he’s no one,” I said, hoping that he took the hint and dropped it.

I’d already seen how quickly things could escalate when Key was involved. I prayed that Wyatt had enough sense to go back to his new lady. Something told me that he didn’t.

“So the man you were going to marry is no one?” Wyatt asked.

“Can you not make a scene right now?” I questioned, widening my eyes at him.

“Moon, baby, you don’t have to ask him not to make a scene. You know I love a scene. I suggest you find something safe to do, my man.”

“Iyla, what are you even doing out with a hooligan like this?” Wyatt asked, scowling as he looked Key up and down.

His brazenness was short lived as Keywan used his free hand to yank him by the collar and pull him closer. The fear in Wyatt’s eyes as they doubled in size would have been comical if I weren’t in the middle of the drama.

“I suggest you refrain from name calling, Screech. My baby doesn’t like for me to get out of character, but I tend to get off the leash when I find someone disrespecting her. You want your teeth in your mouth, or on the floor? I’m pretty sure you’ll need them to eat.”

“Number seventy-two!”

“That’s our order, Key,” I told him.

“Grab it for me, baby. Let me finish talking to the man that was stupid enough to talk crazy to you.”

I didn’t budge. I couldn’t walk away without knowing that Keywan wouldn’t strangle Wyatt within an inch of his life like he’d done the last person he thought disrespected me.

“Look, man. I didn’t mean any harm. I-I was just saying hello is all. I had no idea Iyla was dating, so it took me by surprise.”

“To ensure we don’t run into any more surprises stay away from this spot.

This is one of my baby’s favorite restaurants.

I would hate for her to have to avoid it just because she’s scared she’s going to run into you.

Me, on the other hand, I’m praying I run into you again. I’m not as nice as she is.”

“You got it, my man. The only reason I’m here is because she’s been on my mind. That made me crave this place. I respect your position.”

“Good. Grab our food so we can go, Moon,” Keywan instructed, releasing both me and Wyatt at the same time.

Wyatt fell back as if he had been lifted off the ground before turning to scan the room.

I hadn’t noticed his friend leaving, but she was no longer in line.

I was equally mortified and turned on as I rushed over to the counter to retrieve our food.

It was in two separate bags as requested.

Key walked over and took both bags out of my hand.

He kissed me on the forehead before draping his arm over my shoulder and leading the way outside.

When we made it outside, Wyatt and his friend were having one hell of an argument in front of his car. Thank God I never had the misfortune of getting pregnant by him. I would have been stuck with that lying, manipulating fool forever.

“I parked over there.”

“Good,” Keywan said as he continued to lead me in the other direction.

“Where are we going?”

“You don’t want that asshole to see us leaving in separate cars. Come to my place and eat, then I’ll bring you back to your car.”

“Yeah right. I’m not coming to your house, Keywan.”

“I’m not going to try anything, Moon. I still have like eight hundred and eighty days left on my waiting period.”

“Whatever.” I laughed.

For more than one reason, I didn’t put up a fight as he opened the passenger door of a big black truck.

“This is pointless.” I shook my head.

“Not to me,” he said, closing the door.

I watched him maneuver around the front of the truck until he opened the door and hopped in the driver seat. He put our food on the back seat then turned to look at me.

“Just sit here until they leave, then I’ll get in my own car and go to my own home,” I instructed.

“What’s up, Moon? You scared I’m going to take you home and fuck your brains out, or scared that I won’t?”

Both. My answer was both, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.

I kept my eyes on the side mirror hoping to see Wyatt’s car go through the exit.

Couldn’t him and his pregnant girlfriend argue at home like civilized people?

It didn’t look like they were leaving anytime soon.

I might as well play along with Key’s plan.

There was no way I wanted them to see me leave alone.

“Whatever,” I finally said.

“So is that the jerk who broke your heart and had you eating alone on your anniversary?” he asked as he backed out of the parking spot.

“No. That’s the jerk who got one of the women in his office pregnant, let me help throw her a baby shower, then hid the fact that the baby was his for a whole year.”

“In that case, you shoulda let me put his head through the wall.”

“You did a good job of controlling yourself. I’m proud of you,” I said, looking over at him with a smile.

“Well can I have some pussy?”

I gasped. “Excuse me?”

He busted out laughing. “I’m so sorry, Moon. I swear that shit just slipped out.”

“Yeah, right. Take me to my car.”

I don’t know why I was surprised at his comment. There was never any telling what would come out of Key’s mouth. He was unpredictable. I knew that. It was my fault for getting in the truck with him expecting him to be anything other than himself.

“I’m being good. I promise. That wasn’t supposed to come out. I can’t stop myself from thinking shit like that, but I’ve been doing a good job of keeping it inside.”

I scoffed. “Not really.”

“Trust me. I’m doing a wonderful job. I wanted to sit you on the hood of my truck and eat your pussy while that clown watched, but instead we left and let them look crazy by themselves.”

I busted out laughing in spite of myself. “I’m glad you were able to resist.”

“I don’t appreciate the way he hurt you. I wanna beat his ass actually. What the hell was he saying to you before I walked up?”

“Nothing.” I shook my head.

“Moon, I’ve never heard you raise your voice when my dick wasn’t up your spine. He had to have said something.”

“Nothing worth repeating.”

“We can still pull up to his crib and put on a show for him if you want to. I’ll fuck you right in his bed and make him stand there and watch. Just say the word. I’m ready for whatever.”

“It’s very sweet of you to offer to fuck me in front of my ex, but I’ll pass.” I laughed.

Why the hell was I laughing knowing how likely it was that this fool was serious? I knew better than to encourage him. Hopefully, he was only half as serious as he sounded.

“Let me know if you change your mind. I’ll forfeit my last eight hundred days if I have to.”

“What happened to eight hundred and eighty days?” I asked, looking over at his handsome, smirking face.

“I rounded down.” He shrugged.

“I can see that.”

“It’s cool. You just mark your calendar.”

“What am I marking my calendar for exactly?” I quizzed.

“The end of having to torture yourself like you don’t want me.”

“Oh, OK. I’ll be sure to save the date.”

“You do that,” he said, leaning forward and turning up the volume on the radio.