Chapter 22

22

N eko

After Work

"You wanna talk about it?" Elias asked.

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever had you snapping in front of the staff today."

It wasn't funny but I laughed. We were doing our usual after work run, and I was hoping it cleared my mind before I went to see Malik. I shouldn't have been surprised that Elias heard I'd snapped earlier. That wasn't intentional. Hearing Trent call Malorie beautiful did something to me. It brought out an animalistic desire to rip his fucking heart out through his chest for even looking at my woman for too long—except she wasn't my woman—and I couldn't forget that.

"The new hire today," I started, "that was Malorie."

His running stopped abruptly, and he grabbed my arm. "Wait, what? Who? Not lil Mally Mal. How could I not recognize her?"

"Yeah." My head bobbed as I temporarily looked toward the sky. "That was my sweet girl."

My tone softened and voice shook, causing me to clear my throat.

"Wow." His brows lifted before he released a low chuckle. "Isn't it funny how fate works."

"Nah." My head shook as I started back up with a light jog, causing him to do the same. "I don't think it was fate at all."

"You think she intentionally applied?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure why."

His head shook, and he let a few seconds pass before he spoke. "I'on know, man. What would she have to gain coming back in your space like this? You said she made it clear y'all couldn't be together, right?"

"Right. I'ma ask her about the shit. I just… need to wrap my mind around the fact that she's actually here first. And to do that, I need to talk to her damn brother."

"Well, you're in luck. He texted the group chat and said Lydia was taking the twins to her parents' house tonight so he's going to be at the lounge."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm running some extra laps. I need to get this shit up out of me before I talk to him about her. Just the sight of her got me feeling things I haven't felt in years. Whatever she turned on today, I need to figure out how to turn it off."

"Do you?" He looked over at me briefly. "Clearly I wasn't close enough to Mal when we were younger to even recognize her today, but you were in love with the girl. Are you sure you want to stop whatever feelings are coming to the surface? Maybe this is your chance to explore them… or at least get closure."

I didn't respond right away. At thirty-five, and four years older than me, Elias was always giving me sensible advice and things to think about. We had closure, as far as I was concerned. Maybe it was my ego that didn't want to be around Mal. She was the only woman I loved romantically, and she rejected me. Even with the logic of me telling myself she did that to keep her relationship with her brother, it still fucked with me. I was truly on some pick me, choose me, love me type shit with her ass like them Grey's Anatomy memes and she straight up said fuck me.

Every time I told her I wouldn't allow her to choose between us, I ached for her to say it wouldn't be a choice. That it was me and her, period. Granted, I never said I wanted her to choose me but still. She should have fucking known.

Regardless of how much I told myself she was triggered because Malik had cut her off, I couldn't see myself ever trusting myself with a woman who put anyone other than herself and God above me… no matter how much I loved her.

Guys' Night…?

"Why in the fuck you ain't tell me your sister was back? And why you let her apply to my firm?" I asked as soon as I made it to the table where Malik, David, and Elias were seated.

"Damn, nigga. Hello," David said, lightening the mood and making us chuckle.

"You know our mama didn't raise you like that," Elias teased with a smile before he took a hit from his cigar. "Speak before you start demanding answers."

Sucking my teeth, I sat down and poured myself a shot of Hennessy as I grumbled under my breath. "All this time y'all wasting, he could have been answered me."

"Aight, aight," Malik said through his laugh. "Y'all leave this man alone before he bust a fuckin' gasket."

"'Bout time one of you niggas started making sense," I replied, chuckling at my own damn self as I accepted the blunt David offered.

"I didn't tell you Mal was back because you told me not to talk to you about her anymore." That's true . "And I didn't know she was applying to work at your firm. That's news to me."

"Mane, she came through and had the nigga snapping and shit because the head accountant called her beautiful. I don't know what sis was thinking applying, but she gon' have my brother stalking her ass around the office, especially if she come how she came today. I don't usually even go for women as small as her but she curvy as fuck and those eyes—"

"You tryna make me forget you my brother?" I asked, slowly turning my head in his direction.

"Where is all this aggression coming from, bro?" Malik asked, smiling so hard his eyes were damn near closed. "I thought you said you didn't want to be with my sister?"

"I don't, but I still love her, so that means no one attached to me can be with her."

"I can respect that," Leek said with a nod. "Just as long as you don't try to be with her. The shit you been on lately—"

"We ain't even gotta go there," I interrupted him to say. "I don't know what she on but I'm sure it's not that."

"I would have to agree," David said, voice low and words slow. "The way she grinding on that nigga, she's definitely not thinking about you or nobody else."

My head jerked in the direction of his eyes. Since we were on the top level of the lounge, I had a great view of the dancefloor down on the first level. Sure enough, there was Mal. She looked good as fuck in a crop top and skintight shorts that showed off her toned thighs and wide hips. Tattoos were covering her left arm and right leg and I loved that shit. A tatted woman did it for me every fucking time. My dick instantly started to harden. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun and she had on cowboy boots that added to her sex appeal.

His arms wrapped around her, and she smiled as she took a pull of her blunt. I'm not exactly sure what caused me to get up and head out of the VIP section, but I couldn't stop my feet, not even at the pleas of my brother and friends.