Page 18 of Certified To Handle You 2

She was somewhere in this city with a nigga who thought he had her, and I was on my way to erase whatever the fuck they had goin’ on.

Drahma Town

It was my last night in Trill-Land, and I was out enjoyin’ it with my cousin, but if I was bein’ real with myself, shit ain’t go the way I planned since the moment I touched down out here.

I thought this trip was gon’ be simple. I thought I could bring Couture out here, show him my world, let him meet my people

and just move how I wanted to move without nobody feelin’ no type of way about it.

Hell, I thought it was understood that Renza was doin’ him, and I was doin’ me.

I thought we was gon’ be out on double dates with Toni and Kay’Lo, laughin’, eatin’ and just vibin’ like everything was normal. But that ain’t what happened.

Instead, it turned into Toni linkin’ up with me and Couture by herself while Kay’Lo stayed wherever the fuck he was at. A bitch ain’t slow, so I knew what that meant without nobody sayin’ it out loud. I knew they wasn’t fuckin’ with my nigga like that, and I knew it had everything to do with Renza.

That shit bothered me more than I let on, but I ain’t say nothin’ about it. I smiled, laughed and I acted like everything was straight ‘cause the last thing I was about to do was give a muthafucka the satisfaction of thinkin’ I was pressed; especially Renza.

Even after what happened at My’Love’s party, I did everything in my power to push that shit out my head and act like it ain’t even happen. I had to, ‘cause sittin’ with it would’ve meant dealin’ with what it really was, and I ain’t have time for that when I had a whole man right next to me who was actually doin’ right by me.

Couture been good to me this whole trip…

He had been patient, attentive, and intentional in ways I wasn’t even used to, and that alone made me feel worse about what happened. I wanted to be solid for him and stand on what I chose, ‘cause at the end of the day, that’s who I picked.

So, I stayed away from all the spots I knew the Mensah’s liked to be at, and I kept my distance on purpose, ‘cause I wasn’t tryna put myself in no situation where I had to see Renza again.

But clearly… that ain’t matter…

Now here I was, sittin’ in this section with Toni, a drink in my hand with a hookah passin’ between us, and for the first time all night, I felt like I could actually breathe. The music was hittin’, the lights was low, and the liquor had me just enough gone to relax without thinkin’ too hard about everything that been weighin’ on me.

We was laughin’, talkin’, just vibin’ and I let myself enjoy it for what it was. Then I saw Kay’Lo.

He was walkin’ toward the section, dressed in all black and clean as hell. I frowned a lil’ ‘cause I wasn’t expectin’ to see him tonight. Tonight, was suppose to be just me and my cousin, which was why Couture was back at the hotel.

Before I could even ask what he was doin’ here, he stepped to the side just enough for the person behind him to come into view, and that’s when my whole mood shifted ‘cause Renza was standin’ right there in all black too. Yeah, I ain’t gon’ lie… the nigga looked good.

His skin looked darker under the lights. His waves was deep as hell, and I could smell his cologne before he even got close enough to touch me. It was that same damn scent I had been tryna forget that wrapped around me like it knew exactly where to find me.

I looked at Toni, and she was already shakin’ her head like she knew this wasn’t no coincidence.

Kay’Lo leaned down and kissed her like nothin’ was off, and when he straightened up, he said they was already out and saw her location, so they slid through.

That sounded like bullshit. I ain’t say it out loud, but I felt it, ‘cause I knew how them two moved, and I knew damn well Kay’Lo would stand behind his cousin no matter what. This felt set up, and I ain’t like that shit, but I kept my face straight and stayed quiet.

Renza sat down right next to me, and I did everything in my power not to look at him, but that ain’t change the fact that I felt him the second he got close. I could smell him, and my body reacted before my mind could catch up, like it remembered him in a way I was still tryna fight.

I kept my focus on my drink, remindin’ myself who I came here with and what I had waitin’ on me back at that room, but that shit started feelin’ weak the second Renza’s hand slid slow up my thigh.

I sucked my teeth under my breath and put my hand over his, tryna push it away without makin’ a scene, but all he did was squeeze my thigh like he heard me and ignored it anyway.

Before I could even open my mouth to say somethin’, he leaned in and pressed his lips to my neck, and that small touch alone had my body betrayin’ me in a way that pissed me off.

“Spend the night with me,” he murmured against my skin, his voice low enough that nobody else could hear it but me.

I turned my head toward him, my eyes sharp even though my body wasn’t matchin’ that energy.

I turned my head and looked him dead in his face, and even though my body wasn’t matchin’ the energy I was tryna give, I still shook my head.

“No, Renza,” I said, keepin’ my voice as firm as I could make it.