Page 62 of Rich and Rotten

She crossed her arms. “How do you figure?”

“You wouldn’t have allowed him in. He wouldn’t have been able to make love to you if you didn’t trust him. I think the problem is that you trust him, and that scares you. How could you trust a man who abandoned you… That’s the thought that scares you.”

“It’s not crazy of me to have those thoughts, Yaya.”

I sighed and leaned on the desk. “You’re not crazy to have those thoughts, but you are crazy to jump in bed with him knowing the history you two have together. That wasn’t two people hooking up after a few drinks. It was two people’s souls connecting again.”

“I made sure to take a Plan B soon as I got back,” she added.

“And raw? Gurl.”

“He has a girlfriend and a daughter,” Tatiana blurted.

I paused. “Seriously?”

“Yes, and he never confirmed or denied it. I’m so dumb at times. Why would I give myself to him knowing these things? He moved on and had a life without me.”

“You did, too…even if it was an arranged marriage. You could have divorced Karim, but you fell in love and lived a life with him. I’m not saying that Nazir wasn’t a thought, but I can bet he wasn’t as important in your life as he used to be. He was allowed to move on and have a life, just like you went on and had one.”

“Then why is he telling me how much he missed me and loves me, but has a girlfriend?”

“You just said that he didn’t confirm it, so why are you assuming he has one? What if he just has a baby mother?”

“That’s even worse,” she groaned dramatically.

“How long do you plan on avoiding him?” I wondered.

She shrugged. “Until I can act normal in front of him. The way he sexed me, I don’t see me being able to keep my cool around him. Actually, we don’t need to see each other ever.”

“The drama. Sheesh.”

She laughed. “All I know is that I need to focus on other things. Have you reached out to the realtor? It shouldn’t take this long. Does the seller even want to make money?”

“I have that on my list of things to do today. While we were in Vegas, I called and left a voicemail with him.”

“Cool. Lunch later?”

I looked at the time, and then back at my best friend. “I think I’m going to take a ride to visit Sav. I haven’t seen her in a few weeks, and I know today is the day for free visits.”

“You pay to visit her?” Tatiana said with pure disgust.

“No. Today is when you can go without having to schedule and get approval. It allows other felons to be able to see their loved ones. It’s only an hour drive, and I can see her for a few.”

“Well, if that’s how you want to spend the rest of your day.” She rolled her eyes and pulled herself out the chair.

I snorted. “You choose to fuck and hide…and I’m choosing to see my girlfriend for a few hours.”

“Don’t even do me.”

“Nah, you already let Nazir do that,” I teased, and she tossed a balled-up paper at me as she left my office.

I quickly answered a few emails and called the realtor. When I received his voicemail, I left him another message before grabbing my things to make the drive to the prison.

On the drive to the prison, I turned on my favorite Keyshia Cole playlist and sang with my entire heart. I was singing like I had been betrayed and cheated on, when I was the one laying on a man’s chest in Las Vegas. It was the guilt eating me up because I wasn’t that kind of person. I didn’t do shit like that.

I was a faithful partner and Sav never had to question if I was out here doing her wrong. I mean, she never had to question, but that never stopped her ass from doing it. She always accused me of doing some shit, which is why I was out here feeling guilty.

She was out her accusing me of doing her wrong and look what she caused. My ass went ahead and did her wrong. Laying on a man’s chest wasn’t that wrong. Except we both knew that it was wrong. Receiving booty rubs from a person who wasn’t my girlfriend was wrong on so many levels.