No Loyalty

by De'nesha Diamond

  “Sounds painful.”

  “Man, shut your ass up.” They both laughed before settling down again. “For real, though, what you been up to? Jess told me you don’t really be at the house no more.”

  Surely damn don’t. Bronx thought about her cousin’s scandalous ways.

  Bronx leaned her head to the side and bit the inside of her cheek. “Nah, I been too busy with school and work. I don’t really be having time for nothing no more. Especially Jessica’s dramatic ass.”

  “You ain’t lying. That’s my baby, but she’s been extra dramatic lately. Every time I talk to her she’s wilding on me. I know it’s because I ain’t at home. Your cousin needs some dick, B.” He cheesed at her. “She’s acting just like a woman that ain’t getting laid.”

  If you think that.

  Bronx smiled to hide her true feelings. If only Kayden knew that was the least of Jessica’s worries, he wouldn’t be smiling or calling Jessica’s cheating ass his baby. Not after that heffa had slept with his damn twin brother. It had taken everything in Bronx not to go off on them the next morning after hearing them have sex. The only thing that stopped her was hurting Kayden. She already knew their guilty asses would probably try to tell on themselves before she could and end up hurting him in the process. Even after all the talking Jessica did, she still hadn’t thought she would actually go through with sleeping with Aiden, but she had. Though Bronx was disgusted by her cousin, she was happy, too. Now she was really in the clear to be with Kayden.

  “Well, I don’t know what to say about all of that, but she definitely needs something, and I ain’t the one to give it to her. I’ve got my own stuff to worry about.” Bronx waved her hand dismissively as she rolled her eyes.

  “What you got to worry about, B? You claim you ain’t got no man, even though I know you do. What’s good?” Kayden linked his fingers together and leaned across the table so that their faces were closer to each other. “What’s stressing you?”

  “I’m just talking for real. I’m good.”

  “You sure? You know you can talk to me, right?” Sincerity accompanied his words.

  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Kayden how his brother had practically moved into his spot and taken over his life, but not only was it not her place, but she didn’t want to hurt Kayden like that. The person he was doing all of that jail shit for was the main one doing him dirty.

  “I know, but I’m good. Tell me what’s going on with you? How you holding up?”

  Kayden sighed. “I’m as good as can be expected. You know this jail shit ain’t nothing to me. I’m just nervous about Aiden really getting me off. He told me yesterday that they’d finally gotten the autopsy back and proved that the lady had drugs in her system. If they can prove that the drugs are what killed her, then I’m a free man.” He smiled, and Bronx leaped from her chair and across the table.

  Her arms went around his neck immediately. “Oh, my God! That’s so good, Kay. I’m so happy for you. It’s time for you to come home.” She spoke loudly.

  Kayden was laughing as he stood and wrapped his arms around her, picking her up off the ground. His face was buried in her neck as he took one deep breath after the next. Bronx could feel his chest rising and falling against hers as he held her. When she tried to pull away, he wouldn’t let her.

  “What’s wrong, Kay?” She rubbed the back of his head.

  “Jess wasn’t even that happy when I told her.”

  Bronx’s body relaxed in his arms as she sighed deeply and closed her eyes. “Jess just has a lot going on right now.”

  When he finally let her go, he sat back down on the table and pulled her to him so that she was standing between his legs with his arms draped loosely around her waist.

  “That’s what I left Aiden for. That nigga is supposed to be helping her so she doesn’t get loaded down. Every time I talk to him, I’m telling him stuff to do for her, say to her, you know? Just little shit to keep her happy.”

  “He’s there.” Bronx looked up into Kayden’s eyes. “Doing everything you’re telling him to, which is probably not helping your case any.”

  His face frowned. “What you mean?”

  “I mean you’re basically telling another man, brother or not, how to keep your woman happy. With you being gone, that only makes him look like everything that you’re not.” Bronx shrugged. “I’m just saying with women any time a man shows us a little affection, does one thing more than what our man does, treats us like we matter, we fall for them. I don’t even want to get on how good he is with Jayden.” Bronx gave a half smile. “You know bitches love when a nigga is good with her kids.”

  Bronx laughed to dumb down the truth she was telling, but judging by the look on Kayden’s face, it wasn’t working.

  “So, you think she’s wanting Aiden more than me now?” He stretched one of his legs out in front of him. “I mean since he’s basically being her man?”

  Bronx probably would have found his bewilderment a little cute if his baby mama wasn’t really fucking his twin brother. She just might have thought it was cute how his lips poked out and his eyes sagged in the corners if she didn’t know he was only looking that way because he’d just realized how big a mistake he’d been making.

  “Listen, Kay, I don’t know how Jessica is feeling, I’m just telling you what I think about the situation.”

  Kayden sat there in thought for a moment. “What you think I should do now?”

  “I think you should focus on yourself and doing better when you get out of here. Jessica’s little trifling ass ain’t going nowhere.”

  “I don’t know, B. When I talked to her the other day she hit me with some shit about paying child support when I get out.” He scratched his head. “Why would I need to pay child support if I’ma be there with her and the baby?”

  Bronx looked away and rolled her eyes. She hated women like Jessica: the ones who cheated then started doing the nigga they’re cheating on wrong like it’s his fault. Then to make matters worse, that hoe didn’t even know how to cover her tracks. She was so busy with her head up Aiden’s ass, she probably hadn’t even realized she was telling on her own self.

  Kayden used his pointer finger to turn Bronx’s head toward him. “B, tell me what’s good, baby? I know you know something. Am I holding on to false hope here? Did Jessica tell you she’s going to leave me?”

  Bronx’s heart broke for him as she listened to how wounded he sounded. As much as she wanted to make him feel better, she wanted to save him from future pain more.

  “In so many words . . . yes,”

  His head fell forward before he lifted it back up and nodded it up and down. “So, I should just let her go?”

  Bronx nodded.

  “Cool.” He cleared his throat and grabbed her hand. “Thank you for telling me.”

  “You my boy. You know I got you.” She smiled at him and picked off the piece of eyelash that was sitting on his cheek.

  When she went to move her hand, he caught it and placed a kiss in the center of her palm. “Thank you.”

  “It’s nothing, for real.”

  He kissed her hand a few more times before making eye contact with her. “To me it is. Loyalty is everything to me.”

  “Well, one thing you never have to question is my loyalty to you.”

  “If that’s the case, tell me about this li’l nigga you trying to hide.” A smile crept across his face as he pushed her hair over her shoulder.

  Bronx snickered and fell into his shoulder. “He cool.”

  “Man, you ain’t shit. I knew you had a man.”

  She shrugged her shoulders and tried to step out of his grasp, but he locked his arms around the back of her thighs.

  “Nah stay your li’l ass right here. Tell me about this nigga.”

  Bronx tapped her chin with her pointer finger as if she was thinking. “Well, he’s sexy as hell first of all. The nigga’s swag is on hundred. I’m talking about he can pull off anything he puts on.” She smil
ed at him as he sat in front of her smirking. “He’s really sweet, kind of misunderstood, but sweet nonetheless. I think his heart is good; it’s just hidden behind a bunch of rugged shit. Kind of like a diamond in the rough.”

  Kayden pushed her face playfully. “Man, this nigga must be gay, you calling him a diamond in the rough and shit.”

  “See, that’s why I started not to tell you. You play too much.”

  Kayden pulled her back to him and held her close to him again. “Dang, this nigga must be special to you. Got you getting mad at me and shit.”

  “He really is, and I don’t call him a diamond in the rough because he’s gay. I compared him to that because his beauty is hidden by layers of dirty stuff, and people expect him to stay that way. But I know he can be better. I can change him. I think I can make him shine . . . you know?”

  Kayden’s face was serious as he nodded his head. “Yeah, I know. You basically want to show him real love? All that other shit you said was sweet, but in my opinion, the only way you can change a man is if you give him the kind of love he can’t deny.” He bit his bottom lip. “It’s some stuff in life you can’t run from, and love is one.”

  “Aww, look at you being all deep.”

  He chuckled in embarrassment. “See, this why I can’t be real. Everybody always thinking I’m a joke.”

  He was smiling, but Bronx knew he was serious, so she stopped smiling and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her body against his and kissing the side of his mouth. Kayden sat still, letting her kiss him for a minute before pushing her backward a little.

  “Wasn’t you the same one just sitting here telling me about your man?”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “Don’t do that man like this. If you really like him like that, he doesn’t deserve a woman that’s sprung off another man’s dick. Because I promise you, if I fuck you, you gon’ be sprung.”

  Bronx fell all over him laughing as he did the same. The two of them cut up for a little while longer before gaining their composure again.

  “But nah, for real. If you got a nigga that make you feel like that, give him a chance. It’s hard to find real love out here. You see the boat I’m in.”

  They were still holding on to each other when Bronx leaned in and kissed the side of his mouth again before moving over and kissing his lips. Like she’d known he would, he welcomed her touch. His arms tightened, pulling her further between his long legs as his mouth captured hers in an intense session of tongue play. They were both lips and moans as they shared the passion they had for each other.

  “B, you’re a hot li’l joint. You know that?”

  She nodded with a smile on her face.

  “You gon’ let me meet your nigga?”

  “Hell, no. You don’t know how to act.”

  “Man, I ain’t gon’ say nothing to that man.”

  Bronx pulled out of his grasp as the guard opened the door. Kayden looked over toward the door and told him to give him two more minutes. When the guard nodded and closed the door, Bronx was amazed.

  “You got it like that?”

  “You must have forgot who you’re talking to,” he said. “I know you ain’t think this was the way regular visitations go.”

  Bronx looked around lost before nodding her head.

  “Girl, fuck no. This room is for lawyers and inmates only. I just told them I ain’t want to see you through no glass. I wanted to be able to feel on you and shit.”

  “You don’t have no sense at all.”

  “I really do. People just don’t know it. I guess I’m a diamond in the rough like your boyfriend.” He shrugged nonchalantly while standing and towering over her easily.

  Bronx watched with stars in her eyes as he stretched his long limbs. She’d always been in love with Kayden, but had been prepared to ignore it until Jessica started messing around on the boy. He was hers for the taking now, and she planned to do exactly that: take him.

  His chest bumped into her as he stretched a little more before grabbing both of her hands and looking down at her. “Thank you for coming to see me.”

  “You don’t have to thank me, I wanted to come.”

  They walked hand in hand to the door and stopped again for him to hug her. Kayden’s body felt so right. He was tall and strong and loyal. A big beautiful man who she would make hers before it was all over with.

  Moments passed before the guard came back in and began cuffing Kayden again. They stood in front of each other communicating with their eyes, neither opening their mouths to say anything. Kayden waited until he was completely cuffed and on his way out of the door before stopping and calling her name. Bronx looked at him with anticipation heavy in her chest.

  “You think I’m a diamond in the rough, too?” he asked.

  She gave him a big smile. “How could I not when you are my diamond in the rough?”

  His smile matched hers as he winked. “I knew it.”

  “Know it when you touch down.” Bronx blew him kisses until she could no longer see him.

  “I love you B!” Kayden’s voice traveled from the hallway to where she was standing.

  Her heart smiled when she heard him yell it. That was something they both had always known and kept to themselves, but now that they’d vocalized it, Bronx would never hide it again.

  CHAPTER 11

  “What do you mean you can’t be with me?” Jessica stood in front of him with her hands on her hips yelling.

  Aiden rubbed his temples and blew out a frustrated breath as he tried to soothe the headache that he felt coming on. He hadn’t been at Jessica’s house any longer than fifteen minutes, and she was already acting a fool. That was something she’d begun to do more often. It was like having sex with her pushed some sort of control button on or something.

  From the first time they’d had sex—over four months ago—until now, she’d been practically painting the perfect family with him in her head. Though it was wrong, and had been since the first time, Aiden had been indulging in sex with Jessica almost every night. Her pussy was seriously like some form of addiction he couldn’t shake.

  The way she worked it on him made him want to cry sometimes. That’s how he’d known it was good. However, had he known it would come with all the drama that she put him through on a daily basis, he would have never gone there with her.

  “Exactly what I said, Jessica. We had no business doing this from the beginning. I’m most definitely not about to live my life with you like we’re some big, happy family.” Aiden shook his head as he frowned. “Once my brother gets out, this shit is dead.”

  Her light-colored face turned bright red as she stood in front of him flabbergasted at his admission. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, Jess. It was fun, and I love you and Jayden, but not like a wife and daughter. I love y’all like a sister and niece. If the sex led you to believe more, I apologize. I just thought we had a mutual understanding that it was just sex.”

  “I cannot believe you’re sitting here playing me like I’m some quick fuck that doesn’t mean anything to you.”

  Aiden wanted to tell her that’s exactly what she was, but he didn’t think that would be the smartest thing to do at that very moment.

  “Oh, Lord,” he mumbled when he looked up and saw that she’d started to cry.

  That was definitely nothing he wanted to be a part of. Aiden stood and grabbed his suit jacket before kissing the top of Jayden’s head as she sat on Jessica’s hip.

  “I have to go see Kayden. I’ll holla at you.” Aiden walked past Jessica and out of the door.

  He took the stairs to the driveway and headed for his car. He didn’t have the time for Jessica and her drama. She was too old to not have known the sex that they had would lead to nothing. He shouldn’t have had to spell that out for her. His brother was doing a bid for him. He wasn’t going to have him come out to find that he’d taken over his life.

  Aiden cranked up the engine and headed for the jailhouse. His mind had been h
eavy since Bronx had left earlier after seeing the baby. She’d talked about how she’d gone to visit Kayden and that he was doing well. She mentioned a host of other things that had Jessica heated. Aiden didn’t know if she was mad Bronx had gone to visit, or if she was just annoyed by Kayden and the situation all together. Either way it went, her attitude had been on ten from then to now.

  For the life of him, Aiden couldn’t understand how Jessica was mad with Bronx for going to see Kayden when she was standing in the living room of her and Kayden’s living room crying about starting a family with his twin brother. He shook his head in disgust. Jessica had turned out to be a lot more than he’d bargained for, and he regretted crossing his brother for her every day.

  In his heart, Aiden wanted to tell Kayden about him and Jessica, but his mind just wouldn’t let him. If it came to losing the relationship he had with his brother or living with a lie, he’d take it to his grave without batting an eye, no matter how much it tore him up on the inside.

  He loved Kayden too much to lose him over a woman. Although they’d passed around a few hoes in the past, with Jessica, he still felt like he’d crossed the line. Every night he prayed that if Kayden happened to find out, that they’d be able to move past it. If he did find out and couldn’t accept it, Aiden didn’t know what he would do. Thankfully the ringing of his cell phone brought him out of that mental scenario.

  “Aiden Lattimore.”

  “Hey, Mr. Lattimore. It’s Silvia. The lab called and the official cause of death was a heart attack induced by the drugs in her system. She was dead before your brother ever hit her,” Silvia relayed excitedly.

  “Yeah!” Aiden hit his steering wheel.

  “I’ve already called the judge. They’re going to sentence your brother to time served on the DUI charge and release him. You should probably head on over to the jail.”

  “Thank you, Silvia.” Aiden ended the call with tears in his eyes.

  They’d done it. He’d been worried sick waiting on the reports to come back and everything had finally come through. Though that outcome was something that the court system could have handled a lot faster had her family been more cooperative, he was still grateful. All that mattered now was that his brother was coming home.