Arm Candy

by T. C. Littles

  The steamy hot shower water I’d been standing in for the last forty-five minutes was now quivering cold. The temperature was uncomfortable to my body, but my mind was somewhere else. Pill or no pill, I couldn’t stop feeling like I had the worst luck ever. The Valium didn’t stop me from thinking. It prevented me from reacting. Sliding down the wall, I sat in the tub with my legs pulled up to my chest, letting the cold water run down on me. In some weird way, it was soothing.

  Forced to snap out of the trance I was in once my Cesarean incision began throbbing from the position my body was in, I got up and turned the water off. Having a staple pop out would’ve been horrible since there were so many things on the table for me to handle. There was nothing I could do about this situation but play the hand I was dealt, so it was a must for me to quit wasting energy having meltdowns.

  Bring your love, baby, I could bring my shame

  Bring the drugs, baby, I could bring my pain

  I got my heart right here

  Hearing The Weeknd playing from my phone, I did my best to rush out of the bathroom to answer it. It was K.P. calling.

  King

  Even though my day was productive at the studio, it was still hectic, to say the least. Fresh and Lyric were the two new artists I’d planned on signing tomorrow, and already we were making moves. They might’ve been using me to get a start, but I was using them to get my name even further out here as a talented producer. All I had to do was stay focused and keep my mind sewn into the game. That was gonna be hard since shit with my personal life was so dysfunctional.

  I hadn’t expected Johnie to show up at the studio, but I was glad we’d met and gone head-on. Now that nigga knew where I was coming from. But I’ma g’on and be honest by saying he had me in my feelings even more than I’d been initially about him and Samira. He’d dirtied her up with more mud. I was still wigging off him calling her community pussy. The same woman who was a wife to me was a ho for him. It was hard to admit it since Mira had been my backbone for so many years, but our relationship was probably close to over.

  Turning up the pint of Hennessy I’d stopped at the store and gotten, I was starting to feel horny off the buzz I’d gotten. The perfect way for me to end the night was to be off in some skins. But I didn’t want the used meat between Samira’s legs. Matter of fact, I didn’t even wanna see her face. The one person I knew would answer was who I dialed.

  “I didn’t expect you to be calling me anytime soon.” Rayna didn’t sound defensive but surprised that I’d called.

  “Yeah, I didn’t think I would either, but I need to see you,” I openly admitted. “Are you up for making that happen?” No matter what was unspoken between us, I still cared for Rayna a great deal. And my dick cared even more than that. I was trying to get at her on some “hit it and quit it” type shit.

  “Don’t pull up with ol’ girl or on no disrespectful shit, King. I’ve had a long day.” She smacked her lips.

  “Naw, it ain’t even like that. We can discuss what transpired another time, ya feel me? I’m on another tip tonight.”

  She waited a few seconds then responded. “Okay, call when you get outside, and I’ll open the door.”

  “Naw, how about you be on the porch when I pull up in approximately ten minutes. I ain’t trying to chill up in your house or in the projects after all that beefing.” Between Tiana, her wannabe man, and whoever the other rat was who’d run up on Samira and me, I wasn’t getting ready to get caught slipping.

  She smacked her lips but agreed to be on the porch waiting. I knew Rayna wasn’t about to turn down the chance to see me. She never said no.

  I pulled over at the nearest gas station, rolled a blunt of weed up, and took a few more generous swigs of Hennessy. It’s like there was a miniature figure on each of my arms trying to dictate my decision on having a nightcap with Rayna. One kept telling me to fall back ’cause Rayna was most definitely responsible for that Molotov cocktail flying through my living room window. But the other one kept telling me she was my baby momma, and we’d be banging eventually, so I might as well appease my stiffness now and whenever it was convenient. With pussy and a slob job on my brain, the later voice sounded more on point. Before my mind played tricks on me again, I whipped out of the lot, headed toward Rayna’s.

  Rayna

  I’d wanted to call King since I walked out of the hospital earlier, but I didn’t know how he’d react. Now this nigga was calling me for a nightcap. I wasn’t dumb. As much drama as I kept going in his life, he still couldn’t stay away from me. My pussy must have had heroin in it.

  Still very sluggish from the Valium and drained from the long shower, I pulled myself together so I could be on the porch when K.P. pulled up. It was easy for me to admit it to everyone in the world: I loved his dirty drawers and the sweat underneath his balls. Whenever he beckoned, I’d be running.

  Throwing on a pair of lightweight jogging pants and a T-shirt, I couldn’t jump sexy because nothing was supposed to rest on my incision. And since my hair was a mess from the shower, there was nothing I could do but throw a hat on. It wasn’t often I allowed King to see me looking rough and ratchet, but I’d just had his son so he’d have to understand.

  Deon and Tiana had dozed off on the couch. There was a funky smell within the living room that didn’t just smell like weed, but I wasn’t sure enough to question it. Either way, I was glad they were passed out so I could leave without Tiana’s badgering. I knew the first thing she’d bring up was how I planned to deal with the K.J. situation. Sadly the answer was that I still didn’t know.

  I leaped in the passenger seat of King’s truck before he barely shifted the gear into park. Not only did I understand him not wanting to linger around after all the commotion yesterday, but I also wasn’t trying to get questioned by onlookers like Cameron who’d for sure run back with gossip to Tiana. K.P. might’ve been wrong for leaving me on the pavement to run after Samira, but he was still my baby daddy. They had their issues with niggas, and obviously, I had mine. None of us were in a great position to judge. I’m just saying.

  “So, what’s up? Where are we headed? The studio?”

  “Naw, not tonight. Look up the Red Roof Inn in Warren for their number then call to see if they have any $49.99 rooms available. If they do, tell ’em we’re on the way.”

  “Dang, you’re pulling out the bells and whistles tonight,” I laughed, whipping out my phone.

  “Don’t start with ya mouth, girl, unless it’s speaking into my mic.” He tapped on the crotch of his pants.

  Twisting my lips and rolling my eyes, I giggled again. His weak ass couldn’t deny a good head job if his music career depended on it. “I’ll give you a sample of what’s to come after I make this call.” I didn’t know why he was with me instead of Samira, but I wasn’t about to question a damn thing. My main objective was to seize the moment.

  K.P. was dressed fresh to death as usual and smelling even better. Stealing a few glances, I thought about how much our son would probably favor him. I was lucky to have a baby by a man so fine. Every time we were around each other I was reminded why I fell so hard for him in the first place.

  Initially, he was only supposed to be a trick I’d keep in my back pocket for VIP entry to clubs, concerts, and whatever other perks he was privy to by being a producer. That plan changed after he blew my ego up by making me his main groupie. My dumb ass slipped up thinking that meant I was his wifey.

  Thankfully the Red Roof Inn had rooms. My coochie was starting to tingle at the thought of getting stroked good, but I knew King wasn’t about to fuck through blood. Desperate times called for desperate measures, so when I finished getting him off, I’d use my pocket-sized dildo to relieve myself of an orgasm in the shower later.

  “A’ight, the room is taken care of. Let me see what that mouth be like.” King reminded me of what I promised I’d do.

  I didn’t know how long it took us to get to the motel ’cause I was too busy focusing on not getting a neck cr
amp or tearing my stiches open by leaning over the middle console of his car. It was like bobbing for apples. K.P. swerved a few times, but that might’ve been from all the weed and Henny he was taking in.

  By the time we walked into the two-star room, I already had cum breath and a sore throat. But K.P. wasn’t close to satisfied. He immediately forced me down onto the bed, whipped his hardness back out, and asked me to take another shot of his semen for the team. The way we were going at each other, you would’ve thought we were long-lost lovers. He was moaning, I was gagging, and both of us were out of breath from kissing and panting so hard. I swallowed two nuts and damn near a third before he snatched my pants down.

  I was sure there was blood down there, but it was mixed with the juices he’d been making my vagina produce. Since it was pitch-black within the room, I wasn’t embarrassed or nervous about him calling me out. I went with the flow and damn near passed out when K.P. stuck his stiffness inside of me. He must’ve really been horny or had a rough day. After about the seventh pump, he pulled out and jacked his last nut for the night all over my back. By the time I slid out of bed to clean up and get him a soapy washcloth, he was already snoring, with crust forming in his eyes.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  King

  Rayna was curled up on my chest with her nails dug into my skin. My head was slightly pounding from all the Henny I’d drunk, plus the showdown with Johnie at the studio. I might’ve taken the win like a champ yesterday, but I was paying for rolling around on the floor scrapping today. It might’ve been a new day, but there was still old nonsense to be hashed out and addressed.

  Ring. Ring. Ring!

  My phone was blowing up, back off the hook. It had rung all night while I was getting freaky with Rayna, but I hadn’t checked it once. I knew it was Samira going nuts about my whereabouts, and this was probably her again. Just like I didn’t want my buzz and mood blown then, I didn’t want my day starting off wrong. I was comfortable with Rayna’s body in my arms. For now anyway.

  Ring. Ring. Ring!

  Rayna jumped up, annoyed at the sound of my phone ringing again. “Damn, King, if you’re not gonna answer whatever bitch keeps calling you, at least turn your volume down. I’m not trying to be woken up and bothered just like you’re obviously not.” Rayna reached over my chest to the nightstand and handed me my phone.

  I snatched it from her hand before she got the bright idea to answer it herself. Looking at the caller ID in curiosity and surprise, I couldn’t believe it was Jamila calling and not Samira. My face curled up in a frown. What in the fuck does this crazy broad want? Not knowing where the conversation would lead, I answered the call anyway.

  “What up doe?”

  Jamila paused, laughed, and then replied, “‘What up doe’? Straight up, King? That’s all I get for real?” She had the nerve to sound surprised.

  “It’s too early for word games, Mila. You called me for something, so what is it?”

  “My car ended up going into the shop yesterday after you put me out of your room. They said my engine is probably ruined. I know you saw me stranded on the side of the road,” she spoke with aggravation, attitude, and sarcasm. “It was foul of you to leave me there, by the way.”

  “Yeah, and so? I had somewhere to be. Why are you calling me at the crack of dawn telling me about your car? Just like you being on the side of the road ain’t have shit to do with me, how you get your car fixed ain’t my problem either.”

  “It might not be your problem, but you can do me a favor by looking out. I’ma need a few dollars to get it fixed. That’s why I’m calling you.” She revealed her want.

  “Bitch, please. You better get off my phone talking crazy,” I shouted. “I can’t believe you rang my phone this early on some more thirsty shit. What’s wrong with you, girl? I’ve given you all you’ve got coming, believe that!”

  I should’ve known better than to have sex with Jamila, knowing she’d been digging me for a while. But I was too busy trying to even the score because Samira slept with ol’ boy. Rayna, who was at first rolled over facing the wall, jumped up, staring me in the face with shock painted on hers.

  “Oh, I see you woke up feeling ya’self,” Jamila snapped back. “Let’s not forget I can blow your whole spot up by telling Samira what went down between us,” she threatened.

  “I ain’t forgot, baby girl. The truth is that I ain’t worried. She fucked ol’ boy, and I fucked you. It seems like all I did was even the score. So after you call and let her know you ain’t shit but a grimy bitch who’s been faking as her homegirl, hit me back up so I can laugh. But I still ain’t giving you no dollars.”

  I ended the conversation after those words. Setting my phone back on the nightstand, I was about to catch a few more winks of sleep, but Rayna wasn’t having that.

  “Hold up, King! I know you were shooting cum all over me last night, but I didn’t think any clogged my ears up. Did I hear you right? Did you have sex with Jamila? The same Jamila who dragged me up out of Flood’s, acting like the perfect prototype of a friend to Samira? Helllll naw!”

  She seemed more shocked that I’d slept with my wife’s friend than about her sharing the dick with yet another female.

  “You heard the conversation, Rayna. Now either put ya mouth back to good use or cuddle up with a nigga so I can get a little shut-eye. I’ve got major moves to make today,” I replied, not willing to go into details about that part of my life.

  “Boy, bye, you’re not getting ready to get out of this that easily. You’re damn right I heard the conversation. Who did Samira sleep with? It looks like your sacred wife ain’t so sacred after all, huh?”

  Sitting back up, I knew the chance of me getting any sleep was blown. I’d just have to grab a Red Bull to put some pep in my step, ’cause I was about to put Rayna in her place.

  “You wanna talk? Are you sure about that? You ain’t got room to judge Samira while yo’ ass running around setting fires and shit. I might’ve slid up in your medium-rare-ass pussy for a few seconds, but don’t think I’ve lost my mind and forgotten. Instead of asking questions, you better get to answering some ya damn self.”

  “I knew it was a mistake to come out with your ass last night, King. I swear your Gemini personality be having you flip-flopping with your mood swings too much,” she huffed, ignoring everything I’d just laid on the table. “You haven’t even asked me about Junior.”

  “Don’t try that diversion shit on me, Rayna. I might’ve not asked about K.J., but you sure as hell haven’t brought him up.” I threw the ball back at her.

  I picked up on her being tense almost immedi-at-ely. Instead of looking me in the face, she looked down. Instead of running her mouth smartly at me, her lip was quivering. And instead of her looking at me with venom in her eyes because I hadn’t asked about K.J., she tried hiding them because they were red and tearing up.

  I might’ve been pissed that she’d set my and Mira’s house on fire, but I was still soft on Rayna. I didn’t want her hurting if I could prevent it, especially because she was my baby momma. Most dudes didn’t understand the concept of making sure the mother of their child was straight. If the woman suffered, the kid suffered. And there’s no way to get around that. I didn’t want that type of dynamic for my family, even though she and I weren’t together.

  “Whoa! I know you ain’t call me out for my mood swings then jumped straight into one. What’s up with yo’ ass?”

  She shook her head like she was scared to talk. I’d never seen Rayna’s tongue stuck from movement.

  “Some serious shit popped off when I went to see K.J. yesterday,” she whispered. “I saw a social worker about getting some assistance with subsidized housing and other stuff and ended up finding out someone called in saying I’d be an unfit mother.”

  “What in the fuck? Are you serious with me right now? That ain’t no shit to play with.” I jumped up, ready to explode.

  “Don’t you think I know that?” She jumped up just as quickly
as I had. “I wouldn’t play about nothing like this. I’ve got a case open against me, King. Until I can prove I have everything K.J. needs, have a safe place for him to come home to, and am mentally stable, they won’t be releasing him into my care. The social worker is claiming she’ll look out for me as a favor to her friend, but I hate having my back against the wall.”

  Rayna kept saying this wasn’t a joke or a way for her to manipulate us being together. I flew into a rage. This was the last thing I ever thought would happen. True enough she was living in the projects and scheming the system to get by, but she wasn’t a bad person. Rayna loved hard, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind she’d love our son unconditionally. Overcome with frustration, I paced the room then punched the wall ’cause I was tired of getting hit in the head with bad news.

  “Who in the hell called? Who you got beef with?”

  “Nobody but Samira.” She threw her hands on her hips with defiance. “And you ain’t gotta think about it long for it to make sense. She has every reason to. That bitch probably thinks if K.J. is out of the picture then I’ll be too.” Rayna was coming at me from left and right rationalizing my wife’s guilt. Sadly all of it made sense.

  “Give me a minute.” I threw up my hand for her to be quiet. I needed a quiet second to think. Rayna was right. Samira did have the ammunition to report Rayna as a bad mother, especially since she worked at the hospital and knew the ropes. I didn’t want to put the blame on her, but it was too convenient to agree that she was bitter enough to do so.

  “All right, your minute is up. Tell me what you think, K.P.,” she huffed.

  I wasn’t getting ready to tell her she was probably right. That would’ve caused even more drama between them, and that wasn’t necessary. If Samira couldn’t make it through the planned interrogation I had in store for her later, then I’d be on her head. For now, me and Rayna had to team up so I could get her off of craps. Ultimately, the priority was for our son to come home from the hospital.