“Scorpio, again, I'm going to ask you to leave. I don't have time for this, baby. Whatever has happened, I'm done with it. I'm out of this, and I don't know what else you want from me.”
She continued to press and would not leave. “Just so I can sleep at night for what I've done, I want nothing but the truth from you. I need to hear you tell me that you and Nokea were intimate without being forced.”
“I'm not telling you shit. You go ahead and take that mess to Jaylin. I assure you he's going to laugh behind your back. You need to face it, no matter what you say or try to do, it's over Scorpio. Find a fresh new start elsewhere. You blew it with me, but maybe you'll have success with someone else.”
Scorpio leaned down and whispered in my ear. “We'll just see about all of this. When the truth comes out, you'll have to look me in my face and admit that you fucked up, too. I'll be waiting, Shane. Maybe, once you face reality, you and I can begin to work this out. You let me know, okay?”
Scorpio walked out. When I heard the door slam, I got back to painting. I forgot to ask about her period, so I hurried to call her. She answered her phone in a sharp voice.
“What?” she said.
“I didn't want us to end our conversation on a bitter note. I hope we can still be friends. I think maybe your anger stirred from you having a bad day, or you're just suffering from PMS or something.”
“My day was going along just fine, until I came over there. I already had my period this month, so you can't go blaming PMS for something you brought on yourself. We'll always be good friends, but at this time, distant friends work better for me.”
She hung up and I took a deep breath. I wasn't sure if I should call Jaylin to confirm Scorpio's period, or if I should call Nokea to warn her.
“Damn!” I yelled. I wanted out of this mess so badly, but shit just kept on happening.
Chapter 24
Scorpio
Â
I didn't expect for anyone to feel sorry for me because I brought this situation on myself. My love for Jaylin was something I couldn't control. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go see him again. Hell, if I can't be with the man I want, then so be it. Maybe I wasn't cut out for the marriage thing. I guess it's time I started to accept that.
After I left Shane's place, I quickly had a change of heart. I wasn't telling Jaylin anything. If Nokea had screwed Shane, then more power to her. The way Jaylin had played me was downright uncalled for, and for him to call Shane and brag about all the sex he and Nokea had been having, that was gut wrenching. Thing is, Shane was wrong by saying I hadn't faced reality. I had a feeling that Jaylin and Nokea would stay together, but why cry about it when I know that Jaylin will never be happy with just one woman. No doubt, he will come back to me again, and how can a man like him forget what I'm capable of putting on him? Like he said, we have a sexual connection, and that connection will drive him back to me each and every time Nokea can't get her shit together. I've prepared myself to cope with the situation. Until I meet a man who can shake me from feeling any differently, my attitude will stay the same. Unfortunately, Shane being so close to Jaylin kept him in my thoughts. Under the circumstances, there was no way for me to get over him. I had fooled myself, and just like Shane, I felt like fuck it!
As for his trick, Amber, I was mad that Shane seems to have moved on. Amber had nothing on me and he knew it. No curves, no nothing. She was a plain Jane and I knew she couldn't give Shane what he really wanted. Eventually, he'd come running back to me too. Whether I decided to ever deal with him again depended on my status. Yes, I intended to take a break from men. I'd had enough. Relationships brought about too many headaches and heartbreaks. Being with Shane taught me a lot, but nobody taught me more than Jaylin. He was unbelievable, and talk about game . . . the brotha had it! He had a lot more to add with his game, and the total package he continues to deliver will forever be my weakness. It was kind of funny, though, that he couldn't find it in his heart to give up his precious wife. For me, I promised myself there would be no more tears. There would be no more losing my mind. There would be no more Jaylin or Shane, until I say so, especially if Jaylin had put Nokea in charge of his money. I still didn't believe it. I didn't know he even had that much money. If Nokea had been smart enough to get that much money into her possession, then I had to give credit where credit was due. Definitely, she got his ass exactly where she wants him, but it wasn't as if she ever hadn't.
Chapter 25
Shane
Â
Whichever one of them answered the phone, that's who I was going to speak to. I dialed the Rogers' place, and after four rings Nokea answered.
“What's up?” I said, always happy to hear her voice.
“Hi, Shane. Long time no hear from. I know you've been talking to Jaylin, but I don't get a chance to talk to you anymore.”
“That might be for the best,” I laughed. “But, uh, is Jaylin around? If not, I need to talk to you about something.”
“I think he's outside somewhere with the kids. What's up? Is everything okay?”
“So-so. Today, I spoke to Scorpio and some things I said led her to believe that you and I had sex. I didn't confirm anything, but she is determined to call Jaylin and make him aware of her thoughts. I just wanted to warn you, and make it clear to you that I will not tell anyone what happened between us, unless you ask me to. I might not say anything if you ask me to because there's a lot of damage that can occur. You know what I mean, don't you?”
“Yes, I do. I appreciate you calling me. Jaylin and I are managing to work things out. I'd hate for something like this to surface and put us back where we started. A part of me wants to tell him the truth. I know if Scorpio speaks to him, he's going to question me about it again. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to say. I love my husband, but I do not regret giving myself to you before court that day. It was a beautiful time, but I know we're past that now. These last several weeks have been wonderful for Jaylin and me. My wish is that you someday find true love as I have. You really deserve it.”
“I know. When the time is right, my time will come. I'm in no rush, you know?”
Nokea laughed. Before we ended our call, I told her to tell Jaylin to call me.
Chapter 26
Jaylin
Â
I was shocked as hell, as I held the phone in my hand and listened to the entire conversation. I knew Nokea had given herself to him, damn, I knew it! Never in my life had I felt like such a fool. For the both of them to lie to me about the shit was unforgivable.
Why didn't I just listen to my gut? What made me trust Nokea and Shane more than I trusted myself? I couldn't believe that she made me out to be the villain, when all along, she had fucked my friend. And, Shane, his words were so convincing. “I wouldn't do that to you, Jay. I've had my way with Scorpio, but I know Nokea is off limits.”
Bullshit! Was all I could say. No word in the English dictionary explained how I felt.
I put the phone down, took several deep breaths to calm myself and made my way into the bedroom where Nokea was. I couldn't even think straight. There was so much anger inside of me. Before somebody got hurt, I needed to get out of the houseâfast!
I entered our bedroom. Nokea was sitting in the chair, while paging through an
Ebony
magazine. She looked up at me. By the look on my face, she knew something was wrong.
“Who was that on the phone?” I asked.
“Nobody, the caller had the wrong number. Where . . . where are the kids?” she asked.
“They're outside with Nanny B.” I sat on the bed, roughly massaging my hands together. “I need to go, uh, take care of something for a couple of days.”
She closed the magazine, giving me her attention. “What . . . Where and what for?”
“Frick said there were some issues with the paperwork. He's not coming here, so I have to go there.”
“Would you like for me to go with you?”
“No, I need . . . I'm going alone. The kids need you and I don't want to leave them with Nanny B.”
Not saying another word, I got up and went into my closet. I put a few things in my suitcase and removed my keys from the nightstand.
Nokea stopped me. “Why are you rushing out of here Jaylin? Tell me, is something wrong?”
I shook my head and stepped up to her. I touched the side of her face and kissed her cheek. “I'm cool. This is so important to me. I gotta go now so I can take care of this. I'll call you as soon as I get there.”
Nokea nodded and I left the room. Hurrying, I said good-bye to Nanny B and the kids, then left.
Going to see Frick in St. Louis was not on my agenda. I got a room at a nearby hotel and checked in. I was so numb. I didn't know where to begin. I wanted to fuck Shane up, and Nokea too, I hated the thoughts of what I wanted to do to her. Before I did anything, I needed time to think. My mind was saying . . . kick her ass to the curb, but my heart was trying to understand.
Yes, I'd cheated on Nokea, but she was supposed to be better than me. That's what I loved so much about her. If I wanted a woman like me, then I would have married Scorpio. I knew Nokea could tell something was up, but I was drained from arguing with her. Looking at her made me want to snap, but something was holding me back.
Until I figured out what I wanted to do, I planned to stay at the hotel in Florida and chill. It seemed like the logical thing to do, so once I checked into the room, I put my suitcase on the floor, stripped down to my jockey shorts and got in the bed. For a while, I just lay there. Then, I thought about it. My name is Jaylin Jerome Rogers. This was my world and so many women lived in it! I searched through my wallet and pulled out Mia's business card that I'd found in Nokea's drawer. I fumbled through several other phone numbers I'd picked up from time to time, totaling sixteen different phone numbers. I visualized these ladies in my mind and thought about my next move. Definitely, the numbers had come in handy, but the big question was . . . what was I going to do with them?
Chapter 27
Nokea
Â
Something with Jaylin wasn't right and I knew it. I didn't think Scorpio had called him that fast, but maybe she did. If she had, I was 100 percent sure he would have said something to me. Just to be sure nothing was up, I called Frick and he confirmed Jaylin's appointment. Still feeling uneasy, I called Shane and he told me to calm down.
“If Scorpio had called Jaylin, he would have called me or said something to you,” he said.
“But Shane, you should have seen the look on his face. He looked worried. I'd never seen him get out of this house so fast. I . . . I need to talk to Scorpio. Would you please contact her and ask her to call me? That's the only way I'll feel at ease with this.”
“If it upsets you that much, then tell him the truth. He'll forgive you, but you know him and me might have some challenges. I'm game, though, and whatever happens, it just happens.”
“No, I don't want your and Jaylin's friendship to end. You mean a lot to him, and for those months you all didn't speak, I could tell it bothered him. We have to keep this a secret. As long as we continue to deny it, everything will be fine.”
“However you want to handle this, I'm with you. Now, I will contact Scorpio and ask her to call you, but I don't know if she'll do it.”
“Just see for me, okay? I want to find out if she's spoken to Jaylin.”
Shane hung up. Almost fifteen minutes later, Scorpio called. When I answered the phone, she responded, “What do you want?”
“Scorpio, I talked to Shane. He mentioned to me that you intended to contact Jaylin about some serious accusations. I truly wish you wouldn't do that. Haven't we all been through enough? Can you find it in your heart to move on and leave my husband and me in peace? You shouldn't live your life this way. I can't believe you have wasted so much time on a man who clearly doesn't want you.”
“Oh, I doubt that, but to hell with you and Jaylin. I haven't spoken to him, nor do I intend to reveal your sneaky ways. I truly believe that you had sex with Shane, because history always repeats itself. Just like you used Stephon, you also used Shane. Someday, Jaylin will see you for what you really are. Where in the hell does anybody get off by thinking you're so much better than me? If and when Jaylin learns of your infidelities, it won't come from me. If I had the facts, surely, I'd present them to him. Since I don't have much to go on, for now, you're good. Just for the record, if he ever needs me, I will always be there for him. You hear me . . . Always, Nokea so, enjoy your fame and fortune while it lasts.”
Scorpio hung up and I held the phone in my hand. I realized there was no way Jaylin knew anything so I waited to hear from him.
Finally, that night, Jaylin called around midnight. I was worried about him, but glad that he called.
“I had a delay at the airport,” he said. “Because of the weather, there are a lot of power outages in St. Louis. If you need me, call me on my cell phone, okay?”
“Okay, but how much longer will you be?”
“Hopefully, Frick and I will be able to wrap up things in a day or two. I will let you know, soon.”
“Okay. Hurry home. I love you.”
He hesitated. “Me too.”
Jaylin hung up and I felt relieved. Not only that, but I felt sick. I covered my mouth and rushed to the bathroom.