Nude Awakening II (2 page)

Trevon wasn't sure if he should open up to Janelle. The truth was yes. He had another issue troubling him, but he assumed she would view him differently if he spoke on it. Biting his words, he lied and said that everything was all good.

***

Strolling to the back of Amatory's private parking lot, Trevon continued to dwell on the choice he made. It was only business, he reminded himself. Nearing his Jag, he took a glance at Janelle's Lamborghini Aventador, wondering if he would one day own a high-priced whip as such. Not downing his XJL, he was content with it and the triple chrome Rucci rims 24's it sat on.

Easing behind the steering wheel, he reached for his shades off the dashboard. Times such as now, he was filled with a peace of mind. It bothered him that he couldn't feel this way when he was with LaToria.

After making two stops to pick up LaToria's food, he headed home with the system reverberating in the trunk. Tupac's “So Many Tears” came alive inside Trevon.

 
This ain't the life for me, I wanna change

But ain't no future right for me, I'm stuck in the game.

He kept the song on repeat until he pulled up in his driveway. To his surprise, LaToria's Aston Martin was gone. Slowing to a stop beside her black Escalade, he was suddenly caught off guard when his smartphone rung. He took notice of the unknown number on the screen.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Hey handsome!”

Trevon leaned up in the seat. The voice sounded familiar, but he wasn't too sure. “Who is this?”

She laughed. “Turn around and you'll see.”

Trevon twisted in the seat and was moved beyond words from the sight that greeted him.

CHAPTER

Two

Why We Stressing!

Jurnee!” Trevon said when he stepped out of his ride.

“Surprise, surprise!” she cooed, strolling toward him in a pair of denim hip-huggers. She gave him a hug.

“Why didn't you give me a heads up you were dropping by?” he said, easing his arms around her tiny waist. “LaToria told me nothing.”

“That's because I didn't call her,” she replied, taking a small step back in her heels. “So what's going on? Where's Kandi?”

Trevon shrugged. “Out, I guess. You um . . . with someone?” he asked, nodding at the tinted lipstick red Benz SLS.

“No, honey. I'm alone. And who is Kandi with? I see her truck is here.”

“She has a new ride like you.”

“Really? What did she get?” she asked, propping a hand on her ample hip.

“A damn Aston Martin DBS.”

“What! Is it black?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

Jurnee smiled. “I guessed. You know black is her favorite color.”

“You wanna come inside? I'll call LaToria to see where she's at. I'm sure she'll be shocked to know you're here.”

Jurnee hadn't seen Trevon and LaToria since Christmas of last year. The three were still friends, and Jurnee didn't see that fact changing. She followed Trevon inside, helping him carry the food, but Jurnee glanced back at the empty parking spot with suspicion.
A black Aston Martin, huh?

“How are things with ole dude you met?” he asked when they entered the kitchen.

“Didn't work out,” she said, sitting at the table.

“Word! I thought you two were perfect.”

“I'm good,” she said, sounding sad. “I ended the relationship before things got out of hand.”

“What went wrong?” Trevon asked after turning from the counter.

“He put his hands on me, and I don't play that shit.”

“He hit you!”

“Yep. It was the first and last.”

“That's fucked up. But you did right to leave him. So what are you doing now?”

Jurnee ran her fingers through her thick mane of curly black hair. “I need to relax. I think I'll get my job back at Amatory as Janelle's assistant. I know she's gonna flip when I tell her what happened.”

“Why would she?” Trevon took a seat at the table across from Jurnee.

“Because she told me not to get involved with the bum. Oh well, that's a lesson I had to learn.” She shrugged.

“Fuck that lesson! No man should be hitting you.”

Jurnee stared at Trevon, thinking how lucky Kandi was to have a man like him at her side. A moment of awkwardness flashed through Jurnee when she looked around the kitchen. Memories popped in her mind back to the night she shared Trevon with Kandi. Only oral sex was given, and even now she caught herself craving to have her lips easing up and down his flesh.
Damn, I'm tripping. This is my bestie's man, and I'm up in here thinking about fucking his sexy ass.
“When you call Kandi, don't mention I'm here. I want to surprise her, okay?” she said, forcing the lust from her mind.

When Trevon pulled out his smartphone, she excused herself to go to the bathroom. Leaving the kitchen, she couldn't help but hope his eyes were glued to her shapely ass.

Trevon's nature had his eyes following Jurnee down the hall. He too had thought back to that night with Jurnee and LaToria. Shaking his head, he dialed LaToria's number. On the fifth ring, she answered.

“Hey baby. Where you at? Your food is gettin' cold.”

“I'm in front of the Omni Mall waiting for the bus.”

“Quit playing.” He grinned.

“I'm not fucking playing!” she shouted. “Can't you hear the damn traffic in the background?”

Trevon was used to her mood swings, but today she was tripping. “Why are you waiting for a bus, LaToria? Where's the car?”

“I don't have it no more!” she snapped.

“Was it stolen?!”

“Fuck that car, okay! Are you coming to pick me up or not?”

“Yeah, but why the hell didn't you call me?”

“Now is not the time, okay? Are you coming or not?”

“Baby, you know I'm coming. But when I get there, you need to tell me what the hell is going on! Are you okay?”

“I'm fine. Just . . . please hurry up and come get me.” Her voice broke, sounding as if she was near shedding tears.

***

Silence clogged Trevon's XJL with LaToria seated beside him with her head down. Physically she was fine.

“What the hell is going on, LaToria?” he asked, slowing for a red light on 14th Street. “You gonna tell me what happened to your car?”

She stayed silent.

“Oh, so now I'm talking to myself,” he said without raising his voice. “I told you how I get when you go out without telling me nothing! And yet, you up and do it anyway like it's cool and then—”

“I'm not a fucking child, Trevon!”

Trevon's grip tightened on the steering wheel. Clenching his jaws, he fought hard to manage his temper. “Ain't gonna sit here and argue with you,” he stated while staring straight ahead.

“Good, then don't!”

“I got the food you asked for.” He forced himself to stay calm.

“I'm not hungry!” she snapped.

Trevon shot a quick glance at LaToria. “You ai'ight today? If this is about me sticking to my contract with Amatory then yes—”

“Trevon, listen!” she shouted. “I told you I don't give a fuck about that shit! I don't care who you fuck or who sucks your dick, okay! I just don't care . . . I don't care what you do!”

Before Trevon could respond, a horn blew behind him. The light had turned green. They made the rest of the trip without saying a single word. LaToria's emotions were so pent up that she paid no attention to the red SLS parked in front of her crib. Shoving the door open, she struggled out to her feet and rushed to the front door, leaving Trevon behind.

***

Jurnee knew there was tension between Kandi and Trevon the moment Kandi stormed inside the house.

“What the hell are you doing here?” LaToria shouted at Jurnee in the living room.

“I came to surprise some friends,” Jurnee replied calmly. “But I didn't expect you of all people to welcome me like this.”

LaToria rolled her eyes. “Whateva!” she huffed, stomping to her bedroom.

“And what's gotten up your ass?” Jurnee asked.

LaToria waved Jurnee off, slamming the bedroom door.

A few seconds later, Trevon eased into the living room, flopping down on the purple crescent-shaped leather sofa. “From the look on your face, I see that Hurricane LaToria just blew through here.”

Jurnee nodded. “Were . . . you two arguing?” she asked.

“I won't call it arguing,” Trevon replied, picking up the remote for the 70-inch 3D flat screen TV.

“Well, she sure as hell ain't happy.” Jurnee looked at Trevon and sat down beside him crossing her legs. “She wasn't happy to see me at all. Maybe I shoulda called,” she said, looking worried.

“Nah, you're good. She just going through those pregnancy mood swings or something.” He flipped idly through the channels.

Jurnee shrugged. “If you say so.”

Trevon lowered the remote. “Why do you say that?”

“. . . I don't know. Maybe she has something on her mind.”

“Yeah, and talking to her now will only stress me the fuck out.”

“I hope I'm not being too intrusive about your personal business. But how long has she been having these mood swings?”

Trevon turned the TV off. Silence. Leaning his head back, he stared up at the high arched ceiling. “Shit seemed to change after we got back home from the holidays,” he murmured, feeling dejected. “I'm just dealing with it because I know our relationship won't be perfect.”

“Want me to go back and talk to her?”

“It's on you if you want to,” he replied with no expression on his face.

“Ay, papi. I'll go and see what's got my girl in a bitchy mood.” She adjusted the form-fitting corset over her lush breasts. “Be right back.” She stood, consciously aware of her tight gear that catered to her toned figure. Still, at the age of forty-one she was proud to flaunt what she had to display.

Trevon picked up the remote as Jurnee sauntered out of the living room swishing her hips. By chance,
Access Hollywood
was doing a segment on Jennifer Lopez. Trevon smirked at the strong likeness Jurnee had to Jennifer Lopez, and of course, he stole another glance at Jurnee's thick, succulent ass. She was a Dominican goddess, a tasty piece of eye candy.

***

Jurnee gave a warning knock on LaToria's bedroom door as she breezed inside.

“I don't feel like being bothered!” LaToria said before Jurnee had a chance to close the door. She lay out on the bed with her back facing Jurnee.

“What in the hell is going on with you, girl?!” Jurnee stated.

LaToria turned over to face Jurnee, who stood at the side of the bed looking pissed. “Ain't nothing going on with me!”

“The hell it ain't!” Jurnee fired back. “I know damn well you're not doing what I think you're doing.”

“I dunno what you're talking about,” LaToria remarked with a slight roll of her neck.

“That Aston Martin!” Jurnee shouted.

LaToria smacked her lips, shoving the pillow aside, so she could sit up and confront Jurnee. “I don't have it no more! Happy now?”

“You shouldn't've had it in the first damn place!” Jurnee lowered her voice. “I can't believe this mess. After all Trevon has done for you, you have the guts to—”

“Stop assuming shit that you don't know what the hell is going on!”

“Then tell me, so I won't have to assume!” Jurnee crossed her arms, waiting for LaToria to speak.

“It's none of your business,” LaToria said, rubbing her temples.

Jurnee raised her arched eyebrows. “Now it's none of my business, huh? Why wasn't your ass saying that when this issue came up when we went to New York last year? If I can recall, which I easily can, mind you! You made it my business by coming to me, and I made it my personal business by doing what I did for yo' ass!”

“I don't wanna argue.” LaToria lowered her chin.

“Fuck what you
don't
wanna do! I wanna know why you're doing this dumb shit, girl? That man in there loves your ass to death!” Jurnee pointed in the direction of the living room. “S'pose he was doing what you're doing to him, huh? How would you feel then?”

LaToria wanted to scream. Instead, she began to cry. “It's not like that, Jurnee. I would never—intentionally hurt Trevon.”

“Oh, so it's all good to hurt him by mistake? What is wrong with you?”

LaToria's watery eyes sent a line of tears down her cheeks. “I'm trying to make things right.” She sobbed. “You just don't know the fucked up position I'm in right now.”

Jurnee wasn't moved to feel sorry for LaToria at the moment. “Does Trevon know how you really got that car?”

“No.”

“Girl, what are you getting yourself mixed up in?” Jurnee sat next to LaToria and eased her arm over LaToria's shoulder. “You're pregnant with Trevon's baby, and I don't want you to mess up what you two got going. You'll only regret it, baby.”

LaToria closed her eyes, leaning against her friend for the support she so desperately needed.

“It's gonna be okay,” Jurnee said, gently.

LaToria wanted to believe in Jurnee, but deep down she knew differently and kept the truth of the matter to herself. She knew her past actions would not be understood by Jurnee nor Trevon.
If
she could make things right she would do so without a hint of hesitation.

“Now, what's up with this sour mood you got?” Jurnee asked after a brief spell of silence.

LaToria shrugged. “Just . . . I don't know.”

“You and Trevon were so happy last month. Do you need to share something with me?”

“No, I'm okay. Just got a lot on my mind and stuff.” LaToria wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

“So you're telling me that nothing is going on with you and Mar—”

“No!” LaToria sat up, unable to look Jurnee in the face. “What happened up in New York is over, okay? Just, let me do what I got to do. I'll fix it all, and I did that today by gettin' rid of the car.”

“I still don't understand why you even had the thing in the first place.”

LaToria sighed. “It's done and over with, Jurnee, so please drop it,” she pleaded, sounding tired.

Jurnee wasn't easily convinced, but she decided not to press any deeper.

“I'm sorry about snapping at you earlier,” LaToria apologized.

Jurnee kiddingly rolled her hazel-brownish eyes. “Just don't let it happen again.” She nudged LaToria. “You know it's all good, but who you really need to be making up with is that man of yours.”

“I know,” LaToria whined at hearing the truth.

“Well, getcha phat ass up and go do it.” Jurnee laughed.

“'Ho, don't get it twisted, ‘cause I'ma snap this body back ASAP after I have this baby,” LaToria promised. “Okay, enough about my man. Where is yours? I—”

“We broke up.” Jurnee's mood instantly turned sour.

“OMG! What the fuck happened?”

Now it was Jurnee's turn to build up a wall around her matters that dealt with her heart. “I'll tell you later. And before you start to pester me, I need to ask if I can spend the night?”

LaToria frowned. “So now you gonna hide stuff from me?”

“No. Ain't hiding nothing from yo' ass. I said I will tell you later and that's just what I'm gonna do. So can I chill here or not?”

“Yeah, you can chill. And I don't know why you even felt you had to ask. But anyway, I'ma take your advice and go make up with my man.” LaToria smiled.