Chapter 29: SHAMEEK - A Street King's Widow

As I eased the front door to Kyenna’s house closed, the sun hadn’t fully made up its mind about coming out yet. That was exactly how I wanted it. The compound was quiet as fuck around this time. Pops and Mama weren’t morning people unless they had somewhere to be, and Jaharee didn’t come back home last night. Kyenna’s security already knew what the fuck was going on, which is why I kept their pockets laid. I stood on Kyenna’s porch for a second and looked toward the road before heading down the steps. What we were doing was so reckless, but not enough for me to stop. I had gone over there because she texted me about something small. I couldn’t even remember what the original conversation was about. By midnight, I was in bed with her doing what we did best. By two, we were downstairs eating fucking ice cream. By four, we were back upstairs making love in the shower. What started as sneaking had slowly turned into being comfortable in each other’s house.

I knew what side of the bed she liked to sleep on, how she liked her water temperature, and where she kept extra wash clothes and towels. I knew how her ass hated the television being on but needed the small lights on the floorboards because she hated walking in complete darkness. Sex was one thing. Knowing somebody’s habits was something different. That shit was dangerous. I stepped towards my golf cart and got on it to head home. I was halfway to my house when headlights flashed near the main gate. I stopped driving because no one should’ve been on this road. The truck pulled off, and it was too far away for me to see a tag, but I knew the make and model. I got in the house and went straight to the shower when Nikki started calling. I let it ring as I stripped out of my clothes and stepped in the shower.

The vibes had been weird between Nikki and me. That was on me, though. Kyenna had taken over most of her time, which is why I was about to go off when she was with Lloyd. I still felt like Nikki saw something in my phone that night, even though she would never admit it. She wasn’t the type to stay quiet. She was very vocal if she felt a way. My phone went off two more times as I showered. I stepped out of the shower dripping wet and answered.

“What’s up? You good, callin’ this early in the mornin’.”

“Can you come over?”

“I’m kinda in the bed right now.”

“Is that not the shower water I hear in the background?”

Fuck!

“Yeah, you called so many times and woke me up, so I decided to try to shower. What do you need?”

“I think we need to talk. No arguing. Can you come over when you get yourself together?”

“You straight?”

“I’m good, Shameek. I just want to talk and fix this between us.”

“Okay, give me a little while, and I’ll be over there.”

“Okay.” She hung up.

“Fuck she on?” I stared at the phone.

I was a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. Something was off. She never called me before the sun came up unless something was wrong. I hoped she didn’t hit me with no pregnancy bullshit. I made myself clear that I didn’t want kids. Instead of waiting, I brushed my teeth and washed my face before getting dressed. I sat in my backyard by the pool and smoked half a blunt to calm my nerves. It was almost nine when I pulled up to her house. She hadn't opened her curtains yet. I knocked and used my key to enter. I had a feeling she was in the kitchen. She was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. Her hair was pulled back, and she wasn’t dressed. All she had on was a robe.

“What’s goin’ on?”

“Sit down.”

I looked at the chair and took her appearance in.

“Nikki, if you got somethin’ to say, say it. I don’t need the dramatic setup. You said no arguin’.”

“I’m not being dramatic. I’m trying to have a conversation with you without either one of us walking out before it’s finished. So please, sit down.”

The please made me do it. I sat across from her. She took a sip of her coffee. The silence between us was wearing me out. I leaned back in the chair.

“You called me over to just sit here?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Then talk, Nikki.”

She looked up. “How long have you been fucking Kyenna?”

Outside, I kept the same expression, but on the inside, my heart stopped.

“What?”

“Please don’t disrespect me by making me repeat the question like you didn’t hear me. How long have you been fucking Kyenna?”

I stared at her, and she stared back.

“Nikki, I don’t kno’ what the fuck you think you kno–,” I started.

“I saw you come out of her house before the sun came up this morning.”

There it was. That was her ass that I saw in that truck. I was caught, and there was no need to fight the shit anymore. She laughed when she saw the change in my face.

“Yeah. That was me. I sat outside that compound long enough to feel stupid as hell. I needed to see with my own eyes. All the signs were there.”

“You followed me?”

“For weeks,” she said.

“Are you crazy?” I leaned up.

“No, Shameek. I became crazy trying to prove to myself that the man I’ve loved for years wasn’t sleeping with his dead brother’s wife.”

I looked down at the table, and Nikki kept going.

“I noticed the perfume at first. It was expensive, and it’s not something I could afford unless you bought it for me. It was something I had never worn before. Then you started turning your phone over every time it vibrated. You stopped wanting sex some nights and suddenly had every excuse in the world why you were tired. You left the foundation rushing me home, barely kissed me at my own damn door, and disappeared. Then one night I moved your phone, and Kyenna’s name popped up.”

“So, you did go through my shit?”

“Yes, I did. I saw the text between y’all. I just had to see the shit for myself.”

“You should’ve asked me that night.”

“You would’ve lied.”

Nikki wiped up under her eyes before the tear could fall.

“That’s what hurts the most. You would’ve looked me dead in my face and lied. Hell, you did. I asked you about her at the foundation event, and you made me feel stupid for noticing the way you watched her.”

“I didn’t make you feel stupid.”

“You told me there was nothing going on.”

“At the time–”

“Don’t.” Her voice cracked. “Please don’t sit here and play with dates like there was some magical day where you were loyal to me at breakfast and fucking her brains out by dinner. Something was brewing before the sex. I watched you fall into whatever the hell that is right in front of me.”

I rubbed my hand down my face. There wasn’t a lie good enough now.

“What you want me say?”

“The truth would be nice.”

“I care about her.”

A bitter laugh escaped her mouth.

“That’s supposed to be the truth that frees you?”

“Shit, you asked.”

“I asked how long you’ve been sticking your dick in her.”

“A few weeks.”

She closed her eyes. The answer hit her harder than I expected. For some reason, that made me feel like shit.

“Nikki…”

“No. Keep going. Since we’re finally doing honesty, give me all of it. Was it happening when you were coming over here buying gifts because I complained you were distant? Were you leaving my house and going to hers? Were you sleeping with both of us?”

“Sometimes.”

“Wow!”

“I ain’t proud of the shit.”

“So, she fucked you and knew about me?”

“Don’t put this shit on her.”

“I’m sorry. What?”

“I said don’t put all that shit on Ky. I’m the one who owed you the loyalty. If you got an issue, keep that shit with me.”

“You defending her?”

“I’m tellin’ you the truth.”

“You’re protecting her. Even now, sitting in my house after I tell you I watched you creep out of her, your instinct is to make sure I don’t blame her.”

“All I’m sayin’ is she didn’t hunt me down. The shit just happened. She told me to handle my shit wit’ you. I didn’t.”

Nikki pushed away from the table and stood.

“That’s supposed to make me respect her? She still let you in.”

“I’m not askin’ you to respect shit.”

“Then what are you asking me for, Shameek? Understanding? Because I don’t have any. I loved you. I accepted more from you than I should’ve. All this time, I thought I was losing you to the streets, your family, your grief, and your business. The whole time, I was losing you to Kyenna.”

I stood, too.

“Nikki, I’m not finna stand here and let you make this into some competition shit. This shit wit’ me and you been fucked up before Kyenna ever touched me. We kept repeatin’ the same cycle and callin’ it love because neither one of us wanted to let go.”

“You’ve never had a problem before. The truth is you had no problem cumming inside of me, telling me you love me and then going over there to fuck your brother’s wife.”

“Widow,” I corrected.

As soon as the word left my mouth, I regretted it.

“You corrected me fast as fuck.”

“He is dead. She is not cheatin’ on him.”

“No. Just fucking his brother before his grave can get cold.”

“Watch yo’ muthfuckin’ mouth.”

Nikki stopped and so did I.

“Aight. So what we doin’?” I asked, rubbing the back of my neck.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not gonna keep lyin’ to you. You kno’ now. I care ‘bout Kyenna. I don’t kno’ what the fuck it’s gonna turn into, but I’m not cuttin’ the shit off just to come back here and repeat the same problems me and you been havin’.”

That hurt her. Still dragging the shit out was going to make it worse so I snatched the band-aid off.

“So that’s it?”

“I guess so.”

Nikki wiped her face and went to the counter. She came back with a folder.

“Fuck is that?”

“Since we are playing a dirty game. I think I’ll pay your little bitch a visit and see how she likes what’s inside this folder I found.”

I had no idea what she was talking about. Kyenna and I had a few videos we made, but no one should’ve had access to them.

“Give me the folder.”

She opened it and flipped to a page that made my heart stop.

“You still want to play this game?”

I pulled my gun out and put a bullet between her eyes.