Page 16 of Consumed By Desire

“So you was out here knocking people’s heads in between the washer and the dryer over Shannon and y’all wasn’t even together?” Trinitee says. She turns to Shannon, “He’s a good man, Savannah, a good man!”

“You are so stupid,” Shannon says through her laughter.

“Okay, so we got the problem and the players. What is the plan? And by the way, had you told me what was happening, I would have come home and beat the shit out of Trent.”

“I didn’t think you really cared that much, and I didn’t want it said that I had to call my brother to fight my battles.”

“Yeah, I got a lot to make up for because I never wanted you to feel that way. Regardless of how it seemed, I would never be okay with anyone mistreating you.”

“It’s over now, so let’s focus on the present and future,”

“Sounds like a plan,” he says. Shannon and I tell him how we plan to get our revenge on Trent.

“Yeah, I’m down. I’ll start making those calls and working on the other stuff, too. If we all make moves, we should be able to get this done in a matter of weeks,” Kruze says.

“That’s the plan,” I say.

“Anybody want to play? Shannon asks, holding up a deck ofUno No Mercy.

“Oh, you trying to get shit started tonight,” Trinitee says.

“All I know is nobody better hit me with a Draw 10,” I say.

“And if I do,” Kruze asks, rolling up his shirt sleeves.

“I’m putting you and your wife out.”

“Damn, what I do?” Trinitee asks.

“Y’all became one flesh, remember. What goes for him goes for you too.”

“Well, deal the damn cards so we can see how the night is going to end,” Kruze says.

CHAPTER8

Shannon

Our plan is coming together, and for the first time since this bull shit started I feel like I can breathe. I am not used to having anyone come to my rescue, but I have to admit it feels damn nice having someone I can truly rely on. Legend came in and quietly made a place in my life, and now I can’t imagine my life without him. Do I still act like a brat from time to time? Of course, you have to keep things spicy, and I got to keep him on his toes. And he handles me like the Dom brat tamer that he is. Who knew? But with all this shit that has happened to my business, it has made me reconsider whether I want to continue to do this type of work. It served me well; I saw a need and fulfilled it, and, in the process, I have made millions. But along with those millions I have made enemies and lots of them, but I have also made a ton of allies too. I am sitting in the middle of Legend’s bed, wearing a pair of boy-short panties and one of his dress shirts, plotting and planning my future. I am at his house as much as he is at mine. One day, a key to his penthouse just miraculously appeared on my key ring. So, I returned the favor. Being in a relationship with him has probably been the easiest thing I have ever been a part of.That’s it!I think as I pull the pencil out of my messy bun to write down what I have just decided to do with the rest of my life. I write furiously on the page as the idea takes on a life of its own, overtaking my brain. The doorbell ringing breaks me out of my information dump.Who could that be?I think, making my way to the door, not even cognizant of what I have on. I check the camera to see Trinitee holding a bag from Highlands, and I hurry up and swing the door open. Highlands is a food hall that has a multitude of food spots inside one of them is Island Breeze, they have the very best brown stew chicken north of Jamaica.

“Get in here!” I tell her, yanking her in by her arm.

“Damn, friend! Hungry much?”

“Starving. Did you get my brown stew chicken?”

“Of course,” she says. “Look at you in here wearing that man’s shirt, looking like a kept woman.”

“Not a kept woman,” I say, laughing as we head over to the kitchen table to eat. She drops the bag on the table as I grab us a couple of bottles of water out of the refrigerator.

“You look happy, friend,” she says sitting at the table, her chin in her palm watching me bustle about Legend’s kitchen.

“I am,” I tell her, walking back over to the table.

“I am happy for you, Shannon, I really am. It was a long time coming, and I always wondered if you’d find someone you could be fulfilled with, and it seems you have. Who would have thought Legend would be the man who could actually handle you and your mouth?”

“Not only does he handle it, he handles it damn well,” I tell her, waggling my eyebrows at her.

“Nasty heffa,” she says as she pulls her container our with her bahn mi in it.