Dangerous Beauty: Part Four: Beautifully Broken (10 page)

She nodded. “I know,” she sighed, giving Tamara another kiss. “I have issues.”

Tamara chuckled. “We both do.”

Reanna smiled. That was true, but she was happy that she’d been able to shield Tamara from as much as she could. There’d been some things that she’d failed to protect her sister from, but she could proudly say that she did her best for being a kid herself, and made tremendous sacrifices to ensure that her little sister succeeded in life.

They were good, despite everything they went through in the past to get to where they were.

“Aww, look at you two.”

Both sisters glanced up when Ronaldo entered the tent with breakfast on a big tray. Reanna’s mouth watered at the sight. Sausage, eggs, hash browns, and croissants.

“Why am I always missing the love moments?” he muttered, a playful frown on his face. “I need hugs, too …”

Reanna released her sister with a light chuckle. “Don’t nobody wanna hug you, Ronaldo.”

They all three laughed.

“Kiss my ass, Rea,” Ronaldo chuckled, as he set the tray on the table. “I made yummy food for the both of your ungrateful asses.”

“It looks good,” Tamara said, rubbing her hands together. “I’m making a sandwich.”

“Well dig in then,” Ronaldo urged happily. “I’ll get the juice.”

Reanna smiled, leaning forward and beginning to make herself a plate. She loved mornings with her sister and Ronaldo. There was never a dull moment with those two. They ate, talked, and laughed just as they always did, as they enjoyed the morning warmth and being in each other’s company. And just as she knew it would, the conversation soon drifted to the event that had occurred between her and Ronaldo over a week ago. The fight that had left her in a slump for the better part of a week.

Reanna closed her eyes in frustration, then attempted to leave, but they stopped her of course. She had hoped the conversation wouldn’t journey to the argument she and Ronaldo had had about Kyle last weekend, but of course, Ronaldo couldn’t go a day without making some salty ass comment about how pathetic Reanna was for being ‘used’ by Kyle.

“Don’t listen to him, Tamara,” Reanna shot, raising her middle finger in Ronaldo’s direction. “Ronaldo is still upset because I kept an eye on Sofia last weekend instead of going dancing with him.”

“I had a guy there for her!” Ronaldo yelled. “He wanted to meet you, Rea. He wanted to date you, but, just like always, you chose Kyle!”

“I chose Sofia.”

“You chose, Kyle,” he countered.

“I chose them both,” she corrected sharply, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance. “They needed me, so I went. And you’re just gonna have to be mad at me, ’cause I’m going over again tonight.”

Ronaldo sat his food aside and shot up from his seat in outrage. “What?” he yelled, shooting her a fierce glare. “Why the hell are you doing this to yourself, Rea?”

Reanna groaned, “God, Ronaldo, would you stop being so dramatic? He’s not even going on a date tonight. He’s working late.”

“I don’t care what he’s doing, Reanna! He’s taking up your damn weekend again. It’s Friday, dammit! I wanted to go out.”

Reanna shrugged. “Then go out.”

“I want
you
there, too!” he shouted. “Why do you keep blowing me off for this asshole?”

“He’s not an asshole,” Reanna defended. “And I’m not blowing you off, I’m avoiding whatever asshole you’re trying to set me up with.”

“He’s not an asshole, Rea.”

“See, I knew it!” Reanna pointed an accusing finger at him. She should have known the only reason he wanted her to go out this evening was to set her up on a damn date. He’d been trying to set her up with assorted men for the last two years, and she hated it. “I’m not going on anymore dates with any of your metro-sexual ass friends, Ronaldo.” Half of the guys he set her up with were either jerks, or horny bastards that were only after sex. “I’m done with blind dates! I don’t need you to find a man for me, I can do it myself.”

Ronaldo jerked back as if offended, dramatically bringing his hand up to his chest. “Wha—” he breathed in outraged. “When, Reanna?” He looked around, as if trying to find someone. “Who? When in the hell are you going to stop waiting for Kyle to suddenly confess his love to your ass, and take control of
your
life?” he yelled. “You deserve love!”

“I know!”

“Then stop choosing a man who uses you over a man who’s actually interested in you!”

Gosh darn it, he doesn’t use me!

Reanna threw up her hands in frustration and surrender. “I give up with you!” She didn’t know what the hell she had to say to convince the stubborn diva that he was wrong. Kyle didn’t use her. She’d thought about it the night before she had spent another Saturday night at his place with him and Sofia, and she’d been thinking about it for the better part of a week. And after really thinking her relationship with Kyle through, she could confidently say that, though she wasn’t completely happy with every element of their relationship, Kyle wasn’t taking advantage of her.

Ronaldo smacked his lips, grinning smugly. “You give up because you know I’m right.”

“I give up because you’re impossible,” Reanna corrected.

“All right, all right, enough of this arguing, you two,” Tamara interjected, raising her hands between them. She sighed. “I have sat in our home, listening to you heifers bicker back and forth for a damn week, and I’ve had enough …”

“Then tell her I’m right,” Ronaldo spat.

Tamara gave him a striking
‘hell no’
look, and raised her hand to his face. “You’re wrong,” she said, over enunciating the word.

Reanna smiled smugly. “See!” she yelled victoriously. “I know more than—”

“Uh!” Tamara cut her off abruptly, raising a hand in her face as well. “You’re wrong, too.”

Reanna’s mouth dropped. “Huh?”

Ronaldo lightly smacked Tamara’s hand from his face. “Well if she’s wrong, then why the hell am I wrong?”

Reanna wanted to know the same thing!

She pursed her lips. “Because he’s not using her, you idiot, he wouldn’t do that.”

He smacked his glossed lips again. “And how exactly do you know what he’d do, Tamara?” Ronaldo asked ever so stubbornly.

Tamara took a hefty bite of her sandwich and rolled her eyes. “Because I’ve known the bastard for four years,
dumb dumb
.”

“Ha!” Ronaldo exclaimed, shooting up from his seat to point an accusing finger at Tamara. “So you admit then? He’s a bastard.”

She shrugged. “Yes, the asshole’s a bastard. I never said he wasn’t,
bighead
.”

“So what makes you think he’s not using her then?”

“Because he doesn’t
have
to, stupid.” She paused for a second to take a long sip of her soda and roll her eyes once again, making both Ronaldo and Reanna laugh at her childish antics. “Kyle Valente is one,
fine as all fuck
, and two, a
very
rich,” she leaned to the left, putting her face in Reanna’s, “
crim-in-al
,” she over enunciated, then moved back to face forward in her seat.

Reanna sighed at that and looked away. Yeah she knew what Kyle was, and yes she cared … up to a point. She was the daughter of terrorists for Christ’s sake, who the hell was she to judge? She pouted inwardly at her weakness. She really couldn’t let him go, could she? Not even when she knew she should? He was bad for her in more ways than one.

“If he needed a damn nanny he’d buy one, or he’d just sucker some dumb girl into doing it for free because, and I repeat,
he’s fine as all fuck
...”

“We get it,” Reanna said, rolling her eyes. She didn’t feel like hearing how weirdly gorgeous Kyle was. His flawless looks annoyed her greatly. Not because she didn’t enjoy looking at him, but simply because it was inhuman to be that damn good-looking.

Tamara ignored Reanna’s bitter words, continuing on as if she hadn’t even said a word. “He’s too chill to use people in the fashion you are accusing him of, Ronaldo. He just wouldn’t do it. He goes to Rea because his baby can stay home at night, one; and because he trusts her, two. Hell, I actually think he’s feelin’ her, just as much as she’s feelin’ him.”

“You see it, too?” Reanna exclaimed, leaning toward her sister. She knew she wasn’t the only one confused by Kyle’s flirting. “I knew I wasn’t crazy—”

Tamara held up her hand in Reanna’s face. “Time out, bitch. I never said you weren’t crazy.”

Ronaldo tossed his head back and burst into loud laughter.

“Excuse me,” Reanna said, shocked and wounded by her sister’s words. “Whose side are you on here, Tamara?”

Tamara smiled warmly, then reached over, and gave Reanna’s arm a comforting pat. “Yours, Rea. You’re my sister.”

Reanna pursed her lips.

“Aww, come on, don’t give me that look,” Tamara pouted playfully, seemingly amused by Reanna’s reaction. “I only call you crazy because you’re letting Kyle use you.”

“I thought you said he wasn’t using her?” Ronaldo reminded, a smug smile on his face. “So now you’re admitting I was right?”

Tamara snorted. “Wrong, bitch,” she shot, making them both laugh again. “I said he wasn’t using her like you think.” Tamara sat back in her seat, dramatically lifting one of her perfectly arched brows, ran her fingers through her long wavy hair, and gave them a crooked smile. “She’s the fluffer,” she said with a shrug.

Fluffer?

Ronaldo nearly spit out his drink, while Reanna just shook her head confused by the term. What the hell was a fluffer?

“What?” Ronaldo exclaimed through laughter. “That man don’t need no fluffer, girl!”

“Uh, uh,” she tsked. “You’re wrong.
Every
man needs a fluffer, especially men with little girls that need a mommy.”

“If he wanted that precious child to have a mommy he’d get his ass married.”

“He’s afraid,” she stated simply.

“Afraid?” Ronaldo asked in disbelief. He shook his head “The man is into some sketchy shit
for a living
, why the hell would he be afraid of Reanna?”

Tamara crossed her arms, and smiled. “He loves her.”

What?!

“Time out,” Reanna finally got a word in, raising her hand. While they were sitting there, busy discussing her personal life and weird relationship with Kyle, she was still having trouble understanding what exactly it was they were talking about. “First of all, what the hell is a fluffer?” She held up two fingers. “And second, while I agree that Kyle may be attracted to me, he does not love me.”

Seriously, what type of man would be in love with one woman, and screw another? Kyle did not love her; he cared about her, he probably even had feelings for her that surpassed friendship, but he didn’t
love her
.

“He loves you, Reanna,” Tamara repeated confidently. “And you love his complicated ass, too.”

Reanna’s mouth dropped open. “Wh-what?” she stuttered nervously, shaking her head. “Love … is a
very
strong word.” That she was pretty sure was accurate. But though, she’d already admitted as much in her head, Reanna wasn’t sure she was ready to make such a proclamation out loud. It wasn’t easy wanting someone that didn’t want her back … or at least didn’t want her enough to ask her out on a date. “Kyle and I are friends,” she said with a firm nod. “
Really
good friends.”

“Ahh, yes,” Tamara sighed exaggeratedly with a nod. “Just friends …”

Ronaldo snorted. “Friends that eat off the same plate, cuddle, flirt, are exceptionally touchy, and fall asleep in each other’s arms?” He laughed and gave Reanna a look indicating that even he didn’t believe she and Kyle were just friends. “Okay, Rea.”

Reanna scowled at the confusing man. “Okay, now you’re on her side?” she asked him, confused on his position. “Last weekend you yelled at me, and basically told me I’d never marry!”

His mouth dropped slightly. “I did not—”

“Yes you did!” Reanna yelled accusingly. “You said he knew I had a crush on him and he was using it to use me.”

His lips pursed. “Well, that was before Mara made some good points …”

“She didn’t make any good points.”

“Yes I did,” Tamara said smugly. “And FYI, a fluffer means that you are basically his woman, with none of the rewards.”

Reanna frowned. “What?”

“What are the rewards, you ask?” Tamara continued. “Easy. The title …”

“The commitment,” Ronaldo added. “The sex …”

“And pretty much everything that comes along with a real, long-lasting relationship—”

“Love, marriage, babies.” Ronaldo waved his hand in the air. “The works, mama. He ain’t giving that to you. Instead, he’s giving the title, commitment, and lovin’ to ol’ girl …”

“Because he doesn’t want any of it with me,” Reanna finished, even though she felt a sharp sting in her heart when she did.

“No,” Tamara objected immediately. “Wrong again.” She brought her legs on to the couch and turned to face Reanna. “Remember what Carter said about him, when you told her you weren’t interested in him a couple years back?”