Still thicker than water (28 page)

The security guard reached for her arm but she snatched it away and stormed out the room, her Christian Louboutins leaving smoke in her tracks.

Once everyone was gone and the door was closed, Ree turned to Trinity. He picked up her clothes and handed them to her, slightly embarrassed for her.

Then he sighed and tried to choose his words wisely, knowing that she wasn’t working with a full deck.

“
Look, Trini…I’m sorry. I know…I know, this may be hard for you to deal with. And truthfully, I didn’t know your feelings were that involved…”

Trinity chuckled at that statement, while she dressed, and he continued.

“
You’re a good girl…you really are. But Tatum, she’s the one. We have something that…I don’t know.”

He looked at her and could see her heart break, but he didn’t care. She had to hear it.

“
I will not tolerate this behavior…this blatant disrespect for her, or for our relationship. You know the type of person that I am, so don’t try me.”

The last statement frightened her. There was a frigidness and threatening tone in the way he said it, and Trinity did not want any parts of it.

“
I’m…I’m sorry,” she muttered halfway meaning it. She was fully dressed now.

“
It won’t happen again,” she added sincerely.

Ree nodded promisingly.

“
I know.”

He turned and headed for the door as she stood wondering what he meant, until he faced her, halfway out of the room.

“
You’re fired, Trinity. You gotta go.”

A sharp pain went through her heart and she was speechless, but Ree just walked out and walked over to security, informing them to escort her out.

He felt like he owed her enough to tell her in private and to allow her to get dressed, but that was all he owed her. She was done.

Tatum sat in a chair on the side, away from everyone, shooting Ree venomous rocks with her livid eyes. He looked at her, knowing that she was upset, but he felt Tatum had something to learn as well. When he told her that he would handle it, she would have to learn not to question him and trust that he would do so.

But Ree failed to realize that Tatum had trust issues, her heart was fragile. And little did Ree know, he had for the first time, given her reason to doubt her trust in him. Their estate was about to be the War of the Roses that night.
Round one!

“
So now you don’t wanna eat?”

No answer.

“
Tatum.”

Silence.

“
Tatum.”

Silence.

“
Tatum!”

“
What!”

“
I asked you a question…you don’t-”

“
No!” She screamed, as the car stopped in front of their house.

She stormed out and slammed the door and Ree took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure before he would follow her inside.

“
So, will that be all for the evening Mr. Knights?” The driver asked nervously, breaking the silence.

Ree sighed and opened up his door.

“
Yeah, that’ll be all. Have a good night.”

He strolled unhurriedly up the walkway, toward the front door, and Tatum, who was already inside, watched him from the second floor window. She saw him reach the porch and then disappear, so she knew he was now inside.

“
Tatum,” his deep voice based.

She didn’t respond. She was so livid with him.

“
Tatum, get down here,” he demanded.

Fuck it.

She approached the steps and made her way down, looking at him standing at the bottom.

“
What?” She asked, with much attitude, standing on the third step up, with her hand finessing her hip.

Ree stared at her, already knowing what the predicament was. He knew women, so he could understand her anger. But the issue to him went much deeper than the surface.

“
What’s the problem?”

Tatum laughed before answering.

“
Nothing.”

“
Nothing,” Ree repeated, tilting his head to the side. Tatum shrugged and shook her head.

“
Nope, nothing. Everything is fine.”

“
No it's not,” he stated the obvious. “But we’re gonna stand here and talk about it, until it is.”

Tatum rolled her eyes.

“
Well, you must plan on standing here an awfully long time then.”

He didn’t answer her; he just stared at her, encouraging her with his eyes to tell him what she was feeling. She became frustrated and turned to go back upstairs, she didn’t want him to see her emotional.

Why he had to talk to her in private, though?

“
Stay right there, Tatum,” he commanded firmly. She halted and he then spoke a little softer. “Stay right there, and tell me exactly what the problem is.”

She chuckled, turning to face him.

“
The problem? Oh, I think you
know
the problem, Ree. The problem is you…playing me in front of your little
girlfriend
… making me look stupid by kicking me out of the room to talk to her. What did you have to say to her that was so private, huh Ree?”

“
So is the problem how you think I made you look, or is it you not knowing what I said to her?”

“
Whatever, Ree! You know what the fuck I’m talking about…why are you trying to analyze shit, huh? Why can’t you just tell me the damn reason for your shady ass actions? ‘Cause you hiding shit, that’s why!”

Ree could feel his temper building but remained composed. He had to keep reminding himself that she was upset, but he was not used to this at all. No one, absolutely no one, had, and would ever…

“
Maybe…” He spoke slowly. “What I had to tell her…was embarrassing enough, that I didn’t need to do it, in front of an audience…while she was naked.”

Tatum sucked her teeth.

Ree actually wanting to spare Trinity further embarrassment upset Tatum and made her face turn sour. She leaned into him.

“
And maybe…” She waved her finger in his face. “You’ve been fucking her this whole time…and that’s why the bitch felt comfortable enough to be naked…in your office! Maybe that!”

She poked him hard in the forehead and Ree grabbed her finger strongly with the quickness of catching a cobra before it strikes. So quick, and so forceful, that it scared Tatum.

He took a deep breath and squeezed her finger tighter, leaning close to her in all seriousness as her eyes grew wider. He spoke in a calm weightiness.

“
Enough. I don’t play these games Tatum, and I refuse to go back and forth about this. Trinity is the past. I handled that shit like I said I would. You’re who I want and everyone on this island is well aware of that, including her. The fact that you are challenging that or second guessing yourself is preposterous to me. If we are going to be in a relationship, share a home, share a life, then we need to have a level of trust. I understand you may have to get used to that and I’m willing to work on that with you, because I love you.” Tatum swallowed hard, feeling a little bad for her behavior and slightly frightened, because of his. He still had a firm grip on her finger as he spoke and there was no smile in his eyes. He was dead serious. But she knew he would never hurt her, however she had pressed his buttons.

“
Don’t ever doubt me Tatum, and don’t ever question me. And don’t ever, ever put your hands on me, okay?”

She nodded slowly and felt so juvenile in her actions. She now could see how love could have you acting completely out of character.

“
I’m sorry,” she admitted, hating to apologize but knowing that she was wrong. She should have never touched him.

He loosened his grip and the warmth slowly returned to his face. He kissed her finger as a sentiment of affection, and stared her in the eyes.

“
How did that sorry taste coming out of your mouth?”

She snickered and shook her head from side to side.

“
Um, like shit.”

He laughed and then he pulled her close by her hips.

“
Come here, crazy girl.” He kissed her tenderly on her lips. “What am I gonna do with you?” He asked smoothly.

Tatum raised an eyebrow and smiled.

“
I can think of some things.”

The two kissed again and the discussion was officially dropped. The War of the Roses, was officially over.

“
What do you want for your birthday?”

“
Nothing,” Sasha answered, focusing on the Sex and the City rerun that was playing on her bedroom plasma. Aubrey lay asleep beside her.

“
Come on…I know you want something,” Jayde probed, standing next to the bed.

Mike had told Jayde that Sasha was upstairs and she had found her lying in her sweats, eating Doritos and watching television.

“
I can get you anything you wanttt,” she sang, trying to tempt her.

“
I bet you can,” Sasha quipped without looking up. She was referring to the fact that Jayde had revealed her drug cartel status to her.

Jayde rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her double breasted Dolce & Gabbana suit jacket.

“
How long are you going to give me the cold shoulder for this?” Jayde finally asked.

“
How long were you planning on keeping the secret?” Sasha shot back, finally looking at her seriously, letting her know that she wanted an answer. Jayde shrugged.

“
I don’t know…not long.”

Sasha pursed her lips and turned back to the screen.

“
Well, in that case.
I
don’t know…not long,” she added sarcastically, answering Jayde’s question.

“
I’ve apologized a million times, Sasha. Come on. That’s not the kind of thing that’s easy to tell someone…I mean, I didn’t completely lie, I told you that I took over my father’s business, and I did.”

Sasha had never met Jayde’s father when they were younger. She had only known Jayde’s mother who had remarried when Jayde was a baby, so she had then known Jayde’s stepfather as well. She had no idea that this whole time, Jayde had gotten into this life.

“
Is that why you kept asking me what Chauncey was going to do when he came down here?”

Jayde nodded.

“
I had a feeling that he would try to set up shop down here, yes.”

Sasha chuckled mockingly.

“
Set up shop
, that’s how you talk? Ms. Socialite my ass.”

Jayde giggled at Sasha’s snaps and Sasha had to fight back her own growing laughter. She still wanted to be mad at Jayde but found herself becoming less and less angry with each day that passed. She already had a feeling from the hotel conversation that she had overheard that Jayde was into some other stuff. But Sasha loved having the ball in her court, people always spoiled her extra when she was mad at them.

“
How about a party?” Jayde suggested. “I can get some big names to come through, lots of people, red carpet event.”

Sasha sucked her teeth.

“
Who, you and your drug lord friends, Jayde? No thanks Nino Brown. I’ll pass.”

Jayde pressed her lips together and let her have her fun.

“
Okay, well what about a dinner? Twenty, thirty people tops. Dim lighting, linen tablecloths, your favorite cuisines-lobster, sushi, pasta, nice music, champagne, Hawaiian and Hummingbird cakes from Lulu’s…”

Sasha knew Jayde had her there. She lived for Lulu’s, who had the most scrumptious specialty cakes in Atlanta.

Sasha shrugged nonchalantly.

“
Whatever…dinner’s fine.”

Jayde smirked and turned to head out.

“
Very well then…I’ll put it together boo.” She started out but Sasha called her back.

“
Jayde!”

She turned and waited, and Sasha added.

“
And the Coca Cola cake.”

Jayde snickered and waved as she walked away.

One woman, one party, one night, one birthday… three birthday cakes.
Gotta love Sasha
.

“
Are you sure that you told her 7pm? Where is she?”

Sasha was rushing around the kitchen, putting the back on her earring, making sure all of the emergency numbers were on the fridge, and making sure that everything Aubrey may need was on hand.