SAVAGE

17

Nurses were everywhere—making squeaky noises with their clogs. The sound of someone being paged over the intercom made it obvious that the place was an actual hospital. Malcolm swaggered down the hallway—bypassing a nurse who was busy dealing with a sick patient. She stood there in her color-coded attire—blue, trying her best to deal with her patient, but her eyes fell on Malcolm.

He didn't seem to pay her any mind. Malcolm continued his stroll while casually sipping on his iced tea. Before coming to the hospital, he made a quick stop at the nearby coffee shop. When he made it to the correct door, he breathed in a breath of fresh air before going in. Malcolm pushed the door opened and noticed Ryder sitting on the bed. His chest was bandaged, which gave away the location of the bullet. He didn't seem horribly injured, so Malcolm was thankful for that.

"Yo, the f**k is you doing?" Ryder asked his girlfriend with venom in his throat. He looked at her with his eyebrows furrowed. Clearly, he was agitated, and every little thing managed to set him off.

Hope darted her eyes from left to right in confusion. All she did was grab his bag since she was going to pack his clothes for him.

"I'm trying to help you pack your shit." She blurted out with an eyeroll while dropping his bag on the bed. "Do it yourself since you want to be disrespectful about it."

"That's what I'mma do." He replied with a sharp tongue.

"You alive?" Malcolm questioned his friend as he stepped inside the hospital room. Instantly he was hit with the smell of cleaning products. Both Hope and Ryder looked his way, alarmingly. They had no idea that he had walked in, let alone opened the door.

"Them niggas barely hit me." Ryder responded as he stood up from the hospital bed. He grabbed the bag that Hope tossed on the bed and started piling random items in it.

Malcolm looked over at Hope and noticed the solemn expression on her face. She stood there scrolling through her phone. Obviously, embarrassed because she assumed Malcolm had witnessed Ryder being disrespectful to her—and he did.

"How you doing Hope?" He greeted her with respect.

She sighed, running her fingers through her curly hair. "I'm fine."

Her dry response let Malcolm know that she wasn't in the mood to be bothered, so he left her alone. Instead, he turned his attention to Ryder who was collecting his release papers.

"They're releasing you already?"

"Hell yeah." Ryder answered. "I've been here since earlier—I'm ready to get the f**k. They got police officers running in and out of this bitch."

"Damn." Malcolm cursed lowly while touching his beard. He figured that would happen. After all, Ryder got caught up in a horrible situation.

Suddenly, a knock at the door grabbed everyone's attention. Malcolm furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed the other person walking in. Ryder didn't have time to say or look a certain way. He was shocked that she even managed to show up.

"Hey." Kelli spoke sweetly while looking around the room. She was dressed casually, wearing a belly shirt with some jeans. She had switched her wigs around and was now wearing a black one. It was straight and parted down the middle. Kelli's face was bare—but she still managed to wear her lashes and lip gloss.

The room was quiet for a while since it was such a surprise to see her. Malcolm just stood back, sipping his iced tea. He was confused by the whole situation. Ryder inviting Kelli to the hospital with Hope present was a shady ass move in his opinion.

"Hey." Hope greeted her softly while c*****g her head to the side, studying Kelli. "Who are you?"

Kelli did a doubletake, examining Hope as well. She didn't know how Ryder's girlfriend looked, but she assumed that the heavily pregnant girl before her was Hope. Kelli scoffed, furrowing her eyebrows. She had no idea that the broad was pregnant—Ryder never mentioned it.

"Ryder's friend." Kelli replied while sighing. "You must be Hope?"

"Friend?" Hope reiterated while widening her eyes. She looked over at her man with her nose wrinkled. She didn't allow Ryder to have female friends because she was insecure. Ryder had f****d that up for her. After dealing with his many years of cheating—she just didn't trust him around females.

"That's what I said." Kelli stated in a stern tone. She walked over to Ryder and placed her attention on him.

"How did you know I was here?" He questioned her in a low-yet-hurried tone. Ryder's eyes darted from left to right in anger. He didn't like it when people did pop-ups on him. Kelli had no rights to just show up, she wasn't his girlfriend.

"Unbelievable." Hope mumbled under her breath as she shook her head. Instead of confronting Ryder about Kelli, she just stormed out of the room.

Malcolm ran his tatted hand over his head and said, "Go after her, man."

Ryder sighed tiredly while moving away from Kelli who wore a confused expression. He walked out, leaving both Malcolm and Kelli behind. They stood there in silence for a couple of seconds, not knowing where to start.

"A bold move, Kelli." Malcolm spoke as he lifted his cup, sipping his iced tea.

"I didn't know she was going to be here."

He frowned at the young woman while swallowing his drink.

"You cappin'..." Malcolm commented with a head shake. "That's his woman, of course she gone be here for him."

Kelli's eyes roamed the room before they appeared back on Malcolm. She narrowed her eyes at him with fury burning throughout her body. "She's pregnant."

And, so?

Malcolm just shrugged his shoulders while moving towards the door.

"H-he didn't tell me."

"Let me guess—if you had known, you would've stopped f*****g with him?"

"Yes!" Kelli replied quickly while nodding her head.

Malcolm shook his head, not believing Kelli at all. In his opinion, the s**t was still disrespectful. The situation was still the same—she and Ryder were still f*****g over Hope. Baby involved or not. 

_____________________________

The heavy cart squeaked with every push. Jersey's small, brown hands were wrapped tightly around the handle as she pushed the cart towards her destination. She was surrounded by bookshelves. Tall and wide bookshelves that looked as if they were going to swallow her alive. Jersey halted the cart from going farther and stood beside the designated shelf she was going far.

She inhaled the scent of the air fresheners that tried to overpower the musty smell of old books and pencil shavings. Her minty breath was shaky as she picked up the first book on the cart. Her hand grazed over the hardback book as she examined it thoroughly.

"Stephen King..." Jersey mumbled under her breath as she admired the book cover. She used to be a fan of Stephen King's books and movies. She remembered staying up all night just to watch his movies when growing up. Her favorite was his Creep Show series. One of her favorite books by him was Thinner.

She located the correct shelf and slid the aged book back in its place. Jersey continued her duty until her cart was empty. She found herself in the front of the library, tidying up. The library was filled with children and their parents. Nearby, Jersey noticed a table filled with boxes of pizza. It didn't take long for the smell of pepperoni and cheese to hit her nostrils.

Wednesday. Jersey thought to herself while rubbing her chin.

On certain Wednesdays, the library would have story time for the children. People from around the Manhattan area volunteer to read to the children. The library director pushed for the story time program. He wanted children to excel in their reading, which was great.

"Thinking about volunteering?" The soft voice asked, startling Jersey who managed to clench the old magazine in her hand. She looked over at the person who helped her get the job.

Alesha

She stood beside Jersey, busy filling the printer with copy paper. As usual, she wore a hijab and matched it with her outfit. The jeans she wore seemed to hug her figure.

"Uh, n-no. God no." Jersey stuttered with a slight scowl as she shook her head. "I don't think I could do it."

"Can't read?" Alesha questioned her bluntly and couldn't help but to smile afterwards. She waved her hand and said, "I'm just playing."

Jersey playfully rolled her eyes and said, "I could do it; I know I can because I love to read. However, I just don't care for kids. I don't have the patience for them."

"I completely understand you." Alesha replied while narrowing her eyes. "I have three nieces and they all get on my nerves. But I love them. They just...make me not want kids—forever."

Jersey smiled and eventually started laughing at Alesha. So far, she liked her. The girl was cool and very down to earth. She always seemed to have a great conversation with her.

The women continued their job until it was time for them to clock out. After work, Jersey decided to catch the bus back to the apartment. While sitting in the middle of the bus, she felt her phone vibrating in her bag. She rummaged through her things until she laid eyes on the prepaid phone. Sawyer had sent her a text message.

I can't drive you around no more or something? Sawyer

Jersey furrowed her eyebrows as she got her thumbs ready to type. It was true, she didn't want him driving her around anymore. Not after the little tantrum he threw at the pizza parlor. She had tried to make amends with him, but he continued to behave like a child. Therefore, she came up with the decision to cut him off—completely.

No, you cannot. Jersey

So, it's like that? Sawyer

She didn't even bother to text him anymore. Jersey just stuffed her phone back into her purse and leaned back in her seat; enjoying the bumpy ride. She wouldn't dare stoop to Sawyer's level. In her opinion, he had a whole lot of growing up to do.

Jersey decided to brush off Sawyer and his childish antics. Her mind went back to Kelli. Her friend had told her all about what went down at the hospital. For some reason, Kelli decided to pop up at the hospital and check up on Ryder. Unfortunately, Hope was there, and Kelli informed her friend about the girl's pregnancy that Ryder tried to hide.

In Jersey's opinion, the whole situation could've been prevented. She'd tried to tell Kelli numerous of times to leave Ryder alone. She knew he had to be hiding something.

A pregnant girlfriend

Now, Kelli was walking around with an attitude. Mad at the world. 
 

_____________________________

Malcolm ambled inside the building with Arthur right beside him. Attentively, he examined the decorative foyer. The interior design inside looked very posh and expensive. The place of worship had a reception desk sitting in the center of the hardwood floors. Two, cream-colored wingback chairs were positioned towards the sitting area. Piles of magazines sat on top of the walnut styled coffee table.

"Can I help you two gentlemen?"

Both Malcolm and Arthur looked over at the middle-aged woman who had just walked inside. She closed the door behind her and strolled behind the desk. Her eyes stayed glued to the two men who appeared to be vicious looking. Her perspective.

Malcolm remained calm as he neared the desk. He placed one of his tatted hands on the top surface and looked the woman over before speaking. She looked to be in her mid-forties—judging from her incoming gray hairs and wrinkled forehead.

"I'm here to see Eric."

She raised her eyebrows, "Eric?"

"As in Pastor Allen." He replied with a hand motion.

Clearly, the woman wasn't interested in Malcolm's calm-yet-demanding voice. She held a scowl on her face as she sized him up. "I'll see if he's available."

"He's available." Malcolm assured her while c*****g his head to the side. She didn't bother to respond at all. Instead, she just raised her chin and slipped into the backroom.

"I'm heading out to the car." Arthur announced while pulling his phone out. "I have a few calls to make."

Malcolm only nodded his head as he turned around just in time to see the woman walking back inside. This time, a man appeared behind her. His face looked familiar to Malcolm. However, he had gained weight over the years. Of course, it was from his unhealthy lifestyle.

"Malcolm. I almost didn't recognize you."

"I figured you wouldn't." Malcolm responded with a witty remark as he touched his hairy chin. "I mean, I grew a couple inches taller."

"And you've grown a mustache." Eric added with a smirk on his chubby face. He only sported a stubble since he didn't want to get rid of his facial hair completely.

"So, I have."

"You met my beautiful wife, Tanya ..." Eric announced as he placed his hand on the woman's back. Tanya only glanced at Malcolm and placed her eyes back on the computer screen.

"I met her..." He replied while softly shaking his head. He got the impression that Tanya didn't care that much for him. Of course, she didn't know him, but she'd probably heard of him. The people of Brooklyn had created a bunch of myths about Malcolm. Most of them were fake—obviously. Malcolm was a savage, but he wasn't no angry bully who walked around killing people just for the hell of it.

"So, what can I do for you?" Eric questioned him, breaking Malcolm from his thoughts.

Malcolm leaned on the counter and said, "I'm here about Lorenzo."

Eric nodded his head as his eyes widen, "You've seen him?"

"Yeah..." Malcolm trailed off. "He popped up at my mom's house looking for me and then my bar."

Eric eyed Malcolm, noticing the agitated look on his face. Tanya couldn't help but to look as well. 

"Y-yeah, I told him where she lived." He stammered with his words. "Is that a problem?"

"Oh, it's a major problem for me." Malcolm remarked, not biting his tongue. "In fact, it was disrespectful. I try my best to make sure my mom and sister are safe. I don't allow random people to come over to my mom's crib unannounced."

Eric let out a breath and nodded his head, physically agreeing with Malcolm.

"It was disrespectful and I... I do apologize."

Malcolm didn't bother to say anything which led Eric to saying more. He leaned over, grabbing a card from the desk and passed it to Malcolm.

"Once again, I want to apologize for making such an inconsiderate move." Eric apologized, looking at Malcolm. "Here, take this card and... try to come to church. We have church service on Sunday mornings and nights. We also have bible study on Wednesday nights."

Malcolm held the custom-made card in his hand, examining it. He had no intentions to come to church. Instead of making that known, he just accepted the card. Eric's sudden path to ministry was strange and he wouldn't dare participate in his foolery.

The sound of his phone chirping caused him to grab it from his pocket. He looked down at his screen and noticed a text from Arthur.

 We need to make our daily rounds. Arthur

Malcolm understood that well. He had other business affairs to deal with and couldn't talk any longer. He looked over at Eric who was watching him attentively. He didn't like that at all.

"I have some business to handle. I just wanted to come by and talk about that issue."

"Well, I'm glad we talked about it." Eric replied with a smile on his face. "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. That's in Matthew five, verse nine."

_____________________________

"And... he had the nerve to look at me like I was—like I was crazy!" Kelli shouted, growing furious.

Jersey sat on the couch with a bowl of buttered popcorn in her hand. She had popped herself some after taking a shower. All she wanted to do was relax before bed since she was tired from working. However, her plans changed as soon as she stepped inside. Vena was at the apartment, listening to Kelli rant about her situation with Ryder.

"He's stupid." Vena claimed in her thick accent. She shook her head while nursing a glass of Chardonnay. She had purchased two bottles and decided to bring it over—along with a box of popcorn and some more junk food.

Jersey shook her head; she couldn't believe her friends. In her opinion, Kelly was wrong. She had no business messing with Ryder at all. He had a girlfriend who turned out to be pregnant.

Kelli stood by the window—basically standing beside the flat screen television that was hanging up on the wall. She sipped her wine and scoffed. "He's more than stupid, Vee."

"Well..." Jersey trailed off as she chewed the rest of her popcorn that was in her mouth. She readjusted herself on the couch, trying to work up the courage to finish her sentence. She had been listening to both Kelli and Vena rant and rip Ryder to shreds. Now it was time for her to put a stop to it.

Both of the women looked over at her, waiting for her statement.

"I don't agree with the both of you."

Kelli's eyebrows furrowed as she tighten her grip around the stem of the wine glass. Vena just sat there with her eyebrows raised as she filled her mouth with buttery popcorn.

"What do you mean, you don't agree with us?" Kelli questioned her smartly. Clearly, she was upset about the situation. "Ryder basically lied to me—he didn't tell me that his girlfriend was pregnant."

"He was wrong, I understand that." Jersey replied calmly. "But...you knew about her. Which makes you wrong for even f*****g with Ryder too. I mean—the possibility of her being pregnant is high. Considering the fact that they live together and probably aren't using protection."

Kelli placed her eyes on the window as she looked outside. The young girl was contemplating on her next move. She stood there dressed in a large shirt with some leggings. She wore no wig—only a bonnet that protected her braided hair.

"She has every right to be mad." Vena protested while pointing towards Kelli. "He didn't tell her."

"He didn't have to." Jersey countered with a shoulder shrug. "Technically, he's not in a relationship with Kelli."

"Whose side are you f*****g on!" Kelli blurted out as she moved closer to Jersey.

Jersey's heart drummed as she watched her friend draw closer to her. Obviously, Kelli was upset from the angered expression on her face. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she wore a pout on her full lips.

"I'm on nobody's side. I just think that you two should leave each other alone."

Kelli let out a chuckle as she c****d her head to the side. "The nerve of you! I never once judged you and Malcolm."

"What about us?" Jersey asked, raising her eyebrows. She didn't have anything to be confronted about. Malcolm wasn't in a relationship with anyone. She wasn't either.

"You f****d him, and I never once judged you about it!"

"I wouldn't care if you did. Hey, at the end of the day we're two, single adults who consented to sex."

Kelli narrowed her eyes in defeat. She hated how hard it was to clap back at Jersey.

"You shouldn't even be taking up for him." Kelli stated, referring to Ryder. "Didn't he just piss you off the other day?"

Jersey rolled her eyes since she noticed Vena who was hungrily taking everything in. She figured Kelli would bring up her problem with Ryder. She wasn't too fond of him after he told Malcolm about her drug past. However, that was the past and it couldn't be erased. He was going to find out sooner or later.

"Damn, this whole time I didn't even know that she was pregnant." Vena announced she scrolled through the phone with her long nails. They tapped the screen with every touch she made. "I just pulled her i********: up."

"This whole time you didn't know she was pregnant?" Kelli questioned her friend, not believing her.

"Hell no. She just posted this a couple of days ago. I swear I didn't know. Old girl didn't say anything about her pregnancy." Vena continued. "Look."

Jersey looked over and noticed Hope. Finally, she was able to see the woman who Ryder was dating. She looked beautiful with her pregnancy. It was refreshing to see a regular girl for once.

Hope had a couple of professional maternity photos uploaded on her i********: page. Her curly hair covered her chunky face as she held her large belly. She also had some pictures with her son. Judging from his looks—Jersey knew that he wasn't Ryder's son.

Instead of involving herself in Kelli's clownery, Jersey decided to turn in for the night. She didn't have time to sit up and probe an innocent, pregnant woman's page. She grabbed her things and ambled right into her room where she dozed off the minute she crawled into bed. 

_____________________________

"Thank you." Tilly stated lightly while grabbing the cup of coffee that was pushed in front of her. She looked over at her best friend who was busy sipping on her own hot beverage.

Scarlet Walsh

Coincidentally, her name matched her well. Scarlet had reddish hair that matched her pale—freckled skin and bluish eyes.

"No problem." Scarlet replied as she took a seat. Her eyes went on Tilly who was busy going through her phone. "Come on, Tee. You've been checking your phone constantly. You're such a workaholic."

"I just need to read a couple of these emails."

"Put your phone up." Scarlet demanded. "You're off today and so am I. We should spend this time catching up with one another. We barely get to do that now."

Tilly sighed while locking her phone. She slid it into her purse and leaned over, giving her friend eye contact.

"You're right—work can wait. So, how's your week been going?"

Scarlet narrowed her eyes in suspense, but she managed to shake off the feeling. "Pretty hectic. Adam and I found a new place. We're not too sure about it yet. However, we need to find something soon. The pest is growing worse at the apartment. We can't stand it any longer."

Tilly shook her head as she thought about her friend's situation. She was engaged to Adam Fontaine, an attorney who was on the rise—thanks to his wealthy surname. The couple was trying to do things on their own and not depend on their badgering parents for any handouts. As of right now, their current apartment had rodents, so they were trying to look for a new place to live.

"Still being bothered with mice, huh?"

"Yes!" Scarlet exclaimed while bugging her eyes. "I'm this close to ripping the landlord a new one. The rent I'm paying at the apartment is ridiculous. When we moved in, we didn't ask for any pet mice." She used her finger to show her the remaining limit.

"This is New York. What do you expect? Rats and mice are everywhere." Tilly replied as she shrugged her shoulders. Her phone chirped which grabbed her attention. Quickly, she pulled it out of her purse and looked at the screen. She noticed that she had a text from Malcolm.

I'll be by later. Malcolm

She smiled to herself, loving the fact that he agreed to see her. It had been a while since she'd seen him. After what happened between them—with her interrogating Jersey about his bar—he had decided to stray from her. Malcolm felt like Tilly's motive was fuzzy, confusing. He didn't want to be around her—f*****g her, if she was going to play both sides.

"Let me guess..." Scarlet trailed off while rolling her cerulean eyes. "Malcolm."

"Is it that obvious?" Tilly asked, softly biting her pink, bottom lip.

"Very. I guess he worked up the courage to text you back."

"Actually, we've been texting. He's just not coming around right now. He says he still needs time to—to think."

"About what?"

Tilly scoffed softly. She knew that Scarlet didn't care that much for Malcolm. No, she'd never met him before, but she did see him around. He was known around New York as not only an outlaw, but an upcoming businessman who was basically trying to buy properties in Brooklyn. 

Also, Tilly managed to fill her in about their forbidden relationship.

Scarlet felt like her friend was wasting her time with Malcolm. In her opinion, he wasn't trying to take Tilly serious at all.

"We have issues and... I made some mistakes—"

"Don't you do that." Scarlet pointed her finger at her friend with a demanding voice. "Don't go blaming yourself. That's what Malcolm wants you to do."

Tilly just shook her head because Scarlet didn't really know the whole story.

"It's fine."

"No, it's not!" She objected. "You're moping around while he's living his life. Matter of fact, I saw him at the hospital a couple of days ago."

"The hospital?" Tilly reiterated while bringing her hot cup of coffee up to her mouth. She sipped it with no complications since she was used to drinking a hot cup of joe.

"I'm assuming he went to visit someone." She replied, running her fingers through her short, fiery red hair. It was cut into layers—a style that was daring but Scarlet was able to pull it off.

Tilly's eyes drifted off as she thought about Malcolm. She wondered why he was at the hospital. Invasive thoughts clouded her brain as she tried her best to listen to Scarlet rant about everything.

That's probably why he pushed me away. He's going through something. Maybe his mom is sick or something. Tilly thought to herself as blinked her eyes, trying to listen to Scarlet.

"Look, all I'm saying is that you should live your life, Tee. You're a police officer who's having an affair with a thug, an outlaw—a savage. You can't afford to lose your whole career and possibly life over Malcolm. He's not worth it and he'll never be. Do what's right, turn him lose."

Tilly shook her head in denial. She didn't feel that way at all. There was no way in hell she was going to let Malcolm go so easily. In her mind, she didn't think that it was possible for her to lose anything. Especially someone she was in love with.

_____________________________

"Contract seems nice." Raymond announced while a scrolling through the contract that was on his iPad.

"Nice?" Malcolm repeated while c*****g his head to the side. He had some business to handle in Jersey and decided to visit his grandmother.

Raymond just so happened to be there—which was great. Malcolm planned on buying a bar and needed a lawyer's opinion on the deal. Recently, he sent the contract over for Raymond to look at, but he never got back with him—due to his busy schedule.

Raymond scratched the bridge of his nose and looked over at Malcolm. "The contract is definitely legal and favorable. Plus, you're dealing with Mark Ryan. He's a great businessman with a booming real estate company. I believe you're in good hands."

"I hope so." Malcolm replied calmly while placing his eyes on his grandmother who was walking inside the sitting area. She crossed over the threshold while tossing her long weave out of her face. She had recently visited a professional hair stylist and requested nothing but the best—a custom made wig that was simple for her to pull on and off. It costed her a lot of money, but she was happy with her outcome.

"Is business settled?" Bernadette questioned the men while taking a seat next to her boyfriend. She crossed her legs, showing off her fresh pedicure.

"It's settled." Malcolm spoke up after clearing his throat. He made his way over to his grandmother's personal bar that held all kinds of alcohol. He had tried distancing himself from drinking in the afternoon, but he couldn't help himself. He felt like he needed something strong to consume. His eyes roamed the small bar for some scotch.

Bingo!

Bernadette had an 18-year-old bottle of scotch concealed behind a bottle of Gin. Malcolm grabbed a small glass, rinsed it out, and carefully poured the scotch.

"Scotch this early, Max?" Bernadette questioned her grandson as her lips folded in suspense. She knew that Malcolm had a drinking problem. Bernadette constantly preached to him about consuming so much. However, Malcolm wasn't moved by her talk. He was going to do him, regardless.

"I'm celebrating this victory." He explained while lifting up his glass. "I'm about to open up my second bar—Toast! To great business and future progression."

"This is a really good buy and you know what? I'm sure Mark can sale you some land. I know you're still trying to get your agency business started as well." Raymond yapped as he placed his arm on top of the couch.

"The advertising agency business?" Bernadette clarified while rising her eyebrows.

"Yes ma'am." Malcolm replied calmly as he swallowed his chosen liquid. "Right now, I'm focusing on one thing at a time. The new bar has my attention."

Suddenly, Malcolm could hear his phone ringing in his pocket. He looked down and noticed that it was his iPhone. The personal phone he used to talk to his family and friends.

It was Ryder. He wasted no time answering for his friend. He knew what kind of situation Ryder was just in, so he wanted to be alert.

A few days ago, Ryder was shot by a person Malcolm wasn't able to identify yet. He was supposed to inform Malcolm about what went down. However, Malcolm's schedule was pretty hectic. He had important meetings to attend and business deals to go to. He couldn't afford to postpone them. Ryder understood that.

"Yo." Malcolm greeted warmly while setting his glass down. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked off, listening to Ryder explain his situation.

"Shit." Ryder cursed. "Look, I'm at the hospital right now. I think Hope done went into labor."

"Already?" Malcolm asked with a suspense expression.

"Yeah, man. We've been arguing off and on all this week about Kelli popping up at the hospital. s**t got real earlier so...I'm trying to see what the doctor saying. She was bleeding and s**t before we left."

Malcolm sighed deeply while shaking his head. He didn't like the situation Hope was in at all. He felt like it was all Ryder and Kelli's fault. If they had stopped messing around, Hope would still be at home with her feet propped up.

"Do what you got to do."

"I'm trying." Ryder continued with solemn. Malcolm could tell that he wasn't feeling the situation at all.

_____________________________

The apartment was quiet, thanks to Kelli for being absent. Usually, she would have her wireless speaker blasting music throughout the house. However, she had been moving around lately.

It was obvious that she was still upset about Ryder hiding the pregnancy from her. in Kelli's opinion, that changed everything for her. Yes, she had started developing real feelings for Ryder. She just didn't think her clever plan through. Kelli didn't realize that Ryder was really serious with Hope until she laid eyes on the heavily pregnant woman. That f****d with her mentally since she was neglecting her relationship with Travis for Ryder.

Jersey managed to stay out of her way. However, she didn't try to be there for Kelli—only for her to give her the cold shoulder. So, instead of probing and comforting, she just decided to mind her own business.

She'd been working full-time at the library and was getting paid well. Jersey made sure to keep the apartment stocked with toiletries since that was one of her responsibilities. Malcolm paid the rent and light bill—which was a major relief off Jersey and Kelli's shoulders. All they had to worry about was the groceries, gas and the toiletries. The water was completely free.

Jersey was thankful for Malcolm's help, but she was getting fed up with Kelli's stinginess. Most of her paycheck went on her. She made sure she kept new clothes, fresh nails, and maintained all kinds of expensive pampering that she couldn't really afford. Jersey planned on talking to her about it soon.

She walked into her room and searched her drawers for her brother’s letter. Jersey had been avoiding Laurence for a while now. He had provided her with his number, but she never tried to pick up the phone and call him.

Most of it was fear. Jersey...was afraid inside. She didn't know what to expect from her baby brother. They had been separated for so long and... suddenly he found her—out of nowhere.

Her eyes peered down at the envelope that had been ripped open from the top. She grabbed it and gently removed the letter. She stared at his number for a while and couldn't help but to shake her head. Jersey couldn't do it. She didn't want to do it. She decided to put the letter up.

The fear in her took over. She didn't have the courage to talk to her brother right now. Sending him a letter was fine but talking to him was going to be difficult. 

_____________________________

Malcolm stared at the baby who was wrapped up neatly in a blanket. She laid there with her eyes closed and her pink lips puckered. A grey hat covered her head to keep her warm and toasty.

"She's beautiful man." He commented while looking over at Ryder who seemed very proud of his creation. She was his first child; she'd welcomed him into fatherhood. He was elated about the whole thing.

"Thanks, I appreciate that man." Ryder replied while looking down at his daughter. He was fascinated by her beauty. She favored him—a lot. Hope had no parts in it at all. "We named her Haven."

Malcolm figured her name started with a H. The eighth letter was stamped on the hat she wore. He didn't bother to speak on the name.

He looked over at Hope who was talking to her mom who was busy treating her grown daughter like a baby. He'd spoken to her earlier, only for a few minutes. Malcolm felt like that was appropriate enough.

The sounds of the baby sucking her hand could be heard throughout the hospital room. Hope didn't seem to let it mess with her, but her mama was different.

"It's time for the baby's feeding." Hope's mom announced as she walked over. She tried grabbing Haven out of Ryder's arms, but he prevented her from doing so.

"Chill out, I got her. I can feed her myself."

Judging from her visitor tag, Malcolm assumed Hope's mom was named Penney. Penney stood there with her thin lips pressed together. She was a bulky built woman with a small, pot belly to match.

"With what milk? Hope is breastfeeding her. Now give her to me."

She held her flabby arms out, in a demanding stance. Penney wanted Ryder to be intimidated, but he didn't. Instead, he just glared at her.

"Really Ryder? Just give my mama, my baby." Hope demanded with an attitude. She sat up in the hospital bed with a slight frown on her face.

"Your baby? This is our baby." He corrected her, with a deadpan expression.

Ryder didn't like the situation at all. He felt like Penney was always in the mix. The frustrated wails from his baby grabbed his attention. He leaned down and kissed her little hand.

Reluctantly, he passed her over to Penney who silently gushed over her new granddaughter. She expertly held Haven while tucking some of her blonde hair behind her ear.

Malcolm didn't say anything at all. However, Ryder was his homeboy since grade school. He was definitely going to talk to him about Penney's controlling ass.

They made it outside and leaned against the wall. The men stood there in silence, not saying too much to one another.

"I don't remember shit." Ryder announced in his low, yet calm voice. He popped his knuckles while shaking his head. "It was all a blur, s**t happened so fast."

"You had no business going that way by yourself. That s**t was dangerous." Malcolm replied, lecturing Ryder for going in a red zone without protection.

"I was trying to handle some business."

"It's not safe for you to go out there by yourself at night." Malcolm stressed while shaking his head. "I'm not putting to this s**t to rest either."

Ryder placed his eyes on his friend and sighed.

"In the meantime, you need to be up here with your family. Like I told you over the phone—do what you got to do."

"I know." Ryder trailed off. "But it's hard to do that with Penney. She got to be in control of everything. Her husband was up here earlier, but he ain't no help. That nigga lets her run all over him."

"Put your foot down, man. That's you and Hope's baby. Not hers. If she doesn't like it—then oh well. If she wants to be around the baby, then she'll comply."

"I'm going to do that anyway. I plan on having a talk with Hope about this shit..." Ryder replied while scoffing a little. "Penney don't care that much for me and I feel like it's vice versa."

"Yo, just keep your cool. Don't act up at this hospital. But look, I'mma go and holler at Kelli for you. She needs to know that she can't be doing no more pop ups and shit."

"Yeah, talk to her for me." Ryder stated before he could think. He had been trying to get her on the phone, but she wouldn't pick up for him.

"I got you."


_____________________________

Malcolm kept his word. He made it his mission to go to Manhattan just to talk to Kelli about her recent behavior. He pulled up and felt his iPhone buzzing in his pocket. Malcolm retrieved his phone and noticed a text from Tilly. She invited him over her house, wanting to talk.

I'll be by later. Malcolm 

He was definitely coming over, but not to talk. It had been a while since Malcolm had s*x. He woke up with hard erections that forced him to take cold showers. That s**t was a struggle.

Malcolm wasn't the type of guy to jump in bed with random women—that's wasn't his style at all. He was very cautious and persnickety about women he slept with. Diseases were everywhere and they weren't going to catch him slipping.

After replying to her message, he left his car and made his way towards the building. He wandered through the building while being greeted by the receptionist who was busy tending to the counter.

Malcolm got on the elevator and finally was on the same floor as the designated apartment. He stood in front of the door and knocked a few times. He heard laughter, which meant Kelli and Jersey had company.

Soon, the locks on the door could be heard shifting. The door swung open and there stood Kelli. When she noticed Malcolm, she placed her lone hand on her hip. Her eyes examined him friendly.

"What's up?" Kelli asked, being friendly. She wasn't stupid enough to get crazy with Malcolm. Not only did she know he was crazy as well, but she knew that she was living in his apartment—rent free. Kelli couldn't afford to mess that up.

"We need to talk." Malcolm replied while walking inside the apartment. He didn't even wait for her to reply or welcome him in. His speckled brown eyes studied the room cautiously. He noticed two women sitting on the couch. He realized one was Vena and the other one was unrecognizable.

"What are you doing here?" Vena questioned him nosily.

"I'm here because this is my apartment." He replied with his eyes on Vena. She didn't speak again, only placing her attention on the television. It was something about his eyes that scared people.

Malcolm tucked both of his hands into his pocket as he placed his attention on Kelli.

"We need to talk, in private."

"About what? About your boy, Ryder? Well, you can talk to me right here in front of my friends. They know all about the situation already." Kelli remarked with an attitude.

Malcolm could sense her demeanor; she was furious and ready to attack. Ryder had definitely f****d up his relationship with her.

"I'm not sure how you found out about which hospital Ryder was in, but that s**t was unnecessary. What I want to talk to you about is the stunt you pulled."

"Malcolm, I came to the hospital as a concerned friend, not a girlfriend or side chick."

He shook his head while looking off. Hope didn't allow Ryder to have girlfriends. He cheated on her so much, which left her insecure. Now, he could only socialize with women who were family members.

"Hope knows, she's not stupid. They argued about the s**t for three days straight. She went into labor over this shit."

Kelli stubbornly c****d her head to the side. She didn't care about Hope going into labor. Hell, she was the one who was emotional right now. Ryder had kept a secret from her.

"But he kept a secret from me!" Kelli raised her voice while pointing to herself. "He didn't even tell me that she was pregnant. If I had known—I would've stopped seeing him."

Malcolm licked his bottom lip while looking off. Ryder was wrong as well—only for cheating on Hope. He didn't feel like Kelli needed to know about Hope being pregnant.

"Kelli, he doesn't owe you an explanation about his girl. That's their business."

Kelli stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. She folded her arms as she carried a pout on her face.

"It doesn't even matter anymore." She finally spoke while scoffing. "I'm done with him. I had no business messing with him anyway."

Malcolm was glad to hear that. All Ryder needed was some time away from Kelli. He needed to focus on his girlfriend and new baby. Kelli was nothing but a distraction.

Suddenly, his mind went on Jersey. He had been meaning to talk to her as well. Sawyer called him up and told him that Jersey wasn't trying to catch a ride anymore. So, he wanted to know why she wasn't taking advantage of that opportunity. From what he could understand, she'd told Sawyer that they were to remain professional.

"Shit." Malcolm cursed, noticing Kelli's mood. "Where's Jersey?"

"Work." Kelli replied dryly.

"Work?" He reiterated.

"Yeah." Vena interjected. "Jersey has a job at the library. It's not too far from here."

Malcolm only nodded his head. He was definitely surprised at Jersey's sudden employment. He wasn't expecting for her to find a job this quick.

"Why is he still worried about her?" Natalie questioned her sister in Spanish. "I thought it was a one-time thing."

"I don't know." Vena replied, in Spanish as well. Her shoulders shrugged with her words.

Natalie leaned over with a smirk on her face and said, "I would love to ride his d**k though. Look how wide he stands. It's got to be big."

The girls continued their conversation in Spanish. Kelli wasn't able to understand them at all. However, Malcolm did understand them well. He was fluent in Spanish—thanks to him taking the time to learn it at age nineteen.

He placed his attention on the girls and furrowed those thick eyebrows. Vena wasn't much of the problem. However, the girl sitting next to her was.

"Who is she to you?" Malcolm questioned Vena in Spanish, scaring the s**t out of her. Her eyes bugged as she thought about the question. Natalie's reaction was the same—which made it awkward.

"My s-sister."

"Oh..." Malcolm mumbled while nodding his head. He continued with English. "Teach your sister some manners. That s**t was inappropriate. How old is she?"

If Malcolm was anybody else, both Vena and Natalie would rip him apart. However, this was Malcolm—the outlaw—the savage.

"She's fifteen."

He shook his head, not feeling that. "Yo, what the f**k?" Was all he could muster up to say. Malcolm didn't mind young girls exploring their sexuality. However, underage girls needed to stay in their age range. He didn't like seeing sixteen-year-old girls with Twenty-year-old boys and vice versa.

Malcolm couldn't stand to be in the apartment any longer. He left with the quickness and hopped right in his Jaguar.

_____________________________

Closing time was approaching and Jersey couldn't wait. She had been on her sore foot and couldn't wait to go home and soak it. She cursed herself for even breaking the clock every time she pushed the heavy cart.

"We should hang out this weekend." Alesha suggested while leaning on the counter. "Like go to the movies or something."

"Sounds great." Jersey replied with a head nod. "I don't have anything to do Saturday."

"Then it's settled, we're going to spend the whole Saturday together."

Jersey was down for it. She didn't want to spend another Saturday at home again. Hanging out with Alesha didn't sound bad at all. In fact, she was happy to be around someone as refreshing as her. Both Kelli and Vena had been tripping lately.

The sound of the door opening grabbed their attention. Jersey looked over and noticed Malcolm making his way into the library. She was surprised to see him.

She grabbed the counter out of nervousness because he had his brown eyes trained on her. He looked determined to get near her.

Just breathe, Jay. Breathe. She said to herself in her mind.

Alesha just stood there looking in suspense. She knew who he was. In fact, she'd seen him come inside the library more than a few times. Malcolm had a membership and everything.

"Can I help you?" Alesha asked him innocently.

Malcolm looked over at her and said, "I need to return these books."

Jersey looked over at his filled hands. She didn't even notice the books in his hands.

"Okay." Alesha replied while giving Jersey a look. "Jersey can handle that since she's already behind the desk. I'll be by the printer."

Malcolm placed his attention on Jersey. He couldn't help but to check her out. She wore a long-sleeve shirt, denim jeans, and some vans. Her hair was in its usual style—short with defined curls.

"What are you doing here?" Jersey asked while looking at him. Her voice was soft yet nervous.

"Damn, so I can't come to a public library now?"

"You can." She replied while nodding her head, instantly regretting her question. "I just...never mind."

Jersey decided to shut up, she figured she'd already made herself look stupid. Instead, she decided to handle the books he wanted to return.

Malcolm watched her attentively. He noticed how concentrated she looked. Her dark brown eyes peering over at the books.

"You catching the bus, now?"

She looked up and gaped her thick lips. Obviously, he had caught her off guard. She wasn't expecting for him to ask about her current transportation.

"Uh, y-yeah. I am."

He scoffed while scratching the side of his hairy face. Malcolm didn't understand Jersey at all. She was so difficult and that irritated him.

"Why? Sawyer is your driver. He's supposed to take you anywhere you want to go. I'm paying this nigga money."

Sawyer. Jersey mocked in her head. She figured he had gone back and told Malcolm something about her lack of participation.

"Well, I just don't feel safe around him anymore. When we went out for pizza, he started tripping. I just...don't want to go through again. You know—he'll probably pressure me to explain why I don't want to date him, again."

"Alright." He replied while backing up. "I'll be right back, I'mma check some more books out."

Jersey nodded her head while sighing in relief. She could tell that he was a little upset about her neglecting her free ride.

When he left, Alesha stopped her fake task and walked back over to Jersey.

"Girl, how do you know him?"

Jersey sighed and said, "Long story."

"Long story?" Alesha reiterated.

Jersey just shook her head in silence. There was no way she was going to tell Alesha the real truth behind her meeting Malcolm. The s**t was too...raw and hard to understand.

"Yeah, we met a while ago."

"He's so fine, but he looks mean." She replied while looking off with her large eyes bugged.

"He's alright, when you get to know him." Jersey replied, not believing herself. In fact, he still made her nervous. She figured it was his stare that got her.

Jersey searched for him with her eyes. She looked upstairs and noticed that he was pulling books by the spine from their designated spot. He was basically peeping them out before deciding to borrow.

He stood there, looking handsome as ever. His tattooed arms looked bigger as he unintentionally reached for books.

"Are you two...a thing?"

Jersey's mouth went dry as soon as Alesha fixed her mouth to say that. Quickly, she shook her head and said, "No, no, no. It's nothing like that. We just...know each other."

"Oh." Alesha replied softly. "I just assumed because of the way he looked at you."

Jersey shook her head again and stayed quiet for a while. Alesha made her rounds to warn everybody that the library would be closing soon.

Malcolm made his way downstairs with three books in his hand. When he made it to the counter, he set them down and watched as Jersey examined the books before asking for his library card.

Black political books.

After the books were checked-out, Malcolm leaned over, getting so close to her. He could smell her fumes. She smelled good compared to the musty smell from the old books in the library.

"You need a ride home? I know y'all about to close up and shit...it's getting pretty dark outside." He asked, his minty breath tickled her nostrils.

Jersey swallowed her spit as butterflies grew in her tummy. She blinked a few times, trying to get herself together. Him being that close brought back memories. Great memories that she didn't need to remember.

"Y-yeah. I'll go and get my things." She replied while nodding her head. Malcolm backed up and nodded his head.

_____________________________

"You hungry?" He asked her as he pushed the pedal, speeding in his Jaguar. Jersey sat on the passenger side, enjoying the seat warmers. The night air was now cool, and she didn't need to get sick, so Malcolm allowed her to borrow his hoodie that he had in the backseat of his car.

"Kind of." She spoke in a low voice.

"Kind of?" He reiterated while narrowing his eyes. He expertly drove with one tatted hand on the steering wheel. His legs were relaxed and partly wide due to him being tall. However, he did have enough room.

"I'm hungry."

"Good, we can stop at a diner and grab something to eat if you want to."

Jersey nodded her head in agreement. She didn't know why she was going along with his shenanigans, but she did anyway. They drove in silence since Malcolm managed to check his phone every so often. In her opinion, he was always busy. He had three phones and they vibrated and chirped continuously.

When they arrived at the local diner that Jersey was aware of, they hopped out of the car and made their way inside. It wasn't packed at all—which Malcolm was aware of. The pair decided to cop a seat in the back. They waited patiently for a waitress to take their order.

Malcolm was busy scrolling through his phone when he heard Jersey's velvety voice.

"You like to read?"

He looked up and locked his iPhone, setting it beside him. "I love to read."

She held a small grin on her face and said, "Me too."

"Oh, yeah? What kind of s**t you like to read?"

"I'm a Stephen King fan and...I love black authors like Noire, Ashley Antoinette and K'Wan."

Malcolm nodded his head while looking off. He placed his eyes back on Jersey and said, "You like horror and African American literature?"

"I do." She smiled. "And I noticed that you like black political books."

"That's all I ever read."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I try to learn as much as I can about black people and our community. I learned about gentrification and a lot more from those books."

"You know...I didn't take you for a guy who reads."

Malcolm furrowed his eyebrows, clearly offended.

"Why? Because of the way I look? Just because I'm tatted up don't mean I hate to read."

"I know and I... shouldn’t judge a person by the way they look."

Before anyone could speak, the waiter walked over and took their orders. Jersey ordered herself a sprite with a pancake meal. Malcolm ordered the BLT meal with a coke.

The waiter excused himself, which gave them a chance to continue their conversation.

"I didn't mean to offend you." Jersey spoke, shrugging her shoulders.

"It's all good." Malcolm assured her while leaning back, exposing more of his sexiness. The simple things he did turned Jersey on. Her bud thumped with excitement and she could feel herself saturating her panties.

"No, really. I just don't know you that well and it's hard for us to make conversation."

"Hmm..." He hummed, scratching his healthy beard. "You're right...and it won't hurt for us to get acquainted with each other."

Jersey was shocked to hear him say that. She cleared her throat and said, "I'll start it off—when is your birthday?"

Malcolm sighed and said, "June fifteenth."

"Oh! That's soon, your birthday is this Friday."

"Yeah."

"So, what are you doing?"

"Not much, probably. I might be working for my birthday."

Jersey furrowed her brows and said, "You work a lot. You should take off and celebrate."

"Nah, I'm good." He replied and decided to skip the subject on his birthday. "When is your birthday?"

"Mine passed already. February ninth."

Malcolm shook his head and said, "A f*****g Aquarius."

"Yeah..." She trailed off while clearing her throat, "That's my sign. Is something wrong with me being an Aquarius?"

"Nah..."

There was something wrong. Malcolm wasn't a fan of astrology, but he was told that his sign—a Gemini, paired well with an Aquarius. Very compatible as partners. However, he didn't believe it too much. It was all a myth to him.

Jersey gave him a look, as if she didn't believe him at all. Her eyes were squinted in suspense. Malcolm didn't get a chance to reply since the waiter had brought over their drinks. He informed them about their food—stating it wouldn't take much longer.

"It’s just that I heard about you Aquariuses." Malcolm stated, grabbing her attention.

"Oh, yeah." She replied while putting her hand underneath her chin. "So, what good things have you heard about us?"

"Good?" He repeated while glancing over at her. "It ain't all good."

"Well, what did you hear? I want to know."

"Shit..." Malcolm trailed off while leaning his head. Clearly, he was in deep thought. "That y'all some controlling motherfuckas."

"No." Jersey objected with a head shake. She couldn't help but to laugh a little, showing off her deep dimples. "I've heard that one before. Not all of us are control freaks—well, I'm not, at least."

"Oh yeah? So, you're not controlling?"

"I'm not." She assured him. "That's not my thing."

Soon, the waiter moseyed over and dropped their food off.

Malcolm raised his eyebrows for a brief moment. He looked down at his meal and picked up a crispy French fry. "I did learn one good thing about Aquarius females." He continued while causally chewing.

Jersey's appetite wasn't too daring anymore since she was sitting in front of a dangerously handsome man. She picked and prodded with her food—only eating a little.

"And what is that?"

"Y'all attractive as hell...and some good kissers."

Is he flirting with me? Jersey asked herself as her heart rate increased. She stood up straight and placed her eyes on Malcolm who held his composure. He looked to be...very relaxed with a smooth smirk on his face. He's definitely flirting!

"Let me guess..." She trailed off. "You've had your share of Aquarius women."

"That's not my style." Malcolm rejected with a head shake. He picked up his beverage and sipped it. After setting it down, he said, "I don't sleep around with different women. And besides, I've only been with one Aquarius."

Jersey didn't show any emotion as she continued to eat. She knew he was talking about her. He had to be talking about her. She was an Aquarius and she did sleep with him. They shared a kiss together—which was the best she ever had.

"Well..." She trailed off, trying to find something to say after his odd confession. "Yeah, your assumptions are definitely correct."

They sat in silence and continued to eat their food. After putting the greasy food away, Malcolm paid for their meals and they left.

Jersey sat on the passenger side; she was busy looking out of the window. The streets were dark, but dimly lit by the streetlights. She noticed a couple of people who were on the sidewalks doing only God knows what.

"I'm surprised you're talking to me." She announced while looking at the side of his face. Man, was he handsome. His rich, chocolate skin looked delectable as hell and he smelled so good.

"Why do you say that?" He asked, clearing his throat.

"It's just that...I called you upset about what happened between Micah and I."

"I'm over that shit." He replied honestly. "I know how Micah is. He'll make you want to beat his ass."

"Yes! Because of his mouth!" She elated.

"You never told me the full story behind it." Malcolm replied while quickly glancing over at her. "What happened?"

"Well, after looking at this college I wanted to attend...I stopped by the diner and grabbed something to eat. Micah popped up out of nowhere and took a seat across from me. Then, he just started hassling me. He asked me why I was still around and staying in your apartment. He called me a crackhead and gave both Kelli and I a deadline to move out of the apartment."

Malcolm shook his head as he thought about Micah. He didn't know what the f**k was wrong with him, but he was going to straighten the situation out as soon as possible.

"I didn't tell him to do that shit." He informed her while shaking his head. "Y'all don't have to leave."

"Well, the deadline he gave us is long gone. I'm surprised he didn't show up at the apartment."

"He was out of line for that s**t he pulled." Malcolm continued with a scowl. "When I see that nigga, I'mma make sure he knows not to pull no dumb s**t like that again."

"Just don't get into any trouble."

"I don't get in trouble." Malcolm replied coolly. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Good..." She trailed off.

"So, uh...what college you're attending?"

"Manhattan Community College."

He nodded his head in approval.

"It's a great school, I graduated from there as well."

"Really?" Jersey questioned him with a surprised look on her face. She really underestimated Malcolm. Hearing that he attended college was not expected. "What did you major in?"

"Business." He replied casually.

"That's a great major to have. I'm enrolled in Paralegal."

"Paralegal, huh?" He smirked, showing off his nice, white teeth.

"Yeah, I've always wanted to work in the law field."

"Knowing the law is very helpful—especially for black people." Malcolm informed her. He felt like there was too many black people being taken advantage of and it was simply because they didn't know the law.

They finally pulled up to the apartment building. Malcolm looked over at Jersey who was busy grabbing her things.

"I'll walk you upstairs." He announced. Jersey nodded her head and they both left the car.

When they made it to the apartment, Jersey knocked on the door several times, but there wasn't an answer.

"Just use your key." Malcolm advised her.

She opened her bag and rummaged through her things. Jersey furrowed her eyebrows and silently cursed. She looked over at Malcolm and said, "I don't have my key. Don't you have a key as well?"

"Yeah, I'll open the door."

"Thank you." Jersey thanked him. "I wonder why Kelli isn't answering, her car is outside."

Malcolm didn't reply back at all. He just pulled out his key and unlocked the door. Jersey stepped inside with slow footsteps. The house was dark, which had her freaking out. She held her hands out, roaming for the light switch.

"Kelli! Why is the house so dark?" She called out.

Jersey took a few steps back and ran into a hard body. She yelped out and jumped from the sudden collision.

"It's just me, hold up." Malcolm assured her while flipping the light switch.

"Damn, you scared me." Jersey informed him while touching her chest.

Malcolm ignored her and made his way to the back. He wanted to make sure everything was cool. Jersey followed behind him and she made sure to check Kelli's room. Empty.

"I wonder why her car is parked outside if she's gone." She stated out loud while walking into her bedroom.

"Maybe you should call her." He replied while going towards the bathroom. "I'll be right back; I need to piss."

She nodded her head and did as told. Jersey wasn't too sure if Kelli would answer for her. They weren't really on speaking terms.

You have reached the voicemail box of—

Jersey ended the call and tossed her phone on the bed. She pulled her drawer out and searched for some clothes to wear after her shower.

The sound of the toilet flushing grabbed her attention. She looked up and witnessed Malcolm walking right out of the bathroom, fixing his pants.

When he placed his eyes on her, her knees grew weak. It was just something about him that she was growing more and more attracted to.

"You good?" He asked, walking into her room.

"Fine." She pushed out with a small smile on her face. "Kelli didn't answer my call though. She's probably out with Vena."

He nodded his head while looking off.

"Oh, before I forget. Here's your hoodie." She continued while pulling it off. She held her hand out and waited for him to accept it.

"Thanks." He replied while grabbing the hoodie. "Alright, well I'm about to leave. You might want to come and lock up."

Jersey's anxiety grew as she thought about her next response. She wasn't ready for him to leave at all and judging from his reluctant expression, he wasn't either.

"I enjoyed your company. It's kind of hard seeing you leave... You don't have to go so soon." She spilled, immediately regretting it.

Malcolm stood there for a minute, trying to process her reply. He touched his beard and looked over at Jersey who was obviously feeling him. She wanted more than just his signature goodnight. However, Malcolm couldn't go there with her again.

In his opinion, the s*x was good—the best he ever had to be frank. But, due to their circumstances, he wasn't trying to entertain Jersey in a s****l way. Although, it was hard not to do so.

"I have to get up early in the morning." He excused himself, knowing he had plans to see Tilly.

"Oh." She gaped her mouth, looking hurt. "Well, okay. I understand."

"Walk me out." He instructed her while turning around.

Jersey followed behind his tall frame as her nostrils inhaled his lingering cologne that he always wore.

Malcolm contemplated quickly on what he wanted to do. He wanted her bad, but he was trying to restrain himself. However, temptation had him by the nuts. He couldn't help but to give in and do what his body wanted and desired—Jersey.

Fuck it.

He turned around and crashed his lips right into Jersey's. Instantly, Jersey's breath was taken away. She stood there confused with a paralyzed tongue and body. She didn't understand what Malcolm was trying to do. However, she melted when she felt his large hands roaming all over her petite body.

Malcolm leaned over as he kissed Jersey deeply. His tongue explored her tasteful mouth. He wanted to pull back in order to catch his breath, but he didn't want to pull away from the lascivious trance.

Instead, Jersey pulled away and eyed him while trying to catch her breath. Her chest heaved up and down as she stood there with her full lips parted.

"W-what are we doing?"

Malcolm swiped his bottom lip with his pink tongue. He didn't bother to respond to her naive question. Jersey quickly studied him in suspicion. She noticed something different about his eyes. His pupils were dilated, and his lids were narrowed.

He leaned over again and pressed his lips against hers. This time, he took things slow. Malcolm explored her beautiful lips, which drove Jersey crazy.

They travelled back to her room and Malcolm managed to kick the door shut with his foot. He pushed her right on the bed and stood at the edge, watching her kick her vans off.

Jersey looked over at him, propping up on her elbows. Instead of talking, she just raised her shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. It didn't take the blue bra long to join the shirt.

Malcolm stood there watching her breasts. They were...different. He was used to large bosoms. Jersey, on the other hand, had dainty breasts with dark, perky n*****s.

"Help me." She demanded slowly while raising up to push her pants down. Malcolm grabbed a tight grip and wasted no time pulling her jeans off. He noticed that she was wearing some blue panties that matched her bra.

Lustfully, he took in her nakedness. She was...beautiful and made his d**k swell up in appreciation. He got closer to her and parted her thighs. He could smell her, which made him want to f**k her even more. Jersey's pubic area was stubbled, but Malcolm didn't care. That only added on to her s*x appeal.

Jersey moved her lower half, feeling frustrated and bothered. She was ready to feel Malcolm, but he was just standing there trying to take her view in.

Her mouth gaped when she felt him rubbing against her c******s with the pad of his thumb. Slowly, he created a spasm, causing her to lightly moan out. Malcolm's slight work was definitely affecting her. He noticed how wet she was becoming.

"Just give it to me, now." She spoke softly while eyeing him seductively. She laid there with her eyes lowered and mouth parted. Her hips rocked involuntarily as he created a orgasmic pattern with his fingers.

Malcolm pulled away and stood up straight. Jersey's eyes widened when she noticed the imprint of his p***s. It was elevated and ready to be released.

Casually, he pulled down his grey sweatpants and boxers. It didn't take long for his d**k to pop out. The quick flop saturated Jersey.

She watched as he stepped in between her thighs. Slowly, his p***s rubbed against her slit. He leaned over and kissed her again, this time he tongued her down.

"Mmmm." She moaned while feeling him trying to push into her wetness. "Oh!"

Malcolm mentally prepared himself for what he was about to receive. He remembered how Jersey felt when he first slid inside of her. Warm, saturated, and tight. She felt good to him, so he had to hit her with some slow strokes. In order to avoid releasing so early.

"Let me take this s**t off." Malcolm stated in a low voice. He lifted off of Jersey while managing to stay inside her. She watched as he pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the floor.

Suddenly, her mouth gaped when she felt him moving his hips. She looked down and noticed how nice the scene before her looked. He was coated—in her wetness. His thick, veiny member plummeting her repeatedly, creating a churning noise. It didn't take him long to find a steady rhythm to rock to.

"Damn, girl." Malcolm cursed as he held her thighs down while slowly pushing in and out of her. Jersey was ridiculously wet and that made his d**k harder. He kept his eyes on her as he hammered away, watching her attentively. He could tell that she was about to rip a beautiful orgasm. From her gaped mouth and the way she tighten around his d**k. He used his thumb to rub her c**t, doubling the stimulation.

"Oooh!" Jersey bucked widely as she lifted her butt off the bed. The orgasm ripped through her c******s like a ball of lightening. She could literally feel it in her toes as she tried to match Malcolm's pace. When she placed her eyes on him, she noticed how he paid attention to her body. That turned her on even more. They eyed each other hungrily as their pelvis collided with one another, creating sweat and more orgasms for her.

Malcolm wanted to taste Jersey's lips, he had to. First, he leaned down and took one of her chocolate n*****s into his mouth. He sucked on it, putting some slight pressure to the suction. Jersey moaned out softly from the sudden feeling. She didn't really like getting her tittles sucked on, but Malcolm had her feeling good. He eventually paid the other n****e the same attention and found his way to her suck-able lips.

They kissed passionately as he moved in and out of her. She moaned slightly while managing to place her small hands on the back of his head. Her hips tried moving involuntarily as she enjoyed the pleasure of him.

Jersey just knew this time it was different. The s*x was definitely different from their last encounter. She felt Malcolm moving from her lips and to her neck as he winded his hips, going deeper and deeper. She would push him back from time to time, but that was normal. Jersey didn't have s*x on the daily, so she had to get adjusted to his size.

"f**k!" Malcolm belted in her ear as he quickened up the pace. He long stroked her while moving his hips in a fluid way. Jersey was surprised to see him with such rhythm. Her last partner was stiff as hell, compared to Malcolm. He winded his hips while inching towards her face again.

When he crashed his lips against hers, he exploded inside of her. Jersey could feel him coating her walls. But that didn't stop him at all. Malcolm continued to rock inside of her until he emptied himself completely. He bit her bottom lip out of passion and she...liked it.

Eventually, he collapsed on her chest trying to get his breathing together. Jersey just laid there doing the same. She wrapped her arm around his sweaty back as he laid there, calming himself down.

They were quiet for a while, thinking about what just happened. Jersey felt...satisfied while Malcolm was confused.

Bzzz, bzzz, bzzz

Jersey looked over to see if her phone was vibrating, but it wasn't. Malcolm sighed as he slid out of her. Jersey watched as he picked up his sweatpants off the floor, grabbing his phones out of his pocket.

Damn was all she could say in her mind. Malcolm was a handsome piece of her artwork. His body looked as if it was sculpted by a professional sculptor. Majority of his skin was covered with tattoos that complimented his personable figure. And there was his piece, his d**k. It was a nice size while flaccid and still thick. Jersey could peep out his mushroom shaped head that was attached to his chocolate shaft.

She closed her sore legs, feeling weird between them. Jersey was still wet and sticky from her previous s*x affair. She laid there silently while eyeing Malcolm was who checking his phone.

"Everything okay?" She asked him.

He didn't look up or say anything immediately. It was late and Malcolm had a couple of text messages and missed calls from Tilly. Obviously, she wanted to know why he hadn't arrived at her place yet. He was supposed to be there, but he decided to kick it with Jersey instead.

"Yeah." He replied while setting both of his devices on the end table. "I was just checking my phones."

"Oh, okay..." She trailed off while running her fingers through her short hair. The sight of her gorgeous body turned him on. He couldn't help but to brick up again. Right now, it was all about Jersey. f**k Tilly.

In one swift move, Malcolm grabbed Jersey's leg and pushed it open. He found himself back in between her legs. She was still wet from their previous affairs, which was good.

"You're not leaving?" She questioned him, surprised. The last time he hopped up and left after getting his nut.

He got close in her face, holding himself up with the help of his arms. Malcolm pressed his lips against her and said, "You want me to leave?"

"No." Jersey replied quickly. That was the truth. She wasn't ready for Malcolm to leave. She loved his presence. His voice, his nice appearance and she definitely loved smelling him. "I want you to stay."

Malcolm grabbed his d**k that had expanded since Jersey's last viewing. She couldn't believe that he was erect just that quick. She bit her lip out of nervousness and anticipation. He did that to her. He created the butterflies that circled around in her belly.

_____________________________

The sound of jingling keys caused the teenaged boy to raise his head from the cold desk. He held a solid expression on his face as he sat there with both hands cuffed. His eyes studied the slim detective who had just walked inside with an officer who had the keys in his hands.

"Desmond Williams." The detective announced while tossing the folder on the desk. He adjusted his pants before taking a seat before the youngster.

Desmond didn't bother to respond, he just sat there staring. His eyes were narrowed in suspicion as he clasped his hands together.

"Detective Gaines." The detective spoke up as he flipped through the same folder he tossed on the table. His eyebrows furrowed as he read the statement—word for word.

"He hasn't talked that much?" Gaines questioned the officer who stood there with a slight frown on his face.

"Not much."

"Mr. Williams, you do realize you'll have to tell us something, right?"

Desmond looked down at his hands. He was busy fidgeting with them, he found them more interesting than the boring detective.

"We want answers." Gaines replied smartly. His kind method wasn't working at all. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing those hairy arms. It was late and he was basically surviving on coffee. All he wanted to do was go home. "Now, can you at least comply with us?"

Desmond didn't bother to respond again, causing Gaines to hit the table with his large fists.

"I know you did it. You killed your own mother." Gaines continued as he leaned over the table. "Her blood is all over your hands. Why did you do it? Huh Williams? Why did you kill your own flesh and blood, the woman who gave birth to you?"

Desmond stopped fidgeting with his hands. Instead, he decided to stare at the table, not giving in to Gaines' trick.

"You did it." Gaines continued with a smug on his face. "Put him in a holding cell, he's going to be here for a while. Maybe once he gets a little stir crazy, he'll confess."

"Knock, knock." A deep voice announced.

The detective looked over to find Newton standing by the door with a folder in his hand. Clearly, he was still working.

Gaines c****d his head to the side and made his way out of the room. He didn't want to be bothered by the narcotics detective at all.

"What is it that you want, Newton?"

"I just thought I stop by and check on the homicide cases."

"The homicide cases has nothing to do with you." Gaines replied calmly while loosening his tie as he continued his stroll. "I got it all under control."

"Do you, really?"

Detectives Gaines stopped in mid-stroll and turned to eye Newton who showcased a sinister grin on his face.

"The chief put me over this department as the head detective. I don't need help from your or your damn partner. I'm warning you, Newton...stay away from my cases."

"I'm only trying to help you out." Newton continued as he spread his hands. "I realized that you have no lead in two cases. One involves Rodrick Harris while the other involves Malcolm Sullivan."

Detective Gaines eyed him sternly. He wanted to be mad, but he also knew that Newton was accurate. Those two cases needed to be completed. However, he had no real evidence that would point him to the suspect(s). "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I got a witness here that's willing to give you some information." Newton confessed while touching his narrowed nose, gently swiping it.

"A witness?"

"Rodrick Harris' mother, Lisa Coleman. She claims to know a lot about what went happened."

Gaines still wasn't convinced about the witness. He didn't know if her evidence would be accurate enough to lead him to the actual suspect. However, he did want to hear what she had to say.

"So, you're telling me that she knows who killed her son?"

"She has some clues." Newton answered with a nod.

"And she knows who killed those two men at the bar?"

Newton just nodded his head.

Detective Gaines looked over at the bulletin board, mentally contemplating on what he wanted to do next. Getting some questions and evidence from Lisa would be nice, but he didn't trust Newton.

"You brought her in here knowing you're a narcotics detective. Maybe you should try to do your own damn job instead of mine." Detective Gaines snapped while furrowing his eyebrows. "What room is she in?"

"Room four, on the right."

"You stay here..." Gaines trailed off. "I'll talk to her myself."

Detective Newton couldn't help but to plaster a smirk on his face as he watched Gaines go into the interrogation room. Before he could walk off, he noticed Tilly coming out of the restroom. She placed her eyes on Newton and casually rolled them.

Their relationship wasn't as cool as before. Yes, they managed to work together, but their casual conversations were over. Now, Tilly tried keeping things professional. Unfortunately, Newton wasn't trying to go that route.