“I got every right to be curious, Harbor. I’m trying to find out everything I can about what she’s been doing and who’s she been doing it with.”
“And is that because of the situation with Ivy, or for your own purposes?” I queried.
The tone in my voice pulled his attention in my direction, and our eyes locked immediately.
“Why you asking me that?” His face distorted, almost as if he was annoyed with me.
“Obviously, I have to. Your entire demeanor changed the minute she walked through the door. You won’t be focused on me with her ten steps away. Why don’t you get my food to go, and I’ll be in the car?” I snatched my clutch from the table and rose to my three-inch heels at the same time.
Free’s hand reached for me, and I snatched away from him. We’d drawn attention from a few of the people surrounding us, but they weren’t ogling or anything. My accusing stare landed on him, merciless and bold. Having children had put me in a different position in life. Being the other half of a man like him had elevated in me in a way that I never expected. I had been so caught up in him that I was slowly diminishing, and it was the kind of feeling that left me in a state of sinking with no escape. I was not about to be another bitch that put her all into a man and ended up with nothing. Them hoes were bitter, lonely, and miserable. They stayed in the next person’s business, and I didn’t want my life to go that way.
“Harbor—” He was calling after me, but I had nothing left to say.
I needed to get away from him and get some fresh air. Stepping outside into the brisk evening, I paced back and forth in front of the building, trying to get my thoughts together. He knew that I was stubborn, so there was no way that I was going back inside to try and form some kind of compromise. Up untilnow, being involved with him, I hadn’t had to question him or his loyalty to me. True enough, the way we started off probably would have had another woman running in the opposite damn direction. But before Ivana showed up, I could have sworn we had transcended beyond our initial meeting.
I went into my purse in search of a pack of my Black cigarettes. I didn’t smoke a lot. Usually, it was social settings or when I was extremely stressed. Tonight fit the bill. Propping myself against the brick wall behind me, I tucked my arms across my chest and brought a filter to my lips. I sparked the tip with my lighter and took a deep inhale. When I brought my eyes up, Deviance stood there. He wasn’t at a hundred percent, but he was much better than he was a few months ago. Exhaling smoke, I looked him up and down as he paused at my side. He went right back to duty the minute he was able to, never more than a car space behind me when I was out and about, my guardian angel.
“Everything okay?” he questioned, eyes lowering.
“Nah, just needed to get out of there,” I countered curtly. “My life is not working out like I thought it would,” I concluded.
“Give it some time.” D’s advice was always so simple, but meaningful.
I knew that as deeply as he admired me, it was more like that brother/sister type shit. His first loyalty was to Free.
Frequency
I usually pridedmyself on thinking first and not asking any questions unless absolutely necessary. However, I’d never been in the middle of some shit like this before, so a nigga felt like I was fucking up. No matter what I did or how I handled things on either side, somebody was bound to feel slighted. Everything about Ivana being back rattled every rational part of me. I wascurious and a range of other emotions I couldn’t put into words. My first instinct was to go after Harbor, but if I didn’t confront Ivana now, I didn’t know if I would get the chance. I loved my girl, more than she could ever even know, but nothing was easy about what was taking place.
Pulling myself to my feet, I tugged my suit jacket tighter around me and strut right over to the table. Ivana seemed surprised, but her date smiled with amusement. His calm demeanor and knowing eyes kept me focused on him. The nigga was staring through me like he knew me or things about me, and I didn’t like that shit. With feigned surprise, both of her brows went up when she saw me . Immediately, her eyes searched the restaurant.
“Frequency, what are you doing here?” she asked, nervously glancing across the table at the man that couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of me.
“Frequency. So you are him,” he spoke slowly, and it reminded me of someone.
Tensions were high in this moment, so I was unable to place it.
“And who the fuck are you?” I demanded, watching amusement dance across his smug face.
“I’m the nigga that will be helping raise your daughter.” The taunting in his tone provoked rage in me.
My hand fell on my hip where my burner rested. It was taking all the reserve a nigga had not to clap him right here. Biting angrily into my bottom lip, I had every urge to smack that callous smirk right off his face.
“Why don’t we step outside and have a conversation?” I suggested, keeping a calm reserve watching him stretch both arms across the top of the booth.
His arrogance had me ready to knock his fucking head off his shoulders. We were also drawing attention from the otherpatrons, and I didn’t like that shit. Ivana’s gloating eyes danced around from me to him, more than happy to be the center of attention. I was too busy wondering what the hell had happened to the woman that I once loved. She wasn’t the same, and now I questioned if I actually knew anything about her at all.
“Free—”
“Who the fuck is this nigga, and why is he speaking on my daughter?” I demanded, narrowing both eyes at her.
She cleared her throat, and he turned to her with a smile on his lips.
“Do tell him, lover,” the man urged, resting a hand on her shoulder as she grew rigid beside him.
“This is my husband, Mistro.” She introduced us, and I couldn’t peel my eyes from his.
The name didn’t ring any kind of familiarity, but it definitely set off warning alarms.
