Long-awaited chapter is finally here guys! I know I made you guys wait a long time for this one and I apologize again for that! A lot of stuff is happening in this chapter and I had to make sure everything happened the way I pictured it. So! Hope you guys enjoy! Likes, comments, reblogs are welcome and I appreciate you all thousand times and then some for taking the time to do that! Happy reading! Here we go!Â
The California sun peaks through the master suite as Ahsha remains in a peaceful slumber. She sleeps soundly, letting her thoughts wander off into the clouds. It had been a long time since she had a single night with a full 8 hours of sleep. Activities at the arena were busy as usual, the team were in the middle of playoffs and this only put more pressure on Ahsha and Jelena as captains when it came to the Devil girlâs and the intensity of the new routines they are going through. Not only was it that but between the wedding planning, the new guest to the household and the disconnection between the couple, Ahsha was just drained from it all. In the beginning, she and Derek were closer than ever but as the engagement progressed, it became more difficult to find time for each other and neither one of them tried hard enough to change that. The more he worked, the less time they spent together and the more Ahsha felt ignored. Putting her stubborn ways on the table, Derek doesnât even know this is the way sheâs feeling and right now, she wasnât planning on putting her pride to the side to open up about her feelings of abandonment. These thoughts plagued her mind as she shifted in the bed turning towards where she expected her fiancĂ© to be, reaching for him, only to find him gone. This caused her to wake from her coma. She sat up on the bed, running her fingers through her locks, in disappointment. She reached over the nightstand to check some emails on her phone and found a folded up note with Derekâs prints on it. She reached for the note first, unfolding it to read the contents.
âHey beautiful, hope my absence didnât wake you. Went out for my morning walk and got called in for an early meeting at the Arena. I will be back tonight in time for our date night, donât worry I didnât forget. Breakfast is ready for you downstairs and Iâve already made arrangements for you to get to work. Iâll be thinking of you. Canât wait for tonight, love you baby. Derek â„
She became calmer as she folded the note back in her hand and kissed it. It amazed her how no matter what he did, he always knew how to make her heart flutter. They may have their issues but at the end of the day, Derek was her life and she couldnât picture a world without him. After checking her emails, she got out of bed, showered and dressed, then headed downstairs to eat. As she walked into the kitchen she was bombarded by Devin causing her to fall.
âOh my bad, Ahsha, here let me help youâ Devin expresses grabbing her hands pulling her back up.
âYeah, Iâm good, thanksâ
âNo problemâ He replies.
âKinda early for you to be around. Does Derek know youâre here?â
âHe officially hired me as your personal bodyguard a few days ago. Itâs my first day and Iâm supposed to take you to work after breakfastâ Devin explained. Ahsha gave no clear response as she stared back at him.
âHe told you right?â She remained quiet putting a hand on her hip.
âDoes it look like he told me?â
âOh. Well, Iâm sure he meant to, maybe it slipped his mindâ
âIt sure doesnât seem that way when he wants me to give him some. Nothing slips his mind unless he wants it to. Trust me, thatâs not why he didnât tell meâ She retorts with a hint of irritation in her voice.
âWell whatever his reasoning was, Iâm sure it was a good oneâ Her lips formed a straight line not believing the hype Devin was trying to speak.
âYeah, you could be right. Listen Iâm going to go ahead and eat then we can goâ Ahsha tells the man. He nods in agreement walking out of the kitchen before Ahsha grabs his arm.
âHey you canât work on an empty stomach. Why donât you eat with me before we goâ She propositioned him.
âThatâs nice for you to offer, but itâs okay I already ate before I cameâ
âWell alright then. Give me about 10 minutes or less and Iâll be readyâ
âSounds good. Iâm going to just use the bathroom and wait for you in the carâ
He leaves the room, leaving the lady to eat her breakfast. Shortly after that, Ahsha sat down at the dining table and stuffed her face quickly then went up the stairs to grab her phone, gym bag, and purse before walking out the door. The sunshine was very bright prompting her to throw her sunglasses on. Her heels clicked as she strutted towards the car jumping in the backseat. As they drove off, she sent a text out to Derek.
I see you failed to tell me something else. We got to talk when you get home.
She sent it not expecting a response knowing he was in the middle of practice. Twenty minutes in the car, and they finally were at the Arena. Collecting her things, Ahsha gets out the car and Devin drives off. Walking into the Arena she spotted her two favorite Devil boys although one was on her list at the moment.
âBro what you talking about?â Derek asked Terrence completely oblivious of a very fiery Ahsha walking towards them.
âHey Tâ She sang approaching him wrapping her arms around his neck.
âHey there little sisâ
Wrapping his arms around her waist, giving her a squeeze while Derek stood looking like a lost puppy. They quickly broke their embrace as they both saw him giving Terrence a death glare.
âAnd how are you doing?â
âHey baby, do I get a kiss?â Derek intruded.
âOh well you know, Iâm always good but I could be betterâ Making a reference to her fiancĂ© rolling her eyes at him, ignoring his request.
âAre you really going to act like Iâm not standing here Ahsha?â She cocks her head fast to him, flipping her hair.
âIâm talking to my brother right now. So anyway, how are you doing these days?â Still ignoring him making no eye-contact as she turns back to Terrence.
âBesides Jelena blowing up my phone every hour of the day, Iâve been straight. I just want this season to be over you know? So I can have time to relaxâ
âWhat does she want?â
âHonestly I donât know sisâ Shrugging his shoulders.
âMaybe if you returned my phone calls you wouldâ The petite dancer announces approaching the group. Her eyes remained on Terrence as his facial expression turned glum.
âReturn your phone calls? For what?â
âWe have nothing to talk about. I loved you, you didnât love me. You screwed me over twice, didnât want a future with me. See, weâve talkedâ Terrence says to her indirectly. Jelena interjects.
âThat wasnât a talk that was you being an ass. I get it, I hurt you and Iâm sorry. But that doesnât change the fac-âTerrence interrupted her.
âYOUâRE SORRY! THATâS ALL YOU GOT?â Clapping his hands slowly.
âONCE AGAIN ITâS ALL ABOUT JELENA, DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT ANYBODY BUT YOURSELF?â
âDonât you dare! I ALWAYS put you first Terrenceâ
âWhen? When you drugged me? When you fucked Zero? All of that was for my benefit huh? Riiighttâ
Terrence continues to scream while Derek and Ahsha watch the scene play out in front of them. As funny as the scene was to them, Ahsha was still pissed at her man and his inability to keep her in the loop about the things that were going on. As they watched the argument unfold, Derek took the opportunity to pull his lady to the side to talk. She shoved his hand away before he took matters into his own hands knowing she was going to make this hard for him. He grabbed her by the waist pulling her into the locker room leaving Terrence and Jelena to continue bickering. He locks the door behind him before saying
âNow that I finally got you alone come hereâ
âYou can lock all the doors you want, doesnât mean Iâm going to talk to youâ
âOh come on babe you canât seriously be mad at me about thisâ He pleads reaching for her hand. She slaps it away.
âUh-uh you donât get to keep secrets and touch meâ She rejects.
âI was going to tell you Ahshaâ
âOh? Were you going to tell me before? Or after I found him downstairs while I was sleep?â
âNo? Please enlighten me here. If you were going to tell me before that then just say it. Iâll waitâ He got real quiet.
âThatâs what I thought. You just love keeping me in the dark about everything its fineâ
âNo I donât! Itâs not that at all. Itâs just Iâd rather not bother you with these types of things if Iâm already handling it on my ownâ
âDerekâŠâ She starts to pace the floor.
âDevin is going to be around us, around the house, driving me every damn where and possibly spending a lot of time around the Arena. Thatâs not what bothers me, what bothers me is the fact that you donât think I should knowâ
She said to him turning her back, folding her arms across her chest. He paused, then crept up behind his woman wrapping his arms lovingly around her waist. She tilts her head to the side, fidgeting in his arms, still upset.
âAhsha listen. I do think you should know, but itâs just thatâŠI want to be the one that does all the worrying for you. I want to be the one that protects youâ She rolls her eyes.
âDerek, Iâm a grown-ass woman, I can take care of myself very well, I donât need this extra protection but Iâm going with it because my fiancĂ© asked me to. Itâs called compromise. You keep me informed and I agree to have the extra protection. Thatâs not asking for much, I just want you to tell me things so Iâm not walking around blind sighted. I donât want to be the last to know when somethingâs going on. Is that too much to ask?â
Derek responds by squeezing her waist a little tighter and kisses her neck tenderly.
âNo, itâs not too much to ask for, and Iâm sorry for making you feel this way. That wasnât my intentionâ
âWell intention or not, you still did itâ She pouts.
He bends down kissing her neck once more, longer this time. Her arms fall to her sides as he reaches down to intertwine his fingers with hers.
âIâm sorry. So. So. So. So. Sorryâ Peppering her jaw with a kiss between every single word spoken.
âHow can I make it better?â He asks her as she turns around to face him.
âHmm, make sure youâre not late for our date tonightâ
âI wonât be, I give you my wordâ
âPromise?â She questions. He places his hand on her neck kissing her lips softly.
âWe gone seeâ Wrapping an arm around his neck. He lets out a smile.
âAlright Tiger I gotta get to practice in half-hour, and so do youâ
âI can have us ready in 20. And thereâs soâŠâ
He smirks backing her into the lockers.
âSo much you can do in ten minutesâ And without warning, he captures her lips. He ravages her mouth like a wild animal, biting and tugging on her bottom lip before sticking his tongue down her throat. Getting lost in the kiss, she massages her tongue with his, moaning in his mouth before stopping herself.
âYou know ten minutes wonât be enough for us so letâs not start something we canât finish right nowâ
âWoman, you canât but I canâ
âSave for that tonight misterâ She laughs while he groans pulling away before being pulled back in close, by his shirt.
âHeey, mama will make it up to you, Daddy just gotta be patientâ Biting his earlobe. He presses his hand against her stomach.
âMake sure she does. Cuz Daddyâs gone tear that ass up laterâ Whispering in her ear. She grins pulling his face to hers, kissing his soft lips.
âAlright woman, get your pretty ass out of here before I change my mindâ
âFine, fine Mr. Roman, Iâm going. See you tonight?â She quizzes walking away from him making sure he got a glimpse of her apple bottom.
âItâs a date, Mrs. Romanâ He answers slapping her bottom as she walks past him leaving the locker room. Married or not, that was his wife and nobody could tell him different, documented on a piece of paper or not either. She gives him a quick wink before disappearing.
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ-
Practice had ran longer than usual and Jelena was tense as ever after her argument with Terrence so all the girls were exhausted.
âAlright ladies, that will be all for today. Remember, practice early tomorrow morningâ Jelena dismisses the girls.
âHey Carebear, Iâm in need of a refuge, want to do a little shopping and grab some food?â
âA refuge? Isnât that a sign of a nonexistent sex life?â Ahsha taunts.
âCarebear pweasee, you know this blonde beauty always gets hers. Enough of your slick remarks, you down or what?â
âYou know Iâm always down to pay a visit to our favorite spotâ
âSushi and lingerie and sex toys it isâ The besties laugh together before being interrupted by Jelena.
âSorry for the interruption this wonât take long. Ahsha, do you think you would want to help me choreograph the dance for our next away game?â Ahsha and Kyle look at each other than back at Jelena.
âAbsolutely, I could use theâŠhelpâ Jelena confesses.
âSo, you game or what?â Â Jelena repeats.
âOk, yeah sure I guessâ
âK. Iâll text you more details in the next couple of days and we can find a day to meetâ
âSounds golden. Thanksâ
âPlease donât mention itâ Jelena says walking away from the duo.
âBoy I tell you, that womanâs a piece of workâ
âAt least sheâs not yelling at usâ
Both ladies get up off the dance floor grabbing their belongings and water bottles taking large gulps as they walk out the arena together.
âMy cars over here Carebearâ
âOh, no girl we donât have to take your car, Devinâs going to take usâ
âDevin? Who in the hell is that?â Dragging her words.
Kyle questions curiously as her answer slowly pulls up into the arena. The car comes to a stop as Ahsha grabs Kyleâs hand leading her to the driverâs window. The girls back up a little once they notice Devin opening the door.
âHi Ahsha, Iâm so sorry Iâm late, I had some important errands to run before picking you upâ
âThatâs okay, were not going straight home right now anyway. I need you to take me and my best-friend Kyle to the mallâ
âThatâs quite alright. Is this her?â
âYeah, excuse her silence, sheâs never this quiet around the opposite sexâ
Ahsha joked as Kyle just stared the bodyguard up and down. Â The man had the blonde mesmerized by how sexy he was. It was clear that she would be holding a torch for him very soon.
âKyle is it? Hi, Iâm Devin, Ahshaâs new bodyguard?â Devin tells the speechless dancer extending his hand. She clasps it in her hand, receiving the handshake.
âHi, Iâm um, Kyle, her best-friendâ
âNice to meet you, youâre very beautiful I might addâ
âOh you donât have to tell me, but thank you for pointing out factsâ
She blushed a little. Ahsha watched in disbelief as her bestie flirted with her protection.
âYouâre very welcomeâ
Winking at her from the corner of his eye,
âOk, ok, ok you two. Kyle get your ass in the car, Devin, take us to Westside Pavilionâ Shoving Kyle in the backseat.
He laughs hopping into the driverâs seat. It only took him half-hour before they got to the mall. As the car came to a halt, the girlâs jumped out quickly. Ahsha walked to the other side of the car as Devin rolls down the window.
âBe back in about two hours and we have to take Kyle back to the arena before we head back homeâ
âOk, I will shoot you a text when Iâm closeâ
âLet me know if you two need anythingâ
âOH! She wonât but I will!â
Kyle screams in the background. Devin cackles to himself at her friend.
âIâll hold you to that Ms. Hart, have fun ladiesâ
His last words before driving away.
âDaamn Ahsh that is one fine piece of ass!â
âGirl if you donât quit acting so damn thirsty and get in this mallâ
âYess Iâm thirsty and heâs going to quench my thirstâ
Kyle smirks sticking her tongue out moving it from side to side.
âYou so nasty, I canât with you! I swear thatâs all your ass thinks about!â
âOh donât act like you werenât thinking the same thing! You can admit it, itâll be our little secret, you know I wonât tell D!â Shyly winking at the dancer. Â
âKyle! Thatâs ridiculous, I have a fiancĂ©eee rememberâ
She recants dangling the ring in her face.
âThat doesnât mean you canât look!â
âThereâs nothing to look atâ
She lied. She didnât want to admit it but the man was definitely good-looking, not drop your panties sexy like Derek but he was pretty close to it. She felt guilty for even thinking that but then she just realized that she was only looking, and thereâs no harm in looking as long as you donât touch.
âYouâre a lying wonder Carebear! But I feel it, hey, more for me! Letâs get in this mall though. I got some new pieces I definitely want nowâ
The blue-eyed blonde comments as they walk into the double doors. Meanwhile, over on the other side of town, the young man was having a very open phone conversation.
âYes, itâs only my first day but everythingâs been going pretty smoothâ
âThatâs great baby. How are you adjusting to the changes?â
âEhh, I mean its okay I guess. Besides driving her around, he doesnât have me doing anything else except watching the house while heâs goneâ
âOh, so heâ gone pretty often then?â The caller asks him.
âNo, just away games for specific weekends at a time. He only stays gone 3-4 days usuallyâ
âThatâs plenty of time. Maybe youâll get your chance thenâ
âNah, nah. Itâs too soon. I gotta plan out my moment, I canât just spring it out on them like that. I need more timeâ
âWell baby donât take too much time but thereâs no rush. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay and you didnât forget about what we discussed previouslyâ
âI havenât. Trust me I know what Iâm doingâ
âWhen are you coming home?â
âI canât tell you exactly whenâ
âOk. But soon though?â
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ-
âSo what made Derek want to hire a bodyguard for you?â
Kyle fishes while rummaging through the lingerie section at Victoriaâs.
âWell after the incident from the engagement party, he just wanted to play it safe. Of course he made the move without talking to me first but after he explained why, it actually makes sense. So we talked it over and came to an agreement and Iâm okay with what we came up withâ
âHmm, so Iâm guessing you two made up then?â
âWell of course we did why wouldnât we?â
The blonde investigates. The dancer grins hard eyeing her best-friend.
âHow do you think it was?â
âPoint taken, Iâm jealousâ
âMaybe commitment to one piece isnât as bad as you thinkâ Raising her eye-brow.
Ahsha reasons while picking out a red and black lace ensemble.
âIâm going to pay for thisâ
Ignoring her besties effort in changing her perspective about relationships and men. Kyle had only been married once before and that one time was enough for her not to want to do it again. Committed relationships isnât the language she speaks.
âOk, I got one more thing I want to grabâ
âHurry up procrastinatorâ
Kyle teases before walking up to the counter to pay for her items. After they paid for their things, they ate at their favorite sushi spot. After about two hours had passed, Devin had arrived to take Kyle back to the arena and Ahsha back home. Derek had texted Ahsha to let her know that he would be released from practice around 8 which was enough time for her to set everything up. Devin had already left the car and went in the house while Ahsha walked to the mailbox. Looking through the pile all she saw was bills on top of more bills until she came across a letter written to her from a New York dance studio. No thoughts beforehand she ripped the envelope open.
We are happy to inform you that youâve been personally invited and accepted for an audition with us. Auditions will be placed the last two weeks of October. Make sure to bring an picture of yourself as well as proof of identification and a video of choreography you have put together. Please confirm your audition date by next Friday. We hope to hear from you soon!
Diana Cross, C/O Of New York City Studios
Completely stunned, she quickly folded the letter putting it back in the envelope. She had completely forgot about applying. It was last spring when she and Derek were still broken up and she was thinking about leaving L.A, leaving him behind in her past. She didnât expect to get accepted but now that she was, she was excited about the opportunity. Opportunity came knocking but all she could think about was how it would affect her relationship with Derek. The wedding wasnât too far away and neither was her audition. She knows she has to tell him and she would, tonight. This is something important that could change the dynamic of their relationship and she canât keep this information from him and she wouldnât. She walks back inside and bumps into Devin yet again.
âYouâre literally everywhereâ
âI donât mean to beâ Devin replies fast kind of offended by what she just said.
âDonât take everything so serious, Iâm just messing with you. The look on your face though, pricelessâ She laughs out loud.
âOh you think thatâs funny?â
âYeah, I do actuallyâ Laughing some more.
âQuite the comedian. By the way Derek told me to let you know that he should be home around 8 ishâ
âI know, he texted me before we got backâ
âOh okay, well if you donât mind Iâm just going to stay here, until he gets back and then Iâll head on homeâ Devin requests.
âThatâsâ fine, Iâm going to take a nap. By the time I wake up, he should be heading this way. Youâre welcome to anything in the kitchen. Remotes on the couchâ
âYou say thank you a lot, but youâre welcome Devin. Make yourself at homeâ Walking up the stairs to the master suite, shutting the door.
It was now 6pm and that leaves two hours for Ahsha to set up everything before Derek gets home. She decided to cook dinner first and then fix herself up after. She went for something not too complicated for dinner. She stuck with baked chicken, rice and gravy with green beans. No dessert needed to be made since she planned on serving herself to him on a platter for the night. After setting up the table, she sped back upstairs to take a shower, completely ignoring the fact that Devin was still there, sleeping peacefully on the couch. She showered quickly and put her black and red ensemble on and slipped her black six inch heels to top her look. She splashed some perfume on her neck, between her legs, her breasts, and her wrists before covering herself up with the black silk robe. She took a look at herself in the bathroom mirror, gawking at herself until she received a text from yours truly. Licking her lips in anticipation and excitement, she opened up the text message. After reading, her excitement turned to anger. She slapped her hand on the counter dialing him. It rang five times until he finally picked up.
âBaby I really canât talk right nowâ
âFuck that! Youâre going to hear me this time! Did you not hear me earlier?â
âSo why am I just now finding out about this? You could have calledâ
âYou wanted to but you didnât anyway right?â Cutting him off.
âCome on Ahsha you know how it is, weâve talked about this beforeâ
âWeâve talked about a lot of things including not keeping things from each other yet here you are doing the exact thing you promised me you wouldnât doâ Flaring up, raising her voice.
âIt was an emergency meeting. There wasnât enough time to call and tell youâ
âEmergency? OUT OF TOWN DEREK! REALLY? All it takes is a phone call, hey babe Iâm not coming home tonight because the team got called in to go to an out of town emergency meeting. Simple, straight to the point and I wouldâve been fineâ
âWell Iâm telling you now!â
âAfter you got caught keeping it from me!â She scoffs.
âYouâre overreacting and Iâm not about to entertain your shenanigansâ
âOverreacting, about what? The fact that you wonât spend time with me? Love on me like you used to?
âLike I said weâll talk when I get back tomorrowâ
âAhsha! Iâm not getting into this with youâ
âThatâs the problem Derek, you NEVER do!â She spitted and you hear the dial tone.
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ-
Yet another unsuccessful night. This proved their communication needed some improvement. She still couldnât believe after their conversation from earlier, he still didnât get it. She thought they were past this, obviously not. Her eyes welled up and she let one tear fall before wiping it out of her face quickly. She pulled herself together but she was still very angry with him. She wasnât thinking clearly but the one thing she knew was that this outfit she had on was making her angrier and so she unzipped it from the back and wiggled her body out of it. She went into her drawers pulling out some shorts and a tank top, putting it on, walking downstairs ranting to herself. She takes a breather, making little steps toward the refrigerator, still fuming and venting to herself. She stops herself after recognizing a certain someone was awake and listening in on her thoughts.
âUggh! & youâre still here!â
âDerekâs still not here so yes I amâ He responds back.
âWell heâs not going to be here tonight. He left town for an emergency meeting so you can leaveâ
âAhsha, you know I canât do thatâ
âTrust me you can. You open the door and walk out of itâ She spat.
But she realized she was directing her attitude towards the wrong person and instantly felt bad.
âOh goodness Iâm sorry Devin for the way Iâm acting towards you. Itâs not you, itâs Derekâ
Rubbing her temples together grabbing a water bottle out of the fridge.
âDo you mind if I ask?â
âWe were supposed to have a date tonight but he failed to tell me that he got pulled into going to an emergency meeting out of townâ She explains.
âWell Ahsha Iâm sure he was going to tell you but he is an athlete, heâs bound to get pulled in different directions without his consentâ Defending Derek.
âHe waited until the last minuteâ
âHeâs a basketball player, the people in charge always do that. They probably didnât inform him about it until right before they were getting ready to take offâ
âWell I shouldâve known the next minute. Urgh! I donât even know why Iâm talking to you about this. Youâre clueless about this Iâm sureâ
âI know more than you think womanâ
âExcuse me?â He paused trying to get his point across.
âAll Iâm saying is this wonât be the first and last time this will happen. This comes with the territory when you marry a basketball playerâ
âWere not married yetâ She notifies.
âYou will be. Just cut the guy some slack. Maybe evaluate and revise how you handle things with himâ
âAnd what would you know about relationships?â Rebuffing his advice.
âLetâs just say Iâve been there beforeâ
âTell me something I donât knowâ
âI donât want to get into thatâ
âWhy not? I mean you had soo much to say about me and Derek so why not share some stuff yourself?â
âI gave a woman my all and she took me for grantedâ
âYea. Just think about it, alright. At least you know he loves youâ
âOk. Iâll keep that in mindâ Clearing her throat.
âIâm going to bed. If youâre staying until the morning, the blankets are in the closet and you can use any of the pillows on the couchâ
She briefed him not waiting for him to respond and darted back upstairs. He watched her as she disappeared to the stairs. Going into the closet, he grabbed a blanket and made a pallet on the couch. He rested his head on the pillow and put his phone on the table.
A loud noise sounds, waking the sleepy man up. Possibly, just a noise outside or the weather, no it was his phone. He lifts his eyes, still out of it, reaching for his phone.
âHello?â In his groggy voice.
âIs this Devin Hall?â
âYes, whoâs this?â The bodyguard inquests completely confused.
âThis is a bartender from Beverly Hills Bar and Dance. I have an Ahsha Hayes here with me. Is there a way you can get someone to pick her up? You know her right?â Devin sits up immediately.
âYes I do. What happened?â
âWell she came in around 11:30 and started taking shots after shot. She was ranting all night about some guy named Derek and now sheâs here very intoxicated. She tried to leave but we wouldnât let her. She mentioned that she had a âbodyguard Derek hired for her without her consentâ and gave me this number. Isnât she his wife?â
âFiancĂ©eâ He told him instantly correcting him. In the midst of this conversation, he realized she waited for him to fall asleep so she could leave the house without him breathing down her neck or trying to stop her.
âIâm sorry to call you this late but we are prepping for closing and we canât do anything until she leaves. Sheâs too under the influence to driveâ
âIâll be thereâ He said hanging up, grabbing the car keys and dashing out the door. He sped rapidly through the freeway to the Hillâs and found the bar. He got out of the car walking into the bar, in pursuit of her. He finally spotted her and made steps toward her figure. She was sitting on the bar stool, taking shots of what looked like her 8th shot of patron to the head. She stumbled over the area before he touched her shoulder lightly.
âAhshaâ He calls her and her head turns.
âDeviinn haaaay. I didnât know you were here. Come sit, have a drinkâ Patting the seat next to her.
âNo, I donât and youâve had enough. Letâs get you homeâ
âHome? Ha bitch whereeeee?? Who are you anyway, my daddy? I donât think soâ She slurs.
âCome on Ahsha I just want to take you homeâ
âWhy is that? He told you to do that, because his fiancĂ©e out drunk off her ass isnât a good look for him right? Whelp, that image is shot straight to hell now isnât it?â Shrugging her shoulders taking her 9th shot still slurring again standing up before almost falling to her feet. Devin catches her before she hits the ground.
âGoodness Ahsha, youâre a mess right nowâ
âYeeeep. Completely faded but you know what, he wouldnât even care if he saw me like this. I bet you he wou-âShe stops midsentence. Â
âAhsha whatâs wrong?â She looks him in the eye.
âYou have really pretty eyesâ And just like that her eyelids close.
âOk, ok, itâs alrightâ
Devin thinks to himself collecting her in his arms carrying her out of the bar. They get home and he carries her up to the master bedroom, laying her down in the bed. He removes her heels, takes her jacket off and undresses her, covering her body with the covers. Before he can escape out the room, she speaks.
âDevin help me get upâ
âNo you need to restâ
âI have to throw up, please help me!â She urges.
He walks back over to the bed helping her to the bathroom. She positions herself lifting the seat up and empties out her stomach. Hesitantly, he bends down grabbing full fist of her hair placing it at the top of her head, holding it while she continued vomiting. Once she stopped, he let her hair go and she washed her mouth out with water and climbed back into bed.
âAre you okay? Need some water or something?â
âWell Iâm going back downstairs. You get some sleep. Derek says he will be back in the morningâ
âOk. Goodnight thenâ Turning towards the door.
âYeah?â Facing her again.
âTaking care of me tonight and being the one to pick me upâ Laughing lightly.
âDonât mention itâ He reassures her.
âGoodnight Devinâ She sounds, resting her head on the pillow as he briskly closes the door.
Walking down the hallway he gets an alert on his phone. TMZ post. He opens it as it reads:
Trouble in paradise for the Roman Emperor and Princess? It appears that way as Derek Romanâs fiancĂ©e Ahsha Hayes was seen intoxicated being carried out of a nearby bar with a mysterious, handsome young man tonight. New man? Engagement on the rocks? He closed up his phone in horror.
âThe mediaâs going to have a field day with this, greatâ He mumbles to himself. And so it begins.
Devin is lying on the couch KOâd as heâs woken up by an angelic face staring him in the face hovering over his figure.
âAye, wake yo ass up!â
âYouâre in no grave danger Ahshâ He mumbles with his eyes still closed.
âHow would you know that if youâre sleep? Youâre here to protect me not to sleepâ
âYou donât need protecting, youâre like a firecracker that hasnât been litâ He snorts. She snatches the pillow from under his head smacking him in the face with it repeatedly.
âAight! Aight! Iâm up!â He surrenders to the woman, sitting up.
âHowâd you sleep captain save a hoe?â
âBetter than you. How are you feeling anyway?â He asks concerned.
âBetter, although Iâm feeling a little nauseatedâ
âYou want me to get you some water or something?â
âNo thatâs okay youâve done enoughâ Thanking him.
âOk. So, youâre better than last night though right?â
âDefinitely better than last night thatâs for sureâ
âThatâs goodâ Creating silence.
âOkay why are you so quiet?â
âIâm notâ Brushing her off.
âYes you are, looking like you seen a ghost or something whatâs up?â
âI have to show you somethingâ Dragging out his phone. He passes the device to her. Holding it carefully, she glues her eyes to the screen but stops and gives it back to him while sitting on the coffee table.
âAnd youâre not upset?â
âNot the first time Iâve been in the public eye and it wonât be the last. I am marrying the captain and MVP of one of the best NBA teams in LAâ She gloats.
âWell I mean thatâs true Ahsha but I know Derekâs seen it and heâs probably going to be pis-âHindering his sentence.
âHeâs going to be upset, I know that. Yes itâs a bad look for him and the team, and I couldnât care less. I didnât do this on purpose, it was just a wrong example of what a woman does when sheâs no longer the center of her manâs world. When sheâs no longer a priorityâ She vocalizes fiddling with her fingers. She removes a strand of hair and slides it behind her ear.
âAhsha, you are a priority to him. Iâm certain he knows thatâ
âWell if he did, he has a funny way of showing itâ Turning towards him, head hanging low as a tear leaves the corner of her eye. She wipes it away instantly. Devin wasnât sure if he should say something but it was pretty clear that this woman standing before him had her feelings hurt by the man she loves. He could see it in her eyes without even looking at her. Whether it was his place or not, he couldnât stand by and watch this. Cautiously, he positioned his palm over hers.
âItâll be okay Ahshaâ She twists her head, looking up at him.
âNo, I donât think it willâ
âYes it will, trust meâ
âWhat he doesnât already knowâ He states his case removing his hand, rushing up from the sofa as he hears the front door bell ring.
He walks to open the front door and sees a very pissed off Derek Roman with bags in tow.
âYou been here all night?â
âYeah, but I was just leaving anyway. Figured I give you two some space. Same time next week?â Devin tells the man. Derek nods his head sliding over as he watches Devin walk out hurriedly. Derek drops his bags on the floor walking to where Ahsha was. He stops stepping towards her recognizing her reflecting to herself silently until she notices heâs there.
âOh, look who decided to come homeâ Jumping swiftly off the couch headed towards the kitchen.
âHad no choice since you wanted to be Christopher Columbus and explore the damn neighborhood alone!â
âThatâs right! Ahsha Hayes went out, to a bar, got drunk, without the Roman emperor! Well wonât you look at God! Arrest meâ She banters him throwing her hands up in exaggeration.
âDrop the commentary Ahsha cuz Iâm not in the mood for this bullshit!â
âGreat cuz neither am Iâ Getting a water bottle from the fridge strutting past him. He clutches her arm before she can get away fully. Her hair whips in his face as he grabs her. She glares at him intensely.
âWhat if you got hurt?â
âI didnât. Now get your damn hands off meâ Jerking her hand away, walking up the stairs.
âWalk away all you want this conversation ainât over thoâ
âThis conversation is so over. Believe that Romanâ Making her way upstairs. She was done with him and his failed effort trying to check her about last nightâs activities. Itâs no secret she was stubborn but this had nothing to do with the way she was acting today. She was tired of him not putting her feelings in consideration. She didnât feel included and as important in his life the way he made it look to everybody else. If he wanted to make things right he was going to have to work for it and she wasnât backing down this time. Derekâs hands balled into two perfect fists and he felt his chest rise as he got angrier.
âDonât walk away from me when Iâm talking to you Ahsha! Ahsha! Ahsha!â Following her while she proceeds to tune him out. She strolls in the bedroom dropping her water bottle on the dresser striding into the walk-in closet in pursuit of her shoes. Derek peeps in seeing her movement on the floor.
âAhsha Iâm not done talking to youâ
âYeah? Well, Iâm done talking to youâ
âDo you not understand what this could do for our image?â Standing up to her feet, having found her shoes, putting them on her feet.
âOur image or yours?â Maneuvering around the room collecting her watch, her purse and car keys.
âBoth! What if something wouldâve occurred last night while you were out? Huh, that would have changed our lives forever!â
âYeah? Like marriage!â
âAhsha I know, I know were getting married Iâm talking about basketball, my career!â
âWhy of course itâs just yours cause it seems youâre the only one in this relationship with goals and dreams and apparently the only thing I want is your babies and a license to fuck you! Sorry Iâm not that desperate Derekâ Antagonizing him.
âIâm the face of the team, what the fuck do you expect me to do huh?â
â& thatâs all you seem to care about lately! DEVILS! DEVILS! ALL HAIL THE DEVILS! Blah! Blah! WHAT ABOUT ME?! US?! Know what donât even answer that, Iâm out. I canât even be around you right nowâ She shouted violently and bitterly. For the first time in their argument, Derek looks up at her, her eyes red full of the tears that were now falling from her face. He forms small steps towards her trying to gather her in his arms and is viciously pushed away.
âStop! Donât come near meâ Getting out of his grip, stalking to the door.
âAhsha wait!â He cops a plea. She turns around expeditiously, one hand on the door knob, the other holding her purse.
âYour future as a basketball player is totally secure, but your future as my husband not so much!â
Slamming the door, storming out in tears leaving him standing in the center of the room.
Thank you for reading! Buckle up, things are about to get crazy for everyone in Devilâs nation !Â