Give Me The Reason 2: A Love Story (12 page)

Chapter Eighteen

As Jason drove down the highway, he suddenly became enraged and started banging his fist on the steering wheel. His heart was ripped in two and he wanted revenge. Tears flooded his eyes. Natasha was his everything. He loved her more than anything in the world. All he ever tried to do was take care of her from day one.

He pictured the smug ass expression on dude’s face when he walked up and caught him all over his wife. Jason pulled his cell phone out and googled Drake Porter, so he could find out the name of the club he owned.

In less than twenty minutes, Jason pulled up to Lyrical Soul Lounge. People were standing around talking and laughing, as Jason approached the front door. A few scantily dressed females were throwing seductive looks his way, but he ignored them.

“May I help you?” a fine big boned, brown-skinned sister asked him. The short, black mini dress she was wearing accentuated all of her lovely curves. For a second, Jason couldn’t even speak, until he caught a glimpse of Drake out of the corner of his eye.

“Nah, I’m good, ma. I found who I was looking for,” he said, and walked off.

Drake had his back to Jason. He was leaned over a table staring down some chick’s dress. He never saw Jason coming.

Jason grabbed Drake by the back of his neck and swung him around.

“What the fuck?” was all Drake got out of his mouth before Jason slammed his fist in his mouth. The ladies at the table jumped up and screamed. Jason was a madman bent on revenge.

The two tussled, knocking over tables and breaking the glasses and plates in the process. Drake couldn’t seem to get a good hit in to save his life. Jason was throwing blow after blow at Drake. One of the staff members ran to Tyson’s office and told him there was a disturbance out on the floor involving Drake. Tyson jumped up from behind his desk and rushed out to see what the commotion was about.

He immediately recognized Jason, Natasha’s husband, putting a serious whooping on Drake. Tyson ran over and pulled Jason off of Drake.

“Jason, man what’s up?”

Drake struggled to get up off the floor, but somehow he managed to get up. His lip was busted and blood was coming from his nose too.

“That nigga been fucking my wife and got her pregnant!” Jason yelled, snatching his arm away from Tyson.

Tyson’s mouth hung open in shock. Damn he knew the nigga was grimy, but Tyson had no idea Drake was fucking Natasha. “Let’s take this to the back.”

“Nah fuck that, bruh, call the police and have his ass locked up! This fool gon’ learn not to come up in my shit causing a scene!” Drake spat. He wiped his mouth with one of the white cloth napkins that one of the waitresses handed him.

Jason lunged at Drake, but Tyson quickly pulled him back. “Man, don’t do it. Just try to calm down. Let me handle this. I know you’re angry, but don’t do it like this, dawg,” Tyson coxed.

Drake stood across from Jason with the same smug ass smirk on his face that made Jason want to fuck him up in the first place.

“Yeah you better calm his ass down, Ty.”

“Drake, cool it, bruh. Ok, everyone can get back to work, everything is good,” Tyson said, glaring at Drake.

Once the staff and patrons dispersed, Tyson told Jason to follow him outside. He didn’t want to risk the chance of Jason jumping on Drake again.

“You aight?” Tyson asked Jason, when they got outside of the club.

“Yeah, I’m good,” Jason said, rubbing his sore knuckles. He didn’t mean to wild out like he did in a public place, but his emotions got the best of him.

Tyson didn’t really know what to say. He’d only just met Jason recently. However, he could sympathize with how the brotha must have been feeling. Tyson could only imagine how he would feel if he found out that some nigga had been fucking Delaney.

“Man, I can only imagine how you must be feeling. I had no idea Drake was messing around with Natasha,” Tyson said, shaking his head.

“It’s all good. Imma get out of here, and again my bad. I didn’t mean to tear ya shit up like that. But tell ya boy if I see his ass on the street, it’s all the way on,” Jason turned and walked off without waiting on a response from Tyson.

Drake was standing in the doorway watching Tyson and Jason. He didn’t feel one ounce of remorse.
Fuck nigga,
he thought to himself before turning around and walking back inside of the club.

Chapter Nineteen

Natasha had been staying at Delaney’s house for the past two months since the big blow up with Jason. She had only spoken to him once since she moved out. Jason continued to deposit money into her account on a weekly basis, and for that she was grateful. So many times Natasha wanted to pick up the phone and call him, but she didn’t know what to say that would ease his pain. The best thing she could do was give him a little space and time.

“Hey, Tash, I thought you were still in your bedroom asleep.” Delaney said, walking into the living room. She was dressed and ready to go out on a date with Chris.

“I actually just woke up. I was just about to go cook something to eat. Where are you going, chick? You look hella cute!” Natasha said, rising up from the sofa and walking into the kitchen.

Delaney followed her into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of lemonade.

“Well, I have a date tonight with Chris.” She beamed. They had been talking a lot more lately and spending more and more time together. Chris respected the fact that she didn’t want a relationship with him. He hadn’t crossed any boundaries either. Lately, Delaney was starting to re-think what she’d said.

“Oh really, y’all sure have been spending a lot of time together lately,” Natasha said. Delaney wasn’t fooling her though. She knew how much Delaney still loved Tyson.

“Yes, we have. But we are strictly friends and Chris is cool with that.”

“Ummm hmmmm, if you think for one minute that he just wants to be your friend, then you are nuts, sis,” Natasha chuckled, as she sprinkled various seasonings on the chicken wings she was preparing to fry. Chris had been in love with Delaney since they were little kids. He was just waiting for the right moment to slide back into her life.

Delaney didn’t want to admit that she was feeling Chris more and more as time went on. There were a few times that she almost initiated sex with him. It had been so long since she’d had some loving and she was horny as hell.

“I can’t speak for Chris, and I’m pretty sure if I wanted to pursue a relationship with him, that he’d be down for it. But I’m just not ready because I’m not over Tyson.”

“Laney, why don’t you just try to work things out with Ty? He is a damn good man. Don’t make the same mistake as me,” Natasha said, suddenly becoming sad. She would much rather be in her own home cooking her man dinner instead of living with her best friend and on the verge of getting a divorce. Jason hadn’t filed any papers yet, but she was sure that eventually he would.

“Tash, it’s more complicated than that. Tyson has a baby with another woman, who he allowed to live under the same roof as him while I was laid up in a coma. I can’t get over the fact that he has a child with a woman that I knew nothing about.”

“Come on, Laney, the man didn’t know the heffa was prego. How was he supposed to tell you something that he didn’t even know about? I get it that you think he should have told you about his ex-girlfriend and all of the phone calls, but really I think you are over-reacting,” Natasha said, dropping several pieces of chicken in the deep fryer.

“Maybe you have a point, Tash, but I can’t deal with the fact that he has a baby. I don’t have the energy or patience to deal with nobody’s baby mama. I envisioned me and Tyson getting married and starting a family of our own.”

“Sis, shit happens and unfortunately the fairytale that you had all planned out in your head isn’t going to be your reality. But that doesn’t mean that you have to give up and roll over. Tyson has made it clear that he doesn’t want to be with that female. He loves you! Most importantly, you love him. Just give it some more thought and don’t wait until it’s too late,” Natasha warned. She wasn’t going to keep going on and on, but she didn’t want to see her bestie make a mistake that she would regret. Internally Natasha chuckled to herself at how stubborn Delaney was being.

Delaney sat and pondered over the conversation that she was having with Natasha. Tyson definitely still had a hold on her heart and Chris didn’t deserve to be drug along. Although, she made it clear to Chris that they were strictly friends, she knew deep down that he was hoping for more.

“What’s wrong with you? You’re sitting over there looking like you lost your best friend? Let me find out you gotta another best friend.” Natasha joked. She didn’t mean to kill Delaney’s vibe, she only wanted to give her some food for thought.

“Nah, I’m good. Just thinking about calling Chris and cancelling our movie date. You’re right, I am still madly in love with Tyson. I don’t want to lead Chris on.”

“Do what you feel is best.” Natasha smiled and patted Delaney’s hand.

“Besides, that damn chicken is smelling good as hell! Why don’t you drop some French fries in there too!” Delaney said. “Imma go call Chris and tell him we can go another night. I’d rather stay in and pig out with you anyway,” she added.

Ding Dong.

Both Natasha and Delaney looked at each other.

“Are you expecting company, Tash? I know that can’t be Chris because he doesn’t even get off work for another forty-five minutes.”

“Nah, I’m not expecting anyone. But I’ll go get the door, just watch my wings for me,” Natasha said and went to go answer the door.

Natasha opened the door, and there stood Chris with a big smile on his handsome face, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

“Hey Chris, what’s up? Come on in.”

Chris walked in and the aroma of fried chicken instantly hit his nose. “Damn, it smells good in here.”

“Yeah, I’m in the kitchen frying some chicken wings. Hold up and I’ll go and get Laney for you,” she smiled, before walking off.

Delaney was pulling several pieces of chicken out of the fryer when Natasha walked back into the kitchen.

“Girl, Chris is in the living room waiting on you. I guess his ass got off early, huh?” Natasha whispered.

“What? Are you serious?” Delaney’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“Girl yeah, and he got a big ass bouquet of flowers for you too. Friends my ass!” Natasha laughed.

“Oh shut the hell up!” Delaney joined in her laughter. “Damn, now what am I going to do? I’m really not in the mood to go out anymore, plus I wanna eat some of those wings.”

“Take your crazy ass in there, that boy is waiting on you,” Natasha joked.

Delaney walked in the living room and saw Chris sitting on her sofa holding the flowers that Natasha told her about.

“Hey! What are you doing here already?”

Chris stood up and gave her a hug.

“Well I got off early and figured I would come on by to pick you up a little early. Oh these are for you,” he smiled proudly, handing her the flowers.

“Thanks, Chris, they are beautiful!”

“You’re welcome! But these flowers are not nearly as beautiful as you, Laney.” There was so much sincerity in his voice when he spoke those words. Delaney felt even worse than before. It was evident that Chris was still in love with her and clearly wanted more than she was willing to give him.

“Chris, we need to talk,” Delaney said, placing the flowers on the coffee table.

The smile instantly left Chris’ face when she said those dreadful words. He thought things had been going great between them. Delaney seemed to have been opening up more to him lately, and she didn’t talk about Tyson as much either.

Delaney briefly closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before proceeding, “I was just about to call you and cancel our movie date right before you arrived. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and to be totally honest with you I am not over my ex. In fact, I am still madly in love with him. You have been a great friend to me and I don’t want to lead you on, Chris.”

Chris was crushed. Maybe this was his payback for what he’d done to Delaney so long ago.

“I know that you told me from the beginning that you weren’t interested in rekindling anything between us, but I was really hoping that I could change your mind. Over the past few months, I thought you were opening up to the idea of us being together,” Chris said, clearly disappointed.

“It’s not fair to you if I start a relationship with you when I still have unresolved feelings for Tyson. I love him and I can’t apologize for that.”

“Okay, Laney, I get it. I love you now and always will. I will settle for being just your friend. I won’t pursue you romantically anymore. Deal?” he smiled, holding out his pinky finger.

“Deal!” She smiled and locked her pinky finger around his, happy that he had taken it so well. Chris would always hold a special place in her heart and she was happy they were able to remain friends.

“So what’s up with that chicken?” Chris asked. “I’m hungry as hell and Natasha has it smelling all good up in here.” He laughed.

“I know right! Come on and let’s go eat.” Chris followed Delaney into the kitchen. The three of them sat around eating and reminiscing into the wee hours of the morning.