Page 95 of Tainted

“You’ll have it in the morning.”

“Thank you,” she replied, gathering her belongings like I was letting her walk out of here tonight.

“Sit tight. I need to holla at Sydney.”

She had the same thought because I shut the door behind me, but Sydney was walking toward me with a full head of steam.

“What the fuck was that?”

“She didn’t have any business here in the first place.”

“She called me, not the other way around,” Then Sydney’s finger flew up to add one more thought. “And don’t give me thatnothingbullshit. We’re tag team champions of the world, and you blocked me at every turn tonight. That’s something.”

“I don’t care who called who. Zara is off limits,” I declared.

Sydney’s eyes widened, confusion flickering across her face for a split second before realization dawned. “Zara?”

The name hung in the air like a weight, the sudden silence around us.

“I guess that answers my question aboutZara! You like her. You really fuckin’ like her!” Sydney shoved me in the chest. “You fucked her like you’re making love! You’ve never been that intimate with another woman.”

“She was in over her head. If you weren’t so obsessed, you would’ve seen that.”

“So your solution was comforting her with your dick?” Sydney yelled, pacing the floor, “Kissing her in the mouth.” she paused to make her point, “No condom! Whispering in her ear like nobody else exists but the two of you!”

Sydney shoved me again. And again releasing all her pinned-up aggression. I didn’t deny it because if I had it to do all over again, the only thing I’d change was intervening sooner.

“She’s off limits from here on out.”

“Or what?” Sydney sobbed, and I finally let her go.

“Leave her alone, Syd. I mean it.”

She slammed the door as she stormed out, the sound echoing in the suite like the last punch thrown in a fight. Just because I defended Zara didn’t mean I wasn’t still pissed. Stepping onto the patio, I stared into the darkness, trying to settle the burning fire under my skin.

Minutes passed. Maybe more. My mind kept circling back to what the fuck could be that important to Zara when I heard a soft creak behind me. I didn’t have to turn around to know it was Zara. The way her presence changed the air gave her away.

At first, Zara didn’t say anything, just stood there, like she was testing the waters.

“What’s going on with you and Sydney?” I asked.

“Nothing. I needed the money. That’s it.”

“Do you know the danger you put yourself in? What if I wasn’t the man I am?” I grimaced at my words, sounding like one too many speeches Pops had delivered.

She looked away again, biting her lip, her walls slowly crumbling as I stared her down.

“But you were here!”

“What if I wasn’t? Every nigga ain’t me and won’t give a fuck about how you feel. That shit is dangerous and can break you in ways you’ll never recover from.”

I expected another rebuttal justifying her decision, but instead, she roped her arms around my waist, resting her head on my chest.

“I get it,” she murmured.

“If you want to fuck women do it, but don’t ever compromise yourself for anything or anyone.”

Her neck fell back enough to look up at me.

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