Page 102 of If You Love Me

Even though Tyrion had changed the locks and gotten us a security system, I was still on edge about Iona being on the loose. We’d gone to the police and gotten an emergency restraining order against her, but in my mind, that shit was just a piece of paper. If she was crazy enough to come into our home and plant cameras, what was stopping her from coming back?

All night long, I tossed and turned or looked up at the ceiling. My paranoia was beginning to set in. I swore I heard somebody moving around outside. I swore I heard footsteps in the house. I’d woken Tyrion up several times the last couple of nights to go check things out. He always came back with nothing, stating thatwe lived in an older house, and it was probably just an animal scavenging around the house.

That never made me feel any better. I’d taken to sleeping with my gun under my pillow just to feel somewhat safe. It was still unsettling to me that she’d been watching us for weeks now. That meant she’d seen and heard everything, including us having sex. Who knows what might have been said for her to feed off of. What information could she have gathered about our locations?

It was too much.

“Evenie… Ev!”

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Nina waving her hands in my face. I’d gone to lunch with her, but there wasn’t much eating being done on my part. If I wasn’t hyperaware of my surroundings, I was staring off into space in deep thought.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” I asked.

“I know this is a stupid question, but are you okay, girl?”

I shook my head. “I’ve been better, Nina. I can’t believe that this is where things are.”

“I know, boo. I should have cut that bitch when I had the chance. I know I said I wanted Tyrion to be happy, but I swear that had to be the reason she and I never clicked.”

“You sure it wasn’t the fact that she wasn’t me?”

She giggled. “I mean, that’s part of the reason, but seriously. There was something unsettling about her in my spirit. Like there was an evil dwelling there. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to upset my friend or make him think I wasn’t happy for him. He knew her better than I did… at least so we thought.”

I was trying not to get in the mindset of questioning Tyrion’s senses when it came to that bitch. The monkey on my back was telling me he should have picked up on something. I didn’t want to place blame because, ultimately, Iona knew her situationbetter than anyone. She wasn’t being responsible for her mental health, and neither was her damn mama.

I shook my head. “I just don’t understand why her mother didn’t say something sooner. You know your child, especially one with mental issues. She should have been said something. And I don’t wanna hear shit about she couldn’t as a mental health professional. She’s her mother. Her daughter was dating a man with a child, potentially having children with him. It should have come up.”

“I agree. Looks like you came back just in time, girl.”

“Yeah, just in time to shake some shit up. This can’t be life, Nina. We were finally happy. Finally in a great space.” I held up my hand. “He gave me a new ring.”

Nina grabbed my hand. “Oooo, bitch! This is nice! I don’t know how I missed this rock! This is the real reason that bitch is mad.”

“Honestly, I think it is. Tyrion said according to the footage on her phone, the last video feed she watched was the night we went on our date. I can’t believe she watched us have sex—”

“What!” Nina yelled, drawing attention from surrounding patrons. She covered her mouth. “Y’all had sex?” she whispered.

“We did.”

“How was it? And I don’t mean I need details. Tyrion is my brother. I don’t want to know how his thang is hitting. I meant, how did you feel?”

“I was nervous at first. He talked me through it though.”

She snapped her fingers. “I know that’s right. Ain’t nothing like a man talking you through it, girl. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself because that sexual tension was thick as hell. My baby might get that sibling she’s been telling Jersey about.”

I laughed. Of course Summer would tell Jersey she was getting a sibling.

“If I do get pregnant, you better be right behind me,” I said.

“Actually…”

She smiled brightly as she dug in her purse and produced a small envelope, handing it over to me. I slowly took it from her and opened it to reveal an ultrasound picture.

“You’re pregnant!”

She nodded happily. “Girl, I don’t know how it happened after ten years, but we are having another one.”

I stood and walked around the table to hug her.

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