Page 63 of My Only

“Are you kidding me?” I let out a scoffing laugh. “That woman lit up in front of me with her eyes locked on you. I could feel her manipulative ass before I even saw her.”

“A. Boogie?—”

“And you’re supposed to be working closely with her?” I cut in. “Something she just had to make a point of?”

I stopped to take a slow breath, my heart hammering now.

“I’m used to women flirting with you. I don’t like it, but I’m used to it. It’s what comes with being with…” I exhaled, shaking my head. “You.”

He glanced at me.

“But I’m not okay with being disrespected the way Harper disrespected me, tonight.” I shook my head, staring out the windshield. “I’m not.”

Hassani sighed. “Do you trust me?”

I turned to him, brows furrowed. “What?”

His eyes were still on the road, but his voice was low. Steady. “Do you trust me?”

“What kind of fucking question is that?”

“An important one.” He licked his lips, shifting his grip on the wheel. “A, I know where home is. Aight?”

I sucked my teeth and looked away.

“People are gonna be people,” he continued. “Women are gonna flirt, and… whatever. I don’t care about none of that.” His voice softened. “The only thing I care about is you trusting me.”

“You know I trust you,” I muttered. “But this isn’t about that.”

“Ayla, you know I don’t entertain that bullshit. Come on, now.”

“And yet,” I said, turning my head to him, “this woman walked right up to a married man and greeted him like she was meeting her date at a bar.” My jaw clenched. “I trust you. That goes without saying. But while trust is important?” My voice hardened. “Being heard by you? Is just as important to me.”

I turned in my seat, facing him fully now.

“Feeling like what I say is heard and matters is important to me. You know I don’t trip over this kind of shit. You, of all people, know that.”

“I know.”

“So know that if I’m saying something to you?” I reached out and pressed a hand to his biceps.

Only then did he glance at me.

“I want to be heard,” I said. “I need to be heard.”

I held his gaze until he broke it to focus on the road.

“And what I say needs to matter to you.”

His throat bobbed. “It does matter.”

“Then hear me when I say I don’t like her. And I really need you to be careful with her because this thing she’s doing?” I shook my head. “The thing you are calling harmless?” I squeezed his arm. “It’s anything but harmless.”

His lips pressed together, but he nodded.

“And that’s me speaking to you not just as your wife, but as your friend, baby.”

With that, I turned back in my seat, letting the silence settle between us.

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