Page 125 of In the Safety's Zone
“Why are you running from me?”
That seemed to shock him into remembering I was there and waiting on an answer. “There’s about to be accusations made about me and—”
“Who is the bitch? Because if she’s crazy like Money’s baby mama we can absolutely run the bitch into the ground. I’m all about believing women but nobody is going to come at you on some bullshit charges while I’m around.” I’d seen every part of Anthony and we spent so much time together there was no way he’d done some crazy shit like putting his hands on a woman.
“Nah, not on no rape shit. No, it’s my parents.” The bitterness in his voice couldn’t be masked nor could the sadness on his face.
“Your parents?”
I started to feel warm all over and my stomach felt queasy. Having met Jillana’s ass and heard about their father’s antics I knew this wasn’t heading in a good direction.
Anthony sat down on the edge of the bed taking care not to disturb the piles I’d folded.
“My mother and father have planted a story that Choo and I have been betting on games.”
“What?”
That was something that was absolutely unheard of. My father was shitty but this was something even he wouldn’t do. Having the people think that you are throwing games or betting on any of your peers was a career ender. My heart dropped in my stomach because they were truly trying to sabotage him. With the way things had happened in his past…
“Yeah, they’re also claiming I got you to drop that set at the US Open in order to keep it interesting. And that my being at Wimbledon was just a photo op. This whole thing between us is apparently fake.”
“The way you make my heart feel and those orgasms sure ain’t.”
He tried to stem the natural reaction to laugh but he couldn’t. “Aphrodite, be serious.”
“Serious? Okay, well, it’s bad enough they were coming for you but now they wanna lump me in it? This is going to be rich.”
Having someone think I threw a game because of betting especially after all I’d accomplished would have every governing body looking into my games.They might try to vacate my wins this year.
My eyes went to his and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was because he was gravely nodding. “That’s why we gotta take a break. It’s easier for you to separate yourself from this even if it is temporary. I’ve lived through this and survived it. By our being broken up—”
“It’ll have people thinking that you’re guilty, which you aren’t. I’m not about to abandon you when you need me the most. Leaving means I don’t believe you and that I won’t stand beside you. Or that I got some shit to hide. I might not be as feisty as everyone else but I’ve faced down challenges in my lifeand overcome them, just like you have. I’m not running away from you.”
“You don’t need me dragging your damn name in the mud! Cause that’s what's about to happen. They’re going to bring up that shit from college and run with me being guilty because once you’ve done something bad you’re going to always be branded as a bad seed. My brother ain’t looked at another woman in five years but bitches will swear he was just with them last night and blogs print that shit. Folks focus on sensationalism, not substance. You’ve never had that shit touch you, AP. You’ve always been good. Forgive me for wanting to keep your image clean unadulterated by my parents’ bullshit!” The vein in the middle of his forehead was thumping displaying the stress his body was under.
This was only the second time I’d ever heard him getting loud and the first time it was with me. I wasn’t scared for myself but I was definitely hurting for the way I knew he was hurting right now. He needed to dial his volume back though, because I didn’t like it.
“Who cares about an image? You want me to live my life for what people outside of our relationship think? They aren’t you. I have the covering of your love with me wherever I go and even in the darkest hour you have mine. This is a test, so why the fuck do you think I’m going to leave you? Swear I’m calling Billy so that she knows you don’t believe in her and her ability to make this shit right. And Bobby? His ass is going to have a field day after he gets you out of this. You really doubt the people we have around us. You’re too used to only having your brother to rely on when you’ve got an entire team LITERALLY behind you. And you have me. I wouldn’t give a shit what I had to do or say or pay in order to make sure you were good. We’re in this together and it’s not going to be me running away the moment shit gets hard. We’re locked in Anthony so get used to it.”
He smiled but it was faint, not the bright, soul-warming smile I was used to.
“As a man, you gotta understand that the last thing I want is for you to lose your standing because of something I did. For loving me to ever have you out here looking crazy in public. I watched my daddy’s cheating break my mama down to a person who didn’t look out for herself or her seed. She was labeled a fool for still dealing with him but she didn’t care. I don’t want you to ever be like her.”
I stood closer to him so he had no choice but to look me in the eye. “But you didn’t do it. You’re running because you’re worried. I’m not leaving, Anthony. I’m not even trying to get that deep but I understand that you have scars because of your mother. Because you’re worried that people who say they love you don’t show it. That’s not me. I think I’ve done my best to speak the words and put them into action. You don’t even want to give me the opportunity to fail because you think it’ll hurt too much. But what if I don’t fail? What if I exceed every expectation you’ve ever had? Pass every test that could be thrown our way? I have that much faith in you despite the fucked up relationship I’ve had with my father and my ex—give me the same latitude.”
“I’m worried, AP.” His voice cracked slightly and it almost broke me again.
I rubbed his head as he allowed it to fall against my stomach. His arms went around my waist and I could see the weight lifting off of him the longer I rubbed between his braids.
“I know you are, baby, and if you weren’t I’d think you were crazy. But God’s got this. Billy and Bobby and Bryan aren’t considered the best in the business because they don’t know what they’re doing. They have a team of agents and PR people who will handle this situation. And don’t count out Parker.”
“Shit, I had to get reassured about six times he wasn’t about to release me. These accusations ain’t nothing to play with. Wejust got the house—” His hands were on the top of his head and I could see the stress creeping back up.
“That’s true but we’d never lose the house because we’re partners in this. But they also have to prove that you’ve actually done something illegal. And any publication that simply takes your parents’ word against yours without an ounce of proof is liable to get sued and Billy would take nothing but joy in doing that. And I feel Parker enjoys embarrassing people. He seems really petty for a white dude.”
Anthony cracked a half smile and I silently prayed he would be okay. “Facts.”
“So what’s our game plan?”
