Page 19 of Brown Sugar

It’s arrived via text message from Shawn’s number. The rest of the message reads:

morning bby

thinking of u

ready for tonight

My insides freeze into ice. I can only lay in bed like I’ve been encapsulated in a giant block of ice. Some glacier I’m trapped inside.

What the hell is this!?

Hot anger suddenly flames over me and melts the ice away. I go from frozen in place to furiously tapping at my phone, typing up a quick response to his message.

Wrong number Shawn.

shit… Kiki? sry

Maybe check the number you’re texting next time.

its nothing u haven’t seen before. chill.

“Chill?” I croak. “CHILL!? You cheated on me, you asshole!”

I shriek in frustration as I toss my phone across my king-sized bed. The audacity will never cease to surprise me. It’s the realization that I spent four years with this man.

Four long years I was in love with him.

A part of me… still is.

Frustration bottles up inside me. I leap from my bed and march over to the balcony doors, wrenching them open to take in some fresh morning air.

I have no proof.

There’s no way for me to ever know for sure.

But Shawn sent that dick pic on purpose. It was no accident.

He wanted me to see what I’m missing. He wanted to rub it in my face that he’s moved onto to another woman.

Alexis.

I already knew they were fucking. Receiving a dick pic confirming as much is on another level.

“You need to move on,” I mutter to myself. “He’s not worth your time. Karma’ll handle it. Hopefully.”

My musings are interrupted by a knock at the front door.

I throw on a robe and go to answer.

“Ready?” Tyson asks as soon as I do.

My brows connect in a confused line. “For what?”

“Your pressers are today. I’m here to pick you up.”

He speaks so damn matter-of-factly all the time. Just once I’d love some real human emotion.

All while he stands on my doorstep dressed in black.