Double Negative **** Chapter Eighty-Two

Nikki didn't waste any time acting a damn fool, she became defensive after laying eyes on my injuries. "WHO DID THIS TO MY BITCH! UNH UNNNNH---SEE----HELL NAW!"

I explained to her they were self inflicted as I covered my naked body. I knew she was a down ass bitch. She wanted to fight and talked crazy to Von.

I felt better and Troy knew it, I had been so upset, but fuck him, he played so many games and I didn't know where his head was at when it came to me. He had given me himself raw and uncut and his exterior was just a facade. Just a lost mama's boy who needed my milk. I smelled the weed smoke coming through the vents as Nikki sat on the ottoman still in disbelief I looked the way I had. I couldn't even explain what had happened to me but when she said "Are u pregnant?" I just broke down. I hadn't known how to respond but knew something was wrong. Empathetically she hugged me, I didn't even know how she could tell.

She'd been in danger and hadn't known.

Von seemed rather---derogatory, I'd had a feeling Nikki had rejected him in some fashion and it hadn't sat with his ego too well, but I brushed it off and put on Troy's sweats and t-shirt after hearing his comment from the foyer, "Fuck Dat Hoe."

Nikki's passive ass was afraid to defend the comment even as it was so I didn't reference what he'd said, I was lowkey mad at her. He had rescued her apparently though, that's all that mattered.

I'd texted Trenton back before Nikki had arrived, I needed to talk to him to see where his head was at. My approach would be subtle. I was intimidated by the fact he felt as comfortable as he had playing me like the fool I was.

Nikki had asked about my injuries, she was concerned, I hadn't wanted to discuss them. I could hear Troy from afar and his tone hadn't seemed agitated as it had all morning, and I still hadn't peed on the stick. Nikki spotted it and dramatically questioned whether or not I was pregnant and if so, by who. If only she knew. Trenton texted back, "Where are u?"

I hesitated before responding, and then said "Texas."

An hour went by before he even decided to respond, I'd known he'd read the text. I was so frustrated, but seeing Nikki lifted my spirits and she really wasn't feeling Von. I became so emotional as I talked to the only friend I had in the world, I knew Trenton wouldn't play fair and I'd dragged her into it all, I was so sorry.

Still being nauseous, I decided to smoke thinking it would calm my nerves but it only made me paranoid. I wanted to trust Troy but the fact that he was my killer didn't go well with having his baby. He seemed so concerned but they all had.

Nikki watched me as I scrolled on my phone, my lips formed a smile, I'd had an idea. Just as I spoke on it Troy came inside of the room and asked her to leave out, closing the door quickly behind her. I smelled the liquor on his breath as he tried to kiss me, I was yet mad about his prank and pushed him away. I would see brief anger at times and it would normally be when I rejected him. "Just take the test," he said. I was tired of him asking and now I knew I couldn't put it off any longer, he'd agreed I could leave if it was negative. I told him I didn't have to pee but would let him know when I did before asking him to leave me alone. "U need to eat," he said putting out the blunt I'd rolled and lit after taking it from my hand. I hated him! I wanted more than anything to go on with my life and he had just pried his way into it. I'd allowed him to do so and the heat I felt inside when he was around was indescribable. I needed to talk to Terrica! I had questions!

Troy left the room with a sly look on his face, I knew what he wanted and I refused to give in to his dominant seduction. My sexual cravings for his black ass were unheard of and I pretended horribly. Nikki returned, I gave her the test. I explained I had to get away and needed the test to read negative. Even though I didn't feel he was a man of his word I knew the negative test would hold weight, I could leave and abort the child. Nikki went inside the bathroom and closed the door. A couple minutes passed and I could hear Troy walk toward the door but turn around as he talked about a dog fight he had bet on. I was so nervous, I knew she would get caught with the test. When the door opened she handed it to me in the nick of time, Troy came into the room simultaneously. I held the test in the tissue Nikki had wrapped it in and gave it to him, "HERE! ARE U SATISFIED? ITS NEGATIVE!" He unwrapped it and said "Yea, right---hell yea, I KNEW IT!"

I jumped up and prepared to call a taxi confused as hell, Nikki was quiet. I finally looked at the pregnant bitch, she was dumbfounded.

I just be muthafuck!

I could have strangled them both. Troy disregarded Nikki being present and pinned me against the wall kissing my bruised neck. "My first baby, damn, u giving me my first baby," he whispered in my ear before leaving the room calling Von's name.

Nikki sat on the bed, I folded my arms to keep from pulling my hair out! I WOULD STILL LEAVE! I hadn't even understood the whole scenario, he'd sent for NIkki and knew I was leaving with her so it shouldn't have been a problem. I decided to take pictures of the ledger pages instead of take the whole book.

I was so afraid to have another child---

Trenton texted my phone as I tried to decide how to leave, "I miss u Baby, so much. Please come home to me. Whatever is wrong we can fix! I will never hurt u, I've loved u since the day I first laid eyes on u at the lake."

I missed him, he was my life. He loved me, I knew he did I kept telling myself but deep down I knew even if he had once upon a time he would no longer after finding out I was carrying Troy's baby.

"I'll be home soon love."

I considered the fact that my cell phone was still active and he was yet paying the bill, then the thought occurred; the guy who removed my oxygen mask said he'd tracked his wife's IPhone to that hospital room. I instantly powered it off before throwing it to the floor. I wondered if Nikki had noticed anyone strange, even in Texas. She had given her name when she filed the report and I knew she needed to be somewhere safe, I couldn't have her demise on my conscious.

Trenton didn't respond to the message and I wondered what his mind state was. So much money was unaccounted for and he was such a simple man. Troy had mentioned he had bonds, if it was true I would find out where. I was going home and he could not stop me. I had so many memories with that man, he had in fact fathered my child. I lit the blunt and passed it to Nikki, she looked as if she needed it, before getting the ledger from the drawer and entering the bathroom. I took pictures and returned it to the nightstand. There was so much undetailed information and I studied every series of numbers while Troy entertained Von. What had he expected from Nikki, something had pissed them both off.

The television played while Nikki and I talked about starting over, finding out she was pregnant had discouraged her, her and Mena were still beefing, years later.

"U out here living it up," she said, "I'm still barely living on section 8."

What's luxury without happiness? I'd had more children and gotten married since we last saw each other, a lot had changed, my Lover had been taken away from me. I cried while I talked to her and as if Troy knew he'd walked in at a sentimental moment, he immediately left back out. Nikki was hugging me like a real friend would saying we would get through the shit together. I wasn't too sure though and Troy stood in the doorway now, he'd come back looking at Nikki like she was too close. I'd tried to read him as he stood expressionless but jealous and I knew he had only sent for her to make me happy. I heard the front door chime and hadn't known if someone else had come in or Von had gone but I heard him say "What's good cousin," before I heard another nigga speak and wondered who else was coming. Cousin?

Troy was dressed and I hoped he would leave. He'd found it funny I'd expected a bitch to show up, since he wanted to play games I would show him how to appropriately. "Ride with Von," he told Nikki before she loudly protested. I couldn't figure out what had happened between the two. She agreed before saying "That nigga better not touch me." When Nikki left Troy asked, "U must want me to kill that nigga? Why u keep contacting him? U mine now." I powered on my phone, I needed to LEAVE HIM!

He had lost his damn mind, I was my own. "Where is Nikki going?" I asked before wanting to know what happened between them. He said, "She laughed at his dick."

He was mad as hell. I needed the laugh too just hearing it but that Nikki bitch moved too fast.

"T ain't bullshittin, we will leave before I let him fuck with u. Ion trust that grimy ass nigga, he will do anything to come up with that bread."

If he had bonds then why did he need more money?

"What about the bonds?" I asked.

"He fighting for them, they are in the last name Carter---his old man swindled that money. T changed his last name so he couldn't collect and pay Nate when he turned 21."

I was confused, where did the money come from? Troy kissed my forehead as I asked where that creep had taken my friend. He assured me she would return safe and wanted to know if I would leave with him---again. I had unfinished business, I couldn't leave, but he'd never seemed so sincere before. He was dead serious. "We can just live, it's not safe here." Something told me he was somewhat afraid, I'd seen that look before on Twan's face the night I went to the hotel where he'd taken my babies. "I can go visit my little sister Rina and we could fly out, just say it."

"What about Nikki?"

"Bring her too."

I just didn't know, I mean at that point I had grown to trust that black ass nigga, but I was curious to know what Trenton would do.

"It's not just us two we gotta look out for now."

The thought of being pregnant made my insides churn, I did not want his child! I thought I did, and I still had feelings for the man Trenton had pretended to be. He had won me over by being persistent. I knew I could recover the money from the account Twan had left behind but was curious to know how Pam played a role in it all, I knew she did. Shit was getting real, I could tell as the messages flooded the phone. "U hungry?" As hell.

"Ill cook," Troy said. I agreed to eat it before looking at the phone and focusing between the cracked screen. JUST LEAVE ALREADY! He could tell something had instantly upset me. There was a message that read, "Maybe Kerri and her son's disappearance will bring u out of hiding. They can only go so long without eating. By the way, u only confirmed what we'd thought all along, Grandad could only bring her home and bury her where she belonged. Does the name LaDonna ring a bell? It was heartbreaking your father had forgotten all about her. The shed is not a confession booth."

Did that bastard have my sister and nephew?! I began to shake unknowingly, Troy grabbed me before taking the phone. WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO!!!!!

WHAT DID HE WANT FROM ME?? OH MY GOD! I couldn't think, I just wanted to find Kerri, I LOVED HER! I began to scream as Troy tried to calm me down, I needed to leave! I beat him in his chest, it was HIS FAULT!

"Calm down for the baby, I'll handle it!"

He walked to the closet and opened the Balenciaga box and removed the handgun before walking down the hall calling Von on his cell, "Where ya at bro? Meet me at 10 on Monkhouse, we got some shit to handle." When he returned he carried an AK, I'd recognized it because Redd had owned one. He was telling me not to leave, or let anyone inside. I lied and said I would stay put! WHAT ABOUT NIKKI!!! Troy left out, I worried. I wondered if he was only upset because I was or was it more to it! I'd only seen one message so I scrolled up to the one above, "Im glad u found someone who wanted your sex, maybe the deformed child u will eventually give him will serve a purpose. The one u have given me won't be useful for long, neither of your sons will. Well technically I only need one, they both have the same name! It wasn't hard to change Dartanyan, I was glad they understood noone wants to be named after a slave. However, if the firstborn son won't work, there's always another! Pretty sure u will show your face now, I know how to destroy u. Makil---Troy, pardon me, is just as fucked up as u are, u two deserve to die together. He's weak though, he doesn't even know how his mother really died, do u?"