Where My Loyalties Lie 2 Read online

  Logic dragged himself from his car and to his door. Key in hand, he let himself in and didn't bother turning on any lights. Every inch of his apartment was embedded in his memory, so he didn't need lights to find his way.

  Once he was in his room, he turned on the lamp that sat in the corner and smiled when he noticed Joy asleep in his bed. As much as he wanted to be mad at her, just seeing her in his bed gave him as sense of peace that he hadn't realized he was missing.

  Unfortunately, that was clouded by the events of the evening, so he couldn't even enjoy it. Instead of dealing with her, he removed his clothes and made his way to the closet to put the money he collected from Gotti in his safe. After he had it secure, he collected his things to shower so that he could go to bed. He planned on sleeping on the sofa, because as much as he wanted to feel Joy’s body next to him, that wasn't enough. He needed to be sure that what they had wasn't temporary, and Rah had him questioning that. Before leaving his room to shower, Logic stood in his doorway, watching Joy sleep. Her hair was lying across her face, which was contorted into a frown. His body was craving her, but he had to fight against it, at least for now. So after releasing a frustrated breath, he left his room.

  -2-

  Joy woke up and looked around Logic’s room, almost in a daze, until she focused on the fact that he wasn't in his bed. Her heart sank just a little, when the first thought was that he didn't come home. That could have meant a lot of things, but the first thought that invaded Joy’s mind, was that he had possibly stayed with another woman.

  She and Logic were still new, so she understood that he could have easily found a willing participant to allow him a place to lay his head for the night. Amongst other things, after pulling herself from his bed, she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that she had to somehow survive her day, knowing that things weren't good between the two of them.

  After walking away from him, she realized that she hadn't really meant to make such a bold statement, and she was praying that they could have a conversation to fix whatever Rah had broken between them.

  Rah. Just thinking about him sent a wave of fire through her body. She couldn't believe how he behaved; well honestly, she could. But for him to act as if they were anything more than a bad decision and a past she didn't want to revisit, had her furious. To add insult to injury, Logic didn't even bother hearing her side. She knew that Logic had trust issues, but for him to just assume that Rah meant something to her, or that she was actually still connected to him, hurt.

  After Joy gathered her things and took them to the bathroom, so that she could shower and change, she noticed Logic’s keys on his dresser. She was a little confused, because he wasn't in bed with her and she hadn't heard him come in.

  Joy did a quick survey of his room, and didn't notice anything out of place, but she wouldn't have realized it anyway, because the only thing she had done when she got there was to get undressed and go to sleep.

  The second she reached his living room and found Logic stretched out on his sofa, arms folded covering his face, chest exposed, her heart hurt a little more. He did come home, but didn't care enough to wake her, or even sleep in the same bed.

  She stood there watching him sleep for a minute, before she decided go ahead and wake him.

  “Why didn't you wake me when you got home?”

  Logic opened his eyes and stretched. The displeased look on his face told Joy exactly how he felt about her being there.

  “Why are you here?”

  Logic stood and stepped around Joy. It took everything he had to do it, because he really wanted to kiss her. Her sad eyes were breaking him, but he wasn't about to put himself out there like that.

  “Because I feel like we need to talk,” Joy said following behind him.

  He laughed sarcastically as he opened his drawer, took out a shirt and then pulled it over his head. He still hadn't made eye contact with Joy.

  “Your ass should have wanted to talk last night. I told you that if you walked away then it wasn't just temporary. I have too much shit on my mind to be worried about you playing me for some nigga that you’re sharing with my cousin Joy.”

  His eyes finally made contact with hers, and he could see the reality of the words that just left his mouth, written all over her face. He regretted being so harsh, but the idea of Joy dealing with someone else had him in a place he had never been before. Never once had Logic cared enough that the idea of another man having a connection with someone that he was dealing with mattered, but with Joy, just the thought of her being with Rah had him wanting to put a bullet in him. He didn't understand how she had done that to him so quickly, but it was a luxury that he couldn't afford. He couldn't allow someone to have that much power over him, and not feel as if he could trust them. That was a hazard.

  “You didn't really give me a choice. You basically accused me of cheating on you without even really knowing the facts.”

  “If I recall correctly, I didn't accuse you of shit. I asked you if you were still fucking with that nigga, and you walked off. What the fuck was I supposed to think Joy? I’m not a damn mind reader.”

  “You shouldn't have had to ask me that. You should have known.”

  Again, Logic laughed. “What I know is if I didn’t have a gun pointed at that nigga, he would have probably been all over your ass, so how do you expect me to look past that?”

  “I expect you to know me.”

  “All due respect Joy, that’s not good enough. I gave you a chance to explain, and you wanted to be on some kindergarten shit, stomping around like I didn’t have the right to ask you that shit in the first place.”

  Joy just looked at him not knowing what to say next. They were both quiet. Logic waited for Joy to give him a reason to let her stay, and Joy was trying to figure out how they had even gotten to this point.

  “Once again, I guess I’ll take that to be your answer. Lock the door when you leave.”

  He walked out of his bedroom into his bathroom, and slammed the door. He stood here for a minute because he needed to get his mind right, but Joy kept invading his thoughts. He proceeded to wash his face and brush his teeth, and when he was done, he placed both hands on the sink while staring at his reflection. Logic wasn't really sure what he was looking for; in fact, he knew that he was just giving himself a minute, just in case Joy hadn't left yet. Seeing her face made him weak, and he wanted to break down, but then his mind would move to thoughts of Rah.

  After getting himself together enough to face her again, he left the bathroom and sure enough, she was sitting on the edge of his bed waiting.

  “None of this is helpful. Maybe we made a mistake, but either way I can't really focus on this right now.” He decided to speak first.

  “Really Logic, is it that easy for you?”

  “Why wouldn't it be?” He didn't mean that, and he didn't know why he was acting like it was that simple, because he knew that it would hurt her and that wasn't his intention.

  “Fine, I guess it is. For the record, I’m not still dealing with him. I haven't in over a year, but I guess you don't really care about that, so do with it what you want.” She walked over to the dresser and lifted her keys. She began removing the key that Logic had given her, but he grabbed her hand and took the keys from her.

  “What?” she asked.

  Logic smiled even though he hadn't really meant to, but hearing Joy confirm what he was praying to be true, made his heart smile, and it filtered over into his expression. He had what he needed from her. All he ever really wanted was for Joy to tell him that it was just the two of them. It was insane how he needed that confirmation from her, but he did, and he believed her the second the words left her lips.

  “Come here.” Logic’s voice was calm and low but Joy didn't move. She just studied his face, still caught up in his initial reaction.

  “I have to get ready for work.” Joy stayed put, knowing good and damn well she was aching to be close to him.

  “Joy, come here.” Th
ere was only about a foot’s distance between them. Logic could have easily reached for Joy, but he wanted the movement to be her choice, initiated by her. He stood his ground, just like she did, but he could see her breaking with every second that her stubbornness held her in place.

  Their standoff eventually ended when Joy could no longer stand the distance between them. How could this man have her so wrapped up? She broke down and took a step towards him, and that was all he needed. With one fluent motion, his hands were on Joy, gently but with force, and she was locked in his embrace while his lips grazed her cheek. The pounding coming from her chest forced her breathing to become labored, even though she tried her best to control it.

  “I can't be with someone that I don't trust. Especially not now… everything's different now. I need you to understand that.” His breath tickled her senses, as he whispered against her ear.

  “You can trust me,” Joy said meaning every word. She wasn't going to be disloyal to Logic in any type of way. His presence intimidated her, but not in a way that made her fear him. It simply made her crave him in a way that would make her do anything for him.

  “Can I?” Logic’s hand cupped the back of Joy’s head and she tilted it back just a little, anticipating what was next. Logic couldn't control the smile he felt surfacing at her instincts.

  “With your life and every secret you’ve ever kept.” Joy spoke with so much conviction that Logic could no longer control the urge to taste her lips. So he kissed her in a way that let her know that he was accepting her offer of loyalty.

  “You need to get dressed. You’re about to be late.” Logic kissed Joy on the forehead and let her go. Just that quickly, he was back in business mode. She had to be at work and so did he. His first stop was going to be Intrigued. He needed to have a conversation with Luther and after that, he needed to prepare his team for what he felt like was about to happen.

  Joy began to sulk. Work was the last thing on her mind, but she prided herself in being responsible, so regardless, she was going. “So, can I see you later?”

  “You will see me later,” Logic said as he went to get his phone from the living room.

  That had Joy beaming just a little, but she still didn't want to go.

  “We need to talk. Just call me when you get off.” Joy took in Logic’s demeanor, noticing the change in him. From the day she first laid eyes on him, she knew that he was a man of action, but right now there was a confidence in him that he owned intimately. It made him even sexier, as if that were possible. She didn't understand how that transformation happened so quickly, but she was sure it had something to do with his recent decision about hitting the streets again. What she was seeing in Logic was one of the qualities that she used to see in Rah years ago, but Logic wore it differently. He had a way about him that had Joy obsessing over him.

  Logic’s phone went off, bringing Joy out of her thoughts about him. She watched as he held it to the side of his face. Every move he made was sexy to her, without any effort on his part.

  “What’s good Gotti, we all set?”

  Logic left his bedroom to speak privately, but not before blessing Joy with a kiss on the lips that had her heart fluttering. She was in love, no doubt about it.

  *****

  “Logic, I really need you to think about what you’re doing. Think about what it's going to do to your mother.”

  Logic was half listening to Luther and in fact, the only reason why he was even there was because he had respect for Luther. His mind was made up and the decision had been made, but he felt like he owed Luther, at the very least a face to face, to let him know that his priorities had changed.

  “Luther, you know you’re my peoples. Shit, you’re damn near my father, and I don't ever want you to feel like I don't appreciate that, but this is me. I tried shit your way and it’s not working. I’m at home in the streets. It's in my DNA, and I just need you to respect that. But check it, I need a favor.”

  Luther’s hand went across his hair and he studied Logic’s face. True indeed this was not his son by blood, but in every other way that mattered. Luther didn't have to like Logic’s decision to respect it. Every man had to choose his own path and accept the consequences that were born from it. Logic was not exempt from that, and Luther also knew that Logic understood that.

  “What’s that son?”

  “She needs you. Take care of my mother.”

  Luther nodded. There were so many different meanings to that statement, but the most important one was that Logic was passing down his duties as the man in his mother’s life, to Luther.

  “It's already done.”

  The men shared a quick hug and Luther watched as Logic left Intrigued. His heart was heavy, but he had no choice but to let him go.

  When Logic walked into their stash house, he eyed all of his people. They watched him intently, waiting for his guidance. In just days, they had become dependent on his leadership. Logic just had that effect on everyone he came across, but the beauty in it was that he didn't abuse that power. He was honest and fair. If you were loyal to him, then he gave that right back without question, but you would only cross him once. Being honest and fair damn sure didn’t make him a fool.

  “We’re making money. That shit is gonna come regardless, but more important than that, we’re regaining the respect we lost because of Donte. If niggas respect you, then they will be less likely to fuck with you. Don't take that to mean that they won't, but respect goes a long way. Rah and his people need to understand that we are together in this. This is our shit and it's gonna stay our shit. You see them coming for you, take a life because they won't hesitate to take yours. Anybody got a problem with that?”

  The room was silent, but the flow of eye contact and head nods gave Logic the confirmation that he was looking for.

  “Good. Go make some money.”

  After a few brief words and affirmations, the room was empty again. Lil Chris and Gotti sat across from one another, while Logic stared out the window watching his people work. He was lost in this thoughts. For some reason, he kept thinking about his brother. Maybe it was the fact that he was in the streets again, but either way, Bernard was heavy on his mind. It made his heart hurt a little.

  “You good Logic?” Lil Chris offered him the blunt that he was working on, and Logic shook his head turning it down. He needed his mind clear.

  “Yeah, what’s our inventory looking like?”

  “It's time to re-up. I told you that shit is selling.”

  Logic smiled at the thought of making money, but he was more drawn by the process of it all. It had never been just about material things. He liked nice shit, but it's not what made him tick. The power was what pushed him. There was something about the way people fell in line under his control, or reacted when his name was spoken. That was what he missed the most. The money was just an added bonus.

  “Okay, I’ll make some calls. I want you there.” Logic knew enough to keep his hands clean. He was meticulous about that. Especially now, there was no way he was about to end up in jail, opening the door for another motherfucker to step in and take Joy. He had her and he was keeping her.

  “Just let me know, but we got shit to take care of, so if you don't need us—”

  “Handle your business,” Logic said nodding at Gotti and then Lil Chris. The three men dapped each other before Gotti and Lil Chris hit the front door.

  Logic pulled out his phone and shot Joy a quick text.

  I miss your lips.

  He knew that she was working, so instead of waiting for a reply, he locked his phone and slid it into his pocket. For now, he had work to do.

  -4-

  Rah watched Nova as she walked towards him. The scowl on her face made him regret the fact that he showed up at her place, but he wanted to fuck, and he also wanted to try and find out what was up with Joy and her cousin.

  He knew that once he fed Nova his dick, that she would feed him information.

  “What do you want Rahjee? Y
our ass clearly don't give a fuck about me based on the way you were eye fucking my cousin’s girl,” Nova snapped, hoping that he would show some signs that he felt something for her.

  “Look ma, I don't know what you’re thinking, but ain't shit there anymore. Yeah, I admit I was wrong as fuck, but I’m man enough to admit that. You gotta give me a break.” Rah removed his body from against his car, where he had been waiting in Nova’s driveway. He gripped her waist, and once her body made contact with his, he kissed her lips and then her neck. The connection made his dick hard which she had to notice.

  “Yeah, I bet. You just want some pussy,” Nova said and then pecked him on the lips.

  “I don't have to beg for pussy, ma. You know that. I’m being real with you. Past is the past.” Rah pulled Nova further into his body.

  “I hope you mean that because Logic don't play about his women,” Nova released casually, not really understanding the power of what she was doing. She was feeding right into Rah’s plans.

  The name Logic struck a nerve with Rah. The streets had been talking, and Logic was the person responsible for Donte and Fez disappearing. Logic was also the name given in connection to who was now running the area of College Park that Rah wanted for himself. Fuck, this shit is getting better and better.

  “You gonna keep talking, or we gonna take this shit inside so that I can show you where my priorities are?” Rah asked, feeling pleased about his newfound inside track.

  “I shouldn't be fucking with you at all, but you know I can't resist.” Nova had no intentions of sticking it out with Rah after everything that happened, but what would it hurt to have one more round before she walked away. Rah knew how to work her body and she wanted one last taste.