The Black Effect 2, page 1
The Black Effect 2 copyright © 2020 Charae Lewis
Published by It’s Timeless Publications
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Without limiting the right under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form by means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
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Other Titles by Charae Lewis
Keece and Paris
Big and Aimee
Summer of ‘16
My Love Is Under Arrest
The Book of DeMao
A Rapper’s Delight
Every Trap King Needs A Trap Queen
DUI
You're Not Easy To Love
How Could You Murder Us?
Don't Touch My Crown
Cold Case Love
Lies On Your Lips
In Money We Trust
Outta Her League
Man Down
Sincerely, Me
“My fucking peace was gone.”
-Nadir Black
I gulped down the deepest breath, hoping that the scene I was in was just a nightmare or a daydream I was sucked into. I prayed that Nadir, my husband, who I had been dodging, was just a figment of my imagination and my mind was playing tricks on me. I blinked and then slowly opened my eyes. Disappointedly, I stared at him, as his angry, dark eyes jumped from me to Canton.
“So, now you're mute with your bold ass?” Nadir seethed, glaring at me.
I didn’t have any words for Nadir, and not because I was currently angry with him. My response was absent because I didn’t know how, I would explain me being all up on Canton as if I wasn’t married to him. Our touches had advance from being friendly. We were definitely flirting and was seconds away from devouring each other’s lips. It was a sin, actually, a deadly offense; I was ashamed to say I desperately wanted. Granted, Nadir had pissed me off by putting his hands on me, and also by paying my parents to stay away from me. I still couldn’t halt the guilty feeling that was consuming me. This was wrong, and somehow, I couldn’t formulate an excuse to explain why I was all up on another man.
Since Nadir wasn’t getting a reply from me, his lenses glowered at Canton. I was scared for him because Nadir had proven to be unpredictable. Plus, he was a man with pride, and I knew he wasn’t going to allow Canton to get over on him like this.
“You're still in your feelings? You had to go and prey on my fucking wife because you're mad about me taking your bitch?”
The daze that had absorbed me quickly vanished at Nadir’s words. I looked at Canton, who smacked his lips and waved his hand dismissively.
“Nigga, you wish I was still salty about that,” he retorted. “Fuck you and fuck her.”
My face displayed how confused I was by my furrowed eyebrows. “What the hell is going on? What bitch are you talking about?”
“Oh, now you can talk?” Nadir quipped. “You don’t even know who you're entertaining. This nigga is only in your face because he’s on some revenge-type shit. Tell her how you're still mad over some shit that happened years ago.”
Canton huffed. “I had no idea this was your wife. You ain't on my radar like that, fam. Don’t gas yourself up like this.”
Nadir chuckled, but I knew he wasn’t amused. “Yeah, that’s what your mouth says, but I know the real. You just mad that Jaide chose the best man. Now you're using my gullible-ass wife to get back at me. But guess what? You can have her ass ‘cause I don’t want her.”
His words instantly angered me. “As if I wanted to go back to your sneaky, lying, abusive ass. Fuck you!”
Nadir looked around the club before returning his stare on me. “Now I'm abusive, Amai? You're about to put that title on me for real?”
I cocked my head. “So, you didn’t put your hands on me after I threw the glass at Jaide? You didn’t push your forearm into my throat and choke me? What about throwing me to the ground? I guess that wasn’t you, huh?”
He rubbed his hand down his hair and exhaled deeply. “Amai… you…you know I'm not abusive. I had a weak moment and I was fucked up for doing that, but don’t go painting this narrative that I'm abusive. You know that ain't fair to me.”
“If you put your hands on a woman, you're a pussy,” Canton interjected.
In a split second, Nadir’s eyes turned rigid before he pulled out a gun. He pointed it at Canton, but his eyes remained on me. The music suddenly stopped in the club, and people began to gasp. Nadir held the burner up as if this was a normal situation to him. I was mortified as my eyes bounced from him to Canton. Security eased between the two men while Nadir’s eyes stayed glued on me.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t pull the trigger,” Nadir said to me.
My mouth was gaping as I stared at this man in complete horror. Nadir had transformed into someone I didn’t recognize. His eyes were void of any common sense as he peered at me. I wanted to run away from this scene because I couldn’t take seeing Nadir possibly end Canton’s life for something so trivial.
“Tell me, Amai. Why shouldn’t I end this shit and just put a hot one in him?”
“Nadir… it’s not that serious,” I said above a whisper.
His brows hiked as he tilted his head. “You don’t think so? You think I should let this man run off into the sunset when he clearly has it out for me.”
“Man, I'm not─”
“Shut the fuck up!” Nadir barked, cutting Canton off.
Security tapped Nadir on his shoulder. “Nadir, you know I got love for you, but we can’t have you doing this in the club.”
He glared at me and then Canton before he lowered the gun. I breathed a sigh of relief while thanking God for him coming to his senses.
“You're dead to me, Amai. If I was a fucked-up man, I would be dragging your disloyal ass outta this club, especially when you laid hands on my mama.”
My head jerked back at his words. “That bitch spit on me. What the fuck did you expect me to do?”
“Spit on you?” he questioned.
“Yes, fucking spit on me. That’s the most disrespectful thing you could do to someone, so I whooped her ass just to teach her a lesson. Oh, and when I see her ass again, I’ma beat her ass worse than I did before. So, if you have a problem with that, then fuck you and your trifling-ass mama!”
He snorted while a grimace was etched on his face. “I'm out, but just know you fucked with the wrong one. Life as you once knew it is about to get real fuckin’ hard. Believe that,” he threatened Canton.
Nadir’s words had me shook. I didn’t want my slip up with Canton to affect him. I had no idea what Nadir was referring to, and I prayed he didn’t try to harm him. He didn’t speak another word, but he did shoot me an expression that unveiled how disgusted he was at me. I then watched him coolly stroll toward the exit, but before he walked out, he looked at me.
“You're getting what the fuck you wanted, Amai. So, you can plan your life out with this nigga, who only used you because he still wants Jaide. By the way, you ain’t shit to me.”
This was exactly what I wanted. It was what I longed for. To be freed from Nadir and his unconventional lifestyle, but why did I feel like shit? Why did the pain in his voice affect me? Why wasn’t I celebrating the fact that he was willing to let me go without a fight? I was fucked up from this entire dilemma, not knowing what move I should make after this.
“Y’all two gotta go,” ordered the security guard.
My vision wandered to Canton, who was shaking his head while pulling his phone from his pocket.
“Let’s go,” he muttered without giving me eye contact.
I followed after him, avoiding the stares from the other patrons. Embarrassment, shame, and foolish were just a few feelings I was experiencing. We walked out into the thick air as I replayed the incident inside my mind.
“So, you’ve known who I was this entire time?” I griped, stopping in my tracks.
Canton turned to me and sighed. “Nah, I didn’t.”
“I don’t fucking believe that,” I fumed, getting more upset with each second that passed. “Did you seek me just to get revenge? Were you the guy Jaide left for Nadir?”
He walked up to me and planted his hands on my shoulders. “Listen, I had no idea you were married to that nigga. You never said his name, and you don’t have any pictures of him on your social media. How the fuck was I supposed to know this was your fucking husband?”
I stepped back, folding my arms over my chest. “Prove
His brows dipped. “Huh?”
“Prove to me that you didn’t know who I was attached to,” I challenged.
“How the fuck am I supposed to do that?”
I stepped into his personal space. “Exactly, you can’t because I don’t believe for one second that you didn’t know I was married to Nadir. How ironic is it that I met you, out of all people, Canton? You were on some sneaky shit, and Nadir called your ass out for it.”
“So, now you believe him?” he questioned. “After all he did to you, you're just gonna take his word. I have never taken shit from your ass. I ain't push up on you, I never lied to you, and I never made it seem like all I wanted to do was to fuck you. The only offense I've ever done was maybe flirt, but that shit was innocent and recent. If I was preying on you Amai, I would’ve done some grimy shit to you, but I didn’t because you don’t deserve that. But you can believe ya man all you want to. I don’t need to deal with you.”
Canton turned his back and stalked away from me. He sounded convincing, but I wasn’t too sure. He could’ve been a really great actor, and I didn’t want to fall for the bullshit because I truly didn’t need it. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and booked a Lyft. I needed to get back to the hotel, so I could sort through the many thoughts and feelings that had taken over my mind.
I felt like shit as I jumped inside my car. I cranked the engine and immediately reached for my blunt in the ashtray. What I didn’t expect was to be ambushed by Amai’s husband and for him to almost kill me. That shit was crazy, and what was more disturbing was how he had outed me to her. I wasn’t telling the complete truth when it came to Amai. I knew exactly who she was, who she was married to, and her connection to Jaide.
Jaide and I had been together since high school. We practically grew up together and became a couple at a very young age. She was my world, and I thought that I was hers, until she met Nadir. Jaide had always been about the dollar. She yearned to live a lavish lifestyle that involved opulent mansions, luxurious cars, and expensive threads. I wanted to be the man to give her all that, so I worked night and day to start up my businesses. She promised to stick by me, and I believed her until she showed me who she truly was.
All it took was for Nadir to come in and show Jaide his wealth before she jumped ship on me. I was devastated and couldn’t understand how she could throw away years of bliss between me and her. Even her family felt like she was making the wrong decision. Jaide on the other hand, didn’t show that she was apologetic for leaving me for another man. She gave me no explanation or remorse for how she had broken my heart. She just moved on without looking back, and that shit had me sick for months.
I would be the first to admit that I wasn’t completely over Jaide. Not that I wanted her back or was still in love with her or anything, but the remnants of the heart break she had caused still lingered. It caused me to shut down emotionally when it came to women. The only thing I wanted from a woman was pussy, and that’s it. So, at times, I would visit Jaide’s social media just to see how she was doing without me. As usual, she looked happy and that shit had me bitter as fuck. I wanted her ass to suffer with the decision she had made. I wanted her to come back to me and beg for my forgiveness, but the shit never transpired, and I was fucked up about it.
While on her social media, I did spot a redheaded beauty that caught my eye. I always wondered if she was a part of Nadir’s cult or if she was just a friend. I quickly figured out that she had to be another wife because she was always around. So, that night at the mansion party, I was chillin’ out in the backyard when Amai emerged from the house. She looked beautiful and upset, and to this day, I didn’t know why I went to talk to her. During our conversation, I spotted the unhappiness she was wearing. The smile she sported was a mask for all the gloom she was feeling. I conversed with her and felt her vibe out before I ended the conversation. I didn’t want to be spotted by Jaide, just in case she was at the party too, so I dipped out before anyone could notice me.
It was just my luck when Amai visited my coffee shop. That was the moment when I really was able to see the sadness in her eyes. She had exposed a lot to me without even trying to. I had determined that I liked her personality and wanted to see more of her. We were vibing, more than I thought we would be. Amai had crept up on me, and I started to like being around her. I anticipated her calls; I was always excited to see a text from her and being in her presence was always a beautiful experience.
Now that Nadir had caught us, in what was probably going to be a night that took us farther than we anticipated, things between us were probably compromised.
“Damn.” I hit the blunt, thinking about how I would get back in Amai’s good graces.
I expected her to believe Nadir over me. After all, he was still her husband. I wondered if Jaide had been abused by him as well. He had this aura that didn’t sit well with me, so I wasn’t surprised when Amai told me that he had put his hands on her.
“Abusive-ass nigga,” I muttered.
If I had to cut my losses with Amai, I was prepared to do so, even though I didn’t want to. She was cool, down to earth, and could potentially be the woman to break me out of this funk, I had been in since Jaide left my ass.
For the first time in my life, I was hurt. Not physically, but my fucking feelings were damaged beyond repair. Amai had fucked me over, and I didn’t see what I had witnessed coming. Never did I expect her to be at a club, all hugged up with that nigga, Jaide used to fuck with. If I hadn’t approached them when I did, they would’ve been kissing, and there was no telling how I would have reacted if I had seen some shit like that.
I had an intuition I was about to walk into some bullshit, when Domino called me and told me he had Amai’s location. And because of this feeling, I opted to go alone and without Cass. I couldn’t take being caught off guard by Amai with my closest friend with me. I probably wouldn’t have been able to stomach that shit.
Before I saw her at the club, I wanted Amai home with me. I wanted us to work through our issues and get back on one accord. I was willing to beg and plead for her forgiveness since I had been the one to put my hands on her. I was prepared to take all the blame for the demise of our marriage, but now, I wouldn’t. My mother had warned me that Amai was up to no good with another man and I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Currently, I felt foolish because my wife had stepped out on me with someone, who had used her to get back at me.
I pulled up to my estate and parked my car any kind of way. With fury in my eyes, I got out and stormed into my house, slamming the door behind me. Raye and Jaide emerged from the hallway with bewildered expressions on their faces.
“Is everything okay?” Raye asked, worriedly.
I ignored her and brushed past both of them. One of my housekeepers was dusting the pictures in the antique china cabinet when I approached her.
“I need you to go pack up Amai’s room. Don’t leave shit behind. You hear me?”
The woman nodded and hurried off to the task I had just given her.
“Nadir, why are you having Amai’s room packed up?” Raye questioned.
“Yeah, what's going on?” Jaide chimed in.
I couldn’t talk. I was too angry to tell them what Amai had done to me, so I continued down to my man cave with both of them on my heels.
“Give me a double shot of Hennessy,” I requested to the bartender, taking a seat on the black stool.
“Nadir, can you please tell me what's going on?” Raye asked with a bite to her tone.
“Amai is no longer welcomed in this fucking house. I don’t want to hear shit about her ass. Don’t even say her fucking name around me. Her ass is out of here, and when I get my mind right, I'm dissolving that fucking marriage contract.”
Jaide smirked, folding her arms over her chest. “What happened?”
I noticed the smile on her face, which quickly angered the hell out of me.
“What the fuck you smiling for? Do you think seeing me messed up like this is fucking funny?”
The smirk she held instantly disappeared off her face.
“I wasn’t smiling at your expense, Nadir.”
“I can’t fucking tell. You know what? Get outta my face, Jaide.”
