SAVAGE 3

21.

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"Who is Nova?" Jersey questioned her boyfriend as she leaned against the archway.

Malcolm looked over at her and realized her mood had changed. Jersey's facial expression was calm, yet it showed so much seriousness. She blinked a few times and looked as if she was ready to attack him.

He had to tread carefully.

"Who?"

Jersey looked down at the handwriting and said, "I found this sticky note inside your pocket. Nova is written on it."

"Oh." Malcolm leaned his head back in relief. He didn't communicate with random women, and the man wasn't friendly if he did. Malcolm respected Jersey to the fullest and would never cheat or attempt to do it.

Malcolm was the total opposite of a typical rich man. He had a lot of money but would rather date one woman. He didn't believe in having side chicks. In his opinion, he felt it was stupid to trick on a woman who he couldn't parade around.

Jersey was his woman, and he made sure to give her money and surprise her with expensive gifts.

"Some woman I ran into at Givin' Back."

She looked at him for a while, not liking his answer. Jersey raised her eyebrows and asked, "Care to explain why her phone number was tucked away in your pocket?"

"I forget it was in there. I planned on throwing it away as soon as I got in my office, but I got distracted."

"You got distracted? What distracted you?"

"Shit." Malcolm cursed while touching his forehead. "One of the kids got sick, and they needed assistance with that."

"Hm." Jersey pursed her lips as she placed her eyes on the sticky note, thoroughly examining it. The young woman kept flipping it. "What was her motive for giving you this note? She wants to fuck you or something?"

"She told me that her son needs help with his behavior, so she gave me her number."

Jersey rolled her eyes. Maybe that part was true, but there was still some motive behind the note.

"The bitch gave you a note with a heart scribbled on it." She responded in a low tone. The woman leaned over and said, "a heart next to her name."

"I don't want to argue with you about a woman I don't know," Malcolm muttered underneath his breath.

"Then don't do shit that you know will piss me off," Jersey remarked with her nose flared. "How am I supposed to feel about this? I'm trying to do our laundry, and I find another woman's number in your pocket."

"We're not supposed to argue around Harlem." Malcolm reminded Jersey while placing his hand on his son's back. He hoped she would stop yapping about something that she made up in her head.

"I don't want to argue around my baby, but you're making me break the rules."

"Moriah..." Malcolm trailed off and looked at her. She didn't utter a word. Jersey continued to stand there with the note in her hand. "I'm not cheating, and I'm not attempting to cheat on you."

"I met the woman in the hallway. She told me about her troubled son and gave me her number. The woman claims she wants me to help her son, but I know she gave me her number for another reason. She's attracted to me. I don't feel the same way about her. Jerse, I had plans to trash it, but I got distracted."

Jersey rolled her eyes hard.

"I'm telling you the truth. I'm not trying to fuck up our relationship."