This Time Around

Chapter 16 - Layla

Trigger Warning

It's almost midnight and I still haven't fallen asleep. There has been so much on my mind and Preston has been busy. I haven't had an opportunity to speak with him. After talking to my dad, Uncle and Rome the other night, I have been thinking about breaking my vow. I need to know that Preston and I are compatible, sexually.

I won't survive another divorce. Maybe Roman was right, maybe I am using marriage to trap someone into a relationship with me. So maybe sex is the best course to take. I hate that even after everything he said to me, I still value his opinion.

Five years of being in a relationship with him, and I never noticed that he didn't love me. However, after five minutes in the room with him and Rella, I realized that he loves her. How fair is that? You devote your life, time, and energy into someone for so long and they spend the same time mistreating you, but as soon as you are out of the picture, they do right by the next person.

It's nights like tonight that I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts, that I realize how lonely I am. Living with my guys and their women doesn't help. I should really figure out my living arrangements. I'm too damn old to be living with my dad. He would prefer that it stays this way.

I was really considering using that rose that Lela bought me earlier this week to help release some of this pent of anger that I have, but my dad has a camera in here. Chantay told me about it because even though he does not watch the camera, she didn't want my private moments exposed without my knowledge. At first I was mad, but I knew he had a good reason for doing it.

I hear my phone chime and see a text from Aria.

Ari: Are you awake? I know that you are.

Lay: Yes, what's the emergency?

Ari: No emergency really, but I think I located Kendra and her nigga.

I roll my eyes at this little demon child and place a video call from my laptop.

"Let me see what you have. Shouldn't you be asleep anyway?"

She tries to avoid the question by focusing on something across the room.

"Ari, talk to me. What's going on?"

"I think... I saw Alec today. I can't sleep because the nightmares are back."

"Where did you see him?"

Alec is her mother's boyfriend that raped her.

"Steak-N-Shake in Marrow."

"Why were you over there?"

"I was riding with Tiff. You know she likes to roam the city. He didn't see me and I'm not really sure if it was him. I was in the car with LeeLee."

I send a message to Link to pull up all of the CCTV that he can get in that area. We all live in Buckhead. I'm not even sure why Tiff would be damn near thirty minutes away from home.

"What time was it?"

"Between three and three-thirty. We had just picked up LeeLee from daycare before we drove out there."

I update Link with the time and gear up to help her take her mind off of today. We can't do anything about it until he can confirm it was him.

"Listen to me. He no longer has power over you. If he is back in town, then that means he wants to suffer the consequences of disobeying my orders. You don't have to be afraid. Someone will be tailing you until we can assure that you are safe. I promise he's going to pay."

I hear her take a deep breath but she's not in the camera. After another minute or so, she pops up.

"Okay, I'm ready."