Part Time Lovers.

Chapter 11.

"You could say thank you, ya know. " Dante said while I just laid my head on his window.

" I wouldn't be here in the first place if it wasn't for you arresting me in front of my children, no less." I mumbled.

He just drove in silence until we reached his modest townhouse.
He let me in and I just wandered around, until I reached his bedroom.

" Oh please, make yourself at home, Imani. " Dante mused sarcastically.

" Well, let's see. I don't have a home anymore, because of you. I can't see my children right now, because of you. Oh, and I now have a felony on my record, because of you. So, yeah, I'm gonna make myself at home. And you will deal. " I yelled at him.

" Do not blame this on me when your husband did all of this and you stayed with him. Do not talk to me like that. " He screamed back.

" And what are you gonna do about it? Nothing. At. All. " I ranted.

All I heard was a loud thud, I didn't even see his fist slam against the wall.

" Don't forget who you're talking to, or do I have to slap you for you to listen to me? " He threatened, his pretty green eyes were wild and filled with rage.

" I'm just gonna go now. " I muttered, gathering my things.

" No, please, don't. It's late, just stay in here. I'll sleep in the guest room down the hall. There are some sweats and a tshirt over there. Make yourself comfortable." He said, walking out of the room.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you, and I'm sorry that I threatened you. I was wrong and I'm not your husband. I want you to be safe. Have a good night, Imani. " He apologized.

His baby mother was right to keep DJ away from him, he's crazy. I thought while slipping into the tshirt he gave me. It was more of a dress on me, so I didn't even bother with the sweats, then I climbed into a strangers bed and fell into a fitful sleep.

I felt someone's arms wrap around me tighter, a mumbled good morning and a light kiss on my forehead.

Where am I? Who's kissing me ?

" Kevin? " I mumbled. It was way too early and way too bright.

" Do I look like Kevin to you? " Dante grunted.

Oh shit.

" You're so, you know what, whatever Imani. I'll just go. " He said, getting up from his bed. I didn't mean to stare, but it was impossible not to. He was wearing black boxers and a black shirt, showing off his beautiful physique.

" Wait, why are you sleeping with me? " I asked after I finished imagining Dante without clothes on.

He stopped and stared for a moment, and looked at me like I grew another head.

" You came in here. You said you didn't like sleeping alone. " He explained, walking out.

Now, I kinda felt bad. I mean, this man opened his home to me, and all I did was upset him and call him another man's name.

I looked around for some pants, and met Dante in the kitchen.

" Are you hungry? I have waffles and I'm making eggs. " He said, not even looking at me.

" Sure. " I sat down and played with my phone while he cooked.

" Why did you stay? ?" Dante asked, putting my plate in front of me.

" What do you mean? "

" I mean, after the first time he , ya know, why didn't you leave him? " He asked again, sitting across from me.

I had half a mind to tell him to mind his own business and bless up, but something told me to trust him.

" It wasn't always like that, ya know. We were in love and young and it was good. And I got pregnant with Analeigh when I turned 23, and again with Amari at 25 then it went bad. " I shrugged.

" That didn't explain anything. "

"I know, I wasn't finished. Anyway, it didn't start as him beating me to a pulp. It was, 'oh, she's pretty. You should look more like her. ' Then, it became 'You can't do anything right'. Soon it was ,'I'm doing you a favor by being with you. ' Then it was a shove while we were fighting, a slap here and there. Slaps became fists and here we are. " I explained.

" What set him off though? You don't just, do that to someone you love. "

I hesitated. I haven't even told Courtney this. " Promise you won't think any less of me? " I asked softly.

" I promise." He said, reaching over and holding my hand.

" We wanted 4 kids. 2 girls , 2 boys. Anyway, the abuse started right after I had Amari. We were constantly fighting, he was always away on business. We weren't loving each other right and we damn sure weren't loving our babies right, so when I found out I was pregnant again , I got an abortion. " I revealed.

He moved his hand so fast it wasn't funny.

" You got a what? And you want people to feel sorry for you? You're a murderer. " He screamed.

" I'm just going to go. " I said quietly. No matter how badly Nathaniel beat me, this was the lowest I've ever felt. This is why I didn't trust people. I've never felt so stupid in my life.

I grabbed my purse out of Dante ' s room and called the only person I knew I could trust. I literally waited outside, on Dantes front steps until I saw a familiar black Benz pull up.

" Are you alright, Bella? " Kevin asked, walking up to me.

" No, no. Please just get me out of here. " I cried.

" Okay, come on honey. " Kevin said, holding my waist while we walked back to his car.

" Do you want to talk about it? " Kevin asked as we drove to his home.

" No. I just want to lay down for a while, if that's alright with you? " I practically whispered as we pulled up to his home.

He led me up to his bedroom, gave me a black tshirt to put on , and tried to leave.

" Please stay. Please. " I begged him. Kevin just climbed into bed with me and wrapped his big arms around me.

After a few minutes, I heard Kevin snoring lightly behind me, and I fell in a light sleep.

I don't know how long we were sleep, when I woke up it was dark and Kevin was no where to be found.

" Pizzas here! " Someone yelled, banging on the door.

That's sweet though, at least he ordered food. I thought while putting on sweats.

" Hey, here's $10 for your. ..

" Imani Kathleen Howard, you've been served. Smile for your picture. " The smug lawyer interrupted rudely. He threw a piece of paper at me, then took a picture and left.

I just stared at it in shock, I didn't even realize Kevin and Lia Esperanza had came in.

" What's wrong?" He asked, putting a sleeping baby Lia down on the sectional.

"The custody trial got moved up to next week, and Nathaniel filed a motion to dismiss my counter suit for full custody because I'm technically a felon. " I cried. " And he's going to win. He's gonna take my babies away from me. "