Accept Me As I Am

Chapter 19

After Jaylin and Shanelle got back home, Jaylin refused to let her out of his sight. He didn't want to let her go out by herself and Roderick be there to hurt her, resulting in him breaking his damn neck. Shanelle had no complaints in the beginning, but as days passed that began to change.

"Jaylin baby, stop worrying. I'll be fine. I'm just going to hang out with my girls. That's all." Jaylin didn't say anything, he just kept driving. "Are you even listening to me?" Shanelle asked getting annoyed.

When Jaylin stopped at a red light, he looked over at Shanelle. "I'm listening to you, but did you listen to me?" Shanelle gave him a what do you think look. "If you had been listening, you'd know that under no circumstances am I letting you go anywhere where I can't be there to protect you. As harmless as you think Roderick is, I say otherwise."

"So you're going to go with me to a women's only spa resort? What are you going to do, get your legs waxed?"

"Don't get cute with me m, Shanelle. I'm worried about your safety. Just because you haven't seen or heard from Roderick, doesn't mean he's not plotting to do you harm. You heard what Gia and Christy said before. You need to understand that he can be dangerous."

Shanelle rolled her eyes and didn't say anything else until Jaylin dropped her off at work. When he opened her door and helped her out, she told him that she would see him later after rolling her eyes for the thousandth time that morning.

Jaylin watched Shanelle walk into the office before he drove off, headed to the public football field where him and the guys were supposed to meet up. He knew that he was getting on Shanelle's nerves by wanting to protect her, but having her pissed at him was a hell of a lot better than her laying in the hospital because of a pissed off ex.

As soon as Jaylin got out of his car and walked over to the guys plus someone that Marcus invited from his club, they knew that something was wrong with him.

"Dude, what's wrong with you?"
Stephen asked as he strapped on his knee brace. Jaylin shook his head as he did a few stretches to loosen up his muscles.

"Something's wrong, you're looking all sour in the face. What's up?" Jon said as he and Marcus threw the ball back and forth to each other.

Jaylin let out a long sigh before he looked at each of his boys. "It's this Roderick shit. It's really getting to me. Shanelle thinks that just because he hasn't resurfaced, that he's not going to come after her. I know otherwise. I don't know what else to tell her. Only thing I want to do is keep her safe but unfortunately she's making it damned hard to do. Am I overdoing it? I mean, I don't want her to feel smothered or anything, but I don't want to chance it, you know?"

Jordan was the first to speak. "Jay, we all know you love Shanelle. We do too, but I personally think you could ease up a bit. Let her breathe. You have to let that woman have some type of freedom."

"Freedom? What the hell are you talking about? I'm not holding her hostage, I'm protecting her," Jaylin said defensively.

"I didn't mean it like that, Jaylin, damn. All I'm saying is that you need to ease up a little. It's been what three weeks since that clown came looking for her?"

"Yeah, so?" Jaylin replied with a scowl.

Stephen cut Jordan off. "Jay, all he's trying to say is that Shanelle needs a little breathing room. Everywhere she goes, you're there. If and when she needs you, she'll let you know. You're going to end up running the girl off. Believe it or not, we're looking out for not only Shanelle's safety, but the others as well. We wouldn't let something happen to her. You should know that by now."