My Ruin

36. The Truth

Lamonte's POV

I sat by the pool with my feet in the water, contemplating over my life.

Ashanti said that she loved me back.

At one point, love would've scared the shit out of me, but I was head over heels for this beautiful olive skinned woman.

She drove me wild.

Her presence was enough to make my heart skip a beat and my dick stand hard at full attention.

I want to give her the world, but I'm afraid my past won't allow me to do that.

I was damaged goods and I've never let anyone close to me after what happened, but I was willing to make an exception for Ashanti.

She made me feel different, she made me feel loved and she stuck around for me even though I fucked up multiple times.

I drank the Hennessy straight out the bottle and took a draw from my blunt.

I rarely smoked or drank hard liquor, but I was anxious.

I wanted her to give me another chance. This time, I wanted to give her my all. She deserved the world and if she would let me that's what I would give her.

Suddenly, my phone pinged indicating that I had a notification.

Where are you? ~ Baby Momma

By the pool, the door is open. ~ Lamonte.

Ashanti's POV:

I opened his house door and I made my way to his pool.

I saw him sitting outside with a half finished Hennessy bottle and as soon as he saw me coming, he put out his blunt.

I walked over and sat next to him, letting my feet dangle in the pool water.

The atmosphere was tense.

I know that he wanted to talk to me about something and whatever it was it seemed really bad.

My stomach churned uncomfortably seeing him so distraught.

As if on instinct, I grabbed his hand in mine placing it in my lap trying my best to comfort him.

I whispered, "Whatever it is you can tell me, I won't judge you."

He cleared his throat and spoke, "When I was a teenager, I was involved in a gang. I wanted to make my own money and I wanted to have access to free drugs and alcohol. I wanted to be rebellious and have some fun. Them niggas gave me that and I thought they was real, but I was wrong. My older sister, Amelia, protected me so many times and she tried her best to change my mind, but I wouldn't listen. One day, some niggas from one of the rival gangs recognized me and started shooting in a drive by. Amelia...," he paused and I could see the pain clearly on his face as hot tears rolled down his cheeks.

"You don't have to continue if you don't want to," I said squeezing his hand for reassurance. I hated seeing him like this, considering how strong he always was.

He held back his tears but sniffled before continuing, "Amelia saved my life. She jumped in front of me like it was nothing and that day, she lost her life. She died right in front of me and I had no one to blame but myself. She warned me and continuously told me to stop getting involved. I didn't listen and she got killed."

I held him in a warm embrace as soft sobs escaped his lips. He held onto me tightly as if he was afraid of letting me go.

"I was always close with her and told her everything, so when she died I felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. I wanted to kill the men who had killed her, but they were never found. I did what she wanted me to do and distanced myself from the gang. I turned my life around," he continued as his voice turned shallow and weak.