Betrayal, p.1
Betrayal, page 1
Betrayal
A. Marie
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Discussion
Special Thanks!
© 2020 Ashley Tillman
ISBN# 978-1-7350337-0-9
LCCN# 2020907912
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written consent from the author except brief quotes used in reviews, interviews or magazines.
This is a work of fiction. It is not meant to depict, portray or represent any particular real person. All the characters, incidents and dialogue in this written work are the product of the author’s imagination and are not to be considered as real. Any references or similarities to actual events, entities, real people living or dead, or to real locations are intended for the sole purpose of giving this novel a sense of reality. Any similarities with other names, characters, entities, places, people or incidents are entirely coincidental.
Prologue
💔
SMACK.
Leah hit the floor, hard with tears in her eyes.
“What the fuck was that for Marcus?” she said as she looked up at him in confusion.
“Bitch you and that fly ass mouth of yours, you always got some slick shit to say,” he barked as he paced the floor back and forth.
“So, you mean to tell me you’re mad at me for catching you with a bopper's lips wrapped around your little black dick, I confront you about it and now I’m the one in the wrong here?” She shouted.
The fucking nerve of him, trying to turn this shit around on me, she thought as she stood and held her face from the sting of his hand. This mufucka had lost his mind with the manipulation game and now Leah was about to lose hers as well because she was tired of enduring being beat on by this punk ass nigga. Baby daddy or not Marcus was about to catch her hands. She didn’t care if she couldn’t whoop him, she was going to attempt to give him a run for his money. Leah stood up, looked him square in the eyes and spit directly in his face.
Marcus grimaced as he swiped a hand down his face, instantly growing heated. “You nasty bitch,” he barked with a malicious look on his face. Leah had never disrespected him in such a way. And today was the day this abusive boy, because he wasn’t a man would feel her fucking pain. Leah punched him dead in the nose and kicked him right in the dick.
“Agh,” Marcus yelled out in agony.
He instantly dropped to his knees from the strong force behind the kick she had just delivered.
“Yeah, nigga some of that,” she spat as he hollered in pain.
Leah was tired of the bullshit. Every time she turned around it was different tramps texting and calling his phone. Marcus was a cheating ass nigga and Leah was tired of it. She was beyond fed the fuck up with the fighting and the disrespectful words he used when speaking to her. Here she was only 19, with a baby on the way with an abusive child’s father.
Leah wanted a better life for her and her unborn daughter. Being with Marcus caused her both love and pain however, the pain he caused outweighed the love he gave. She had been with Marcus for the last 8 months and she was tired of living life according to him and how he thought she should be. Her self-esteem was at an all-time low, she didn’t even consider herself beautiful anymore because he had stripped her of that. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she no longer saw beauty or the girl she used to be. What she saw staring back at her was a young woman with black eyes, with green and blue bruises that covered her body. Leah darted from the house, she needed to get away from the drama. She climbed inside her god mom’s truck that sat in the driveway and sobbed. The amount of emotions that flowed from her was heart wrenching. Leah rested her head on the red fuzzy steering wheel as she wondered how her life had taken a turn for the worse.
Chapter One
💔
Summer of 2001
It was the end of Leah's Junior year in high school, she had just turned 18 a few months before. As the end of the school year and summer break approached, Leah was very anxious to be entering into her senior year, it would be her last year in high school and she wanted to enjoy this last year by all means necessary. Leah was beautiful, with soft caramel skin, slightly slanted dark brown eyes with a slim and curvy waistline. The song Bootylicious by Destiny’s Child should have been made for her because for her to be small in the waist she had an ass on her.
Leah rocked with only two girls throughout her entire high school years. Mandy and NuNu. They were her riders, right or wrong, they had her back. She had known NuNu since 5th grade and she had met Mandy their 9th grade year because all three of them shared the same 1st hour. Leah had asked to borrow a pen and then NuNu needed one as well. All three girls shared a laugh after Mandy said. “Damn, I see none of you hoes came prepared.” Leah knew then that she would fit right in because they all had the same attitude and didn’t care what came out of their mouth. Since that day they have been inseparable. When you saw one, better believe the other two weren’t far behind. And for summer break they had big plans. They were ready to fuck some shit up, straight kick it before they had to buckle down and truly focus on their Senior year and graduation.
Leah, Mandy, and NuNu had linked up after the last day of school and were walking down Hamilton Street on the south side of Toledo. They were heading to Hamilton Park where everyone they knew would be posted up. The sun was out and the sky was clear. An absolutely beautiful day. The boys were playing basketball and the girls loved to watch. Leah wore a blue bleached skirt and a red half button down top that was sleeveless and revealed her stomach slightly. Leah wasn’t privileged, at all, so her fashion came from the hood stores like Dots or Fashion Cents. Though her threads weren't costly, you still couldn’t tell her shit, she could piece some fabrics together and make it look as if it cost a pretty penny. She was effortlessly pretty no matter what she wore, and she knew for a fact that she was the shit. Conceited. Leah was definitely conceited but let her tell it she was simply laced with confidence.
Leah saw her teenage love sitting on the hood of his 1986 grey Cutlass ride. Mike Jones, Dick Don’t Fail Me Now was pouring out of his speakers while his homies engaged in a game of Blackjack in front of his car. Leah being the goofy friend out of the three girls, started snapping her fingers while doing hip rolls and other little dance gestures as they walked past the boys. The girls laughed as they went to cross over to the other side of the street. The boy watched Leah as she passed by. Damn, who is that? He thought. That’s when he stopped her, he was standing there wearing an all grey valor Jordan sweat suit, with grey and white retro number 9 Jordan’s to match. He was chocolate with thick bushy eyebrows, light brown eyes, full lips and a posture so damn enticing that he made even ladies much older than him swoon. Leah couldn’t help but stop and be caught in his trance. She stared at him as he stared back, until he finally broke the silence between them.
“What’s up bey?” Marcus asked as he grinned slightly.
Leah bit into her bottom lip and batted her eyes up at him.
Damn, he is fine as hell, she thought to herself.
“I don’t know, you tell me, bey since you’re the one that grabbed me and pulled me over here to you.” She replied with a grin.
“What’s your name baby girl?” he asked as he stared into her eyes.
He was drawn to her, the way she bit into her pink bottom lip sent a spark down to his little man. Her aura was different from what he was familiar with, and he couldn’t make sense of the instant attraction he had. Even the soft baby hairs that she had as sideburns attracted him. She was just pretty as hell to him.
“Leah,” she replied sweetly.
Marcus licked his chocolate lips and started to speak again before he was interrupted by his boys arguing over the card game.
“Nigga we said double the bet, the fuck you mean?” his homie City said.
“Bitch nigga that was our last bet. We went back to our normal shits, the fuck you talking about?” his other dude Shan Shan spat back.
“Y’all mufuckas chill damn,” Marcus yelled.
“Man, Marcus this nigga always on some goofy shit.” City spat.
His boys were forever arguing over something while gambling. Them and gambling with money just didn’t mix. In fact, they hardly ever got along but outside niggas wouldn’t know because they were brothers and would rock anybody over one another.
“Hold on baby, give me a second let me get these niggas in line,” he stated to Leah before removing her from in front of him. Leah waited while Marcus talked to his boys.
“Marcus,” she said to herself after overhearing his name.
Leah smiled as she said his name again this time in her head. NuNu stepped up to her with impatience. She wasn’t with standing around watching Leah dote over Marcus. She was ready to go and didn’t have any shame in expressing it.
“Da
Leah turned to her, poked both lips out and tilted her head to the side.
“Girl you just trying to get down to Hamilton Park to see Tyson big head ass you not slick,” she replied, shaking her head.
Mandy busted out laughing because she too knew that was why NuNu was being impatient. NuNu couldn’t contain her smile, “so what y’all know I don’t want to miss his fine ass running up and down the court,” she said. All Leah could do was continue shaking her head because she had known when it came to the three of them going to the park, NuNu had one mission. Getting to Tyson.
He wasn’t from their city and NuNu had been crushing on him for months. Leah knew her friend had a desire to lay eyes on the east coast boy that had come to their city hustling low-key. The girls started walking off heading toward their destination. Marcus was still talking with his boys and Leah didn’t care to wait much longer. Just before Leah could get too far Marcus called for her.
“Hold up baby,” he said motioning for her with his hand to come back.
Leah turned back to her girls with pleading eyes. She really wanted to talk to him. She also knew that NuNu wanted to talk to Tyson.
“Y’all let me see what he wants real quick, just give me 5 mins and I promise we can roll after that.”
Mandy nodded and Leah beelined back to Marcus. NuNu rolled her eyes and caught an attitude, she wasn’t trying to waste any more time waiting on Leah. Shit I got my own nigga I want to talk to, she thought. Tyson wasn’t hers but she was speaking it into existence. She had convinced Mandy that they should just keep walking, leaving Leah behind. Leah was so caught up in what Marcus wanted, she didn’t even notice when her girls left her standing there.
Marcus took her by the hand and led her to his car. “Rap with me for a minute bey,” he requested as he opened the passenger side door for her. Leah climbed in without hesitation, instantly getting comfortable as the bass from his music vibrated throughout her chest. Marcus quickly ran around to the driver’s side and hopped in. He turned the radio down and just looked at her. This girl is so fucking pretty, he thought once more. Marcus was fascinated by the way she looked. As he observed her, he realized she wasn’t like other girls around the hood. She had a uniqueness about her that made her stand out from others. Leah noticed his stare and grew nervous as she played with the gold L ring that she wore on her right hand. Noticing her discomfort, he finally spoke.
“Ah, bey you can relax. Don’t be nervous,” he said reaching across the center console, stopping her from fidgeting with her ring. Leah looked out her window and he guided her face back towards him.
“So how old are you Leah?” Marcus quizzed.
“I just turned 18 a few months back,” she replied.
“Oh yeah, that’s what’s up, I’m 20,” Marcus stated as he continued with more questions. “What school do you go to?”
“I’m a junior at Libbey,” she replied.
Marcus laughed.
“Oh, so you repping them cowgirls?” he stated, mocking her school's mascot, the Cowboys.
Leah shot him a piercing look then laughed.
“Don’t even go there homie, you must be a Bullfrog?” She said, mocking his right back. Libbey and Scott were rival high schools and by him saying cowgirls, she knew he attended Scott since that’s how the two schools addressed one another. Marcus laughed hard and shook his head.
“I used to attend Scott, but I dropped out and started chasing my paper.”
“You couldn’t chase paper and go to school?” she asked, her eyes penetrating his.
He looked at her for a moment. Damn, she’s picking at my brain right now, he thought. Marcus examined every inch of her before diverting away from the question, asking her to ride with him while they chopped it up. Without even thinking twice she nodded her head in compliance. Marcus stuck his head out of his window and yelled, “yo, City and Shan Shan get from in front of my shit, I’m leaving.” They approached the car, dapped him up, and headed to their own cars that were parked in Shan Shan’s driveway. The boys were stick up kids, dope boys, and getting to the money. Old school cars and 20-inch custom rims were the life for them. Marcus’s OG had put him in the game when he was only 15. He had dropped out of high school and had run the north side of his city ever since. Marcus had met City and Shan Shan while making moves on the south side of Toledo and the three just clicked. They were all after the same things, money, cars, clothes, and girls.
Marcus pulled from the curb and told Leah to DJ.
“I don’t think you want me to do that, all I really listen to is old school slow jams homie,” she said.
“Try me,” he chuckled.
Leah reached for the cd case that was on the floor at her feet. She flipped through it and to her surprise Marcus had quite the collection of R&B music. “I never would have thought you’d be into slow jams,” she said as she popped in Roger and played, I Want to Be Your Man. Marcus smirked as she began to sing the words to the song. Leah noticed and stopped singing; she was embarrassed.
“No, please keep going,” he stated as he cut the music down so he could hear her a little better.
She blushed and shook her head, declining to continue. This boy had her flustered, her heart raced, and she went right back to fidgeting with the ring on her finger.
“What do you know about some Roger anyway bey?” He asked, smiling as he steered with one hand and reached for her hand with the other. He gave her a gentle squeeze, that was so comforting Leah melted a little.
“With an old school dad, I know a lot baby,” she replied, finally looking at him, shooting him a wink.
Marcus was driving nowhere in particular until he found himself getting ready to ride past Walbridge park. The park was the perfect place for them to be able to walk and talk. It ran alongside the Maumee River and the scenery was beautiful. “So how are you 18 and still a junior?” he asked as he pulled over into the parking lot of the park.
“Boy don’t act like you never flunked a grade before,” she said laughing.
“Aight, my fault you right, I think we all probably failed 1st or 2nd grade,” he said maneuvering into a spot and killing the engine.
“Right, so act like you know,” she said as she climbed out of the car.
Marcus climbed out the car as well and approached her, looping his arm through hers as they started to walk. Leah breathed in deep. The air was refreshing. Being on Marcus’s arm was calming. A walk in the park with a fine boy is something she had never experienced and she was enjoying the moment. Leah and Marcus walked around the park for at least two hours talking about any and everything that came to mind down to the most trivial things such as their favorite foods and colors. She noticed the smallest things about him down to the way he walked. He was pigeon toed and she thought it was the sexiest shit ever.
Neither Leah nor Marcus could deny their intense chemistry. With these feelings Leah knew this was just the beginning of something, she just wasn’t sure what was in store.
Chapter Two
💔
NuNu sat on top of the picnic tables as she and Mandy watched the group of boys run up and down the basketball court. She couldn’t keep her eyes off Tyson as he shook his opponents on the court. His tattooed covered body was shirtless, and he wore black Jordan basketball shorts with all black Jordan retro 13s to match. She wanted to beat his ass for showing off his body. All these hoes bopping around here, she thought to herself. She couldn’t understand why she was so jealous. Tyson wasn’t her man, hell she had never uttered a word to him, but she couldn’t help the attraction she had for him. NuNu wanted him to be hers, she wanted him to pay attention to her in the way she paid attention to him. He never seems to notice me, she reflected as she continued to watch him like a hawk. Her eyes roamed his entire body and she couldn’t help but notice his dick bouncing every time he went up to take a shot. NuNu’s entire clit started to pulse when he hit a jump shot at the right angle and if she saw that shit, she knew them hoes seen it as well. She was livid at the thought but at the same time, she couldn’t stop the freaky thoughts going through her mind. She wanted him in every way possible.
