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I rose slowly and before he could stop me, I threw my arms around him.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He pulled on my arms. “Gon’ with that shit, girl.”

I rolled my eyes, but I let him go and took his keys. Forty minutes later, I was home, my dress on the floor beside my bed and my body buried beneath the covers in an oversized T-shirt. I had showered, tied my hair up, turned off every light in the house, and…

I cried.

It wasn’t hard. I refused to waste a good, hard cry on a coward like Adam. Still, tears just kept slipping silently down my cheeks while I stared into the darkness. But the longer I lay there, the more I realized my heart wasn’t broken. I wasn’t lying there wondering how I would live without Adam. I really didn’t want his ass back. The thought of him touching me again damn near made my skin crawl.

Nah, my pride hurt more than the loss of the relationship. Nigga sat there in front of another woman and her parents and introduced me as a colleague. I hated thinking about how many people had known. I was really out here walking around looking like a fool.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I didn’t even want to think about all that tonight. Maybe I could just⁠—

I jumped as a knock sounded downstairs. My eyes popped open. Who the hell… Another knock came, heavier this time. Cursing, I grabbed my phone and opened the security app.

Saadiq stood on my porch. His phone appeared in his hand, then mine started ringing. I stared at his name until the call stopped. Two seconds later, my text chime sounded.

Saadiq:

I know you in there. Come open the door.

Sniffing, I wiped beneath my eyes.

Me:

I’m fine. Go home.

Three dots immediately popped up.

Saadiq:

Open the door, Apple.

I ignored him. I heard him knock again. Then, he texted me.

Saadiq:

Topaz.

I tossed the phone beside me. It buzzed again.

Saadiq:

I know you don’t really know the other me, and I’m sure you don’t want to. You got about thirty seconds before I remove this door. I’ll have somebody replace it before morning.

I sat straight up. “Oh, he done lost his damn mind.”

My phone buzzed.

Saadiq:

25.

“I’on know who the hell he thinks he is. Got me fucked up!” I mumbled.

But I scrambled my ass out of bed and made my way downstairs. I unlocked the deadbolt and cracked the door just enough to give him a one-eyed glare.