Chapter Six

**Cooth**

**Janelle**

**Dom**

**Shaina**

**Gabrielle**

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I sat in the chair spinning back and forth scrolling through Snapchat. Even though Keh and I were good, I had to squash things with Janelle. I had to see what had her this cray.

"Aye, Dom, JoJo's here..." Cooth said peeking in the door with Kahh and Noel behind her.

"Who? JoJo?" I asked looking up from my phone and sliding it in my pocket.

"Janelle ole dumb ass. All jealous and shit," Noel said shaking her head.

"Yeah, Dom... handle that shit cause she almost cost you Lani. I don't know why y9u called her here..." Kahh shook his head before calling Janelle down the hallway.

Janelle pushed through Cooth and Noel. She stopped at Kahh, giving him a look that I couldn't quite gauge for a few seconds. After moving Kahh out of the way, she closed the door. Her eyes pierced through me as I turned around to put my phone on the charger. I turned back around to see her standing there with her arms folded, looking me straight in the eyes. Her body language made me hella uncomfortable, and not just because of her recent actions or her tendency to feel free to put her hands on me. This was a discomfort that I just couldn't explain. I continued to sway back and forth in the chair just looking at her. Waiting. Waiting for a response.

"Why am I here, Dominique? You obviously moved on, so what could you possibly want?" She asked. Janelle removed her shades and sat down in front of me on the tattoo table. I leaned forward, halting the chair. I took a bit too long to answer because I could see her growing uneasy. "Earth to Dom... What is it?"

"Don't act stupid Janelle. This shit you're doing isn't cute. Like what the fuck is possessing you to spaz like this cause I know damn well it's more than what you're telling me," My voice was barely above a whisper. Her face softened as she looked down at her feet. The room fell quiet for a moment.

"Dom, I love you and I have to sit here and watch you love someone else. Like, how do you think that makes me feel? Huh? One minute you're in my arms the next you're out here fucking someone else. I mean if I'm acting crazy or... or.. Stupid or whatever you want to call it damn it i have the fucking right to," Her voice began to elevate. "I was here first... All I asked was for you to give me the same attention and love that I gave you and it NEVER happened. You ran off to someone else letting me fall by the waist side."

I could see she was hurt. And trust me, I ain't a heartbreaker. But it seemed as if my selfish ways maybe went too far. See, during my entire time with Janelle, doing whatever this dance was, I always messed around occasionally. Yet, I always ran back to that toxic stability. I gave her a false sense of hope for us so that I wouldn't be alone. But, this time... I didn't go back.

"Janelle," She refused to look at me. "Janelle Brown. Look. I love you, don't get me wrong. But, at this moment, I'm not for you. And...."

"Yo, Dom. You free?" Shaina came in refusing to abide by my knock first rule. She hadn't been at the shop since I caught her with Kehlani the week prior. "We gotta talk about some shit, sis"

"What does it look like? I'ma deal with your bitch ass later... Give me a minute," I snapped.

"Aight, Dom, Damn," She walked out closing the door behind her.

Janelle looked at me confused.

"Anyway, maybe later on we might work... but at this moment I'm not gonna force something that doesn't need to be forced." I continued looking back at Janelle.

She pulled me closer to her. Kissing me deeply for a few minutes before pushing me back. She climbed on top of me starting to suck on my neck. I gripped her ass as she moved her hand in between my legs. Janelle unzipped my jacket and tongue wrestled with me some more before stopping instantly.

"Let this hold you until then cause until you get rid of that Lani girl. If it's not about some business or just being friends, we have nothing to talk about," And with that she walked out leaving me sitting there.

"So no double backs, huh?" I yelled down the hallway as I watched her booty jiggle a little as she walked to the lobby.

"In your dreams, daddy," she yelled back laughing giving me the finger.

"Anytime, love. I'll leave some more bruises on them ass cheeks whenever you need me too," I laughed and zipped my jacket up. I got up and walked to the lobby. When I walked in, Cooth sat on the couch with Kahh looking at Shai, who was sitting behind the receptionist's desk. I knew they were having a conversation about what happened with Lani.

"Now that you dealt with Janelle, what do you want me to do with Shaina. Loyalty is everything in this shop, so let me know. Keep her, fire her, whip her ass... your choice, Dom," Cooth said keeping her attention on Shai as I fixed my locs and put them in a bun.

I stood there silent for a moment just looking at Shaina. We had been friends for as long as I knew Cooth. That was my right-hand man.

"Let her stay." I didn't flinch as Shaina snapped her head up to look at me. I guess she was amazed that I didn't choose to have her ass beat or do it myself right then and there. I put my hand in my pocket and leaned against the wall, playing with one of my loose locs with my free hand. "Yeah, Shai is showing some snake ass ways, but I'm too good of a friend to hurt her ass just yet. Let her stay and prove herself. If she does anything else to prove me wrong, I got first in line to beat the breaks off her Puerto Rican ass. Remember I'm the reason why you're here, so don't fuck me over again."

Shaina searched my eyes for emotion. Or at least some type of gentleness behind my words.

"Look... Nothing happened. I know it looked bad. Really bad. Hell, it looked horrible, but it was nothing more than us hanging out, smoking a little, and just vibing. I know your girls are off limits, sis... You know me better than that."

"I hope I do cause if I EVER... and I mean EVER catch you with Kehlani, hell if I catch you with Janelle... pack your bags Shai cause your gonna be on the first flight to the nearest hospital in Jersey."

"See, I told you her psycho, Gemini ass had this under control, Cooth," Kahh said getting up from the couch.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going home... Lani's gonna be over for 11:30," I said grabbing my keys off of the desk in front of Shai before walking out. I jumped in my black G Wagon and headed home.

****

I walked into the room still wet from the shower, dressed in a sports bra and a pair of sweatpants. Keh was sitting at the foot of the bed typing up something but stopped when she saw me walk into the bedroom. Her eyes shifted to my abs and then back to her computer.

"What?" she smirked a little before I walked over to her. "How about this. Give me this thing so you can focus on me tonight and not the music, the media, or anything else that's not me." I closed her computer and sat it on the dresser and hopped in bed, turning on the Stranger Things.

"Awww, the wittle punkin wants me all to herself," She cooed as she crawled under the covers next to me.

"Can you blame me? Why wouldn't I, babes?" I murmured. She cuddled in close to me and began to nibble on my ear. "Laaannii... I'm just trying to chill with you and watch some TV... Baaaabbee stawp." I tried to wiggle away from her but she just got on top of me. I leaned up tickling her. I flipped her over and laid her on her back. We played around for a bit before we found ourselves just looking into each other's eyes. Before I knew it we were butt ass naked up against the counter in the bathroom.

Her back was arched... My hands were basically glued to her waist as I pumped my strap in and out of her. Her moans were getting so loud that they began to echo off of the walls. I kissed the tattoo between her shoulder blades before slapping her ass. I felt her breath quicken. She came, dripping all over the strap.

"SHAINA!" The yell left her lips and I stopped immediately. I stepped back. My brain was quickly dropping from the euphoria it once felt to a wave of disbelief and anger.

"Wait... what did you just say?" The words could barely escape my lips.

"Dominique-"

"Nah... Nah...Nah that's not what I heard Kehlani!" my voice elevated outside of my control. I pulled up my sweatpants and threw on a sweatshirt. "I KNEW IT! I FUCKIN KNEW IT!! Lock the door on your way out and lose my number while you're at it."

"DOM STOP WAIT!" I closed the door before she could stop me. My mind was a cloud as I headed to UrbanInk. I honestly fell for the bullshit. All I could see was red. I cut Janelle off for Lani. I saved Shaina's Job for what? FOR WHAT?

I sat at the red light and banged the steering wheel. I had had enough.

I stormed into the shop making a beeline for Shaina. Pushing her into the wall. We wrestled for a second before Noel picked me up and Jaws picked up Shaina. I noticed Kehlani was standing next to Cooth across the room.

"WHAT THE HELL DOM! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" Cooth yelled.

"This bitch tried to fucking play me. She fucked Kehlani. That's what the fuck happened! I still defended her and TRUSTED her. FUCK YOU SHAINA!" I said barely catching my breath and throwing the artwork binder at her. I lunged again only for Jaws to catch me.

"DOM, CALM DOWN!" Jaws yelled.

"Forreal, Dom, just chill," Kehlani said grabbing my face in her hands. I pulled away from her.

"Nah! FUCK THAT! ... as second in charge at this damn shop your ass is fired, Shai! Kick rocks! Kehlani please just let me be I need some time... I really don't wanna talk to you right now," I pulled out of Jaws grip and headed to my office. Tears were running down and dropping onto my shirt as Kehlani ran after me.

I walked in to see my past sitting in front of me. Gabrielle was my first love, my first kiss, my first everything. I hadn't seen her since I graduated high school.

"Dom, Hey! Oh my god, what's wrong, sweetie," She pulled me into her. I cried into her chest. Kehlani walked in, but Gabrielle shooed her out. "I'll make her call you later, she needs a moment"

I didn't even care why she was here. I just needed her. With all of this craziness, she was the closest thing to home.

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