Coldness. It clawed up her spine like a feline dropped in a vat of water; painful and with haste. Serena urged her not to go there. Apollo wasn't privy to where she was. However she was certain no harm would befall her.

As DeMarcus' hard eyes synced with Aleena's that surety vanquished, rooting her feet in the foyer as the door slammed shut behind her. The sun blazed outside but inside was black as night. Lights off and closed blinds hidden behind curtains. Curtains she spent a complete Saturday morning picking that hung on the gold rod DeMarcus adjusted over the big window of the living room that faced the street so they could have privacy there first night in their new home. They made love that night after eating take out but that was two years ago. Now, she didn't feel love emanating from him as he sat in the armchair unmoving.

"I've been waiting for you." DeMarcus' tone was low and even but his eyes radiated erratic fury as his fingers drummed on the chair's arms.

Aleena gripped the handle of the suitcase she didn't have upon leaving, "I thought you were at work."

"Hmm." He sounded, tilted his head, eyes scanned her up and down as if he could read the details of last night's events on her countenance. "Why would I be at work when my wife didn't come home last night? How could I work when I've been sick with worry, Leena? Or do my feelings not matter anymore?"

"De...Marcus..." She whispered, surveying her surroundings. She stood in her home but the joy and comfort was depleted from it. It felt foreign. Her instinct yelled at her to retrace her steps and get back in her car. "You're scaring me."

"Good." He stopped drumming his fingers. "We promised to come home after entertaining others and you—"

"You broke that rule repeatedly." She interjected. "But it seems I'm the only one that's supposed to follow the rules you created while you get to do whatever the hell you want, whenever the hell you want."

"That's because I don't get attached." He leapt up out of the chair, rushed towards her, latched his hand on her chin to keep her eyes on him. "I know how to compartmentalize my side bitch from my wife."

"I thought her name was Nia." She yanked his hand off her face. "Not side bitch."

"Neither is important to you and this bullshit is over!" He snatched the suitcase handle out her hand. "Did he buy you this shit?" He scoffed at the leather material that housed all the things Apollo bought for her. "How much pussy did you give him?"

She gripped her waist glaring at him and retorted, "The same amount of dick you gave Nia."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Fierce and beautiful. That's why I love you so, so damn much."

"Love." This time she chuckled. "I don't feel too loved by you right now. Haven't felt so in months."

He nodded, placing a hand to his chest. "I apologize. That's my fault. I let my lust cloud my judgment."

"Or maybe this is your real self." She refuted then shrugged. "And the man I've known for three years was just the representative. The man you wanted to be."

"It's not that deep." He rubbed the back of his neck shaking his head. "You letting that one semester of psych do too much. I just wanted to have a little fun while I was at work without being branded a cheater." He walked towards the stairs letting out a yawn. "Now, let's go to bed and forget this shit even happened."

"No."

The one word she spat out halted his steps and he twisted her head peering at her as if his ears betrayed him. "What?"

"I'm not staying. I just came to get some things."

"...and go where?" He hissed, turning back to her.

"I deserve better than this."

"Better than what? Better than me?" He gestured to himself. "I'm the only man for you. That was cemented when you said 'I do'. Now, stop playing around and be the woman I married."

"Impossible." She breathed out. "Since you're no longer the man I married."

The suitcase dropped from his hold and his feet shifted as he moved towards her with frustration and anger feuding for supremacy in his eyes. Her heart sped up as her mouth went dry, unsure if he thought this was going to end like most of their fights; with rough sex and amnesia of all their problems in the morning.  But heavy, rapid knocks at the door pulled both of them out of the current fight at hand.

He sidestepped her to yank the door open. "Ty, what are you doing here?" He glanced back at her and she shrugged, shaking her head.

"This isn't a social call." Tyrese plainly said then shared a quick look at the man next to him. "My captain knows about..." He let out a heavy breath then started again. "We have some questions about your relationship with Nia Young."

Aleena blinked as if brain was connecting the final dot. "Do you have something to do with her assault?"

"No." DeMarcus barked out then turned back to Tyrese, "What assault?"