Shawnie's POV

Later that night, Joe and I were chilling in the living room after I put Atlas to sleep and there was a knock on the door.

"I got it." Joe says getting up and making his way over to the door of the suite. He looks through the peephole, then turns around and looks back at me. "It's him. Want me to get rid of him?"

"Um, yeah." I say nervously. I knew this would happen.

Joe opens the door, cracked enough to see through. "She doesn't wanna talk."

"Let her tell me that." I hear Aubrey say.

"I don't wanna talk to you." I yell from the living room.

"Tell me to my face." He yells back.

Joe looks at me. I think about it for a few seconds, and I get up. I sigh as I walk over on the other side of the sofa and lean against it.

"Open the door, Joe." I say

Joe doesn't hesitate, he opens the door. I know he was disappointed in me but following through with this is easier said than done.

Aubrey steps in the suite and looks at me.

"You smoking in here?" He looks back at Joe and Joe doesn't say anything. "You smoking with my wife?"

"I don't smoke." Joe says

Aubrey looks at me and when we lock eyes, he smiles. He walks over and stands directly in front of me. I look at Joe, standing by the door and he just looks at me. I look back at Aubrey.

"He's not smoking with me." I say

He steps closer to me. "But why are you doing this with another man?"

"I'm just trying to relieve some stress." I say, "You have me stressed out."

"I can fix that..." he says

I roll my eyes.

He gets down to my eye level and looks me directly in my eyes, "Tell me to my face, Mami. You don't want to talk to me?"

"Aubrey..." I trail off.

"Look at me." He smiles and holds eye contact with me, reaching for my hands. "Tell me, Mami."

I stared at him for a long few seconds. He looked at me with that stare that has always made me crumble.

".....You told me not to come back." I say

"I was just talking, I was hurt. I had motherfuckers coming at me from all angles."

"That was before that happened." I say

"You know I can't live without you, Mami. I'm sorry if I hurt you, mentally and physically. You know you're my everything and I can't live without you."

My serious face turns into a slight smile, "I know."

"You're the only one I'll be out at 2 o'clock in the morning, stalking for." He laughs which makes me laugh as well. "I'm sorry." He strokes my cheek with his right hand.

I close my eyes and I feel the warmth of his hand. I missed Aubrey. I had only been gone for a day and I already missed his touch. I know he knew that. I let him. I knew what he was doing. He stepped closer, closing in the gap between us. His hands traveled up my sides and to my face. He lightly placed both hands on my face, as he pressed his lips against mine, kissing me.

He pulls away from me and just stares for a few seconds.

"Baby, we need to talk?" He says and I nod my head yes. "Let's go talk in the bedroom for privacy." He says

"Okay." I say and I take his hand.

"Close the door, Joey." Aubrey says to Joe.

I turn to look at Aubrey, "Don't do that."

"I'm sorry. You can close the door, my good sir." He corrects himself but I know he's still being an asshole.

Joe looks at me and closes the door. He was upset with me. I could tell but he's not married and he doesn't know the hold he has on me. Over me.

"We're going to talk. I'll be back." I say

"Yeah." He walks into the kitchen without saying anything else. I go into the bedroom with Aubrey.

I walk in first and he follows. He closes the door behind us, I turn to look at him. When he turned around from closing the door, he got on his knees in front of me.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't do this without you. What do you want me to do?" He says

"I already told you." I say

"Okay, done. I'll retire, but it's not gonna take effect immediately. There's a few things that I have to do. There are contracts involved, I can't just quit." He says looking up at me with those puppy dog eyes.

"I'm not asking you to retire from music. I asked for you to take time off. You're great at what you do but you work so hard you're barely even able to enjoy it when you're off. All I want is for us to have some family time. You can't get these years back. When Atlas is older you're going to wish you were around." I say looking down at him.

"I agree. So, whatever you want, I'll do. I can't let you leave me." He says, then he corrects himself. "I won't."

"Don't fuck with me, Aubrey."

"I'm dead ass serious, Shawnie. Say the word, and we can put all of this behind us. We can go wherever you want. Just the four of us."

"I'm not talking Gen away from Chris."

"I just want us straight. I'm desperate. Anything you want. Just tell me what to do...I want to work on this...I won't let you leave." He says

I look at him for a few seconds, trying to read him. It's pretty clear he's serious. But is he that serious where he would allow Chris to be a part of this plan. Probably not, he is just trying to make this sound good.

"I know I've done some pretty bad things but please forgive me. One more chance, Mami. I need you." He says

"I know you do..." he wraps his arms around my waist and lays his head on my stomach. "...I won't leave." I say stroking his head. "But I still want some time to myself. I'll come home eventually. I'll give you time to get things in order, if you let me do this."

He looks up at me, "What we looking at?" He asks

"Two or three months."

"Two or three months?" He reiterates

"Yes. I need some time, babe."

"You went from a week or two, to three months? Is this what's going to make you happy?" He asks

"Yes."

"Aight. I don't want to do this, because I feel separation leads to divorce but if this is something you need, and if it'll keep you from leaving, I'll do it."

"Thank you."

"But I'm going to hold you to this. Three months tops." He says

"Okay." I say

"Take these off." He tugs on the waistband of my pants.

I let him take off my pants and panties, and I step out of them. He pushes me back to the bed and I lay down.

"I want us to rise above this...if you let me, I can give you everything..." He kisses my inner thigh, then takes in my scent. "I can't go too long without this pussy. This shit makes me crazy."

Joe's POV

I stood there in the kitchen listening. Well, not listening like a creep but I could hear them. When they first went into the room, they were talking but then, I started hearing her moaning. I only wanted to make sure there wasn't an argument. I couldn't block it out, so I put my AirPods in.

It was about an hour later when Drake walked out of her bedroom. He smiles as he walks over to me.

"She's out for the rest of the night." Drake says, "It doesn't matter how mad at me she is, that's one thing she can't resist, my tongue." He smiles

"I don't care. Why are you telling me this and what are you smiling at?" I ask him.

"Because you thought I was out of the picture. I'm never out of the picture. I'm telling you this because you can try to get her, but she wants me. You don't stand a chance. You ain't me."

"What are you talking about?" I say, irritated. "Get out of my face with that."

"I know you want my wife." He says

I look at him like he's crazy. Something is wrong with this man. He's been talking this shit since I met him.

"We still on this? I don't want your wife. You're paranoid. I don't know why you think I'm out to get you, or her. I'm simply doing my job." I say, "You need to be worried about what you lack and what you can't do for her. Instead of creating problems with me."

"I don't lack shit and was your job attacking me?"

"Yes, and I won't hesitate to do it again. Keep your hands to yourself and you won't be attacked." I say

"I think it was more to that. You want my wife." He says

"Look, the only thing you need to worry about is keeping your hands off of her." I say. "If that shit happens again you're gonna have to answer to me. And it better not happen again."

"You put your hands on me again, I will have you killed. Do you hear me? I will kill you." Drake says and I smile.

"Do what you need to do. I stay ready for whatever."

"You keep her in this fucking hotel. If she goes anywhere, especially with that bitch CB again, you let me know."

"I don't take no fucking orders from you." I say

"Oh Joe," he smiles. "Everyone takes orders from me, even my wife. I'm the reason you're even here. If I want you gone, all I have to do is say so."

"Good luck with that. She ain't getting rid of me. You'll be gone before me." I wave him off. "Fuck outta my face."

"You a little cocky motherfucker..." he says, disrespectfully.

"Yeah, I'm sure of my position. But you, I don't know about that. You don't even know where your relationship stands, and you're leaving your wife in a hotel suite with another man because she doesn't want you around...smoking, drinking... venting... anything can happen." I smile. "I would be paranoid if my girl was around me too. I'm sexy as fuck!" I saw with an even bigger smile.

"Nigga I will beat your ass."

"You'll beat my ass, or you'll have my ass beat?" I laugh.

"You think you funny." He says. I knew I was getting under his skin. Exactly what I wanted to do. I don't like this man and I'm going to make sure he knows that. I don't give a fuck who he is.

"I think I'm very entertaining." I say, sarcastically, "Is there anything else I can help you with? If not, you can see yourself out." I say

He doesn't say anything else to me. He was pissed. He went into Atlas's bedroom. He was in there for about five minutes, then he came back out with him.

"Where are you going with him?" I ask

"He's coming with me." He says

"Does Shawnie know?"

He laughs, "You know he's my son too?"

"Did she say it was okay?" I ask

"Goodnight, Joe."

Just then Shawnie walks out of the bedroom wearing Gucci slippers and robe. Her hair was down and it was wet. She looked as if she had just gotten out of the shower.

"You know he's leaving with Atlas?" I ask her

"Yes." She says

"Oh yeah, did you have fun with Chris and Diamond today?" He asks her.

"Yeah, I did. Why?"

"It's all over the internet. That's good PR for the both of you. Don't have an outing with him without letting us know again." He says

"Why?"

"It's best to run those types of things by Amanda so she knows what to prepare for." He says

"Oh ok. Got it." She says sarcastically. "I'm not running anything by you guys. I'm not gonna live my life like that."

"You have to give us some type of heads up because if something happens, we need to be prepared for it.." he says

"Okay, Aubrey." She waves her hand, waving him off like she has an attitude.

"Aight. I'm going to head out. Have a good night, baby."

"Yeah, you too." She says

He walks up to her and kisses her on the lips. I was disgusted again. She didn't want to let go, she wanted him. He was right. I'm sure he knows how to work her and knows exactly what to say to get his way.

He leaves and she walks into the kitchen. She gets a bottle of water.

"You guys are good?" I ask

"We're okay." She says, opening her water. "I'm sorry, Joe. I'm just not mentally there yet. I mean, I am, but I just need more time."

"Yeah, you don't need to apologize to me. I just think when you finally do leave, it'll be too late. He's going to have to drive you off of a bridge for you to get it."

"Do not do that to me. You've never been in this situation before, it's hard. You can't just up and leave." She says, looking hurt.

"Yes, you can. But I'm not going to keep bringing it up. Just know, I'm going to protect you no matter what."

"Thank you, Joe." She says then walks into her bedroom.

I think she was a little disappointed in herself, so I'm gonna let up a little bit. I think she wants to leave but she's so into her head about the situation that she is having second thoughts about it and that's causing her to prolong the hard decision.

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