Nookie's Secret (Nookie 2) (Nookie Series) by Anieshea; Q.B. Wells Dansby Page B

was going on. She could lose everything by being careless, and then where would she be?
    She filled out the paper work. She had to open a bank account first. She put in enough money to pay the safety deposit box up to six months. Placing the money in the box, she exited with twenty thousand.
    By the time she made it back to her apartment, it was well into the evening. She loaded the clothes in the washer and dryer because she had yet to go food shopping. She didn’t know what she would eat. She was starving after not eating anything all day. She wondered about Wayne. She thought about him all day and constantly looked at her phone hoping he would call. He didn’t give her a number to reach him. She would go by his house but she couldn’t remember where it was.
    He hadn’t called in days. She hated that she didn’t have any way to get in contact with him. It was like he had all the power and she lost the power she had. They weren’t in a relationship, but Joy enjoyed the last time she spent with him. She wished that she had grabbed something to eat while she was out because she didn’t feel like going back out. She drank two glasses of water and tried to forget about it. For some reason Joy felt dirty. She walked to her bedroom, jumped in the shower and washed the sweat and dirt of the day off. She even washed her hair. She changed the sheets on her air mattress. She felt comfortable as she dozed off to sleep.
    The next morning when Joy woke up, she felt well rested. She looked at the phone for any missed calls from Wayne. There were none. The good feeling she had left. A million thoughts ran through her mind. She couldn’t understand why Wayne hadn’t called in four days. She needed something to get her mind on something else. She thought about Kevin and the baby. She felt guilty that she was already moving on with her life. She didn’t know what else to do. She hated to be alone.
     
     

Chapter Twenty-Three
     
    Joy was again tired of sitting around the house. Her furniture wasn’t coming until the next day and she needed to get out. She locked the door and walked to the elevator. She saw Simone standing there. She had funny feeling in her stomach from nervousness. She hadn’t seen her since the kiss they shared.
    Simone had her back to Joy but turned around when she heard Joy walk up. Simone tried to smile but Joy was speechless. The whole right side of Simone’s face was swollen and both of her eyes were black. Joy could tell that Simone tried to hide it under the layers of makeup caked on her face but it only covered it a little bit.
    “What happened to your face?” Joy screamed pulling back the hair that Simone tried to cover it.
    “Oh my God,” she said, the bruises looked worst up close. “That bitch Ronnie did this, didn’t she?”
    Simone shook her head yes; tears falling down her cheeks. Simone, the strong go-getter seemed defeated.
    “I can’t believe that she beat you,” Joy said, sucking her teeth. They were standing in front of the building. Simone looked up and down the street, looking for Ronnie.
    “She was so mad. I never seen her so mad.” Simone spoke for the first time since Joy met her in the hall.
    “What happened?”
    Simone hesitated but answered, “She caught me fucking the brother Jamek.”
    Joy’s mouth opened but nothing came out. Many thoughts ran through her head at once, she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even know Simone was in to dudes. Joy wondered why she kissed her and then fucks Jamek. Joy was quiet for to long and Simone started crying.
    “I hope I’m not crossing a line but why would you even do some shit like that?”
    “I don’t know. I was high on X and it just happened. Ronnie walked in on us in the living room. She came at him with a knife and he ran out the door butt-naked. I was still high when she beat my ass.”
    “Damn that’s some crazy shit.” Joy said, ready to go on about her business. She was ready to ride with Simone and kick