CheckMate 4: Winner Takes All (6 page)

“So, what’s going on with you? Why did Mona have to pick you up from jail?”

Monty shook his head. He still wasn’t ready to talk about that situation, but he decided to say a little something in hopes that it might make him feel better to get it off of his chest.

“Man, Bren and I got into a fight.”

Rico frowned in disbelief. “A fight? What the hell happened?”

“Candy happened.” He responded with a shake of the head.

Rico raised a befuddled eyebrow with a serious frown on his face, and then he said, “Candy? Baby mama, Candy?” he pondered.

“Yup,” Monty disappointedly said. “Apparently, they’ve been getting quite cozy behind my back.”

“Noooo, that can’t be right, Bro. Bren wouldn’t do you like that.”

“Well, from what I’ve heard, he has and he will.”

Rico shook his head. “Nah, I won’t believe that one.”

“You may as well. Shit, I’ve had to bite the bullet, too.”

“Have you spoken to Bren? I mean, how did you find out about this foolishness?” 

“I walked in on them at the hotel.”

“What hotel?” Rico asked as he scratched in his head. Confusion was written all over his face.

“I go to Bren’s hotel room to tell him about MiKayla’s ol’ sneaky ass and find my baby mama in his room with her ol’ sneaky ass.” He informed Rico with an unpleasant expression on his face. “Damn Bro, I thought I was bad, but these girl’s ain’t loyal either; not my girls anyway.” He added.

“Damn man. It can’t be what you’re thinking. You need to talk to your cousin and get the scoop.”

“Oh I’ve gotten the scoop,” he said thinking about his conversation with Catherine.

Rico shook his head in disbelief. “Have you talked to Candy since then?”

“Nope,” Monty bluntly stated. “I don’t wanna talk to her right now. I don’t know if I can face the fact that she’s moved on. It hurts just to think about it. Man, I really do love her. She ain’t been nothing but good to me and I’ve did nothing but run her over. Now she might be moving on and with my fucking cousin. Damn, did I push her that far?” Rico couldn’t even answer. He was still stunned to be hearing what he was hearing as Monty continued. “My mama hit me with some real shit, man. I’ve had no choice, but to face the music and see my faults for what they are.”

“Mrs. Cat don’t sugar coat shit.” Rico commented.

“She sho’ don’t and she let my ass have it.” He said looking pitiful. “I didn’t wanna hear it, but when she’s talking you’re going to listen.”

“Trust me; I know what you’re talking about.” Rico said thinking about the many conversations that Catherine had with him over the years. “She’s just like mama, too.”

“Yep, they are two of a kind.” Monty said with a light chuckle. “They don’t mind giving us the business.”

“So, what are you going to do? I mean, if you love Candy the way you say you do then you should fight for her.”

Monty just looked at him. “I may not want to fight for a woman that wants my cousin.”

“Yeah, but what if she only wants your cousin because you’re not there? She may be attracted to him, but it’s all because of you.”

Monty frowned. “Have you been talking to my mama?”

Rico laughed. “Hell naw. I’m scared to talk to your mama right about now.”

“Yeah, you better be.” Monty responded.

Rico laughed, but thought about Monty calling MiKayla sneaky. “Well hey,” he started. “Last I can recall you were thinking about making MiKayla the main chick. However, that has quickly changed and now you’re realizing how much you love Candy. It’s amazing how the table turn.” He said thinking about his situation. “What happened with you and MiKayla, anyway?”

“Her dead husband or fiancé or whatever the hell he is to her, is actually alive and well and is probably at her place as we speak.”

Rico frowned. “Huh?”

“You heard me.” Monty said just as the office doors downstairs could be heard opening.

“That may be Maurice coming in.” Rico said. “You think he’s gonna want to discuss his problems, too.” He joked knowing all about Maurice cheating on Dee with a man.

Monty grinned while shaking his head. “I don’t wanna hear about that shit.”

“Me either,” Rico said as they laughed.

“Nah, but he’s not coming in this week.” Monty informed him. “He messaged me late last night. I told him that it was cool. I’m not going to fire him because of his preference. That wouldn’t be ethical. Plus, I have nothing against gay or bisexual people. I just don’t want the gays hitting on me unless it’s a woman. Who don’t want a lil woman on woman action?”

“I don’t wanna think about any other woman action right now.” Rico said standing to his feet. “Guess we’re back to work then.” He said figuring that it had to be a customer downstairs.

“If it’s for me, just send them up.” Monty said as he turned to his computer.

“A’ight,” Rico responded. He exited the room, but then peeped back into the room to get Monty’s attention. “Sssp,” he said. Monty looked up from his computer screen and glanced in his direction. “It’s MiKayla.”

“What?” Monty said standing to his feet. “I didn’t tell her to come here.”

“Well, she’s here and she’s heading up toward the staircase.”

“Oh no the hell she ain’t.” Monty said exiting his office while passing Rico.

“Oh shit,” Rico whispered.

Monty walked straight down the stairs, meeting MiKayla before she could even put a foot on the stairs. “Hold up, what you doing here?”

MiKayla looked like she’d had a rough and restless weekend from the bags under her eyes. “Monty, please talk to me.” She pleaded.

“We have nothing to talk about.” Monty responded with a serious stare.

“We have plenty to talk about.” MiKayla said trying to grab at his arm to make him pay attention, but Monty pulled away from her. “Please listen to me. I did not know that Chad was alive. He just showed up to my crib.”

“Look MiKayla, this is my place of business. Now nor here is the time to discuss this.”

Rico eased down the stairs passing them with an awkward smile on his face. “What’s up, MiKayla?” he spoke, but kept walking straight into his office. He shut the door behind him thinking that he had his own problems to worry about.

“I wouldn’t be here if you’d answer your phone.” MiKayla said in between sniffs of crying.

“I just don’t care to hear about this.” He told her. “Your man is alive and that puts a lot of things in perspective for me. I can’t be with you like that.”

“First of all, he’s not my man. He used to be, but that was years ago then my man died. I don’t know who that man is at my condo.”

Monty frowned. “You don’t know the man at your condo, huh?” He asked with sarcasm. “So, you just let stranger’s house-sit now while you’re gone now?”

“Don’t do that, babe. You know what I’m trying to say.” MiKayla responded looking pitiful while the tears rolled down her cheeks.

Monty didn’t feel any type of remorse for her whatsoever. “No, actually I don’t. You claim that he’s not your man, yet he’s chilling at your crib.” He laughed almost like it was funny, but it wasn’t. “The man drives a Bentley. You mean to tell me that he couldn’t afford a hotel room?”

“It’s not like that.”

Monty grinned with a shake of the head as he started walking towards the office doors with MiKayla on his heels. “Is that the only thing that comes to mind nowadays when you’ve gotten caught?” He questioned thinking that Candy was screaming the same thing when she was being grimy.

“Chad and I have a past, one that I needed closure on.”

“And what, you’re still getting closure after a couple of days have passed?”

“You’re being difficult.” MiKayla said as Monty reached the office doors.

“No, I just have work to do and talking to you about this mess ain’t on my work schedule.”

“I’m not leaving until you talk to me,” MiKayla said wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Oh you’re leaving,” Monty said, and then he opened the office doors. To his surprise another unexpected visitor was already standing there.

“Oh, my bad,” Candy said with her hand still reaching for the door latch since she was about to walk into the building.

“Candy,” Monty said. His heart had skipped a beat or two as he stood face to face with her not knowing what else to say.

Candy cleared her throat looking in MiKayla’s direction. She didn’t seem too happy with her puffy red eyes and tear stained face. She then directed her attention back towards Monty. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company. I just wanted to talk.” She said holding the pink Juicy Couture umbrella over her head as the drizzling rain began to fall a little harder.

Monty didn’t know how to respond, because he wasn’t ready to talk with her yet either. However, MiKayla had gotten pissed off just that quickly.

“Is she the reason why you’re rushing me off?”

Monty rolled his eyes back in his head as if to say,
Bitch please
. “Just leave MiKayla.” He said.

“No, she should stay. I’m leaving.” Candy said, and with that she started heading back toward her car.

Monty watched her walk away. A part of him wanted to stop her, but another part of him just allowed her to leave. He quickly scanned the parking lot and shook his head, and without hesitation he grabbed MiKayla by the arm since she didn’t seem like she wanted to budge. “You drove that nigga’s car here, too? Maaaaaannnn, y’all women nowadays got some super nuts.” He added.

“Babe, my car had a flat tire and I was determined to come see you. So, Chad let me use his car.”

Monty laughed thinking that MiKayla had to be the worse liar in the world. “Man, just leave. Please,” he added. “I’m not doing this with you today, tomorrow, or next week. We’re over.” He told her. Before MiKayla could say anything else, Monty had pushed her out the door and shut the door back behind him. He didn’t care how she felt at that moment. He did think about Candy though. Seeing her had him in his feelings.

Damn, I should’ve stopped her.
He thought. “Fuck that,” he said then headed back upstairs to his office. His feelings were all over the place, but seeing Candy tugged at his heart some kind of bad. The way she just nonchalantly looked at him and MiKayla, and then turned to leave had him fucked up.
Damn, could it really be over this time between us?

Chapter 5

Candy got inside of her car and sat with the door open as she let down her umbrella down. She shook her head as she watched MiKayla somberly walk to the car in the drizzling rain. It was like she didn’t care about getting wet. Maybe the rain covered her tears, because she’d certainly been crying. Candy didn’t know what had happened, but from what she could see they weren’t this little happy couple that Monty portrayed them to be at
Raven’s
Hot Spot.

“Damn, another one bites the dust,” she whispered. “Monty must’ve let her go,” she said because of the way that he was acting. Whatever had happened had to be on her, because of Monty’s actions. “He has found out that the slut is not a saint.”

She knew that Monty could be cold hearted if he wanted too or if he was hurt. She’d seen that reaction a few times while growing up and hanging around him over the years. He could definitely be a stubborn one and at that moment she was actually glad that MiKayla had caught the bad end of the stick first before she made it there. Otherwise, it may have been her.  

She sat for a moment thinking that maybe she should call him since MiKayla was now inside of the car and heading out of the parking lot. However, she was nervous. She hadn’t seen Monty since the day he’d caught her inside of Brendon’s hotel room. Instead of wasting her time calling or messaging his phone, she decided not to do either; only show up to his office in hopes that he’d talk with her. She hated that things had gone this far between them and seeing him standing in the doorway of his building did something to her. There were feelings that were still there; unresolved feelings and she had to figure out what she was going to do about them.

She opened up her car door again. “Fuck it,” she whispered. “I might be leaving here like MiKayla, but at least I will have gotten my point across.” She said then opened up her umbrella, stepped out of her car, and then headed for the double doors of the building. As she walking up to the doors a woman and man was also entering ahead of her.