Blame it on the shame Part 1

Chapter 9 (Ricardo)

I try knocking on Lou-Lou's door again but she doesn't answer.

I went back inside the club to look for her after I walked Scarlet out to her car but Lou-Lou was long gone.

I'm about to walk across the hall to my own apartment but then I hear screaming coming from Tyrone and Jackson's place.

A second later Lou-Lou's ru

While wearing nothing but her bra and panties.

The second after that I'm barreling into Tyrone and Jackson's apartment ready to kill someone.

The only thing that saves Tyrone's life is the fact that when I look at him he looks just as concerned as I do.

That and the fact that his pants are still on.

I take a step toward him. “You have two seconds to explain what the fuck just happened or you're going to see a side of me you've never seen before.”

He rubs the back of his neck “I honestly don't know. I invited her over to hang out because she seemed upset.” He gestures to the couch. “I put a movie on for us and I went to the kitchen to grab us some snacks. When I came back she took off her clothes and got on her knees.”

I clench my fists but his next statement halts me. “I didn't do anything, Ricardo. I tried telling her that's not why I invited her over, but she zoned out completely and started screaming for me to stop.”

He points to his chest. “I didn't do anything to her. I swear on Momma's life I didn't touch her.”

“I believe you,” I tell him.

And I do, I know he wouldn't do something like that despite my knee-jerk reaction when I walked in.

But it doesn't make this god-awful feeling that I have go away. In fact, it only makes it worse because I've heard those kind of screams before.

I know what those screams mean.

And I know that she lied to me.

He looks down at the ground. “I don't know where you found her but whatever happened to her...” His voice wavers and he closes his eyes. “I should have listened to you, man. I know now that you were only trying to protect her without divulging her secrets, I get it. No wonder you kept saying she wasn't mine—because that girl clearly belongs to whatever evil is still holding her captive. And if it's as bad as I think it is...I can't blame her.”

My stomach churns and I give him a small nod before leaving.

I knock on Lou-Lou's apartment but as usual, she doesn't answer.

Which only leaves me with one option.

I kick the fucking door down.