Chapter 17

Selena stared at her phone, heat rushing to her face as she reread the posts.

Keelah.

So this was the ex everybody had been whispering about. The same one who clearly wasn't over Von—and wasn't about to let this slide.

Her phone buzzed again. A call from Ray.

She hesitated before answering. "Hello?"

Ray's voice came through loud and fast. "Girl, what the hell did you get yourself into?"

Selena ran a hand down her face. "I don't even know."

Ray scoffed. "Well, Keelah sure think she know. She been running her mouth all morning. She was the one who sent the picture in last night."

Selena sat up straight. "She what?"

"She was in the club too, apparently. Saw y'all, took the picture, and sent it straight to the blogs."

Selena's head spun. This wasn't just some random drama—this was deliberate.

"She really this pressed over him?"

Ray sighed. "Girl, Keelah ain't never let Von go. Even when they was 'off,' she still acted like he was hers."

Selena exhaled sharply. "That's crazy. 'Cause he definitely ain't acting like he still hers."

"Yeah, well, she don't care. And you already know these Baton Rouge girls don't play when it comes to their dudes."

Selena pinched the bridge of her nose. "I want nothing to do with this mess."

"Well, too late, 'cause you in it."

Before Selena could respond, another notification popped up—this time, a DM.

From Keelah.

Her stomach twisted as she clicked it.

Keelah: You real bold, lil mama. But you don't want this problem.

Selena stared at the message, her pulse picking up.

Ray's voice cut through her thoughts. "You still there?"

Selena clenched her jaw, staring at the screen. "Yeah. I'm here."

Ray hesitated. "Listen, you wanna fall back from Von? 'Cause this gon' get messy."

Selena wanted to say yes. She wanted to say she was done, that she didn't sign up for this, that she wasn't about to fight over a man.

But deep down, she knew the truth.

She wasn't ready to let Von go.

And from the way he'd had her last night? She wasn't sure she could.

Selena exhaled sharply, locking her phone and tossing it onto the bed. This is not what I signed up for.

She moved to Baton Rouge for a fresh start, to focus on school, her content, and securing her bag. Not to get wrapped up in some messy street drama over a man.

No matter how fine he was.

No matter how good he had her feeling last night.

No matter how deep down she knew she was already caught up.

Selena stood up, pacing her bedroom, her heart still pounding. Von was cool, but he wasn't worth having her name dragged through blogs, dealing with shady exes, and getting caught up in a city where she barely knew people.

Before she could think twice, she grabbed her phone and typed out a text.

Selena: I'm not with this drama shit. This ain't what I came here for.

She stared at the message for a few seconds, debating whether to send it.

Before she could, her phone rang. Von.

Her stomach flipped, but she ignored it.

Then another call.

And another.

On the fourth call, she groaned and answered. "Von—"

"Come outside."

Selena froze. "What?"

"I'm outside."

She rushed to her window, pulling back the curtain. Sure enough, Von's black Camaro was parked outside her apartment complex, his figure leaning against the driver's side door, his phone pressed to his ear.

He looked calm, but she knew better.

She sighed. "Von—"

"Come outside." His voice was smooth but firm. "Ain't no way you 'bout to text me some shit like that and not say it to my face."

Selena clenched her jaw, debating whether to just hang up. But knowing Von, he wasn't leaving until they talked.

With an annoyed huff, she slid on her slides and made her way downstairs.

Von watched her as she approached, his gaze unreadable, his jaw tight. As soon as she got close, he straightened up, his presence alone making her breath hitch.

She crossed her arms. "What?"

Von exhaled through his nose, looking down at her. "So that's how you moving now?"

Selena rolled her eyes. "Von, I told you—I don't do drama. That blog shit, your ex popping off online? I don't want any parts of that."

Von tilted his head slightly, studying her. "You knew what it was when you left with me."

Selena's brows shot up. "No, what I knew was that I liked how you made me feel. That don't mean I signed up for shade pages and bitter exes acting like I stole their man."

Von licked his lips, his gaze steady. "You didn't steal me."

Selena shook her head. "Then why is she acting like I did? And why you ain't check her yet?"

Von ran a hand down his face, exhaling deeply. "Keelah gon' do what she do. She been bitter. She don't like seeing me move on."

Selena let out a humorless laugh. "And you just gon' let her?"

Von's eyes darkened. "You think I care about what Keelah talking about?" He stepped closer, voice dropping. "You think I'd be standing out here arguing with you if I gave a fuck about her?"

Selena swallowed, his presence overwhelming.

Von shook his head. "You the one running."

Her breath hitched. "I'm not running. I'm protecting my peace."

Von smirked slightly, his fingers grazing her wrist. "And what if I'm your peace?"

Selena hated how easily he could flip things, how quickly he could shift the energy between them. Her body still remembered how he touched her last night, how he made her forget everything else.

But this wasn't just about them.

It was about what came with him.

Selena sighed. "I just don't want my name in mess, Von."

Von studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Aight."

She blinked. "Aight?"

"Aight," he repeated, stepping back. "You don't wanna be in the mix? I won't put you in it. But don't act like you ain't know what it was when you got in my car last night."

Selena bit her lip, looking away.

Von tilted his head. "You still wanna be done with me?"

She didn't answer. She couldn't answer.

Because despite everything... she wasn't sure she did.