The next day in Virginia, Sicily was still reeling from the tongue-lashing she’d received from Sincere a few days earlier when she’d interrupted his call with Kisa. Scrolling through MediaTakeOut.com, Sicily saw the perfect opportunity to get back at him. Sitting slumped down on the couch, she looked over the top of her laptop screen at Sincere. He was sitting across the table playing a game of tunk with Shawn. “Um, Sincere,” Sicily said, “isn’t this your wife?”

“Where?”

“Right here.” She spun the computer around and pointed at a picture of CoCo and Kisa hugging.

Sincere came over and snatched up the computer. The headline read: “Couple Alert!” His heart dropped as he viewed the multiple pictures of his wife hugging CoCo. Kisa appeared to be so happy in the pictures. Sincere read the caption beneath the photos:

Music mogul CoCo and his former girlfriend Kane Montega are reportedly back together. They attended the Diamond and Fur Gala last night in Manhattan. According to court records, Kane is still married to reputed drug kingpin Sincere Montega. Here at MTO, we like these two together, but CoCo, you better watch your back! Because we hear Mr. Montega likes to get it poppin’.

Sincere slammed the laptop closed and threw it on the couch, narrowly missing Sicily. He pulled out his cell and walked away angrily. With a coy smile Sicily watched him walk all the way down the hall. When she turned around, Shawn was peering at her, shaking his head. “You one silly-ass broad.”

“What?” She shrugged innocently.

“You was trying to be funny, but you probably done started some shit. When it blow up at you, that dumb-ass smile will be wiped off your face.”

Sincere remained cooped up in the bedroom for the rest of the day, mainly because he didn’t want to slap Sicily upside the head. He left only to use the bathroom. I should’ve killed that fuck boy years ago, Sincere thought, pacing the floor. He couldn’t get the image of CoCo hugging Kisa and the huge smile on her face out of his head. He tried unsuccessfully to reach Kisa by phone, which fueled his anger. It didn’t help that the last time their marriage was in jeopardy he’d accused Kisa of cheating with CoCo, but never confirmed it. Truthfully, he didn’t want to know. What he did know was that a pattern was emerging: Whenever Kisa thought that he was doing her wrong, she ran back to CoCo.

By the next morning, Sincere had still not talked to Kisa. All he could imagine was Kisa somewhere having sex with CoCo, or hurt, or dead. His thoughts were turning him into a madman. Then he made a decision. He called Shawn into his room and told him, “I want to leave for New York right before dark.”