Chapter 4: Unpacking the Past

Riley blinked, his brain struggling to process Cindy's sudden revelation. The air between them grew thick, a silence filled only by the faint hum of the city outside the apartment window.

"Married?" he repeated, his voice soft but laced with shock. "You… you were married?"

Cindy bit her bottom lip and nodded, her gaze still fixed on the floor. "It was a mistake," she admitted quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "We were young, and it happened so fast. I thought I was in love, but it wasn't real."

Cindy drew in a shaky breath, looking at Riley with a vulnerability he hadn't seen before. "It all started when I went to college," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I met this guy… Kevin. At first, he seemed perfect—like everything I thought I wanted."


6 years ago

The bar was buzzing with the energy of a Friday night. Cindy sat at a high-top table with a group of her roommates, nursing a vodka cranberry. The bright lights and pulsing music were exhilarating, a stark contrast to the quiet suburban life she'd left behind.

She laughed at something one of her friends said, feeling freer than she had in years. That's when she saw him.

He stood near the bar, effortlessly commanding attention. His dark, neatly trimmed beard framed a jawline that could cut glass. Broad shoulders stretched the fabric of his black button-up shirt, and his confident smirk revealed perfectly straight teeth. Cindy tried not to stare, but her eyes betrayed her.

He noticed.

A few minutes later, he was standing beside her, his presence magnetic. "Hey," he said smoothly, his voice low and velvety. "I couldn't help but notice your smile. Mind if I join you?"

Cindy blinked, startled by his directness. "Uh… sure," she said, her cheeks flushing.

"Kevin," he introduced himself, extending a hand.

"Cindy," she replied, shaking it.

"Cindy," he repeated, as if testing the sound of her name. "Beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a grin. "That's a little cliché, don't you think?"

Kevin laughed, a deep, genuine sound that made her stomach flip. "You caught me. But hey, sometimes clichés work."

They talked for hours, the rest of the bar fading into the background. Kevin was charming, quick-witted, and seemed genuinely interested in everything she had to say. By the end of the night, Cindy felt like she'd known him forever.

When he walked her back to her dorm, he hesitated at the steps. "Can I see you again?" he asked, his dark eyes locking onto hers.

Cindy nodded, her heart racing. "Yeah, I'd like that."


"He swept me off my feet, Riley. He was everything I thought I wanted—tall, confident, successful. We started dating, and within months, I was convinced he was 'the one.'"

Her lips trembled as she continued. "Six months in," he proposed. It was impulsive, romantic… or so I thought. We ran off to Vegas and got married. I didn't even tell my family until afterward."

Riley frowned, his chest tightening. "And that's when things went downhill?"

Cindy nodded


Cindy lay curled up on the couch, her head resting on Kevin's chest. His arm was draped possessively around her as they watched a late-night movie. The apartment was dimly lit, the flickering glow of the TV the only source of light.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, the vibration breaking the quiet. Cindy leaned forward, careful not to disturb Kevin, and picked it up.

Kevin glanced down, his dark eyes narrowing. "Who is it?"

Cindy frowned slightly. "Just Mark. He's in my bio class."

Kevin sat up abruptly, his tone sharp. "Mark? The fuck is Mark texting you for?"

"It's nothing," Cindy said quickly, holding up the phone to show him the message. "He's just asking about the homework."

Kevin snatched the phone from her hand, his jaw tightening as he read the text. "Don't fucking lie to me, Cindy. Why is some nigga texting you at this hour?"

"I'm not lying!" she said, her voice rising in frustration. "He's just a classmate, Kevin. I barely talk to him outside of class."

Kevin's expression darkened, his grip on the phone tightening. "You think I'm fucking stupid? You think I don't know what this is?"

Cindy stared at him, her heart pounding. "Kevin, stop. You're overreacting."

"Overreacting?" he hissed, his voice venomous. "You're laying here with me, and you've got some nigga blowing up your phone? That's disrespectful as fuck, Cindy!"

Before she could respond, Kevin threw the phone across the room, the device shattering against the wall. Cindy flinched, her body tensing in fear.

"Kevin, what the fuck?" she cried, standing up.

He was on his feet in an instant, his face inches from hers. "Don't fucking raise your voice at me!" he snarled.

"Kevin, calm down!" Cindy pleaded, backing away.

But he didn't calm down. His hand shot out, grabbing her arm in a bruising grip. "You think I'm gonna let you make a fool out of me?"

"Kevin, you're hurting me!" Cindy gasped, tears springing to her eyes.

"You deserve it," he spat, shoving her backward.

Cindy stumbled, hitting the edge of the couch before collapsing onto it. She looked up at Kevin, her chest heaving with a mix of fear and disbelief.

For a moment, Kevin just stood there, his expression unreadable. Then, as if a switch had flipped, his face softened. "Shit, Cindy, I didn't mean to…" he began, his voice trembling.

Cindy clutched her arm, staring at him in silence.

"I'm sorry," he said, dropping to his knees in front of her. "I lost my temper. It won't happen again, I swear."

She didn't respond, her mind racing.

"I love you," Kevin said desperately, taking her hand in his. "Please, Cindy. I can't lose you."

Against her better judgment, Cindy nodded. "Okay," she whispered.


Cindy's voice cracked as she recounted the memory. "I was so fucking stupid, Riley," she said bitterly, tears streaming down her face. "Every time he apologized, I believed him. Every time he swore it wouldn't happen again, I forgave him."

Riley's fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. "It's not your fault, Cin," he said fiercely. "None of this is your fault."

Cindy shook her head, her voice trembling. "I stayed, Riley. For four fucking years, I stayed. And every time it got worse, I told myself it was my fault—that if I just loved him enough, he'd change."

Riley's heart ached as he listened. "What finally made you leave?" he asked softly.

Cindy's face crumpled, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "I was pregnant," she said, her voice barely audible.

Riley's eyes widened, his stomach twisting.

"I was four months along," Cindy continued, her voice breaking. "I thought maybe… maybe the baby would change things. Maybe he'd finally grow up."

She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "But one night, he came home drunk. I don't even remember what started the argument. I just remember him screaming at me, calling me every name in the book."

Cindy's voice trembled as she continued, tears streaming down her face. "I turned around to leave the room, and he pushed me. I fell so fast, I didn't even have time to catch myself." Her hand instinctively rested on her stomach, the memory cutting through her like a knife.

"I hit the floor hard, Riley," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I remember the pain—it was sharp, immediate. And he just stood there. He fucking laughed."

Riley's face contorted in rage, his fists clenching so tightly. "Cindy…" he said through gritted teeth, his voice barely controlled.

"That night, I started bleeding," Cindy continued, her voice shaking. "I got in my car and drove to the emergency room, but it was already too late. By the time I got to the hospital…" She choked on a sob, unable to finish the sentence.

Riley's heart sank, his anger momentarily overshadowed by overwhelming sorrow. "You lost the baby," he said softly, his voice filled with pain.

Cindy nodded, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "They said the fall caused a placental abruption. There was nothing they could do. My baby… my baby was gone."

Riley reached out, pulling her into a tight embrace. Cindy's body shook against his as she sobbed into his chest. "I should've left sooner," she cried. "I should've protected my baby. I was so fucking stupid, Riley."

"Stop," Riley said firmly, his voice cracking. He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes. "This isn't your fault, Cin. None of it. That fucking nigga did this, not you. You did everything you could."

Cindy shook her head, her face crumpling with grief. "I thought I could fix him. I thought he'd change for me, for the baby. But I was wrong. And because of that, I lost everything."

Riley cupped her face gently, his eyes blazing with emotion. "You didn't lose everything. You're still here. You survived. And that takes strength, Cindy. More strength than he'll ever have."

Cindy let out a shaky breath, her tears beginning to slow. "The miscarriage was my breaking point," she said quietly. "I couldn't stay after that. I packed my things the next morning and left while he was at work. I didn't even leave a note. I just… ran."

Riley's chest tightened as he listened, his fists still clenched with restrained fury. "Where did you go?" he asked softly.

"I went back to Woodcrest," Cindy said, her voice tinged with bitterness. "But it wasn't home anymore. Everyone I knew was gone—moved away, married, living their own lives. I felt like a ghost in my own town."

She let out a small, humorless laugh. "That's when I remembered the trust fund my dad had set up for me before he passed. I didn't even know how much was in it. I just knew it was supposed to be for my future."

Riley raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "How much was it?"

Cindy glanced at him, her lips curling into a faint, ironic smile. "Half a million dollars," she said, the disbelief still evident in her tone. "I went down to the bank, and the teller almost fell over when they told me the balance. My dad… he'd left me a way out without even knowing I'd need it."

Riley's eyes widened. "Half a million?"

"Yeah," Cindy said, her voice softening. "It felt like a sign—a fresh start, a way to rebuild my life. So, I filed for divorce. It wasn't easy, but with the trust fund, I could afford a good lawyer. Kevin didn't even fight it. I think he knew he'd pushed me too far."

She looked out the window, her gaze distant. "Once the papers were signed, I packed up what little I had left and moved here to Chicago. I used the money to get this apartment and start over."

Riley studied her, his heart aching at everything she'd endured. "You've been through hell," he said quietly. "But you made it out. That takes strength, Cindy. More than most people have."

Cindy smiled faintly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like strength. Sometimes it just feels like survival."

Riley leaned forward, his voice firm. "Survival is strength. You didn't let him break you, Cindy. You found a way to rebuild. That's something to be proud of."

Cindy exhaled slowly, the weight of her story finally beginning to lift. "I don't know if I'll ever really feel proud," she admitted. "But for the first time in years, I feel… free."

Riley reached over, taking her hand in his. "You are free," he said firmly. "And If he ever comes near you again, you tell me. I don't care where I am or what I'm doing. I'll handle it."

Cindy managed to have a small, bittersweet smile. "I will," she said, her voice tinged with relief


The smell of pizza filled the air as Riley set the boxes down on the coffee table, along with two cold beers. Cindy grabbed some napkins and plates from the kitchen, and they settled on the floor in her still-cluttered living room, the city skyline twinkling through the large windows.

"This looks amazing," Cindy said, popping open her beer. She took a swig before grabbing a slice of pepperoni. "You always did have good taste in food."

Riley smirked, leaning back against the couch. "What can I say? A nigga got a knack for picking the finer things in life."

They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Finally, Cindy broke the silence, her curiosity piqued. "So, Riley," she began, tilting her head. "How did you get into tattooing? I mean, you've always been talented, but I never imagined you'd turn it into a career—let alone become so popular."

Riley grinned, setting down his slice of pizza. "You remember all the graffiti we used to do back in the day?"

Cindy's face lit up with a nostalgic smile. "Of course. You always had the best tags. I remember how we used to sneak out at night with your spray cans and come back covered in paint. My mom used to swear you were a bad influence."

Riley laughed. "Yeah, well, those were the days. I guess that's where it started. I've always been into art, but the moment I turned 18, I knew I wanted to get into tattooing. There was something about creating art that people could carry with them forever—it just felt... meaningful."

Cindy nodded, her expression thoughtful. "That makes sense. But how did you get so good? And so... famous?"

Riley shrugged, a modest smile playing on his lips. "I practiced like crazy. I saved up for my first tattoo machine, started working at a local shop, and just kept pushing myself. Social media helped, too. People started noticing my work, sharing it. Next thing I knew, I had clients coming in from out of state."

"That's amazing, Riley," Cindy said sincerely. "I'm so proud of you."

Riley's grin widened. "Thanks. But you wanna know something that'll really blow your mind?"

Cindy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What?"

Riley leaned forward, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "My first client? Huey."

Cindy nearly choked on her beer. "Huey? Your brother, Huey? McHater?

Riley chuckled, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Yeah that nappy headed nigga got inked up"

"No way," Cindy said, shaking her head in disbelief. "What did he even get?"

Pulling out his phone, riley stated, "It was a memorial piece for our parents." He scrolled through his photos and handed the phone to Cindy.

Cindy took the phone, her eyes widening as she studied the intricate tattoo. It was a stunning black-and-gray piece featuring a pair of angel wings framing a pocket watch, the hands frozen at the time of their parents' passing. Beneath it were their parents' names written in elegant script, surrounded by subtle floral details.

"Riley, this is... incredible," Cindy said softly, her fingers brushing over the image as if she could feel the tattoo through the screen. "I didn't know Huey had something like this. It's beautiful."

"Yeah, he surprised me with it," Riley admitted, leaning back. "He said he wanted something that would always remind him of them. I was nervous as fuck doing it—it was my first time tattooing someone, and he's my brother, you know? But he loved it."

Cindy handed the phone back, her admiration clear. "You're insanely talented, Riley. Your parents would be so proud of you—and of Huey, for stepping out of his comfort zone like that."

Riley smiled, a flicker of emotion passing over his face. "Thanks, Cin. That means a lot."

For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the weight of shared memories and mutual respect filling the space between them. Cindy felt a warmth she hadn't felt in years—like she was reconnecting with a part of herself she thought she'd lost.

"Hey," she said, her voice soft. "Thanks for being here today."

Riley looked at her, his expression serious but warm. "Always, Cindy. Always."