Page 31 of Jaeda
“Nigga, who the fu?—”
Quaid cut him off by pulling me into his space and kissing me yet again. I knew the moan that fell from my lips had mybrothers shitting a brick and popping a blood vessel. When he pulled away from me, he cupped my chin.
“I’ll see you on Friday,” he said, ignoring the glaring eyes on us.
“See—see you F—Friday,” I stammered.
“Good night, beautiful.”
“Good night.”
He tossed a look at my brothers before descending the steps and heading back to his car. I bit my lip as I watched him climb in and drive off without a scratch on him. Most people that spoke recklessly to my brothers weren’t that lucky.
“Whew!” I said, fanning myself.
“Oh, you eating this shit up,” Deuce said, frowning.
“Like a fat muthafucka at a buffet. Excuse you.” I brushed past him and went into my house. “Y’all can leave now.”
“Nah, we’re gonna talk about this shit,” Deuce said, closing the door.
“Why!” I yelled, raising my hands. “Y’all are acting like I’m a child!”
Smoke kissed his teeth. “You ain’t a child, but you’re our little sister?—”
“Deja is your little sister. You get on her about dating Kilow?”
“You damn right I do.”
I sighed. “I don’t understand why y’all are acting like this. Y’all don’t do this with Mia.”
“Because it’s you, Jaeda,” Steel said, coming over to me. “We know Mia can handle herself?—”
“And I can’t?”
“I’m not saying that. I know you can handle yourself. Mia is our sister, and we love her crazy ass, but we didn’t grow up with her. You’ve always been our baby, man. You’ve always had this innocence about you, Jae. You had that nigga snatched up withall intent to kill him, and now you’re going on dates and kissing him and shit.”
“Thatniggais part of the reason your brother is still here,” I said, pointing to Maceo. “I like him, y’all. Damn! It’s not like I had niggas lined up to really get to know me. You think I wanna be alone my whole life? All of you have somebody, . . . aside from you, Kerrion.
“I want my person too. I wanna get married and have little visually impaired versions of myself running around here. I want the love all of our mothers have found outside of Daddy. And, dammit, I have needs!”
They all started speaking in protest at that.
“Shut the hell up!” I snapped. “It wasn’t too long ago that you three . . .” I pointed to Deuce, Smoke, and Maceo. “Were out here letting anybody fuck and suck on you. I saved myself for a man that was worthy of me, and if that man happens to be Quaid, I’m gonna fuck the shit outta him every chance I get. You have your happiness, and I’m gonna have mine too. Now, it’s late. I want to shower, have me a glass of wine, and build my Legos until I get ready to go to bed. Get the fuck out.”
They all stared at me, speechless.
I loved my brothers, I swear I did. But they could do the absolute most. I completely understood being protective of me because I was protective of them. There was a limit, though. For too long, I held myself back. This family took up so much of my time that I neglected my heart’s desires.
I wasn’t doing that anymore.
In the words of Cookie Lyon, “I gotta put me first.”
Maceo and Smoke stood from their seats to join Deuce at the door. My eyes locked on Steel. We had the closest relationship, and I thought he would be the most understanding, given the fact that the woman he loved left him years ago. I would have thought he wanted me to be happy.
He didn’t say anything, just pulled me into a hug that I didn’t return. When he pulled away, he kissed my forehead.
“I love you, Jae.”
