Jay looked around. “A nigga wouldn’t have to pop up on you’d answer your cellphone. Who is this though? I swear I seen her somewhere before, but my mind blank. I need to stop smoking that exotic kush you be having. Fuck it though, dummy. We hitting the casino? You my lucky charm—I hit big every time you slide through with me.”
“Nah, I’m chillin’. You remember the faces of the folks who robbed you, though?” War asked, his eyes dark with something dangerous—he looked like he wanted to kill. I could tell he genuinely cared about Jay; that must be the Cashaun side of him.
Jay scratched his beard. He had a couple bruises on his face, and the neckline of his shirt was ripped. He looked like he’d just been rolling on the ground.
“Yo, I think it was Ronda’s youngest son who robbed me. I saw the lil’ nigga hopping in my truck—he is about three feet tall. I need to stop trying to be a step daddy to these bad-ass kids,” Jay said, and War cracked up.
“You’sa fool,” War chuckled.
“Who cooked?” Jay asked, eyeing the table. I tried to slip past him to grab my plate, but he already saw it. “The fuck was eating this Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter-looking ass food?” Jay scrunched up his nose.
“We’re roleplaying, hence the collar,” I shot back, laughing it off.
“Is that blood on your lips?” Jay asked, staring.
“It’s fake,” I quickly responded.
“Shiddddd,” he mumbled.
He picked up a piece of honeycomb from the plate, then dropped it quick when he realized there were still bees in it. “Yeah, I think I’ma head out. I’ll be at Ma Dukes’ crib, holla at me later,” he told War.
“Aight, I’ll rap to you soon,” War said.
Jay looked me up and down, like I was crazy. “What’s your name again, sweetheart?” he asked.
“Eboenia.”
He squinted, trying to place me. “Shit, I feel like I heard that before,” he muttered. Jay leaned in to War and whispered, “She’s fire, bro, but them gorgeous ones always crazy. I don’t even fuck with five-0, but if I don’t hear from you in an hour, I’m sending them people over here. I’m telling you, we got aliens in Baltimore. Ships all in the sky at night, spinning like cyclones. She’s one of them. Black folks don’t eat praying mantis wings!” Jay hissed.
War slapped hands with him and walked him to the door. Jay looked back at me. I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, grilling him. “Is there a problem?” I asked.
“Not at all, Nubian goddess,” he said, hands up.
War opened the door for him. Jay shook his head. “I’ll set a basket of garlic, holy water, and a cross on the front step. That woman ain’t human, bruh. I can see it in her eyes.”
“Yo, stop being paranoid,” War responded.
“Yeah, you right. I think I got rocked too hard,” Jay said, rubbing his head as he stepped out.
War closed the door, chuckling. “You shouldn’t have changed my clothes. I bet he would’ve remembered if he saw how that lace robe draped over my body,” I teased, then grew serious.
“So, since you have the wizard’s soul inside you, I’m sure you feel the things he felt. Did he—or you, or whoever I’m talking to—love Clover? Is that what this war against Hoax and his army is really about? Because she married him?”
He cocked an eyebrow, jaw set. “And who are you for me to tell the truth to?”
I turned to go upstairs, but War’s chain slid into his hand, snaking out and snapping around my waist. It yanked me back, squeezing until I gasped.
“War, let me go!” I squealed, twisting in his grip.
“For what? Ain’t you mine to play with?” He pulled me closer, the chain locked tight. “What you need to lay down for? I’ve been putting you to sleep for the past few days. You should be well rested,” he bragged.
“I’m tired of the bullshit!” I snapped. “I’d rather pay for the sins of what my people did to yours, but not because you fell for a bitch who spread her legs for another man!”
War’s grip tightened, chain digging into my sides. “Don’t let that slick tongue get your head popped off. I told you once before, you really don’t know shit. I tell you whatever I want because you aren’t worth anything to me for me to give you any truths. I showed you who I am—deal with it,” he said, voice turning ice cold.
War gripped me by the neck, forcing my gaze to meet his. “Stop acting like you don’t crave it when I put you through hell. Your body’s burning up right now—I can see it in your eyes. You want everything I give you, the good and the bad, because you ain’t never had dick this good in your life. You’re not stupid, Eboenia. No matter how much harm I do, this is the safest you’ve ever felt. Remember, everything I build, I can break down just as fast. So lose that fucking attitude.”
“I’ll lose it when you let Clover go!” I replied.
