I chuckled. “Be easy, Suz.”
I left her crib a few moments later. A nigga was way past exhausted and sleepy as fuck. I didn’t see how Zero pulled damn near twenty-four-hour days and kept it moving. I had to slide into a sleep coma at some point. My sleep was too valuable to be out here missing it.
Before I pulled from the curb, I pulled my phone out and texted Ree making sure she still knew I wasn’t giving up.
Me: Morning, beautiful.
I didn’t wait for her to respond, instead I put my phone in the cup holder in front of me and sped home. Once I was home, I showered and climbed my ass into bed. I’d be up in a few ours, but for now I was gonna dream about the moment I got between Taree’s legs.
EMPRESS
My feet hurt and if I didn’t know any better, I had a mild headache. I had been on my feet all day and six heads straight. Now it was seven in the evening, and I was picking up a taco plate from my favorite Mexican restaurant then going home to lay up on my couch with my baby Blue. I wasn’t tired as in about to pass out or anything, but I needed to recharge. I needed some time to think or so I thought until I laid eyes on the familiar creature walking into the restaurant. I wanted to know what he was up to, but I stopped myself allowing the conversation that Ree and I had a few days ago to unravel in my brain. That alonemade me leave him alone. Damaged people damaged people. As if it wasn’t sign enough, I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket and I just knew it was Ree because often god used her to send me messages from time to time.
I was shocked when I saw it was Irish
“Yeah.”
“Yo, you ignoring this nigga Benson or something?” he asked.
“Why? I told you don’t be calling me for that man, Irish.” My eyes never left Zero’s frame as he ordered his food talking to the older woman behind the glass.
He chuckled. “Nigga looks like he’s seeing ghosts. I’m about to tell Grandma that you’re out here giving all your cookies up. She’ll for sure have some holy water waiting on your as at Sunday dinner tomorrow.”
I cackled loud as hell forgetting where I was. “I can’t stand you.”
“Nah, I’m about to help you get saved. ‘Cause ain’t no way you’re out here using that lil’ twat to get the City Girl’s points for them.”
“Irish. Get off my phone.” My stomach hurt from laughing so hard.
“Fuck around. Matter of fact where are you right now?”
“On my wa?—”
“Empress,” the lady called my name because my food was ready.
“Let me call you as soon as I get home.” I hung up on him before he could respond and went to fish through my pocket for my tickets. They acted a fucking fool over these damn tickets.
When I looked up, Zero’s eyes were on me, and he had a smirk on his face. Then seconds later the lady said his name. Of course we both approached the front together and he grabbed his food as well as mine before stepping to the side. She damn sure didn’t ask for his ticket.
“You don’t know me, Empress?”
“What made you say that?” I asked with a little smirk on my face.
“You tell me.”
I licked my lips taking him in. Yeah, I was gonna have to start my serious shit another time, because right now I was on another time. “Where are you headed?”
“To drop these tamales off to my sister.”
I nodded. “Home.”
“You gonna slide through and not sneak out on a nigga this time?”
I giggled. “I didn’t sneak out on you. I had an early appointment at the shop.”
“Yeah, right tell me anything.” Before I could say anything more, he grabbed my phone from my hand. Within seconds he was holding it up for the facial recognition. Then when it was unlocked, he tapped through it seconds before his phone started to ring. “Finna send you my address. Don’t have me waiting on yo’ fine ass.”
I smirked taking my food from him as we went in our separate directions. He just didn’t know I for sure didn’t plan on keeping him waiting. I was on my way behind him while I called Irish back because I just knew he was about to chew me out for hanging up on him. He was dramatic like that.
