He laughed. “Do what you please, bro. Your happiness is mine and I love seeing it on you.”
I waved him off. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure, you don’t. It’s cool to keep that shit a secret for now, but soon you’ll be telling me what’s up or letting us meet her.”
“You already know her, but I feel you.”
He tilted his head to the side. “I already know her. Who I already know?” He looked so damn confused that I thought about not telling his all-knowing ass.
“Jade.”
He looked like he was thinking then it hit him. I could tell exactly when it did too. “Yo, you fucking them niggas’ sister?”
I laughed at the way he was looking at me. “Not fucking her. Well not in the way you’re thinking. I’m kicking it with her.”
He waved me off with the rag he used to wash his hands. “Do me a favor. Don’t say kicking it no more. You’re too fucking old to be speaking like that.”
I shook my head. “Well I’m digging her.”
“Even worse.”
“Well shit, I ain’t got no more descriptions. It is what it is and she ain’t just them niggas’ sister. She’s a beautiful, capable woman.”Who I happened to enjoy having under me.I didn’t say that last part aloud.
“Ah shit.” Kinga shook his head with a smirk, digging into his pocket. When he pulled his phone out, he did some tapping before the phone began ringing aloud.
“Who are you calling?” I was completely confused at this point.
Seconds later, a male voice answered. “Yeah, Kinga.” Sora’s sleep-laced tone filled the space.
“This nigga done did it again.” He seemed so amused.
“Who did what again?”
“Your brother. He done fell his ‘I gotta fall in love’ ass in love again.” Kinga laughed into the phone.
Sora laughed. “For real? With who? Y’all met her? Where is he at right now?”
“Right here. He hears you and I’ma let him tell you that much.” My brother held his phone out and I damn sure didn’t take it.
“The whole time you can’t even get down on him because you were gone off Harlem the moment you laid eyes on her hostile ass in the shop giving your employees hell. Remember that? You were knocking the spare change out of a nigga’s pockets over her by five that same damn day. Nigga, you really can’t talk.”
I laughed and so did my brother.
“Yo, shut the fuck up. That was different.” Kinga attempted to defend his stance before ultimately hanging the phone up on our baby brother.
“Tried to clown me and ended up getting your ass clowned, huh?”
He waved me off and I laughed. “Harlem caught me by surprise. Y’all know I wasn’t looking for shit I found.”
I nodded. “Well, you're good at it. Spending less time out in the city streets and more at home with your family. That’s a good look.”
He nodded. “Streets will always be a part of me, but I ain’t running them no more. I got way too much to lose out there being fast and loose with life.”
Chapter 7
Jade
I hadn’t been home in a few days and I was irritated. Oden tried to make it better with dinner and his presence, but I was creeped out. Who in the hell would leave a trashcan with roses on fire in front of my door? I meant it when I said I wasn’t stalkable, but damn, was somebody actually stalking me? Why would they? Irritation loomed in my being as I drove in the direction of my brother’s house. It was a dinner night, which meant we all needed to be in attendance. I guess I was fine with it considering Oden was going out to his house for the next two days. He had live crops and land to care for. He couldn’t just drop everything for me, even though he offered to. The only reason he let the fact that I had yet to tell my brothers go was because I agreed to stay in his condo instead of mine for a few days while my complex investigated the incident. That irritated my soul because I couldn’t understand how they didn’t have any footage of somebody lighting a fucking fire in front of my door. Where was security? Or any of that high tech shit I paid fees for every freaking month? It all annoyed me, but again, I had Oden. He didn’t let me stress about it, no matter how close I was to doing so.
