Page 36 of Deuce

“Okay.”

He pulled off, and I pulled out right behind him. As we peeled out of the parking lot, I noticed there was a line of cars trailing behind. My little Honda looked so out of place driving with alongside these expensive cars that cost more than my salary. I couldn’t fathom what this man could possibly want with me other than to fuck, and he was going through a lot of trouble to do that.

We ended up at this place I’d driven past but never thought to stop. It was off by itself and from the outside, it looked like an abandoned building. There were a few other cars in the parking lot and that made me weary. I sat in my car while everyone else got out, contemplating if it was better for me to pull off and take my ass on home. I could just eat a sandwich.

Before I could decide, there was a knock on my window. Mace stood there waiting for me. With a heavy sigh, I shut off the car and unlock the door. Grabbing my crossbody bag, tossed it over me and got out.

“How long were you planning to sit there?” he asked me.

“Until I decide whether or not I was safe.”

I looked past him at his siblings, and the other people who were standing around talking. Deuce looked back at me with a frown on his face.

“Nobody here is gonna hurt you.”

“I’m not so sure about that. Why is your brother frowning?”

Mace kissed his teeth. “That nigga is just salty because you don’t want to sit beside him.”

“Well, he could have invited that big booty bitch that was twerking her ass on him to sit beside him.”

He laughed out loud. “Did that make you jealous?”

“Not at all. I was just making an observation.”

“Yeah well. Come on, I’m starving.”

He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the crowd. As soon as we got close to them Deuce snatched him away from me. He shook his head.

“Y’all this is Salima. Salima, these are my brothers Kerrion and Devin, and my cousins Jakobi, Samir, and Talia. You already know Jaeda, Mia, and of course, Deuce.”

“Hello,” I said quietly.

“Why is she here?” Mia asked. “I thought you didn’t want anything to do with my brother. Isn’t that what you implied to me and Jaeda?”

I was not in the mood for her or her attitude. “Girl, please don’t start your shit with me.”

“Start my shit? Baby, you are greatly outnumbered and in our territory.”

“And?”

“Aye!” Deuce snapped. “Cut it the fuck out.”

“I don’t appreciate your sister trying to threaten me,” I snapped back.

He turned to his sister. “Mia, dial it back. It ain’t that serious.”

“She owes me and my sister an apology. We were just trying to be nice to her, and she accused us of setting her up so you could get next to her.” She look back at me with a frown on her I pretty face. “We don’t make friends easily and you seemed like you were a cool chick. We weren’t trying to be on some funny shit with you.”

“Well damn, Mia,” Mace said. “Did she hurt your feelings?”

“Yes!” she snapped.

“Seriously?” I asked. “I hurt your feelings?”

She pouted, but didn’t respond. I wasn’t sure how old she was, but looking in her face, I could tell she was young and most likely the youngest one here. She was probably barely out of her teenage years.

“Well, I’m sorry, okay? Given what I learned at that lunch, I’m not sure how you want me to react. If your brother wasn’t snooping around in my business, I wouldn’t have come to the conclusion I did.”

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