Page 86 of Deuce

“Now why I gotta be loose!” Mr. Dillinger exclaimed.

“Senior, please. You have six kids by four women that you’ve been bouncing back and forth between for years. I’m glad Stephanie finally got her own man. She deserves her happiness that isn’t tied to your ass. Maddie, if you knew better, you’d do the same.”

Deuce and his siblings stifled their laughter. I liked his grandmother. She seemed like she kept it real and I could respect that.

“Now, if you aren’t helping cook, please get your ass out of my kitchen. Go on!”

Mr. Dillinger and Maceo raised their hands as they headed out the back door.

“Deuce, go on out there with them.”

“Damn, Grams. You kicking me out?”

“I am. I appreciate your help, but we’re about to gossip and we don’t need y’all in here. Bye.”

He chuckled as he stood to his feet and looked at me.

“You gon’ be okay?” he asked.

“I’ll be fine.”

“Holla if you need me.”

He cupped my chin and kissed me softly before heading out back. I couldn’t hide the smile present on my face as my eyes trailed him out the door. When I turned back, I found all the women staring at me with grins.

Jaeda shook her head. “I never thought I’d see the day Stanley Jordan Dillinger Jr. would be soft with a woman.”

“Forget being soft,” Mia said. “I’m stuck on the fact that he brought her home. What did you do to my brother?”

I shrugged. “I haven’t done anything but be myself.”

“Well, I can’t wait to see how this goes. Deuce with a girlfriend? This should be interesting.”

“We haven’t made things official,” I protested.

“Maybeyouhaven’t, behehas.”

I relaxed into my seat, thinking about what she said. Had I gotten myself into a relationship and not even realized it? And with Deuce, of all people. The same man that put a gun to my face? The man that gave me ten stacks like it was nothing. In all his craziness, I had to admit that he’s been sweet to me… in his own way. He was learning to be soft with me, but at least he was trying.

Maybe him being my man wouldn’t be so bad.

“I’ma fuck you up,”I told my brother as I walked into the backyard.

He laughed as I approached them and punched him in the chest.

“Why would you bring that pool table up again?”

My father laughed. “I mean, I can see why you would do it. She’s a beautiful girl.”

“You knew her daddy.”

His brows furrowed. “I did?”

“Iman Navarro.”

His eyes widened. “That’s Iman’s daughter? Damn. Now that I think about it, she does look just like him. It’s a small ass world. Iman was like family.”

“Grams made that clear.”

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