Page 47 of Save Room for Us

“Ain’t no might.” I smiled. “Nah, Pop, wouldn’t be no me without you, so that shit ain’t possible.”

Bobbing his head in approval, he replaced the cap on his tea and said, “Let me whup yo’ ass in some chess right quick then.”

“I been letting you win, but it’s time I humble you.” I stood along with him as he threw his head back to laugh.

Shutting the engine down outside the warehouse, I checked my pager again before dropping the shit back in my pocket. Low had been monitoring the new shipment, and since he hadn’t hit me, I knew all was well.

Entering the building, I slapped hands with a few of my niggas before going to check on the females in the room, void of any clothes and counting for the day.

In the distance, where Anastazia worked, I heard voices, making me tread that way.

“Yeah, I don’t know what it is, but my head been killing me,” I heard this nigga Don complain, and two other niggas, Gary and Hit, chuckled as they stood in the room with him.

“Okay, sit down,” Anastazia advised him, worry in her forehead as she began to look him over.

“I’m feeling a little better already,” Don admitted, rendering more laughter from Gary and Hit, as I walked into the room.

Anastazia caught on and stood upright, clearly frustrated by the little joke these niggas thought would be funny. As she turned, Don’s eyes dropped to her round ass, licking his lips.

“You can go. I don’t have time for this.” She sighed, smoothing the edges of her bun that had unruly curls coming from it. She was so fucking pretty. No matter how stressed she was, that honey brown complexion was always luminous and buttery.

“Aww, come on, baby. How else am I gonna get close to you. You don’t like a little role-play?” Don continued, his two dumb ass counterparts laughing and not realizing I was in the room.

I started clapping, wiping the smiles off all three of them niggas’ faces as Don hopped up from the chair like he’d sat on a seat of thorns. Anastazia looked my way, lips parted slightly, but I could see the annoyance still lingering in her pretty face as she mushed her glossy lips together.

“Fuck you looking scared for? I’m applauding yo’ fucking performance.” I clapped a bit more while staring at Don.

“Nah, I was just kidding, boss.” He tried to laugh, but he was too terrified.

With the quickness, I snatched his ass up by that minimal ass hang time he called braids, making him call out.

“Asif!” Anastazia shrieked as I made Don face her, his face balled up in pain.

“Everybody, come in this fucking clinical room!” I roared, making Gary and Hit startle a bit.

It took merely seconds for every nigga in this warehouse, minus Dave, who was guarding the money room, to file into the clinic area as Don continued to whimper, shoulders hunched out of discomfort.

“I’m gon’ only say this shit once. The next time, I’m gon’ let this shit on my waist do the muthafuckin’ talking. If any one of you niggas make unwanted advances at Anastazia, I’m gon’ put you down quicker than a three-legged racehorse.

“She. Not. Here. For. That. I don’t give a fuck if you playing, serious, or think she the one God sent into yo’ life. If I catch you trying to make a pass, I’m gon’ make sure you pass. Anybody got questions?” I looked around the room as they all shook their heads, mumbling ‘no.’ Removing my gun, I placed it to Gary’s temple, making his eyes widen. “That goes for niggas who stand by and watch too. You see a nigga on bullshit and don’t step, I’m gon’ step.”

“I got you. I got you. I’m sorry.” Gary put his hands up in mock surrender. Every soldier in the room followed his lead as Hit stared at the gun like he would shit himself any moment.

“I’m sorry too, boss. Fuck.” Don whimpered as I tightened my grip on his hair with my other hand.

“Apologize to Anastazia.” I shook him a bit, making him yelp.

“I—I’m sorry, Stazi.”

“It’s fine. It’s fine, I swear.” She nodded.

Pushing Don, I let him go and nodded for everyone else to leave the fucking room. Seemingly seconds later, it was just Anastazia and me.

“My bad for what he did, love.” I tried to reach for her hand, but she stepped back a bit.

“You didn’t have to do all of that, Asif. It was just a stupid joke.” She frowned up at me. “Yeah, it annoyed me, but what is he, nineteen?”

“He twenty-six, but that’s not the fucking point, baby. You let one nigga get away with some shit, and next thing you know, everybody doing it.”

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