Page 9 of Save Room for Us

“I can be.” His eyes cascaded from my face down my body and back up. “I’m dead ass though. Next time you need a nigga handled, I don’t care if it’s for him looking at you disrespectfully, hit me. Or, shit, just hit me.”

Again, I was picking up a sexual vibe, though I wasn’t sure if that was what he was attempting to put out. I felt my cheeks grow hot feeling him look me over like one would a meal straight from grandma’s kitchen.

“No—”

“Cemone, leave her be, please!” Scotland shouted, cutting me off and making both Asif and I look.

We noticed Cemone had come behind his wife as she danced, hugging her from the back before a kiss ensued. Seconds after, he’d thrown Yolani over his shoulder to take her into the house, and it was quite obvious what was about to happen as she giggled flirtatiously.

Her happiness was so evident it was damn near tangible. I couldn’t remember a nigga ever making me that happy. Maybe one day.

“Yeah, we need that tour for the new album. She can’t have no baby!” Presley backed Scotland up.

“I’m gon’ give him however many he wants. Sorry.” Yolani blushed, still laughing just before Cemone shut the sliding door as the women shouted responses back.

I couldn’t say I blamed her. If a man had me floating like that, I’d give his ass a football team too.

“We should go listen,” Analicia suggested, making all the ladies laugh, including me. What made it even funnier was seeing every woman contemplate doing just that.

“Man, what?” Bashar frowned at his wife as we continued to crack up. “Bring yo’ ass over here. You wanna hear some people fucking, it needs to be us.”

His brothers slapped hands with him, clearly agreeing as the ladies groaned, rolling their eyes.

“I already listened to us before we left the house, remember? I also got a visual, the one of your eyes rolling back in your head while moaning,” Analicia quipped, sending the whole yard into laughter and causing his brothers to crack on him.

“You saw ya legs shaking too?” Bashar asked, making his brothers wild out and shout his praises, as my sister and her husband exchanged lusty, playful stares.

“Them folks crazy,” Asif commented just as Milan started over, holding a red cup to her face. “Where is baby girl?”

“Sophie?” I inquired, somewhat confused. Asif had only seen Sophie maybe twice, since usually when I came around he and his brothers, it wasn’t for a kid friendly event. So the fact that he remembered her and was asking about her caught me off guard. When he nodded, I said, “Home with my mom for the moment. That’s where I’m staying too.”

I felt the need to insert that last part. I hated that my mom having temporary custody was all over the news. I was happy it was given to her and not Cedric’s people, but at the end of the day, it was only on paper because I still did everything for Sophie. I would never allow my choices to burden my mother, though she claimed towantmore time with Sophie since in her opinion, I was overbearing.

“Baby, all this sex talk got me horny.” Milan flounced over and stood on her tiptoes once she reached Asif and attempted to nibble his ear, but he was too tall. He had to be about six feet, four inches.

It was clear she said that so I’d hear, but again, she was doing all of this and for the wrong reasons because I didn’t give a fuck.Only reason I’d entertained her behavior in the past was because I was miserable, but now that I didn’t have to go home and deal with Cedric, there was nothing her immature ass could do to disturb my spirit.

“Go back over there and wait until I get done talking,” Asif replied, coolly but sternly, wiping away Milan’s salacious smile.

He clearly had her ass in check, and it was even clearer that she was embarrassed by his response and rightfully so. She’d just propositioned the nigga, and he told her to go sit down.

“Okay.” Milan spoke so lowly it was almost inaudible, before giving me one last look and returning to her post.

When he looked back down at me, I smiled while lifting my eyebrows, making him chuckle sexily. I loved how deep his voice was, making me forget he was younger than me. The man looked a good thirty-four and in the best way possible.

“Protective bestie,” he said, causing me to crack up as he backed away.

My laughter made all the ladies look, including Milan, but while the women wore inquisitive expressions, Milan was sneering.

If I gave a fuck, I would tell her she had nothing to worry about, but I didn’t, so I would let her sweat.

“You got a hickey on the back of your thigh and lower back?” Bambi, who’d arrived while Yolani and Cemone had gone inside to do their business, asked. “Girl, what sexual position did you get those during? I need it!”

The girls, including me, broke into laughter as Yolani blushed, trying to look over her shoulder to see for herself. She was in a tiny dress, her Cemone tattoos slightly visible, so the marks were on display. Now I was wondering the same as Bambi.

She threw Cemone a look, trying to glare, but she was blushing too hard to be taken seriously.

“I love you, girl,” was all he said in reply as the ladies continued to inspect her.

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