Page 155 of Save Room for Us

“You can’t tell me you honestly thought I let my woman be out and about with no detail, love.” He scoffed a bit in disbelief to the point where I didn’t want to say that was exactly what I thought.

“So, someone has been following me everywhere?”

“Of course.” He frowned. “Because of who I am, I can’t have you out here on yo’ own, love. You not a secret, and niggas, only the ones with a death wish, would try you to get at me.

“So when Pico hit me, I told him to snatch Grady’s ass up from the parking lot, and he did.”

“Well… thank you, but that’s kind of scary to think someone would do something to me because of you.”

“I get that.” He sat up. “But I promise I got you. Ain’t too often niggas cross me, but if they did, I’ve made you hard to get to baby.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” I nodded.

“I know my lifestyle ain’t ideal on yo’ end, but you gon’ always be safe with me. I’m gon’ always be real with you if shit ever get hot, and I’m gon’ always make it home to you unless it’s just not possible for a nigga.”

“Are you gonna do this forever, or are you actually gonna retire in a few years like you told me when we first met?” I took his hand, eyeing the many intricate tattoos, but mainly the one of my name inside of a heart, which he’d gotten in Vegas. It was a nice size, hard to miss, which I loved. I, in turn, got his on the front, right side of my pelvis. That was where he’d requested it.

The artwork all over his body looked so good against his deep caramel complexion. If there was ever a Sexiest Hood Nigga Alive award, it would go to Asif St. Thomas.

“Not forever, hell nah.” He shook his head definitively. “Like I said, I made more money than I planned to, so I got ’bout two more years in me before I retire from this shit. I want my cushion thick and my businesses thriving by the time I do.” Pulling me closer to him, he asked, “That cool?”

“Yes.” I kissed him, tugging him closer.

“Let me show you something.” He climbed out of the bed, reaching for my hand.

I placed mine in his, and he led me out of the room and through the penthouse to one of the bedrooms that always had a closed door. Opening it, we went inside where he removed a painting, a small piece of drywall that was clearly strategically placed by how easily he removed it, and then punched in a code on an iron door.

“What is that?” I asked when he nodded for me to come closer.

“I’m gon’ put ya fingerprint so you can access this, but for now, I’m gon’ give you the code. It’s a panic room behind here.” He pulled the door open, and we walked inside of a medium-sized room that didn’t look like much of anything.

As I stood there, Asif walked to another tall safe and opened it. My mouth fell open seeing all the money neatly placed in it.

“Damn,” I mumbled unintentionally.

“All of these are filled to the fucking brim with clean money. This one has a safe box though.” He pulled it out to show me, so I neared him to watch him unlock it. “Paperwork you’d need to access my accounts and shit. You can have it all if some shit happens to me. I just ask you break off Banks. My brothers rich enough, but if they ever hurtin’, give it to ’em.”

“Asif…” I shook my head.

“I ain’t saying something will happen, but you can never be too prepared, aight?” He waited for me to nod before he put everything away.

For the next ten minutes, we set up my fingerprint to be able to unlock it, while he made me memorize the code as well, just in case.

“So can my new man have some of this money too?” I joked as soon as he’d placed the painting back over the wall.

I screeched when he rushed me and scooped me up bridal style before kissing my lips.

“You funny, but I ain’t worried ’bout that shit. I don’ upped ya standards. You would never fuck with a nigga that need to spend my bread,” he said, carrying me, and he was right.

Asif had spoiled me in all kinds of ways.

“Well you better be around forever, because nobody else can measure up.”

“I plan to, baby. A nigga plan to.”

THE NEXT EVENING…

I groaned inwardlyas I massaged my eyes, all types of thoughts in a whirlwind throughout my fucking mind. How I ended up here, in another home with another family and unable to move or even get my dick hard to fuck, unless accidentally, was crazy to me. Every single fucking day, I went over what happened between Anastazia and me, bit by bit, and couldn’t process it.

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