Page 78 of Save Room for Us

“Okay, enough of the fun stuff.” She moved out of the bed before I could grab her ass.

Taking another gulp of the liquor to ease the pain and tightness in my side, I shifted in the bed as Anastazia covered me with the blanket.

“I ain’t staying here. I gotta get to the crib and handle some shit.” I tossed it back off.

“Asif, no. You need to rest?—”

“I’ll rest when I’m dead. Right now, I need to figure out who the fuck mustered up the muthafuckin’ courage to shoot at me.” I stood to my feet slowly.

“Let me remove the IV first.” She came up, placing her soft hand on me and forcing me to sit back down on the bed. “Did you see their faces?”

“Just the car and plate. They wore masks, which was smart on their end despite them taking a dumb ass risk by shooting at a nigga.”

She stared at me for a minute as she removed the IV from my arm.

“If you don’t know who it is, then where are you going to handle business?”

“You too nosy. Remember we spoke on that,” I joked, wanting to deter the conversation because it wasn’t some shit I wanted her privy to as protection. It was enough that she was working for me.

Giggling, she nodded. “Sorry, I’m a curious person.”

“That’s why you so smart. You gon’ ask some shit so you can know,” I stated and watched the way the corner of her mouth lifted slightly into a closed mouth smile. “Can I go now, doctor? Or do you have some other treatment for me?”

“You can go, but be careful. You can’t move how you usually would.” She started to clean up as I began dressing slowly.

She’d only taken my jeans and shirt off, so I was in boxers and a wife beater at the moment. Tugging my hoodie down, I kissed Anastazia on the side of her face, making her smile, before getting a squeeze of that ass then heading out.

I stopped by my spot to take a shower, then brush, floss, and rinse my mouth since I’d damn near drank that whole fucking bottle of liquor. Once done, I double-checked the burner for today’s schedule, then left out. I knew Grady would be checkingtraps for me, so I pulled up on 47thand Denker to see his whip parked outside.

When I saw him walking out, I hit my horn, making him pop his head up from his phone screen. He frowned for a second, probably wondering what the fuck I was doing here, before making his way over.

“What’s up, Sif?” He reached through the passenger window in attempt to slap hands with me.

“Get in the car.”

Again, he hesitated before glancing around and doing what the fuck I asked.

“You heard what happened?” I kept my eyes peering out the front windshield, but I could feel Grady watching me.

“Nah.”

Nodding, I chuckled and asked, “You ain’t know I got hit?”

“Word?” His eyes bulged.

“Word, nigga.” I turned away from him again. “Shit don’t seem right. I ain’t been shot at since I was new to this shit. Muthafuckas know better now… unless…”

“Unless what?” Grady quizzed, shifting in his seat a bit to look at me fully.

“Unless they were getting paid top dollar or was promised some shit by a nigga they think got more street clout than he do.” When I finished speaking, I let my eyes park on Grady.

“Me?” He jammed a finger into his chest. “Sif, dog, you know damn well I would never do that. I didn’t even know where you was yesterday.”

“Nah, but you know I frequent Randy’s, G. It’s nothing for you to have them niggas post up and wait.”

“Okay but?—”

“Get out.” I shoved my driver’s side door open and hopped out. When I banged on the hood of my car, Grady fell in line, climbing out of my whip.

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