Page 19 of Memphis

“Hell no,” she said matter-of-factly.

“And don’t I always feed you? I have a chef, remember? He’s preparing dinner right now.”

“What do your neighbors think about you having a chef? Aren’t you supposed to be a regular, middle class incel?”

I had to laugh at that dig. “An incel? Really? I’ll remember that when I see you tonight, and my neighbors don’t fuck with me just like I don’t fuck with them.”

“I hope you’re right about that. I don’t need you getting raided while I’m there.”

“You ain’t got shit to worry about. Just…I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah.”

When I turned to face Moody, he was staring at me with this stupid-ass look on his face.

“What? You gonna report this call to my mother like I ain’t fifty-four fucking years old?”

He shook his head. I’d never seen this big man smile. Moody’s seriousness was as characteristic of him as that old-ass Starter jacket he wore and that newsboy cap sitting atop his balding head, but I could’ve sworn his eyes were smiling.

“No, I was just thinking about how fast you aged after your pops died. I ain’t talking about your face or nothing. You just always seemed to be carrying the weight of the whole damn world on your shoulders, but seeing you now that you got that pretty lady back in your life? Man, you seem younger. She’s really your one, huh? Gotta be ‘cause she’s so fucking mean.”

I frowned. “You been eying my woman? You said she was pretty.”

“Calm down, hot head. Don’t shoot me like you did Zaccai.”

Damn, I actually had my gun pointing at him with no recollection of lifting it from my side. “Watch your fucking mouth, then. Watch them eyes, too.”

“You can’t be with a beautiful woman and think no one will notice her beauty,” he said.

I glared at him.

“Anyway, as head of security, I have to insist that we resume protecting you.”

“I don’t want anyone in the house. Y’all gotta stay outside somewhere inconspicuous. That’s the best I can do.”

Moody nodded and left.

Instead of calling my mother, I sent her a text:back off.

“You done talkingto your man so we can get down to business?” Jerryn asked as I ended the call with Bo. I only checked in with him so he wouldn’t start acting stupid thinking I wasn’t coming back.

“Fuck you. What you got for me?” I replied, reclining on the sofa in my apartment. I’d missed my place.

“Skirting around the subject, huh? Look, I know you’re doing this for your sister?—”

“Then you should also know I don’t want to discuss this arrangement,” I cut him off.

“Come on, Raja…I’m just worried about you. I know he’s the one person who can hurt you. You brought up his ex-wife. That shit still gets to you.”

Did it bother me that the man who long ago pledged his devotion and undying love to me married a whole-ass other woman? Yes, but more than that, it was how it all happened thatbroke the younger version of me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get past it, and it was only one of the reasons I hated loving him.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m doing what I have to do. I would think you’d understand that.”

He sighed. “She’s my wife. I love her.”

“And Lilith is my sister. I loveher.”

“Fine, whatever.”

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