Page 4 of Priest

Phaedra sucked her teeth. “Girl, please. Your horny ass was wet too. Anyway, I’m just saying that just because bitches are hanging under him doesn’t mean he’s screwing them all.”

“And it doesn’t mean that he’s not,” I countered.

“Still can’t believe your ass is getting married. I mean, Daniel Usher is rich and fine as fuck, and I wish I had a wealthy man waiting in the wings for me, but damn, it just doesn’t seem real.”

“I know,” I replied sadly.

“It’s all good, boo. We’re gonna party our asses off until that time like the bad bitches we are.”

“Shiiid, bestie. I don’t know what you talkin’ ’bout. I’m still partying after I’m married.”

“Girl, please. That man ain’t gonna play ’bout you shaking your ass in the club when you’re his wife.”

“That’s what his horny ass gets for feenin after a twenty-two-year-old bad bitch,” I replied. I stared into the mirror and held up two different pairs of earrings. “Which ones should I wear with that dress tonight?”

“The diamond hoops,” Phaedra answered easily. “What are you gonna do about your job once you get married?”

“Shit, getting into my field. Now that I’ve officially graduated, I plan to make the transition this fall.”

“How is he gonna take that? I thought you said Daniel didn’t want you to work, and I know your daddy will be in his feelings about losing you because you’ve been working for him since high school.”

“Shit! That reminds me. He wanted me to update some records before the close of business today and make a couple of bank transfers.”

“Do you ever take a break?”

“No. I figure it’s the least that I can do,” I replied. I set the earrings on my dresser and turned to Phaedra. “Seriously, my daddy spoils the shit out of me. I don’t mind working for him in exchange for all that he does for me. But I have to hire someone to replace me soon.”

“Hire me,” Phaedra responded.

“Bitch, please. I’m not about to have you taking money off the top and bankrupting my daddy.”

She laughed as she followed me out of my bedroom and downstairs to my office, which was annexed to my father’s office.

“Girl, I need to go. I need to shower, eat, and get my beauty rest before we hit the clubs tonight. Bye, Miss Working Woman.”

“You should be doing the same,” I replied with my finger pointed at her.

“Bitch, please. Why? My baby daddy takes good care of me.”

“His ass needs to go legit before he doesn’t have shit to offer you or Nairobi.”

Phaedra waved a hand at me. “Girl, bye. We all weren’t born with a silver spoon in our mouths like you, and everybody don’t wanna be a grown man yet like your daddy.”

I stuck my tongue out at her and waved goodbye. It was no secret that my daddy was the biggest drug dealer in the state of Georgia. To his credit, though, he had started several legitimate businesses some years ago, but that drug money had my nigga in a chokehold.

I walked into my office and busied myself with the transactions that I promised my daddy I would handle before the day ended. When he returned to his office a few hours later, I was in there. I had forgotten all about getting ready for the club.

“Did you transfer those funds I asked you to?” my daddy asked when he set his phone and a folder on his desk.

“Yes,” I answered tightly.

“What’s wrong, baby girl? Why you got the dog on?” he asked when he saw the mug on my face.

“Daddy, I just spent the last couple of hours correcting some errors that Avangaline made on that Viva account.”

I had taken a break earlier because I needed to run out and grab something for dinner before I went to the club. I still wore my little pink beret as if I were about to leave the house.

My daddy slowly raised his eyes from his desk up to me. His mouth hung partially open, and a look of caution burned bright in his eyes.

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