Page 12 of Truth

They all grumbled while Germaine thanked me.

I opened the drawer, eyeing all the menus from the nearby restaurants. One caught my eye—Pearls of Island. I quickly skimmed over it, feeling a tightness in my chest. They were known for their soups, especially joumou soup. I hadn’t eaten it since the night Chelly died. As my prior fucked up mood made a reappearance, I quickly shoved all the menus in the drawer.

I tapped on my cell and found Luigi’s. They were known for deep dish pizza. After one or two slices, they all would be more than satisfied. I treated me and Kane to one at least once or twice a week during our four-day shift when working at the fire station. I ordered six pizzas from meat lovers to Hawaiian ham and pineapple and a veggie pizza for me.

“Food’s coming in about an hour,” I announced when Joreen’s ass came rushing in.

I immediately slid my Beats in my ear with hopes she’d not pretend we were in-laws. If your name wasn’t Micheline Dubois, the fuck was she calling me “sissy” for? I shook my head when she ducked down and slid her face in between Germaine and his customer. He smiled, pecked her lips, and she melted. He knew her well when he fished a few hundred dollars out of his pocket and placed them in her hand.

“Turn that up, Merch!” Germaine yelled.

I shook my head. He knew I despised that name. It gave booster vibes. Lucky for him, I loved Swan. In fact, her album stayed in rotation on my Spotify.

“Yo, wifey?” My head slowly rolled toward Drake as he slid his teeth across his top grill. “You already know that nigga will be busy working late tonight. Let me take you home or better yet… out on a date.”

“I have to go swim with a school of sharks. Sorry,” I sang.

They all howled at that as he smirked. Krystian walked up and gripped him on his shoulder with the biggest grin on his face. I used to think he was the sweetest of them all until I saw him put a gun to this man’s head. It was years ago, but since then, I never allowed those full, round cheeks and large, brown eyes he sported fool me.

“She ain’t fucking with you, Drake. Chill out. Let her come to you when she’s freed up her schedule.”

“You’re right. I guess when she’s done hanging out with farmer boy.”

I rolled my eyes and giggled. He loved to call Kane “farmer boy” since he often wore overalls outside of work. He was a country boy from Pellum that didn’t allow the streets of Rockside to change him.

“It’s cool.” He shrugged then slid two hundred dollar bills on the receptionist counter. “For lunch, and keep the change.”

I gladly slid his gift into my pocket since I placed the order on Germaine’s card. He just didn’t know it, but he was the boss. It was the least he could do. I figured they took turns but whatever. The deed was done.

“Hanging around here until Zara comes back?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. For now, though, y’all should come up with a better system of how you all manage walk-ins along with appointments.”

Those bitches were complaining about how long it was taking. I knew it had nothing to do with their tats.

“Handle that. I trust you.” He winked and sauntered off just before a cleared throat grabbed my attention.

Damn, when had he walked in?

Immediately, I felt a rush when his orbs latched onto mine. I wasn’t sure if he knew me or not but staring, and how he did it, was rude as fuck. I observed how all the chatter in the room lessened. Instantly, the loud music ceased. When he looked around the shop, he waved his hand in the air, motioning Germaine to come over, and he did.Shocker.Whoever he was, he had my brother damn near shaking in his boots. The fuck?

“Where is he?” His voice boomed throughout the room, demanding attention.

Hell, even mine as I instantly became stunned. I had no clue who “he” was, but judging from the silence and eyes that danced around, the others did.

“Uh…” Germaine looked around and gulped. “I’ll check, Truth. He’s somewhere around here.”

Oh, sohewas the infamous Truth Saint, head of the Saint Riderz?

After Germ jetted toward the breakroom or whatever room they called it since a lot seemed to go on back there from all the murmurings, the others ran to grace him with their presence. The entire time, I didn’t know if I wanted to be annoyed ormesmerized as I dissected each facet of his body from his height to the smoothness of his cedar colored skin.

He had to easily be six foot four or six foot five with a neatly trimmed beard that housed full lips and soft brown, yet brooding eyes wrapped with long eyelashes. His hair, while a low-cut fade, was a sea of waves, and he smelled of bergamot and citrus, a scent I’d never smelled before but one I’d remember because of him.

I took in his attire. He was casually dressed in jeans and a tank that demonstrated the pride he took in his body from his broad shoulders, firm arms and abs, and legs that were built Ford tough. For the first time, I understood why all the bitches were drooling, but at the end of the day, his presence was indicative of a man who caused trouble and didn’t run from it once he had.

He looked my way, and I quickly looked down. I pecked on my cellphone to look busy, but my eyes had a mind of their own when they lifted and fastened onto his.

Fuck! He caught me again.

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