Page 44 of Ms. Mosley

“You got that first punch, bro. You caught me off guard. But what’s up now? Put that gun down. You young niggas always quick to pull your gu—”

My heart sank as Prosper swiftly reached his long arm out, grabbed Martin by the back of his locs, and brutallyslammed his face into the counter that he’d just managed to stand by. The move was so quick that I barely registered it.

“You young niggas what?! I’ll tear yo’ bitch ass up in here, whether it’s with my fists or bullets, nigga.” Prosper spat in a rage, and I almost didn’t recognize him.

Granted, I had seen him confront others before, but this time he was filled with a fury I had never witnessed. The man standing in front of me had morphed into a complete monster.

A few of Martin’s cousins rushed over, likely intending to intervene, but Prosper quickly redirected the gun in their direction, forcing them to stand back. My heart raced, leaving me terrified and speechless.

∞∞∞

Prosper

The drive back to my place was silent. I didn't need to ask Nia how she felt; I could sense her tension. My recent actions had shaken her, making her second-guess what I was trying to build with her. By now, my anger was long gone, and I felt like shit for scaring her.

“What you wanna eat, baby?” I asked, knowing she hadn’t had a chance to finish her nachos at the rink.

“Nothin,” she replied. “I’m fine.”

“You sho? You haven’t eaten.”

“I’m fine, Prosper.” Her tone was sharp.

Reluctantly, I passed all the restaurants, hopped on the freeway, and headed toward my place. I told myself that if she got hungry later, I could whip something up. I was tired as fuckand didn’t feel like cooking, but for her, it was whatever. I'd do anything to put a smile back on her face.

Once we were in the garage, Nia said,

“It’s late, and we were closer to your place, so that’s the only reason I didn’t push you about taking me home. But in the morning, I’d like you to drive me.”

“Thought you were staying wit’ me for a few days.”

“I changed my mind.”

Running a hand over my face, I sat back in frustration. “What did you expect me to do? The nigga put his hands on you, Nia.”

“Prosper, sometimes it’s not just about what you do but how you do it. Striking him is one thing, but pulling your gun in a public place is a big no. If you weren't cool with the owner, the police would’ve been called, and you’d be in jailagain. That’s not okay, especially with me on your side. I’m not saying you were wrong to defend me, but it was excessive. You need to get that anger under control. You already have a record.”

“To you, it seems excessive, but to me, I’m protecting the both of us when I pull my gun. Where I come from, niggas have lost their lives ‘cause someone couldn’t handle getting their ass beat. Plus, his people approached me, and I didn’t know what they were on.”

“I hear you,” she said, pinning her hair up with a clip she pulled from her purse.

“I still worry the police might contact you.”

“Don’t worry about that, mama,” I reassured her.

“I don’t want you stressing over this. No one’s calling the cops in the hood, and the owner has my back because I saved his business a few years ago. I helped him out wit’ some bread when he ran into some financial troubles. He a man of his word. He not gone say shit.”

“It’s Martin I’m worried about. He can be arrogant and play tough publicly, but he’s not the same as you. He might decide to press charges.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout that nigga either.”

“That’s easier said than done, Prosper.”

Her disappointment was deeper than anger; I could see it in her face as we got out of the car. Black greeted her at the door as soon as she opened it. They shared a moment before she headed upstairs to shower.

Wanting to give her some space to cool off, I focused on taking care of Black. I took him for a long walk, fed him, and then bathed him. When I was finished, I noticed Nia was on the couch in the living room, her eyes glued to the television.

“Why’d you come down here?” I asked her.

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