Page 55 of Disrespectfully, Relic

Once he reached where everyone had piled in together, Shabu tossed an arm around his neck while his baby brother moved to his side like he always did whenever they were out. Titan hadn’t clung to him since getting with Michi. Relic slapped a hand on Titan’s shoulder, taking advantage of having two-thirds of his heart with him in one room. His gut lurched after he recalled the last third hadn’t answered his call since he’d dropped him off at his grandmom’s house. Jahleel was still upset with him.

“I know we’re here to turn up for my birthday and shit!” Pierre shouted with a hand on his chest, jerking Relic out of his thoughts.

“Happy muthafuckin’ birthday, folks!” Shabu shouted, making everyone chime in as Pierre cheesed with a head nod.

“Fasho, fasho. But I want to take a minute to show love to the man who got us to this moment. I know he might think the fam is always saying fuck him, and we are, but we got nothing but love for yo ass, too.”

Relic smirked. “Fuck you too.”

“I know that’s yo way of saying you love me, bitch, so I’ll take it. Me and the team. Mostly me,” he made sure to add, ducking as Saucy and Aura shoved him while Tekken fanned him off with a laugh. Calm just smirked. “Nah, for real. We all chipped in and got you a token of appreciation. Nothing too major, but you gotta represent for yo team, folks.”

Pierre retrieved the black case from the bottle girl to hold in front of Relic before springing open the lid. His folks went into a frenzy at the diamonds lighting the space around them.

“Sheesh! That shit goes crazy, bro,” Titan vaunted, and Relic chuckled because his baby brother had always been the flashiest and then Pierre.

He moved closer to inspect the necklace that housed a double ‘R’ pendant damn near the size of his palm. Relic appreciated it but preferred simplicity over gaudy pieces.

“Where the fuck I’m ‘pose to wear this?” he asked, evoking laughter in return although he was dead serious.

“Nigga, tonight for one. You with the fam, and ain’t nobody fucking with us! You know what it is. If they hating, we say fuck them niggas!”

“They ain’t from the fold!” Shabu cupped a hand around his mouth to holler, and the mantra floated around their section and out to the main floor, letting niggas know that their gang was scattered throughout the club.

Calm slapped Relic’s arm and told him, “Put that shit on! I know, we won’t see it on you after tonight.”

“I’m glad you know,” Relic muttered, but decided to entertain his folks and put it on. It wasn’t often that they showered him with love.

He couldn’t do shit but laugh when they hooted and applauded like fucking fools when he removed it from the box to clasp around his neck. His brows dipped as Aura strutted in front of him, untwisting the necklace to lay the pendant flush against his chest before peering at him with a sexy grin.

“It looks good on you. Do you mind if we talk for a second?”

“It’s after business hours. Try again when I’m on the clock,” he replied before walking over to the sectional to take a seat.

He could hear Tekken and Pierre clowning her while Shabu shook his head and then ambled toward him with an amused grin. His brother plopped beside him, cutting him a knowing look that he tried to ignore.

“So, you’re done with her, huh?”

“Until I’m not. She doesn’t do shit but give me headaches I can do without, and I’m working on staying away from bitches that trigger me.”

“Oh, shit. Let me find out, you’re really trying to change your ways. Nigga finna find him a wholesome woman and settle down next.”

“Why the hell are you over here, Shabu?”

“Damn! I can’t just chop it up with my big bro? Fuck got yo panties in a bunch?”

Relic leaned back, pinching the bridge of his nose at the simple question that made his latest grievances float to the surface. Aura forcing him out of the comfort of his home to find a hair stylist since hers cancelled, and she refused to show up if her hair wasn’t done, came in last on that list. Sojourney damn near having a meltdown about showing her face outside while her ex-boyfriend was searching for her landed above that. Jahleel refusing to take his call sat higher but wasn’t at the peak of his complaints. The issue nagging the hell out of Relic most, he could only confess to the person beside him.

“Kennedy called me daddy while we were fucking, and I almost let her turn me into one.”

“I fucking knew it!”

Shabu jumped to his feet with a dramatic clap of his hands. When he peeped his folks checking to see what was going on, he reclaimed his seat and backhanded Relic’s chest while wearing a broad grin.

“That’s why you stormed out of the salon? You found out her other nigga was up in that bitch, playing captain save a car and shit.”

Relic curled up his lip. “What?”

“Oh, that won’t it? My bad. Whoop told me he came and got her car to get it fixed, but fuck all that. I saw that shit coming when she left the bridal studio with yo ass. You know, I fuck with Kenn Dog heavy. She’s a good look.”

---