Page 33 of Disrespectfully, Relic

A playful grin stretched Savvy’s pouty lips before her head angled as if she were waiting for him to respond, but his attention drifted back to his task.

“Don’t ignore me, Relic,” she sassed, stepping into the office before shutting the door behind her. He pushed out an exasperated sigh as she moseyed toward the desk and copped a seat on its edge, placing Indigo on her lap. “Where did you and Kennedy go?”

“You know where we went because Los was there with Nairi. Nai tells Nubia that nigga’s every move, which means she told Nu that Kennedy was with me, and Nu told the fucking group chat. What’d they say about me?”

Savvy cackled because he was spot on. It’d been a while since their group chat had been active because everyone had their personal favorites in the clique, but Nubia didn’t waste time hopping in there to expose Kennedy’s business since she was against the idea of her friend and Relic dating.

“They all collectively decided, she needs an intervention because she can’t find a good nigga for shit and has bad taste. Their words, not mine,” she relayed, making him scoff.

“I find that shit funny when the most faithful Los has ever been to Nubia is after their divorce. P wouldn’t skeet on Lexi with a nut Treasure fucked out of him, and the last nigga she got pregnant for didn’t even think her pussy was worth pushing out his kid. It sounds like they ain’t got good taste in men either.”

“What about Michi?”

“She’s with my baby brother. She has great fucking taste, but he doesn’t.”

“Don’t get cursed the hell out today, Relic!” she snapped, and he chuckled before picking up the papers to organize.

“You asked a question, and I answered. Let your fucking messy ass chat know, Kennedy doesn’t need an intervention because our relationship is strictly business.”

“That’s what she told us.”

He slipped the papers into their folder and then tossed it into the desk drawer. “Then, why the hell are you making me waste words, Savvy?”

“Because I want to make sure that Kennedy is safe. The chat thinks it’s fun and games, but I’ve grown to know you. What’s your angle with her?”

Relic tipped back in his seat at that, crossing his arms while studying the serious expression she wore that didn’t hide the skepticism in her hazels. Savvy hadn’t learned to turn off those emotions. Even if she rode for them, a simple look into her expressive eyes could give away her feelings whenever her words and actions didn’t coincide. That flagrant flaw proved, he’d made the right decision swapping her out for Kennedy.

“What makes you think she isn’t safe, Savvy? Did I threaten her?”

“No, but you did something worse. You let her into your personal life by giving her a position in your business. You don’t trust women, Relic. Never have and probably never will, so you couldn’t pay me to believe you chose my girl for the right reasons.”

“I trust you.”

“No, your brother trusts me,” she retorted, tipping her head and sending her sandy colored coils draping to one side. “He knows I won’t fold, so you take his word for it. If I do, Shabu will have to handle that disloyalty, not you, so you don’t care.”

“I’m glad you know that.”

“Stop deflecting, Relic! I like Kennedy, and everyone was just forgetting about the incident who knew. Now, it’s like you’re forcing it into the spotlight. Are you—”

“I did it because you forced my hand,” he interjected with a casual shrug that caused her eyes to buck in incredulity. She pointed at her chest.

“Me! I didn’t put you two together.”

“You made her manager of my salon.”

“Because she was the obvious best fit, and it’s not like you didn’t try giving it to her first. Not to mention, you’ve been sending her damn near ten grand a month for over a year!”

The corners of Relic’s mouth curled downward because those checks would put him in the hole two hundred and forty thousand dollars once they stopped.Two years. That was the payment time frame he’d set on the monthly stipend—enough to pay the full balance of Kennedy’s hospital and physical therapy bills she’d told him about. If she hadn’t taken care of them with it, then that was on her.

“Does she know that I’m the one doing that simp ass shit?” Relic’s counter made Savvy roll her eyes versus confirming that he’d made a valid point. “Like I said, you did this. I left her alone after she denied the salon. You pulled her back in and then gave Jah her number, knowing he would try to fix us up.”

“I thought it was cute! I didn’t once think you’d go for it, Relic, ‘cause you know who she is and what happened. The little flirting here and there was entertaining, but now I’m getting nervous. All I’m asking is, don’t hurt her.”

“I’ve given you that courtesy.”

“And I’m asking for it again because, with the way you’re moving, I feel like you won’t keep your word. I think you’re putting her in a position to fail, so you can finish what you started.”

“If that’s how you feel, I can’t change that and don’t care to,” he replied in a dull tone, done with their conversation. She’d gotten more of an explanation than he’d give anyone else. “Where is my brother?”

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