Page 37 of Disrespectfully, Relic

He palmed her back, grazing his fingers across her silky skin while guiding her to the back door. “It is. I figured I’d pull out the big boy since I have company tonight.”

“As you should, but why the hell are you making me get in back?”

“What’d I tell you? Follow my lead, and I promise that it’ll work in your favor, cheri.” He eased into her space, combing his fingers through her sleek ponytail to tame the flyaways. Her false lashed fluttered at him as he quizzed, “Why’d you change your hair?”

“Because the braids didn’t compliment my dress. I’m particular about that.”

Relic nodded his approval of her answer while opening the door for her to climb inside. He helped to lift her dress so that it wouldn’t snag on her heels and then waited as she emitted as soft gasp.

If Kennedy had forgotten the kind of nigga she was affiliating with, Relic had given her a blatant reminder as she ogled the stars gleaming across his ceiling to mimic the night’s sky. Her eyes wandered to the cool box console, that housed an open bottle of champagne on ice and two flutes, before migrating to the large bouquet of red roses set on the chair. It was the oversized, orange box with brown trimming set beside those that took her breath away.

She didn’t bother asking Relic if it was hers before she picked up the box to place in her lap—tugging at the brown ribbon to unravel while wondering how the hell he’d gotten such an exclusive item on short notice. Knowing the caliber of man Relic was; she’d bet he kept a few on standby for whenever he needed to bring out the big guns to impress a woman.

She opened the lid, plucked the purse from its dust bag to inspect the expensive leather, and then cradled it against her chest like a newborn as her eyes flitted toward him.

“You’re one smooth ass muthafucka, Relic. I’ll give you that.”

A genuine laugh erupted from him before he scrubbed a hand down his mouth to muffle it. He licked his lips, and Kennedy clocked the gesture but turned away to not react.

“I hope you don’t think this will convince me to give up the pussy. I don’t fuck on first dates.”

“You will with me. Luckily for you, this is about business, so you’re safe. Look at that as a welcome to the team gift, and whether or not it works out, that’s all you.”

Relic shut the door, and Kennedy expelled a heavy breath before picking up the champagne to pour a glass, hoping it settled her thoughts and her building arousal. Her eyes bounced around the car before gravitating to Relic as he slid into the driver’s seat, looking like the best dick and worst decision she could make in her life. The perverse thoughts popping into her head made her pull out her phone to text the group chat. She needed her girls to give her reasons to not fall for Relic’s sweet but calculating gestures that reminded her of a life she could’ve lived but was safer having no parts of.

“Good evening,Mr. Blaise. Your table is ready, and your guests have arrived. Would you like someone to show you to your section?”

“I have it from here. Thank you.”

“Of course.”

The maître d’ waved a hand for him to proceed, and he palmed Kennedy’s back to guide her steps while surveying the dim-lit restaurant that he’d eaten at three times in the past two weeks to study its layout. Relic knew there were thirty-five tables on the lower level but only ten on the second floor where he and Kennedy were headed. The two exits were either the front entrance or the patio area where patrons went to smoke. Another was through the kitchen that led to the alleyway, which was the furthest exit from his upper-level table. A few of his top soldiers were positioned to wait for his next command.

Relic had paid for two additional dinners—placing a shooter near each entrance because there were too many strangers, and possibilities of an ambush, for him to watch out for while focusing on his private affairs. He didn’t trust either person waiting at his table, so he covered all the bases. His eyes locked with both soldiers in passing, giving them a subtle nod to stay alert, before he proceeded to the winding staircase that led to his section.

“Is there anything that I should know about this meeting beforehand?” Kennedy asked while lifting her dress to ascend the stairs.

“If you do what I told you, you’ll find out as much as you need to know.”

“And what was it that you told me to do again?”

Relic paused on the top step, and Kennedy burst into laughter before shaking her head. She patted his chest and smiled.

“It was a joke. You said to shut the hell up, let you do all the finessing, and wait for you to boss me around because that’s what you do best. I’ll be happy as hell when you realize that’s not how apartnershipworks. You have me here for a reason, and it’s not to look good on your arm, Relic. That’s a bonus. Which table is ours?”

“You tell me. Get it right, and I’ll let you ask me one question once this dinner is over.”

“Three and you have to answer them,” she counter offered, holding out a hand to seal the deal.

Relic stared at it and then appraised her stunning face that she’d concealed with makeup to where her scars were almost unnoticeable. He shook on it.

“Deal. You have two minutes, and if you’re wrong, you’re not allowed to wear makeup around me again.”

Kennedy frowned at his request but then nodded before she spun on her heels to study each table. Her body shuddered as thick fingers brushed along her exposed spine, distracting her from her task. She didn’t tell him to stop. Relic had touched her there at every opportunity since picking her up, and she relished his small obsession with her skin.

“One minute gone down the drain,” he informed her, gliding his hand toward her neck to scrub his thumb over the scars there. “Time’s a ticking, big dog Kennedy.”

She hunched her shoulder to nudge his hand away and then inspected each guest at the five tables she’d counted. Five more were on the opposite side of the stairs. An older white couple who was enthralled in a heated debate made her eyes roll and redirect to the next table. A beautiful black couple who appeared around their age were trapped in lustful gazes, too unfocused to have a meeting with someone like Relic. The third table was empty, but the last two—positioned furthest from the glass balcony—held a middle-aged white man in a business suit she could tell was tailored, and a black man around the exact age with his younger female companion. She took a step toward the white man when he glanced at his watch but then she stalled after the woman’s purse caught her eye.

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