Page 22 of Made to Love Ya

I was shocked to see Tahj.

“Aye, Chè, wassup with you and that bitch ass nigga Ricky?”

“First of all, good evening, Tahj. How are you? I’m fine, or at least I was before my rude ass brother busted up into my apartment talking crazy out the side of his neck.”

Tahj rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. He and Izael were standing side by side, and Izael was two inches taller than Tahj. My brother had that same bushy hair that I did that was hard to tame, but he’d long ago loc’d his up. He wore them pulled into a low ponytail, and they hung to the middle of his back. Diamond earrings sparkled in his ears, and they matched the bling in his mouth whenever he chose to smile, which was rare.

Tahj lifted one thick, bushy eyebrow that looked like mine did before I started waxing. My brother was thick like I’d been growing up, but his body was mostly muscled now with the exception of a little bit of a gut.

“I ain’t here to play with you, Chè.”

“I’m not here to play with you either, Tahj. What the hell is going on?”

“Ya ex popped up over here again, that’s what’s going on. Zae said he’d had a phone conversation with him before, but now, he’s back at your door, and he claims you called him over here for a little talk.”

I frowned. “I didn’t invite him over here! I haven’t even spoken with him since Zae answered my phone that day.”

“Then why does he feel so comfortable coming over here, Chè?” Tahj asked.

“I don’t know! I guess he was probably trying to…”

My gaze met Izael’s, and my words trailed off. I was about to say he was probably trying to fuck with Izael and get underneath his skin, but that wouldn’t be good. Izael had pretended to be my boyfriend when he answered my phone the last time he told Ricky to stay away. He hadn’t called me since, but I guess it was too much for him to take.

With the chemistry that was popping off between Izael and me at every turn, the last thing I needed was to draw attention to that. Even if I told my brother we just said that for Ricky’s benefit, he would have his eyes on us from that moment on.

“He was just what?” Tahj questioned.

I shrugged. “Trying to get back with me, I guess. He’s been trying since I left.”

“What kinda retarded nigga you fucking with? Why he don’t understand shit, Chè?” Tahj snapped at me.

“I don’t know, Tahj. I guess it’s the same reason my big brother doesn’t understand that I can’t control other folks’ actions!” I yelled back. He sighed and sucked his teeth. “Where is he now?”

“I got rid of that nigga. What you mean where he at? Why you worried about it?” Izael questioned me, mugging the shit out of me.

I knew that he was probably wondering if I had really called Ricky over, but I hadn’t. I had no interest in conversing with him or seeing him again.

“What happened?” I asked for clarity.

“He came over here demanding to speak with you. I let him know that I wasn’t on that shit, and I gave his ass some act right,” Izael stated.

“What does that mean?”

“Don’t worry about that shit. We’re not about to let shit happen to our little sister. Ain’t that right, Zae?” my brother asked, holding his fist out to Izael to bump.

Discomfort weaved its way throughout my body because there was nothing about Izael that felt like a big brother. The slight sexual innuendos he’d been making lately and our bedroom encounter weren’t brotherly at all.

But he bumped Tahj’s fist, bobbed his head, and replied, “Ain’t shit happening to you on my watch, Chè. That nigga might as well get it through his thick skull. If he don’t, I got something for his ass.”

“What? Are you gonna beat him?” I asked.

A sneer crossed over Izael’s face as he replied. “Nah. I’ma light that nigga’s ass up.”

Izael and Tahj headed into the kitchen, grabbed a couple of beers, some chips, and nachos, and returned to the living room, where I stood, still outraged.

I widened my eyes. “Y’all can’t be going around shooting people.”

“Sometimes that’s the only language niggas understand,” Tahj replied. “Family is everything. Ain’t that right, Zae?”

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