Page 23 of Jaeda

I took the envelope from her and opened it to find a check for ten grand. That was more than the monitor costs, but shit, I’d accept the rest for pain and suffering.

“Thank you,” I said, shoving it into my pocket.

“Again, I’m sorry about that. That wasn’t part of the plan.”

I leaned forward on my elbows. “You can make it up to me.”

“Oh . . . yeah? How do you propose that?”

“Go on a date with me.”

She sat back in her seat, visibly nervous.

“Too soon?” I inquired.

“No. It’s not that. The last man I went on a date with got a little handsy with me.”

“I would never put my hands on you in any way that would harm you or make you uncomfortable.”

She bit her bottom lip as she stared at me. I thought I saw a brief look of lust enter her pretty eyes. Baby had no idea the kind of pleasure I could and would give her whenever she was ready to receive it. She opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it.

“Okay,” she finally said.

She was blushing hard as she avoided my eyes. I was already in love with her smile. If it was up to me, she’d never have a reason not to smile again. I would see how this date went, but Jaeda Dillinger needed to know that I was coming for her, and I was coming hard.

Iwas feeling like a literal teenager getting ready for my first date. I made the mistake of telling my girls that Quaid asked me out. Of course, they told my brothers, who told our father and my mother. Now everybody was at my house to see me off.

This shit was so embarrassing. Everybody couldn’t believe that meek, mild mannered Jaeda Dillinger was going on a date. Being that I kept the last date a secret until it was over, this seemed to excite them like I wasn’t a twenty-six-year-old woman.

I knew my father and brothers had a motive. My mother was already gearing up to take pictures so she could send them to my aunties. And my girls . . . well, they were just waiting to see if I finally got some dick.

I stood in the middle of my living room with my arms crossed.

“Fix your face, girl,” Shar said.

“No. This is all your fault for telling these neanderthals,” I said, referring to my brothers. “Y’all don’t have to tell them everything.”

All three of my brothers raised an eyebrow.

“Everybody who’s married or about to be married, raise your hand,” Deuce said.

I rolled my eyes as six hands went in the air.

“You see them rings? We locked in for life, lil sis. Whatchu mean they don’t have to tell us everything? Ain’t no secrets between husband and wife.”

“Deuce, please go to the hottest part of hell. Y’all have to go. All of you.”

Deuce waved me off. “Yeah, okay. We’re staying right here. You got me bent. Any nigga that asks you on a date after you had him kidnapped is suspect as fuck?—”

“Watch your damn mouth, Stanley,” my mama warned him.

“I’m just saying. That doesn’t sit right with me.”

Maceo shrugged. “I don’t know, man. We had a talk when I took him home after that. He seems like a good dude. I think she’ll be okay.”

“I mean, Jae knows how to shoot,” Steel said. “And we are only a phone call away if he gets outta pocket like ol’ boy.”

My mother frowned. “Who? What boy?”

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