Page 81 of Don Caselli

Antwan was used to the new attention that he got because his name was being mentioned in the news and media. He forgot that these people didn’t give a fuck who he was. Navy’s family didn’t care that he was going to the pros, they cared about how he treated Navy, and he had hurt her.

It was the same reason my wealth didn’t mean shit to them. Ro enjoyed the Bentley but let him hear I did some fuck shit to his daughter; he’d shove those keys down my throat. When I pulled up earlier, Navy’s grandmother watch me climb out the back and wasn’t fazed. She gave me a hug and checked in with me, as only a grandmother could, and then sent me to the corner store to grab her cigarettes.

“What’s up with that?” I asked in her ear, kissing it.

She shrugged. “I’m stupid.”

“Navy, what are you talking about?”

“When you find out the mess I have gotten myself into, you’re going to agree with me.”

“Then tell me.”

“Not here,” she groaned.

Antwan stuck around for a little bit more, while everyone ignored him. He finally took the hint and said bye before leaving. Before he walked to his truck, he looked over at Navy. She refused to give him any attention as she ate her plate of food. Her mother called her over toward her, and she left me her half-eaten plate of food.

“You good?” Beans asked, as he took her spot as we watched both Greene and Navy kiss their grandmother as they jumped up and down.

“B, there’s something about her… shit got me feeling different.”

He snorted. “You falling for her, Don. Ain’t shit wrong with that, though. I like Greene a lot.”

“Enough to stop talking to other bitches?”

“With the way I work ain’t no time for other bitches. I also enjoy being her friend right now ‘cause she can’t offer me more.”

“Word?”

“Something about her ex-boyfriend. I got something on the calendar to go and fuck his ass up for what he did to her.” He sparked his spliff and took a pull. “Fuck we doing for your birthday? I’m up for anything. Got some time to dip off, and Greene, too. Stevie been in mom mode, so ain’t really needed her.”

I watched as Navy bumped hips with her cousin as they laughed. “Her birthday a few days after mine… really wanna do something for her.”

Beans chuckled as he choked back his smoke. “She got you like that?”

“Yeah,” I said without hesitation because that was the truth. Navy had me wanting to go out my way for her, not because she had good pussy, but because of the way she was. She never expected the shit, so it made me want to surprise her.

I didn’t take her telling me she wanted to be courted lightly. If she wanted me to buy the Chrysler Building, I would do the shit for her. It was the way she stared into my eyes when I fucked her that made me want to give her the fucking world.

“Let me know what the move is. I can go home to pack and meet you wherever.”

Navy was coming back over toward us skipping. Even though she had been laughing and joking with her family, I could see something was different in her eyes. “Tonight, we out.”

Beans stood up and blew his smoke opposite where Navy was. “Got you.”

I watched as he walked over toward Greene and said something to her. She jumped up and down excited, then slapped her hand over her mouth when he whispered something else to her.

The rest of the night I couldn’t stop thinking about what she had to tell me. Even as I helped her into the back of the truck, I needed to know what the fuck was wrong. Why would she say she was stupid? Navy could never be stupid, even if she tried.

What the fuck did she get herself mixed into?

It was a short ride over to her apartment. As she let us inside, I locked the door behind me. She kicked her shoes off and went to the fridge to grab an energy drink. “I didn’t know you had a driver.”

“I do now.”

“Why now?”

I remained at the door. “Can’t tell you all that, Pooh. Just know I have one now.”

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