Page 21 of Love me Like XO

Shaking my head I turned my attention back to the work at hand. I needed to ensure the bar was bringing in the necessary amounts for the moves I was making. If my calculations were correct, then with the upcoming additions I needed to either invest in an upcoming business or buy something. I had been telling Malik that he needed to just open his own tattoo shop, shit that would help us a hell of a lot on the money side and it would give him some space in terms of his business. He was serious about the tattoo shit, but he was the only nigga I knew who didn’t like people to the point he was holding himself back. When I saw him in the morning at the warehouse I’d explain it to him, but he was so bullheaded that everything I said would go in one ear and out of the other. I knew that for a fact.

My phone’s ringing interrupted my operant thoughts. I glanced down and saw that it was my sister Asha calling. I sighed before answering the phone. Whenever she was calling at this time of the day, it was most nearly always something with our youngest sister, Amia. No matter the amount of pep talks and conversations, shorty was wild, and she lived a rockstar life. I used to get pissed about it and lecture her for days, but after a while that shit proved futile. She didn’t give a fuck about nothing, so who was I to give a fuck for her? She had flunked out of college and now she was dancing at some club out south. That shit stressed Asha out, because she was too invested. Me on the other hand, not so much anymore. As long as shorty was safe, then there was nothing I or anyone could do about it. Hell, if you asked me, she was the one of us who followed in our mother’s footsteps. Aurora, our mother, was wild as fuck herself, hell still is with her absentee ass. For as long as I could remember, Aurora has always chosen herself over her childrenand any responsibility, so maybe that shit was in Amia. That careless mentality that only led to destruction.

“Yeah, Ash,” I answered after long enough. Part of me was lowkey hoping she hung up before I answered.

“Don’t ‘yeah Ash’ me. I know you saw my message. Your sister needs to be bailed out. She hit some nigga in the head with her heel at the club.”

“What?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said. She needs to be bailed out. Maybe she should live in the city with you for a while? When she was there last time, she was good for the most part.”

Immediately standing to my feet, I grabbed my gun, wallet, and keys from the drawer. “You gotta be fucking kidding me.”

“Nah, I’m not. I’d get her but I’m not in the city. I had to go to a business retreat. When I get back, I really think we need to talk about her decisions. You or I can’t keep bailing her out. She’s an adult, Aimes.”

“Bet. I’ll get her.”

I walked out of the back and immediately approached the bar letting my night manager know I was out for the night.

When I got to the car, I sent Empress a message telling her to have one of her siblings or whomever drop her off at my place, because I had something to handle. I really hoped she saw that shit, because I at this point needed to finish my night out between her legs. She had a peace unknown anywhere else located inside of her. When I was drilling into her it was like nothing else mattered. Fucking her was just that good, and enough to have me thinking about it when she wasn’t near.

She responded seconds later.

Empress: K

I pulled off a moment later. I looked at my message from Asha and immediately knew what precinct my sister was in. I knew I couldn’t step foot in that motherfucker for a few reasons so I was on my way to Malik’s spot. I didn’t give a shit what he had going on, I needed him.

I dialed his number and listened to the line ring a few times, before he answered.

“Yo.”

“Where you at? I need you,” I asked seconds later.

“Leaving the bitch Kiaree’s crib. What’s good?”

“Amia got knocked for some shit at the club. She’s at that precinct with Reginald’s old racist ass.”

“Shit, I got you. Where you?”

“On my way to yo’ spot. Finna pull up there.”

“Bet. I’ll be that way in five minutes.” We hung up seconds later.

Though I stayed my ass out of Amia’s business, maybe Asha was right. Maybe, she needed tough love instead of being bailed out every time she did some dumb shit.

After I picked Malik up,we took the hour and a half ride to get my sister. I explained everything to him and he damn near said the same thing as Asha. Both of them were right, but Amia was grown so who was I or anybody else to tell her what she was going to do? And regardless of anything I questioned just where the fuck she’d be staying, because I wasn’t offering up my space again. I loved my sister, but that was a direct no.

“You fucking with Empress, huh?” He had a goofy grin on his face as he spoke.

“Why you say that?”

“Cause her name done popped up four times on the console during this long ass drive.”

“Nigga, you’re about nosy as fuck.” I shook my head and leaned forward pressing the music app on my car’s console.

“I’m just saying. Last I checked yeen text females. But here you go. Grinning and showing all thir?—”

“It ain’t even like that. We’re just chilling.”

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