Page 44 of He Thugged Me First

“That’s what I told him, but he didn’t believe me.” Love walked her little thick ass out of the dressing room holding all of the shit that she tried on.

“Fuck outta here. I’m the most easy-going person y’all will ever meet, and I don’t like the way y’all ganging up on a nigga right now.

“Ganging up? Uh, no.” My sister shook her head. She knew her nappy head ass took Love’s side every chance she got.

“Where is my niece? She always has my back.”

“With her auntie. Thank God!” she praised.

“The hell is that supposed to mean?” I asked, mugging her.

“Look, there comes a time in life when you realize that you’re not the boss. Your kids are.” Gina shook her head.

“I don’t run my house. They do. I just go along to get along to keep them happy.” She shrugged.

“Yo, that’s fucked up. It sounds like you’re doing some punk ass parenting.” I shook my head.

“Oh, no you didn’t. Every time Kirey comes over, she runs you.” Love had her hand on her hip, smirking at me.

“Nah. That’s good negotiation.” I shook my head then I focused on Love. She was holding all of me emotionally and mentally in her head, and she didn’t even know it. “Look, shorty. I ain’t getting up if you got some more shit to try on.”

“Good, then stay right there and hold this. I had my eyes on a few more pieces.” Love set everything she was holding down in front of me and walked back into the store. One thing about Love was that her ass was gonna shop.

“When are you gonna ask her?” Gina asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

I glanced over at her before I shrugged. “It’s never the right time.”

She giggled. “Are you nervous, lil’ nigga?”

I couldn’t help but laugh because she playfully put bass into her voice.

“All jokes aside, don’t be. She’s gonna say yes because for some reason, she adores you.”

I nodded my head just as she walked back into the dressing area holding a pile of shit. She was smiling and in her own little world, which brought a smile to my face.

“Before you say anything it’s?—”

“All ugly than a motherfucker, fam,” I finished.

She mugged me. “If it is, you’re still buying it.”

Chapter 10

GAYZE

My sleep these last few weeks has been phenomenal. Though I had still been working long hours, I didn’t often lay awake in the wee hours of the night. Instead, sleep came easy because I was exhausted from everything and some. Some was him. I didn’t know why I felt like I should’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I couldn’t. I was enjoying all the time I was spending with Mazz and ignoring Chase the rest of it. He still had yet to come get his stuff, and he had ample time. I had packed up his stuff and changed my home around. I had even bought a new bed because I didn’t feel right having Mazz in the bed that I’d shared with another man.

“Why the fuck I’m putting this bed together when yeen never gonna be in it?”

I smirked and looked over at him. “How do you know that?”

“Because my word is law.” He looked up from the space where he was. I had begged him to put my bed together because I didn’t have the time for the people to do it when they brought the bed days ago.

I tipped over the railing and sat right in the middle of the floor and just looked at him drill the screws in while I ate my ice cream. “What does that mean?”

He turned and glanced at me before shaking his head. He knew I wasn’t gonna help him. “Dr. Fields, I thought you were gonna help me.”

“Nah. I’m good.” I stuffed a spoon of ice cream with a piece of brownie into my mouth.

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