Page 25 of A Player's Prayer
“A grown man who would love and cater to her to no end.” I held her stare. “The right woman will make a man go back on everything he said he would never do. The right woman will make a man want to be the best version of himself. When I find therightwoman, all I will see is her. You can take that shit to the bank.”
Staring at her while I chewed my bacon, I hope she got my message loud and clear. I wasn’t saying I loved her or no shit like that, but I did want her to know that if I came for her, she wouldn’t have shit to worry about, especially not these hoes.
“At least I know you have a little bit of sense.” She smiled as her phone vibrated on the table. “BEAR-Fuck This Nigga” flashed across the screen before she silenced it. Immediately, it rang again. This time, she placed it in her bag.
“Old boyfriend?” I asked as I stabbed my eggs. “Nigga been calling you nonstop since yesterday.”
Dragging her eyes to me, she pursed her lips. Picking up her cup, she took a sip of the juice and wiped her mouth before answering. “Bear and I dated in high school, and some while I was in college. We were young, so I shouldn’t have expected him to be faithful while I was away.” She shrugged, but I could tell she was hurt behind it. “We gave it another go when I got back home after graduating, but he still couldn’t do right. It seems to me, moving away didn’t sit well with not only Zaria, but him too.”
“Aye…” I placed my finger under her chin so she could look at me. “Fuck him and her too. You don’t have to feel bad about putting yourself in a better position in life. Don’t let anybody make you feel like you owe them shit. Do I need to holler at that nigga?” With sad eyes, she shook her head no. “Perk the fuck up then. Don’t let me see you poke your lip out about that shit again.”
Leaning over, what should have been a quick peck on the lips turned into something more. As I gripped the front of her neck, our tongues fought for dominance as my dick fought to be freed from my shorts. Kodi had a nigga out here doing shit I never thought I would, and I ain’t all that mad about it.
“You better stop before your girl blows a gasket.” She smiled and nodded toward Talena. Sure enough, she was throwing daggers from the register. “Let me go to the restroom real quick, and you can take me back home. I’m going to Amelia’s later.”
Letting her out of the booth, I, along with every man in the building, watched her ass jiggle in her sundress. That’s the only thing I want to see her in this summer, but I don’t want niggas looking at my girl like they currently were, so I may have to cut all her shit up.
My girl?
That was the second time the thought of her being mine entered my brain today. Kodi has made it clear she ain’t going for us being together, but why? I know I can be a good man to her because she deserves that. As I watched some niggas try to mack on her while she headed to the bathroom, murderous thoughts began to fill my mind. The sight—even the thought—of someone else trying to push up on her enraged me. Ain’t no way I’m going to sit back and watch another nigga take something meant for me.
To get something I’ve never had, I’d have to do something I’ve never done.
I had to—no, I wanted to—make Kodi my girl, so that’s what I was going to do.
“Not she hoe’d you and sent you on your way.” Uno chuckled as he sipped his Hennessy. I called my brothers for a night out, and I regretted it already. “Ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun, huh?”
Chugging my Corona, I popped a fry in my mouth as Uno and Skip laughed at my expense. Tonight, we were keeping it simple and decided to chill at Urban Oasis for dinner and a few drinks. I called them for some advice on what to do about Dakota, and these niggas weren’t helping me at all. I should have listened to my first mind when it told me to go home.
It’s been three days since I slid inside of Kodi, and I swear, I could still feel her legs wrapped around me. She’s been calling me since I dropped her off after our Waffle House visit, but I’ve been avoiding her because I was stuck. I don’t know what to do with these newfound feelings, so I’ve been keeping my distance.
“I should have gone to see my mama instead of calling you niggas.” I looked around for the waitress so I could get the check. “Y’all niggas think everything is shits and giggles.”
The chuckling that was going on moments ago had now ceased. With both sets of eyes on me, I stared right back at the stupid-ass niggas.
“Oh, you’re serious?” Uno dragged his eyes from me to Skip. “When Harley told me one of your girls made you call Ava to apologize, I assumed she was joking.”
“Kodi didn’t make me do shit,” I corrected him. “Ava was out of line, and I didn’t like that shit, so yeah… I called her and told her that shit wasn’t cool. Kodi is a good girl, and I ain’t gon’ have nobody disrespecting her.”
Finally getting the waitress, I paid for our meals. I was no longer in the mood to chill with these niggas. Grabbing my keys, I stood to leave before Skip pulled me back into my seat.
“Our bad, man. Sit your ass down.” He pointed to the shots on the table. “Take one and tell us what’s going on ’cause your ass is tense as fuck.”
Looking between him and Uno, I saw that they were being genuine. Grabbing the shot and throwing it back, I slumped in my seat and began my spill. “Kodi isn’t like any woman I’ve ever dealt with, man,” I stated honestly. “She doesn’t need me for anything but my company. She knows I’m Adrian Mills, but she doesn’t give a fuck about that shit like these hoes out here ready to jump on my dick. She enjoysme, and not what I’m attached to. She can hold a conversation for longer than five minutes without boring me, and she encourages me with what I got going on with my shoes and the stores. She’s something special, man.”
Here I was, in a lounge full of people with the vibes flowing, pouring out my guts to my brothers about a girl I liked. This was some simp-ass shit, but I no longer gave a fuck because I didn’t know what to do about Kodi.
“You said all that to say what, bro?” Uno asked, confused. “What’s the problem? You like her, and obviously the pussy is?—”
“Don’t speak on her pussy, nigga.” I mugged him as I cut him off from finishing his statement. “Be mindful of your words.”
“That tells me all I need to know,” Skip smirked, throwing back his second shot. “You like that girl. The problem is… you’ve never had a girlfriend. You’ve never had to put forth any effort with any woman, and now you have to with her.” He paused to see if I was listening, and I was because his used-to-be-silent ass was right. “If you want her, go get her, Wild.”
“How, nigga?” I threw my hands up, exasperated. “I can’t even answer the phone when she calls for fear of sounding like a bitch. Skip, how did you get Noemi to be with you? She had a whole fiancé when she came out here to see your ass.”
“I grabbed her by the locs and dragged her ass right on up out of here.” He chuckled as he pointed toward the section in the near distance from us. “Ironically, it was the same section your girl is in now.”
Snapping my neck in the direction he pointed, sure enough, there sat Dakota Jenkins. Dressed in a sexy romper, I felt my dick brick up immediately. I found it crazy that it was only reacting this way to her. I’ve been around multiple women since fucking her, and not once have I felt the urge to fuck them. Before I could stop myself, I was already headed toward where she was.
