Page 64 of Body Language
“I mean I wired thirty thousand to your account. That’s more than you’re owed. More than enough for you to move on, maybe move away, and start a life without using my name as your crutch.”
She started going off again, voice rising like static, but I didn’t let her finish.
“You’ve been overdue, Arlette. I let guilt keep you around. But that shit ends tonight.”
She screamed, “You can’t just erase me! And move away? GivGold is mine! If I’m not the face, then who the fuck is?!”
I locked eyes with Niv. Her arms dropped, just a little, like she was caught between disbelief and wanting to cuss me out herself.
I leaned back, phone to my mouth.
“It’s Niveah’s club now.”
Arlette lost it on the other end. She was cursing, screaming, and threatening.
I didn’t even blink.
“If you pull up there again,” I said, still staring at Niv, “I’ll have you arrested before your heels can step out and hit the ground. Don’t test me.”
Click.
The silence was thick, heavy. I slid the phone into my pocket and stepped up on her porch, close enough to smell the faint coconut oil in her hair.
Her eyes were wide, lips parted. Shock written all over her face.
I tilted my head, voice dropping.
“You said I don’t set myself apart. That I’m just another nigga who ‘likes’ you. But tell me, how many men you know gone drop racks and cut off dead weight just to show you where you stand? GivGold? That’s my shit. I built and created it. I just knew if I put my face on it, half the city’s greed and jealousy would’ve tried to tear it down. So I made it look like it was woman-owned. Let Arlette play the role. Because no man disrespects a woman’s business the way they’d come for mine.”
She blinked, but her mouth stayed shut.
Good.
“You wanted proof that I’m not like the rest?” My chest brushed hers now. “There you go, Pretty.”
Her laugh came out sharp, sarcastic.
“Oh, so now you think doing that just made you special? Kendrix, it doesn’t”
I smirked. “Then why you shaking right now?”
She scoffed, but her arms folded tighter across her chest, defensive. Her body was telling me what her mouth wouldn’t.
I leaned down, whispering just enough for her to feel my breath on her neck.
“I know you want me just as bad as I want you, Pretty.”
For a second, she didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Then she tilted her head back, met my eyes with that same fire she always had, and smirked.
“Cute speech,” she said, dragging the words out slow, sarcastic as hell. “But you gon’ have to try harder, Mr. Givelle.”
She reached for her door, ready to end the little porch performance, but before her hand could pull the knob, my palm slapped flat against the glass screen door, pushing it shut.
“Kendrix—”
My chest pressed to her back, my breath hot against my ear. “Stop playing like you don’t like it, Pretty,” I whispered. “You already tore my guard down. Its time to drop yours.”
Then my lips found her neck.
