Page 69 of Next Level
Lazy looks a few years older than her, but he’s aged well. They seem cute together.
The men start haggling, and the room turns back to chattering.
She moves to hug me, and I reach out to hug her back, but Ray doesn’t let go of my hand, so I have to give her a half-hug.
“Nice to meet you, Siren,” I say to her as we break apart.
Behind her, I notice two more women, who are younger, like my age. Both are smiling as they approach, so I’m thinking they’re ol’ ladies to someone here, but I feel Ray tense next to me, and his hand tightens around mine.
I don’t feel threatened, but based on his body language, I prepare myself for some kind of verbal or physical assault. I don’t think Ray would let that happen, but you never know.
Ray’s face doesn’t indicate any dislike toward them, so I look back at the girls once they’re right in front of me.
“Hi, I’m Tink,” she says with a warmly, then extends her hand before pointing to the other girl. “This here is my best friend, Cracker.”
Tink. Okay, she’s the family friend he was fucking. Got it.
“Hi, nice to meet you both,” I say genuinely, shaking both of their hands.
They move back to the table and start cleaning up. Ray leans down, kisses me on the cheek, and says, “Told you she was cool.”
I squeeze his hand, pulling him down so I can whisper in his ear, “Who’s the bitch again?”
“Tamara, and she won’t be here. No one likes her.”
“Just warn me if any of your side pieces do come so I can be prepared.”
Ray doesn’t say anything but moves us over to the coffee machine. My whole body relaxes, and my face lights up.
Dawg booms, “Someone likes coffee.”
“Likeis an understatement. Ilovecoffee.”
Ray fills a cup for me, and when I try to put all my extras in it, he swats my hand. “I gotchu. I know how you like it.”
Dawg interjects, “I bet you do.”
My face flushes as everyone listens, but I fire back, “Oh yeah he does.”
This gets the whole table in an uproar.
“He ain’t ever made no coffee for Trouble or anyone else. It must belove,” Lip says teasingly.
I instinctively glance over at Tink to see her reaction, but she’s laughing along with everyone else.
Okay, she really does seem cool about all of this.
Siren smacks Lip on the head with a towel. “Zip it, Lip.”
Zip backhands his cousin on the arm.
Lip flinches, rubbing his arm where he was hit. “Ow, why did you hit me?”
Dawg pulls out a chair for me to sit in next to him, and Ray sits on the other side of me. Ray makes me a plate, and I listen to the men banter back and forth. I notice everyone eyeing me, but no one says anything else.
When I eye the women in the room, I only get friendly glances. Not fake, just friendly. I know everyone here is checking me out one way or another, but then again, I guess I’m doing the same.
Every time I look over at Tink, she returns a warm smile.
