Page 45 of Juke
“I’ll be in touch,” I told him, putting my phone back into my pocket.
When I turned back around, Tina was eyeing me. “What the hell was that about, Cardell?”
“Opportunity,” was all I said. “Just found me the perfect one.”
We kept walking with Tina still side-eyeing me like she wanted to dig deeper, but I wasn’t telling her shit. The less she knew, the better. In my head, though? The pieces were starting to fall into place. I’d been looking for a way to pull Juke out of pocket and make him vulnerable. Now, out of nowhere, here comes this strange ass nigga claiming the same girl that Juke calls himself with. Rio didn’t even realize he just signed himself up for something bigger than getting his girl back. He was gone be my distraction, my pressure point. I didn’t need him to like me, or trust me. I just needed him to want her bad enough to follow my lead.
I smirked to myself, already picturing the way his face would look when I started taking shit from him piece by piece, and he’d never see it coming.
11
Sophi
Things for me didn’t look or feel the same anymore. I was feeling something completely new. The kind of change that I thought I would never get to experience again. I no longer felt the need to check my surroundings every second, nor did I feel the need to feel trapped in my own home. Juke made me feel safe. Not because he promised to—even though he did, but because he was the type of man who didn’t need to say it for you to believe it. He just should up, and his presence spoke volumes that his words didn’t. That alone made me happier than I’ve been in a long time. I was still in my head when I felt him come up behind me, pressing into my small frame as his big hands slid around my waist. His lips brushed the side of my neck before he even said a word.
“Where you getting all fine to go?” His voice was low and rough, sending vibrations through my entire body.
I tilted my head back to give him better access before I responded. “Out with the girls. They claim I need to go shopping before your fight tomorrow.”
“Yeah, go do that. I want to be able to show off the baddest chick in the room,” he countered making me blush. His arms tightened around me just enough to make my breath hitch.
I turned in his hold placing my hands against his chest. “Don’t start. You know I gotta go.”
“Uh huh.” His eyes dropped to scan my body before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded stack of cash. “Here.”
“What’s this for?” I frowned.
“Fix ya face, shorty. It’s for you to get whatever you need to look good for the fight… and after.” He smirked.
I shook my head. “Rashad, I don’t need your money.”
“I didn’t ask if you needed it, L. I’m giving it to you because I want you to have it.”
I exhaled through a laugh, knowing there was no winning that fight. “You’re impossible.”
“I know. Now give me a kiss me before you go.”
I leaned up and kissed him, slow enough to make it count but not long enough for him to talk me into staying. He caught my bottom lip holding me against his brawny frame with a look that said he was tempted to change our plans for the day.
“You need me to drop you off?” he asked.
“No, the girls are picking me up. Your place is on the way to the mall, so it just works out.” I shrugged.
He narrowed his eyes like he was running through the list of reasons he still might insist. “You sure?”
“Positive,” I said with a smile. “I’ll text you when we’re done.”
He slid his hands down my sides before letting me go. “Aight. but tell them I said don’t keep you out all day.”
“I’ll let them know you said that.” I smirked.
“Mhm. You might wanna hurry up before I change my mind and keep you here.”
Before I could grab my shoes, my phone buzzed. Nic’s name lit up the screen.
“We’re downstairs,” she said as soon as I answered. “Tell Juke to back up off you and come on. We got shit to do.”
“I’ll be down in a second.” I tittered.
