Page 89 of Anything Necessary for Her
Swallowing, I replied, “As bitch-made as it sounds, P, I . . . think I love Peep—Banks.”
“Think?” He frowned, leaning against a fly ass old-school Cadillac.
“I ain’t ever been in love before, so I can’t really say. I just know I’ve never experienced anything like I have with her. A woman I can talk to, kick it with, learn from, and that legit can make me forget about shit that has plagued me for decades is some new shit.
“She make me wanna do shit, be better, try food I would never fuck with, vacation, and actually live life instead of just being a fucking workhorse for my people until this lifestyle sends a nigga six feet under. I’m in awe of her, and I don’t know much, but I know that type of woman only comes across niggas like me once everyfewfucking lifetimes.”
“So why this shit ain’t come out ya fucking mouth months ago, nigga?”
“It was never my intention to date her in secret or behind everybody’s back. I ain’t that type of nigga. I ain’t ever had to hide a damn thing I wanted to do. ’Cause not only am I a grown ass man, but no offense, P, don’t nobody pump fear in my fucking heart enough for me to sneak shit. I don’t sneak dis, Idon’t sneak shoot, and I for damn sure don’t sneak with women. I’m a loud and out there type nigga in that regard. But . . . she wanted to keep this shit on the low, and what she wants is what matters over everybody else, including me.”
I noticed the anger and disappointment had finally vanished from Prime’s face completely.
“Hmph,” was all he said, though, studying me some as he folded his arms across his chest. As old as he was, late fifties, the nigga didn’t look it and clearly still hit the weights. He was stockier than me, which I knew was due to age since I’d seen his younger pictures where he was leaner but still muscular like my current frame. We were what for what in height though.
“Sif already got on a nigga, so I know you and her other brothers is on the same shit. But I want you to truly understand that if I didn’t plan to love that girl with the best of my ability and everything in me, I wouldn’t have taken it there and wouldn’t be going against the grain for her. Why would I risk betraying the one nigga who don’ had my back, put me on, and gave a fuck about me, on some real shit, for a fling?”
Silence lingered for a moment as he drank me in like he’d been doing all evening, before he said, “You ain’t answer my previous question. Is you gon’ marry my daughter or what, nigga?”
“If she would have a nigga, absolutely.”
“She kissed that nigga in front of us, Pop!” Asif yelled from a distance, and I smirked inwardly at the fact that he couldn’t bring himself to leave a nigga in fear of what would happen to me. Typical Asif, always looking out for a nigga, even when it was involving his father. “Told us if we ain’t like it, she didn’t give a fuck. So she’ll definitely have yo’ ass.”
I was stunned when Prime chuckled.
“That’s def yo’ daughter, P,” I commented.
“I know.” He stared down at the cemented ground, then picked his head up, amusement in his green and amber eyes. “Lequay said he wanted to knock you the fuck out but low-key respected how you came at him, causing him to hesitate slightly in the moment.” Leaning up off the car, he started toward me and said, “You got heart, young nigga, and you talk a good game. I wanna see you walk the shit you talk though. I’m trusting you with a third of my heart—Sif and my wife taking over the other two portions?—”
“Chill out.” Asif cut in. “I’m out for real.”
“Nigga think he so tough but used to be crying with his toothless ass whenever I put him down in his crib ’cause he wanted his daddy to hold him.”
I heard Asif talking shit as he exited, making both Prime and I snicker.
“That’s hilarious.”
“Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, don’t fuck this shit up. My baby girl better stay in the same condition I’m giving her to you in—not broken and not beaten down. I don’t have to say that I mean emotionally ’cause I don’t get a physically abusive vibe from you, but I’d kill you either way. Right hand to God.”
I swallowed a lump, knowing Prime wouldn’t grant me permission to be with his daughter if he knew I’d slapped my own fucking mother.
“If Sif don’t beat you to it,” I replied, making him cheese widely.
We chopped it up a little bit more before Prime commended me begrudgingly on killing the two kidnappers. I apologized disingenuously, but he called it out, before he called for cleanup, then gave a nigga a ride back to my car.
By that time, Free let me know that his work with Gaia was done, so I took my ass straight home. After smoking a much-needed blunt, brushing my teeth, showering, and making sure my siblings were good, I left to see Banks.
She’d been blowing me up ever since I hopped out the shower, and I was sure it was because of the meeting that had gone down this evening.
Upon arriving, I blocked her car in, considering I would be leaving before she did, then used the key she’d given a nigga to gain access. Before I even made it up the stairs and to her bedroom, she was opening the door, studying me like she was a fucking doctor in the ER.
“I’m good.” I towered over her pretty, anguish-ridden face before kissing her.
“What did he do to you?” She followed after me as I laid down on top of her bed after removing my joggers.
“Nothing that wasn’t expected.” I kept it light. I didn’t want to tell her about being kidnapped and all the extra shit, in fear of her getting upset with her pops. Plus, that was shit I liked to keep separate from my girl.
“Did he invite you to dinner?” She got under the covers in the distracting ass nightie she often wore. “Low.” She snapped my attention away from her body and my nasty ass thoughts.
