Page 8 of Regancy & Savior
Without another word, she used her freehand to point toward the front of the garage. Once we reached her car, I did just what I did the first time I walked her to her car.
“You gonna give me a kiss before I let you pull off.”
She had a goofy grin on her face. “Now, why would I do that?”
“Because we already started the routine, and I damn sure ain’t moving until you do.”
REGANCY
The day started out good until I had two burly men in my faceasking about a payment of some sort. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on, but after I gave them a piece of my mind, they made a call, and they were suddenly on their way. It was that fucking simple for me because I refused to allow somebody to muscle into anything that I had put my blood, sweat, and tears into. My daughter begged me to let her spend the night with her grandmother, so I was kid free and on the way home to a glass of wine and marathon ofBlue Bloods. That had become my favorite show when I moved back here because not only did it have an abundance of episodes, but it reminded me of home.
I gathered all of my things and put them in my purse before standing to my feet. It was time to get my night started. The ringing of my phone pulled me from my thoughts on leaving. I fetched my phone from my junky tote and put it to my ear.
“Hello?” I answered. I didn’t bother looking at the caller ID.
“Are you still at the bar, Regancy?” My mother’s voice came barreling through the phone. It was becoming routine for her to call me when I worked late nights. She’d make me talk to her the entire time I locked up because she said it wasn’t safe for me to be there alone. She was probably right, but my job didn’t stop with the normal nine-to-five, because it was my business. I worked all day, every day.
“Yes, Mom, I am. I’m leaving now though.” I was making sure I didn’t leave anything on my desk. I cut the lights out and exited my office.
“We talked about this. Why don’t you call your brother, and he?—”
“I’m going to try to do fewer long nights, so that won’t be necessary because…” My sentence trailed off when I spotted old boy from the other night taking what looked like a suit jacket off and sitting it on the back of one of my bar chairs. “Mama, let me call you back when I get to the car.” I didn’t give her a chance to respond before I hung up.
“Come take a seat, shorty.” His voice was commanding, but it didn’t move me.
I crossed my arms across my chest and threw knives at that nigga with my glare. “What the hell are you doing in here? We’re closed.”
“I asked you to come take a seat.” He never looked up at me.
I stood right where I was and looked at him.
“Yo ass can come sit down, or I’ll have somebody sit yo’ fine ass down.” He finally looked up in my direction after he moved behind my bar and began shifting around as if he was tending to the bar.
Though I wasn’t giving in, I moved closer to the bar while studying him. He had rolled the sleeves of his expensive white dress shirt up, and he was making himself a drink like he fucking owned the place. Finally, I slipped onto one of the barstools and looked at him.
“There I was at one of my lil’ boring ass functions, tryna be civilized, when one of my young bulls called me and said the lil’ lady at the tavern refused to pay my thirty-five percent. So then, I had to go outta my way to come see about you.” He put the glass on the bar and looked at me before leaning forward and looking me in my eyes.
“I didn’t agree to pay you a percentage of anything. You don’t have any stake in anything that pertains to this lot.”
He laughed. “Usually. when I say something is mine, Regancy, it’s just that. I own half of the businesses in this area because none of the owners tried to be as stubborn and as bullheaded as yourself. I don’t have to go repeating myself to hardheaded individuals, because?—”
I shook my head. “You don’t scare me, so do as you will, but you still ain’t getting shit from me behind my business.”
Again, he was laughing. “I’ma burn this bitch down.”
“Do you! If that floats your boat, Mr. I Own Half of Everything.” I twisted my face up. “Just keep your eyes on your shit.” I didn’t give a damn who that man thought he was, but I was taught to fight fire with fire. My daddy didn’t play that weak bitch shit, and he damn sure didn’t raise one.
He didn’t laugh. Instead, he pursed his lips. He looked like the type that people cowered in the presence of. He had an energy around him that spoke for itself. Instead of exchanging anymore words, we maintained eye contact. If he wasn’t in there trying to shake me down, I could’ve swore he was feeling me, but niggas like him were bad for business.
The sound of the door opening took my attention from him. When I looked up, my brother was standing in the doorway with a bewildered expression on his face. My mother must’ve called him when I hung up on her.
“Amil, what are you—” I started as he approached me. He was looking me over to make sure I was fine. I could feel the concern oozing off his person.
“Boss, I see you’ve met my sister.” Amil addressed old boy as he closed in on my space.
“This yo’ disrespectful ass sister?” he responded. His tone was different than it was a few seconds ago. He addressed my brother differently than me.
I chuckled.
