Page 87 of His to Have
It was already bad enough I had been violated, and the store was vandalized over someone on a power trip. But what made it worse is that Karley, likely and unsuspecting soul, had no idea she’d inserted herself unknowingly into a war, and selling my stolen jewelry was going to be her downfall.
Making a quick decision, I clicked on the notification and smiled at her newest story. I’d been watching her IG like a hawk for a week now, hoping she’d pop up in an area my family ran. I was pleasantly surprised when she told the world her location.
“Ayeee! Y’all already know what time it is,” she cooed into the camera, running a manicured hand through the 36-inch honey-blonde bust down. “Back by popular demand... y’all been blowing up my shit asking when’s the next two for one. And I got y’all... my babies.”
Her soft waves bounced over her shoulder as she tilted her head with a smug little grin. Turning her camera, she caught the front of a freshly painted salon with a bright pink and black sign readingGlitz NGlamzBeauty Bar.A sandwich board stood by the door, and in bold colorful letters, it said:TWO FOR ONE FRONTAL SPECIALS!
Underneath looked like a menu, but it was actually the salon’s list of services and price list. If I wasn’t so annoyed with the woman whose face filled my screen, I may have been inclined to check out the services myself.
When her face came back into the frame she continued. “Shoutoutto my cousin Jasmine, y’all. New shop just opened up and yes, baby she is booked and busy. Seats are filling fast. I need y’all to buss up. She got some of the baddest stylists in the city ready to get you right.”
She lowered her voice, leaning closer to the phone like she was about to tell some ground-breaking secret. “If you tryna get right or just tryna keep up with me... you know where to find me. Don’t act like I ain’t try to put you up on free game. Pull up.”
The story ended with her blowing a kiss to the camera and giving a little finger wave. As the camera faded to the next story, one particular stylist in the background looked real damn familiar.
“Arlo, change of plans. Take me to Glitz N Glamz Beauty Bar on Hammond.” I told him pulling up my brother’s contact and calling him.
Arlo didn’t even question my moves, just made a quick U turn and headed straight for the salon.
The phone barely rang before my brother answered. “What’s good Yanna?”
“Hey... quick question. You still fucking with Jazzy?”
There was a short pause. I could practically hear him blinking on the other end. “Who?”
I sucked my teeth. “Nigga.” And he laughed.
“Don’t play dumb, Bash. I’m talking about Jasmine with them cheap ass lashes and tight ass catsuits. Looking like a damn discount stripper.”
This time his laugh was loud. “Damn Yanna. Why she gotta be all that?” Another chuckle rumbled through the phone. When he calmed down, he said, “Yeah... I let her slide through every now and then. Why, what’s up?”
I exhaled and went into how she was connected to the chick that stole from my boutique. It took a minute, but I ran down everything. From seeing our cousin at a club, the night before my wedding, then to finding Karley on social media, all the way to how I had to convince Teo I had this under control. Especially with everything else going on. He didn’t need to worry about me in this instance. If I was going to stand by his side, as his equal, he had to trust me to handle small shit like Karley. She wasn’t nothing but a two-bit hustler. Light work really.
Once I finished, he was quiet. Not for long but enough for me to understand he was processing, and likely contemplating moves to handle Karley himself. But he also had to let me stand on my own two feet. If this was the life I was destined, I had to prove that I could handle it.
“I got it Bash. Just like I told Teo. Just tell me if that shop is one of ours?”
“Yeah.”
It was simple, and I knew and understood that was the most I would get over a phone call. “Cool. I’ll call you later.”
I went to hang up but heard him say, “Boss, looks good on you. Glad to see you stepping into who you were always meant to be.”
The line went silent, and I sat back in the seat, shaking my head and muttering, “Right... Boss.”
The ride to the salon went by quick, giving me enough time to figure out how I was going to handle this Karley chick. I wasn’t violent but could be if pushed far enough. I didn’t want to handle her with violence, but she would pay.
We pulled up to the salon, the atmosphere was lively. Balloons were tied to the sandwich board outside, still promoting all the specials for the day. A couple girls were sitting on the small patio chairs by the window, one of them on FaceTime, showing off her new install. A few women walked in, laughing and joking, clearly here for their appointments.
“Arlo, stay in the car,” I said as I reached for the handle. “Keep it running. I won’t be long.”
Arlo gave a stiff tilt of his head, already adjusting the mirrors to keep an eye on the front entrance. I glanced at Sham. “You come with me.”
He didn’t say a word, just opened his door and stepped out behind me. His presence alone let anyone watching know what time I was on. Broad shoulders, black suit jacket stretched over his thick frame. A permanent scowl covered his hard features, and his mere presence commanded attention. One step after another I made my way to the front entrance. He trailed a few steps behind me. The closer we got, the more heads started to turn.
It wasn’t every day I flexed my name and pulled up like hood royalty. But this was necessary. The Reeds were well-known around these parts, and reputation meant everything. The minute I found out about Karley stealing, from me, I knew I would have to make an example out of her.
Not my husband.
