Page 116 of The Prodigy

“Aight. I’ll send Cyrus up there with the deposit.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Give him about a half hour.” She didn’t know it, but Cyrus was already there. Probably just a few feet away. I couldn’t take any chances now that I knew my uncle was up to some shit.

“Thank you, baby. I’m so excited!” she said. “This apartment is bigger than the house I grew up in. Can you believe that? It’s so beautiful, you’re gonna love it.”

“Aight, I’ll call you in a little bit.”

My brothers were cheesing when I hung up.

“First off, fuck y’all. Second, don’t say shit. Wives are off limits.”

They all laughed. Shit, I was defensive. I felt weak, and I didn’t like it. Not in front of them.

Nay shook his head. “We wasn’t finna clown her, we were finna clownyou.”

“Whatever.”

“And since when can’t we talk shit about females? You clown my baby mamas all the time.”

“Nigga, I saidwives. My bitch got a ring on her finger. You put one on one of yours, then I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

Nay waved that off.

“Actually,” Eris jumped in, “we had something nice to say about your wife. Me and Nay were talking about it yesterday.”

“Word? Whatchu say?”

Eris grinned. “Her ass gettin’ fatter, dog. Good for her.”

“Yeah. So y’all befuckin’fuckin.” Nay snickered. “I hope you wrappin’ it up, though. Ain’t no such thing as a fake baby.”

“You would know, bitch.”

We all shared a laugh.

“Anyway, here’s what I’m thinking…”

By the time I left Joe’s house, a plan was in motion.

“Areyougonnatellme what’s wrong?”

I shook my head.

Malika poked her bottom lip out. “I thought you were gonna let me in.”

“I am. But…you can’t be in on everything, baby. It’s too dangerous.”

She raised her hand and reached out to touch my cheek. We were laying side-by-side, naked and tired. Too tired to fuck, at least tonight. I hated to admit it, but all the stress was getting to me. Draining me.

I didn’t wanna get old too quick, but I felt like I’d aged a year since I’d been back in Midling.

I stared into her eyes while she traced her fingertip across my eyebrows, then down my nose. Her touch was soft. She wasn’t being sexual, but that didn’t stop my dick from waking up.

Maybe we’d fuck after all.

But this was nice, too. Intimate. I reached out and did the same to her, except I kept going past her nose to touch her lips. She poked them out to kiss my finger, then waited while I traced the heart-shaped outline of them.

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