Page 27 of The Prodigy

“What about school?”

“Not yet.”

“Sorry.” He sighed his disappointment.

Dario was always on me about school back then. We dated for two years in high school, then he went off to college and we went our separate ways. I stayed here and poured drinks while Dario finished up at Morehouse in three years. He’d always been smart like that.

I think me not going to college ruined his plan to ask me to marry him. He came from a family that cared a lot about status. As a bartender with a high school diploma, I didn’t have any.

He eyed me with concern. “No, um…news? About your mom?”

“None at all.”

“Sorry.” He sighed again, then reached out and patted my hand. “I’m here if you ever need to talk.”

I nodded, my eyes filling with tears. I didn’t like thinking about my mother. As time passed, it got easier, but when I did let myself remember, I preferred to be at home. In private. Where nobody could see my tears.

“What time do you get off?”

“Eleven.”

“I wanna take you to get something to eat. I’ll wait around.”

“No, that’s—”

“I just wanna make sure you’re okay. Plus, I feel like I owe you one.”

I blinked the tears away. “I’m fine, Dario, I promise. Just more of the same. But I can handle it.”

“Okay.”

It was at that moment that I remembered my…husband. And his instructions. Even though he wasn’t around, his presence was felt. I didn’t wanna piss him off and lose the little bit of trust he had in me.

“I don’t wanna give you the wrong impression, so I’m just gonna tell you now. I’m married.”

Dario sat back on the stool and frowned. I think he was waiting for me to say I was kidding.

“It just happened,” I explained. “Not even a month ago. I’m a newlywed.”

Weird how a smile materialized on my face as I said it.

“Anybody I know?” he asked, glancing at my empty ring finger.

I stared down at the bar, not wanting to look in his eyes when I said it.

“Jakari.”

“Windermere?!?!” His eyes bucked and his mouth dropped open. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Why?” He knocked back his drink and slammed his glass on the bar. “That family. They’re…you just, you don’t wanna be mixed up with them.”

“Why not?” I said, hoping he had the answer to the question I’d had ever since I saw my husband shoot someone.

Dario looked around nervously. “They have a lot of power in this town, and I’m not sure they got it the right way.” He eyed me. “You’re one of them, now. You should know better than me.”

“All I know is that they own a bunch of businesses.”

He shook his head. “You know what? I’m not getting involved. I want no parts of any of this. But be careful, Malika. They’re as bad as the Hightowers.” He paused. “Maybe worse.”

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