Page 112 of Smoke

“Girl, I wish you could have heard him on the other end of the line, sounding like a crazy person. I shouldn’t have laughed, but I did. It was funny, but it was also…”

I couldn’t describe to my sister what it felt like having that man demand my respect. She didn’t need to know about the puddle that grew between my legs at his authority. She didn’t need to know that if I’d been anywhere near him after that, I would have dropped to my knees and whipped that big pretty dick out. I blushed, thinking about it.

“Oooo, you nasty,” Renay said, poking me. “You don’t have to say it. That big dick energy turned you on. I see you, little sister.”

“I don’t know what you’re?—”

“Cut the shit, Romi. Tell me. Have you let that man give you some dick yet?”

“No. You know I’ve been healing. Even though I didn’t have her vaginally, I still had to be careful.”

“Oh, so you had to be just as careful when he put his mouth on your other set of lips?”

I snickered. “I mean, he didn’t fold me up or anything.”

She let out a loud squeal and kicked her feet. Our mother rounded the corner.

“What are you two hens cackling about?” she asked with her hand on her hip.

“Nothing!” We both answered.

Renay got herself together before speaking. “Mama, I don’t like how you let Devin in the kitchen but kick us out?”

Mama waved us off. “Don’t be jealous, Renay.”

“Yeah, sis,” Devin said, coming to our mother’s side with a chicken wing in his hand. “Don’t be jealous ’cause your mama loves me.”

Renay tossed a pillow at him.

“Don’t be throwing my pillows, girl,” Mama fussed. “Devin is a guest.”

“Ha! He is not a guest. He’s been here a few times. You really love him, don’t you?”

Mama pinched Devin’s cheek. “He’s becoming one of my babies.”

Devin grinned a childish grin and stuck his tongue out at Renay. “See. You’re stuck with me.” He nudged my mother. “You still letting me taste that sweet potato pie filling?”

“Mama!” Renay exclaimed, jumping up. “Absolutely not, Devin Dillinger! I’ll fight you over that.”

Devin laughed. “You could never beat me, shorty. You can’t even reach me.”

“I’ll stand on something. You better not touch that filling.”

My mother shook her head. “Come get a spoon full, chile.”

Devin snickered as Renay brushed past him. “Brat.”

He came over and hovered over me. “You good, mama?”

“I’m perfect.” Cupping his face, I kissed his lips. “Today was a good day.”

“You deserve that.”

“I can’t wait to get the pictures back. They were so beautiful, especially the last one of the four of us. We looked like a real little family.”

He chuckled. “We are a real family, love. I know we have a long way to go, but you’ve made a nigga really happy the last couple of months.”

“I haven’t done anything but need you to save me, Devin.”

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