Page 100 of By Your Side
I collar her neck, pushing her back as I walk in. “Watchu doing, huh?” I croon, backing her into a wall.
“Wha-what are you doing here?” she asks breathlessly.
I smirk down at her. “I can’t come see my girl? What was you doing?”
Fear and arousal make a pungent mix as her eyes dance around my face, trying to read me. I’ve been ducking her calls since the after party, but that hasn’t stopped her from posting me any chance she gets.
“I was just about to shower.”
“The water not running, Sahara. You lying to me?” I squeeze her neck just enough to make her gasp.
I glance at the coffee table and zone in on a random phone. Shit really be aligning, even when I’m on some nefarious shit.
Before Sahara can see what has my attention, I let her go and lick my lips.
“I need my duffel. It’s still in your closet right?”
Her eyes stretch as she grabs my arm. “My room’s dirty. Let me get it.”
I cock my head to the side, glancing at her hand before focusing back on the panic spreading on her face. “I know you dirty. That don’t bother me.” I begin to walk toward her room, but she stops me again.
“No, this is too much. I’ll get it.” She zooms off to her room, closing the door behind her.
I waste no time going to the phone and unlocking it. Dumb ass nigga don’t even have a password. I text my special six-digit number, and click the link that automatically replied to it. Once the Takashi Murakami flower populates on the screen, I delete the text thread, lock the phone, and place it back on the coffee table.
Sahara comes back out to the living area with my Louis Vuitton duffel. I snatch it from her and palm the back of her neck.
“You gotta nigga in that room?” I seethe, for shits and giggles.
She’s opening and closing her mouth like a fish, her eyebrows pinching when I break into a smile.
I let her go. “Just kidding. I know you ain’tthatstupid.”
She tries to laugh it off, but only ends up clearing her throat. “D-don’t play like that, Shad.”
I swing the duffel over my shoulder and begin backing out of her place. “Why? You scared of me?” I cackle, making her flinch.
Terror grips her up until I close the door. The locks engage right after, like that could stop me from going back in there.
Sahara used to trip so bad about me not letting her in. About her wanting to be a part of my life, especially after my pops died. Always fascinated with the shit Van kept her away from for so long. She don't even see the walls are closing in, and her choices are gonna leave Van here all alone.
I facetime Cap on the way back to my car. He answers, bringing a fat blunt up to the screen.
“Wassup Shotta.”
“Put outK.A.N.O.and the video everywhere.”
Cap grins. “You really on that good bullshit. Say less.”
We end the call and I get the notification that my video is up. Fuck it. Sincere wants to be a player in this game so bad, maybe a direct shot will get him to come out and play.
Macy
Patrick“Nutty”Riveraisgetting nice in his old age.
I remember when we first got word he was hanging around Dal. YC went ballistic. His reputation truly precedes him, and even though Mo wasn’t on the up and up, Peanut and Foe Dub are a different breed of crazy nigga.
Then we all saw them get into it at Mo’s memorial. Uncle Junior and YC came to blows trying to keep YC from killing him. The only thing that stopped him was Denver’s lil mean ass vouching for him. But we were all on the fence.
