Page 124 of Are You Going to Love Me

“I told you I'm handling it,” he gritted, annoyed that she wouldn’t let it go.

She continued. “How much? And for what?”

“I ain’t gettin’ into all of that, E. I told you I had it. Shit, stop pressing me about it.”

Eden scoffed, then nodded. “Alright, you got it.”

As she attempted to roam back into the room, he reached out for her, but she evaded him. “Don’t. You got it. I'm good.”

She could hear him heavily sigh and curse to himself. The feeling in her gut wasn’t a result of something she’d made up in her overthinking. It was real. Like the past of being with Poppi was resurfacing. The gang shit that was weaved into home-cooked meals, warm hugs, and firm raising. Gang shit that was always there. Gang shit that was an ever-present danger. Her stomach churned with the fear of losing the realest thing she’d ever had. Trae Way was a part of them without question. But Trae Way was a beast that would eat them and spit out their bones if it wasn’t contained. The beast was Mama and the group of men and women she commanded.

Their window was closing, and she needed to be on her game to not just make herself, her sister, and their hometown look good, she needed to shine so her man could too. Regardless of how she felt about his positioning, getting him to the next level was her focus for the weekend. Bullshit aside.

The two quietly got ready, moving around each other in their own heads about how to soothe the other and handle the issue. Gang shit would always be gang shit, but when it started affecting their shit, things had to change.

Eden propped her foot up on the ottoman and began fastening her heels around her ankle while holding the hem of her skirt down to keep it from riding up over her widening hips. Stubbornness wouldn’t allow her to ask for help. However, Maximus wasn’t equipped to watch her struggle. A tap to her hips and a gentle move of her body repositioned them.

He sat on the ottoman, the aroma of his cologne and Kush dancing around him as he placed her foot on his leg to finish the task. His touch was soft, patient, longing to end this silence between them. He’d end this after the business was handled. After fastening each heel, he kissed each knee and inhaled her scent.

Before letting her roam out the door, Maximus grabbed her hips and looked up at her. “I promise, when we get back, we’ll talk about it.”

“If you’re going to yell or raise your voice at me, you can save it,” Eden snipped back, attempting to pull herself out of his hold.

He held her firmly, his eyes flashing with solvent for her attitude. “Keep it up, E. I won’t be the only one in here raising my voice.”

She rolled her eyes.

“You look good. Nip that shit before I fuck it all up,” he stated, releasing her just so he could watch her hips and ass sway and bounce away.

Eden checked her silk two-piece set, half ponytail, and makeup before flashing him a look in the mirror. “Thank you. You do too.”

“Mmhmm. You want me to take your pics?”

“No, I'll have Staysha do it,” she sassed and walked out of the room.

She could hear him grumble to himself but paid no mind to it as she made her way further from him and toward her sister. Staysha could see the attitude bouncing off of Eden the closer she got. Deciding not to indulge it, she held her hand out for Eden’s phone. Photos taken, uploaded to the proper channels, and ten minutes later, the group was on the way to the Gallalucci’s beach house.

“I want you to pay attention to everything,” Keon spoke to Maximus while he sat across from Eden, taking her in.

She glared back at him, doing the same. Too fine to be truly upset with, but too lukewarm for comfort. Their ties to the streets were a heavy accessory.

“Lucci is a known Azul Heart. That nigga been high on the totem pole. If he says it, it happens. He’s rebranded himself,buying his hood back, reaching back in the community doing real shit.”

Staysha took her chance to chime in. “Daysha manages his career and a slew of others on the label. She’s been in management for years and she has her own ties to Ganton Hills. Mother, wife, bad ass businesswoman, and her parents live twenty minutes from MB.”

“Them, Zaim and Davina, DJ Eli and his wife Olivia are great industry people to be around. I mean Rudy is cool, but the nigga is a time bomb,” Keon stated.

“Fatima is cool, though,” Staysha stated.

“Aight,” Maximus spoke up, letting his eyes fall from Eden to his phone. He was back pecking away with vigor.

Maximus: So you don’t get to trippin’ on me some more [view photo]

Eden looked down at the phone and ignored the picture downloading because she knew it would only heighten her sour mood. Keon and Staysha continued to talk amongst themselves until they arrived at the mansion.

In her role as Trae Way MB’s lady, she walked in his peripheral vision to his right. Close enough for him to reach out and touch her if he needed to, and at the perfect angle for him to step in front of her. Eden was expecting the home to be toppling over with industry people. To her surprise, it was just the people she’d heard of.

Zaim and his wife, Davina. DJ Eli and his pregnant wife, Olivia. Daysha was holding an arm baby and Julius behind her with another on his shoulders.

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