Page 72 of Welcome to the Table
The machine buzzed, and I knew it was the food. I told the doorman to bring it since I didn’t trust DoorDash. I went to the door to get the food and tipped the man before closing the door. I set my table up for our food, and she finally walked out from the back, wearing my wife-beater. She sat across from me and smiled.
“Don’t make me like you, Hellcat, then you hurt me,” she said with serious eyes.
“Loyalty and honesty go a long way with me. Honor those two, and you will forever be a part of my life,” I told her, and we ate in silence.
I knew she was mulling over what I said, but I meant that shit with my whole chest.
Chapter 18
Hollygrove
“Why are you being so quiet?” Jaci asked as I drove through the city to get her ass home before Athena sent her men to look for her.
“You do some crazy shit, Jaci. Why the fuck would you take Athena’s car, knowing she has tracking devices on everything, even if you can’t see it?” I glanced at her.
“She got me this time. That was a smart move to put the shit in the engine. I wonder who she got to do that shit,” she said like the shit was a joke.
I shook my head because she didn’t know how serious this shit was.
“And how did you know where we would be?” I asked her.
“How could I not? I see you forgot in my absence what I was capable of. In New York, I took a class in cybersecurity. I hacked y’all’s phones, duh. I heard everything. I even hacked the burner phones before you ask, so yeah, I heard everything but didn’t tell y’all. I knew why we were stopping. I didn’t expect to kill anyone,” she told me, and I chuckled.
“Do you realize what the fuck you did?” I had to ask her because she was acting stupid.
“It don’t fucking matter. The nigga was trying to get away, and I knew he was a fucking snitch, so I handled it. Whatever comes after that, I’ll handle that, too.” She folded her hands across her chest, pouting, and the shit was so cute. I reached over and pinched her cheek.
“No, don’t touch me. You and Hellcat stupid ass think I’m still that lil girl who needs protection, but I’m not. Y’all trained me, so don’t get pissy when I return the favor,” she said, and I didn’t have shit to say because she was right.
Everything she said was the truth, so I left it alone. I stopped at the red light and turned to look at her. She wouldn’t return my gaze, so I used my hand to make her.
“Stop that shit. You know I hate when you mad. I hated it when you were younger, so you know I hate the shit now,” I told her.
She looked at me, but her face didn’t change.
“Gimme kiss, lil girl,” I told her, and her eyes got big like she was surprised. Her face frowned.
“You never kissed before?” I asked her.
She shook her head and moved away, embarrassed.
I pulled her face back to mine.
“Did I tell you to move?” I squinted at her, but she didn’t answer.
People started blowing their horns, so I pulled off and hit the next exit to pull over. I put the car in park and took off my seatbelt. I reached over and unlocked hers, then I pulled her body across the seat. I reclined the seat back so she could be comfortable. She straddled me with her hand over her mouth.
I pulled her hand down. “Stop that. You acting like I’m a stranger. You know me. I ain’t one of them New York niggas.”
Jaci giggled and let me remove her hand. She looked down at me with those long ass eyelashes that brought me to my knees every time. Bitches wore fake eyelashes, but her shit was all natural.
“You gon’ let me be your first kiss?” I asked her, and she blushed.
Gone was the neck slicing woman. Before me was the original Jaci that I met years ago when I became part of the family. Her eyes went down, and I grabbed the back of her neck, bringing her face to meet mine. Inches from her lips, she trembled.
“You gotta answer, Jaci, or I’ll back up,” I whispered with each word brushing her lips. Her cheeks turned a shade of red.
“Am I making you nervous? This is me, Hollygrove,” I told her, and her hands pressed against my chest. She looked at me.
