Page 15 of Raziel
I straightened my shoulders and kept my eyes forward.
Bria nudged me. “Back there.”
We cut through the noise and heat until we reached the back room.
Her man was there—Cedrick.
I couldn’t stand his fat ass.
Three baby mamas and heavy-handed with all of them, including Bria.
They’d been together since middle school. I still didn’t know what she saw in him.
He’d made it from corner boy to middleman and acted like he was kingpin.
He had a crew now. Two of them were with him.
“Damn. Who’s this?” one of them asked.
He was cute. Baby-faced. Tatted. Gold cross on his chain. White tee, skinny jeans. Athletic build, my height.
He looked me over like he was hungry.
I was in deconstructed cut-off shorts, a Whitney tee, and red bottoms—cute, but simple. I wasn’t even trying.
He was drooling over nothing.
“Maya,” Bria answered for me.
I glared at the side of her face. Why was she telling this random-ass nigga my name?
He stood. Came close.
Close enough for me to smell his cologne—expensive, but he overdid it. Made my nose burn.
His hand brushed my hips, then settled on my waist.
“I’m Tray,” he said with a grin.
“Nice to meet you, Tray.” I stepped back out of his reach.
Tray kept going.
“Why I ain’t seen you around here before? You look like a good girl. Is you?”
I tilted my head. “Don’t let the face fool you. I bite.”
I flashed a full-mouth smile and turned to Bria.
“Can we hurry this along?” I said before he could respond.
The door we’d come through opened again. Heavy footsteps.
“What are you doing here, Maya?”
My body locked up.
I turned slowly.
