Page 115 of Anything Necessary for Her
Straddling me and forcing me to lie back, she said, “Yes.”
“No, Peep. I don’t want you wrapped up in this shit in case they try to pin it on me, or it goes left. Hell nah.” Placing my hands on her hips, I continued. “His body is never gonna be found, and the injuries I sustained have since healed. So I ain’t too worried about getting arrested or convicted, but in case they take it to trial or some shit, I don’t want you dragged into that. He a mayor’s son which means media coverage. You got a whole ballet career ahead of you, and I don’t want this being a stain on ya reputation, even if it goes nowhere.”
“But you did this for me. I don’t feel right?—”
“No, Peep. I got it.” I sat up, hugging her body as she lazily hung her arms around my neck. “I’ll do anything necessary to keep you safe and keep you in the same condition I got you in, just like ya pops advised me to.”
“I wanna do the same.”
I smirked before brushing my lips against her supple ones.
“I appreciate that shit more than you know, but youimprovedmy condition, Peep. You willing to help a nigga out is more than enough, but I don’t need nor want you to actually do it. You understand? If you do anything to help me, I won’t ever forgive you.”
Her face fell at my words while I waited for her to absorb them muthafuckas and accede to them.
“Okay,” she finally replied, begrudgingly, her face looking as if she tasted something foul.
“Good.” I kissed her again.
I parked outside of the St. Thomas’ residence, feeling a bit on edge. I’d been to this spot hundreds of fucking times, never feeling any type of way, but today was different.
Lisara and Prime were cool, cordial, and welcoming when I was their son’s protege, but I knew shit would be very different coming in as their only and beloved daughter’s boyfriend.
“I’m starving.” Banks beamed as I assisted her from the whip.
“Yeah.” I nodded, shutting my passenger door and guiding her up the front.
“Relax. You have me and my mama on your side. And my dad is down the middle. He doesn’t dislike you, but he doesn’t like you yet.” She nudged me, her non-verbal signal that she wanted a kiss, so I obliged. “You look handsome, but that’s a given.” She rolled her eyes playfully, referencing her constant joke that I was too fine to dress up.
I’d dug through my closet for the nicest shit I could locate, which resulted in this polo styled Prada shirt in blue, and dark Amiri jeans. I wore my navy blue Chuck Taylors, like usual, pairing the shit with my chain, Audemars Piguet, and a bracelet. I kept a fresh haircut, and my beard was always kempt, so my outfit had been the only obstacle of the night.
“Hey!” Lisara answered, looking like an older version of her daughter. Her nose and eye shape were different, though, because Banks had inherited those features from her pops.
“Hi, Ma.” Banks smiled, embracing her mother before slipping past her.
“For you.” I reached out the yellow roses for Lisara since Banks had told me she liked them.
“Oh my gosh!” Lisara brightened, taking them.
“You already fucking up.” Prime’s voice called from afar, making me look past his wife to see him holding Banks into his side.
“Shut up, Chianti.” Lisara hugged me. “This was sweet.”
“I know, and before y’all ask, no I didn’t tell him to do that. He asked if you liked flowers, I told him yes and what kind, but nothing more,” Banks explained, making her mother cheese wider and her father shrug his eyebrows.
“Mr. St. Thomas.” I shook his hand.
“Nice to see you again, Low.” He obliged my handshake.
“Okay, the chef is ready for us, so let’s go to the dining room so they’ll know we’re ready,” Lisara announced, dropping the flowers into the glass vase nearby, fluffing them out as she talked. She mumbled something about getting ice water for them while we followed her directions.
“I thought you were cooking, Ma?” Banks quizzed as she descended into the chair I’d pulled out for her in the dining room.
“I was, but then I said I didn’t feel like it. I cooked big ass meals for years and still do sometimes. I realize I don’t wanna cook as much anymore,” she said.
“And she don’t have to do shit she don’t want to no more.” Prime pushed her chair in, smiling before he pecked her.
“I know that’s right.” Banks snapped her fingers in support.
