Page 50 of Anything Necessary for Her
I could only shake my fucking head.
“Don’t piss her off, nigga. She know where the fuck I stay.”
“Exactly. She know where yo’ ass stay, not me.” He laughed. I just shook my head, finishing off my food that was too good totoss out, even though I truly wanted to. “You must got some shit on ya mind, cuz. You stay zoning out.”
“Nothing other than the fact that I’m fucked.” I put the finished plastic container on the coffee table and wiped my hands with the napkin.
“Banks?”
“Banks,” I confirmed, falling back against the couch with my arms folded as I watched the rerun ofSanford and Sonbut not processing shit. “Thought we could kick it and be cool but nothing else. This shit, though, is . . . different. I ain’t never experienced this in my life.”
“Maannn, I don’t wanna know this shit!” Free’s brows furrowed as he scooted to the edge of the couch, craning his body some so he could face me. “What you gon’ do, nigga? ’Cause you can’t fuck with her in secret, and you damn sho’ can’t fuck with her publicly. And you bet’ not play her ass like you do these other bitches, ’cause that’s gon’ have a domino effect on this money we making.”
“I know, nigga. I ain’t even touched her in that way.” I wouldn’t reveal that I’d kissed her, in order to protect Free if shit did hit the fan. I didn’t want him wrapped up in the shit Banks and I were doing in secrecy. All he would know is that we kicked it. “Before I touch her, touch her, her people gotta know what’s up, mainly Asif.”
“Touch her, touch her?”
“Fuck, dummy.”
“Oh.” He rocked his head back and then nodded to agree. “Yeah, do that. ’Cause if she pop up pregnant, we all gon’ be in a war.” Free shook his head, exhaling loudly. “Out of all the women coming at you, you fall for Banks?”
I smirked, making Free groan loudly and talk shit.
“I know. I know.” I scooted to the edge of the sofa, peering down at the floors as I swam through my thoughts. “She likea light in a dark ass room, cuz. Everything around me is pitch black until I see her.” I shook my head. I couldn’t believe how months ago, this woman wasn’t even on my radar, and now it was like I needed her. As if she was the remedy to all my fucking issues. “She headstrong, funny as fuck, but actually funny unlike most females. And she makes a nigga wanna open up and tell her shit even though I’ve yet to do so. She outgoing?—”
“Fine than a muthafucka. That’s what it really is, nigga. She could’ve been an unfunny ass introvert that was so far from peaceful it ain’t even funny, and you’d still be sick over her ass ’cause she fine. I told you she would be, and you tried to check me back then.” Free huffed as I chuckled.
“I was taking up for the homie, nothing more,” I spoke honestly. I knew Banks was crushing on a nigga back then, but I couldn’t have been any less interested than I was at the time. She was a minor, for one, and on top of that, I got a thrill out of fucking older women. “But that’s not true. It’s more than how she look, with her persistent ass. I’ve never met a woman like her, and I fuck with that shit.”
“You shocked? Look who she related to! All them niggas hunted, stalked damn near, and made sure their now wives fucked with them,” he called out, sending us into a fit of laughter.
“That’s true, but it’s not a thirsty persistence. That shit is sexy. It’s more like ‘do you want this, nigga? ’Cause I want you but will definitely get another nigga.’” I smiled as Free chortled. “I feel like a fucking peasant when I’m around her though.”
“How, nigga? You rich too.”
“Nothing to do with money. She got a rich ass aura, and I don’t. I don’t think we equally yoked in that department, know what I mean?”
“I do.” He nodded. “So what the fuck you gon’ do? A woman like Banks ain’t gon’ be available to you for long.”
“I’m already knowing. But damn . . . cutting her off would be like a nationwide blackout ’round here.” I shook my head, feeling horrified at just the thought of not having Banks to talk to or to look forward to spending time with. A random bitch wouldn’t suffice. It had to be Banks. “I need to hold on to that little piece of heaven for as long as I fucking can, cuz.”
Free opened his mouth to speak, just as Wyatt came dragging his fucking feet across the threshold like he’d been working a cornfield in the high heat all damn day.
“You good, lil bro?” Free questioned, recognizing how worn Wyatt looked.
“I am.” He dropped his bag. “Do I have to still keep a job?” He pleaded with me.
“You still wanna work the streets?” I asked, and when he hesitated, I said, “Then yeah, you do. Maybe I can get you a Saturday off from the women’s center, though, and you can take Waverley to the movies or some shit.”
“Damn! This nigga got two jobs?” Free frowned.
“Yeah, Banks’ idea.” I shrugged, and Free shot me a knowing look that I ignored.
“Nah, I can’t.” Wyatt shook his head with finality. “Banks said she would clip my ass if I missed a day or didn’t show up, and I believe her.” He grabbed a soda from the fridge, popping it open.
“She what?” I tried to smother my laughter.
Swallowing the soda within his mouth, Wyatt explained. “She told me if I missed a day or didn’t show up, she would shoot me then fuck you so that you wouldn’t care.”
