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“Like what?”

“Like you don’t want me asking about her.”

“I don’t.”

“Damn, it’s like that?”

Goody made herself comfortable before crossing one of her legs over the other. “What’s it supposed to be like, Mr. Husband? Aren’t you happily married?”

Marcellus exhaled heavily while running his hand over his face. “I can’t ask about her just because I’m married?”

“Nah, you can’t ask about her because you broke my sister’s damn heart and acted like you didn’t give a fuck. My sister is trying to find happiness again. Stay your messy ass out of her way, Money. I’m not playing with you.” Goody gave him her best mean face before rolling her eyes for emphasis.

The room was intensely quiet for a minute, him obviously in his feelings about her remarks, and she didn’t care one bit. It had taken Forever too long to get over that nigga, and dependingon the day, Goody could tell she still felt a way, but masked it for them.

She’d watched her sister sit at family gatherings, looking uncomfortable as hell because Marcellus and his wife Bridges was there. There was no way in hell that she was letting that nigga play in her sister’s face like that again. Ever. Not on her watch.

“Just tell me this,” Marcellus scooted to the edge of the sofa so that he could look at her. “Is she really with some nigga that just got out of prison?”

Goody glared at him, but said nothing. The distaste in his voice for Blue and Forever’s meeting was loud and clear. Apparently, her silence answered her question because he began talking again.

“I guess I’ll take that as a yes,” he scoffed. “That’s a new low. She fucking with a nigga in jail?” Another scoff filled with disdain left his mouth and pushed Goody to the edge.

“Muthafucka, I wish you would sit here and judge my sister. That nigga from jail, that you’re unnecessarily trying to discredit, treats her good. Very good. Better than you ever did. He’s not married, he’s not lying to her, he’s not making her sit around and watch him be with another woman as if she means nothing to him, and he’s giving her his attention. His heart, and anything else she asks for.”

“That’s probably all he has.”

“Nah, he actually has a lot, and he gave it all to Forever long before he was released. Just wanting to make sure she was good. That’s what real men do. Then, like the boss ass bitch that she is, she did her fucking best to give him a second chance at life and she did that shit unscathed. Forever is too good to be anything other than a nigga’s main priority. Blue made her that.”

“Real men? A real man would have never ended up in prison to begin with. He had to do that shit to keep her around. Shid, she’s a lawyer dating a prisoner. He had to do something.”

Goody’s body was starting to shake, she was so mad. So, to calm herself down, she remained quiet for a while. When she felt she had herself together, she stood to leave. If she sat there with Marcellus for a minute longer, their friendship would probably be over.

“Look, just do your hurt self a favor and keep your opinions to yourself where my sister is concerned. She’s not your business. You made your choice, so stand on that shit.”

Goody didn’t bother to wait on a response after that. She grabbed her things and left the house. There was no way she would let Marcellus get her riled up because he was in his feelings. If he cared that much about Forever, he would have done her right. Not wait until she was happy again to try to piss on her parade. If it was one thing Goody wasn’t going for, that was it.

By the time she got to Jerrico’s restaurant, she was still seething with anger. How dare Marcellus try to come for her sister on some hating shit. He had the right person if he ever in his cheating life thought Goody was going to allow that. Forever was a tad bit more sensitive than most, so Goody needed to make sure she got him together long before he tried her sister. Knowing her, she’d let him get into her head and second guess what she was doing with Blue, and Goody wasn’t having it.

“Hello, Mrs. Blake. You sure are looking pretty today,” Chandler, Jerrico’s new host, greeted her as soon as she entered the building.

“Hey, Chan. How you doing, baby?”

“I’m well. Would you like me to escort you to the chef or you got it?”

Goody smiled at Chandler. He was such a sweet young man. Southern and still in college, working on his first degree. His manners and polite smile had won him the spot at the door, with Jerrico stating he wanted everyone to feel welcomed the moment they entered, and he did just that. Goody was fighting mad when she walked in, but his aura chilled her out some.

“I got it, sweetie, thank you.”

In a hurry to see the one person who could keep her from clowning and acting a fool, Goody moved through the building, waving at patrons as she passed. She heard his voice as soon as she entered the kitchen, and her entire world slowed down.

“No, you go ahead and study. We’ve got you covered. The restaurant will be here, those finals won’t,” Jerrico spoke nicely to one of his employees, making Goody swoon.

On most days, she still wondered how her mean self ended up paired with one of the sweetest humans in the world. Jerrico was so perfect, from his inside to his outside. Goody’s eyes took him in from behind. He was facing a grill with his black chef's coat on, cooking steak and vegetables. Wide muscular back, denting in the middle where his muscles cinched the fabric of his clothing. Without thinking, Goody walked until her front was pressed to his back with her arms around his waist.

“I love you,” she voiced as soon as her head rested on his back.

“I love you too, Paradise. What you doing here, beautiful?”