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"It's a shame, but the devil is busy," his stupid ass quipped.
I stopped a couple of feet away from Ev's car. My gaze slid over her as she stared back at me just as boldly.
"Thank you for walking her out here. You're excused," I said to Naaman, my eyes never leaving Evanie.
He scoffed. "C'mon, Real. I let you slide once, but you ain't?—"
My focus shifted as a smile spread across my face.
"Is that what happened, nigga? You let me slide?"
I had to say the shit aloud, make sure I hadn't misunderstood. It sounded so ridiculous that I shook my head as I chuckled.
"I oughtaslideyo' ass for saying that silly shit. Go wherever the fuck you 'bout to go tonight because I can guarantee you, it won't be with her."
I spared him a brief glance so he could see how serious I was before returning my attention to Ev. "I thought I asked you not to leave, love?"
She kissed her teeth. "I was supposed to stand there because you said that?"
"I asked nicely, though," I pointed out, moving closer to her.
"Ev, you?—"
I sighed at the sound of Naaman's voice. “You still here?”
“I’m giving him a ride to his car, not that it’s your business,” Ev snapped.
“Nah. That ain’t happening,” I said calmly.
Her head tilted to one side as she stared at me like she was clueless. “Are you really out here?—”
Naaman interrupted her, his eyes blazing at me. “You ain’t gotta argue with this nigga. He been on bullshit all n?—”
For some reason, he seemed caught off guard by the quick blow I delivered to his mouth, looking at me in disbelief as he clamped a hand over his lips. Ev gasped. I shrugged.
"See? That's all you had to do originally—hold your mouth."
"What the fuck is wrong with you, Montréal? That was totally unnecessary!" she fussed, reaching for Naaman's shoulder.
But he was shifting his body, ready to retaliate at me. His move sent her stumbling backward, and she fell against her trunk. I easily evaded his punch and threw one of my own, so pissed off that he may have hurt her that I laid his ass out.
"Should've done that in the first place," Targen said as he helped Ev to stand. "But I'ma just walk over there and mind my business."
He had barely made it a good distance away before she was whirling on me.
"Real! Are you serious? He just needed a ride. You out here swinging like we a couple or something?—”
I was tired of her playing with me, acting like this "arrangement" hadn't somehow changed, becoming more than what we expected.
"We ain't out here arguing now like couples do? Matter fact, haven’t we started doing couple shit? " I challenged her.
"Because you made me!" she snapped.
"I made you? You gon' keep lying like you didn't wanna be there for everything I 'made' you do?"
I stopped suddenly. Fuck I look like, continuing to argue with a woman about our status? She wanted to be someone I just fucked so bad, she could have it. Grabbing the bridge of my nose, I chuckled.
"All right, love. You got that."