Page 19 of Anything Necessary for Her (Crenshaw Kings #9)

“It’s packed as hell in here!” Kailey shouted as she gripped my hand tightly while we barged our way through the tightly packed patrons of the club.

Kailey, some of the ladies from Prolific Pointe, and I decided to go out for the night.

We did this occasionally, not often, and in most cases, we always had a good time.

I loved having people around that did what I did professionally because there were just things my family members didn’t understand the way they did.

“I know!” I nodded, following behind Briana, who had my hand in hers.

The seven of us were linked by hand to be sure we didn’t get lost in the thick crowd swaying and bouncing to Nicki Minaj.

We’d all pitched in for a section, so as soon as we entered it, a few ladies came over to give us an ice bucket containing a bottle of champagne, vodka, tequila, and then a couple carafes of juices.

We immediately began making ourselves a drink, but of course, Nikita, who I didn’t even want to come, just had to be bougie and order a cocktail, while complaining about the choices.

For the next twenty minutes, we all danced, drank, and laughed our asses off at random shit, while Nikita sat on the edge of the velvet couch, most likely scoping for niggas. Two things Nikita loved was ballet and new dick.

“How y’all doing?” Some deep voice eclipsed the music almost, making the rest of us who weren’t Nikita, turn around to see a group of niggas swaggering into our section.

The ladies, minus Kailey and me, all spoke softly and seductively, sizing up the okay looking men.

The boys spread out, introducing themselves to whichever lady they liked.

“You are so sexy.” One grinned as he reached for Kailey’s hand, but she simply shook her head and put her cup to her lips for a sip.

I cracked up, trying to ignore his homeboy who had made his way close to me, waving off his other friend who was clearly pissed since, according to him, he wanted me first.

“Jamie,” he said, taking my hand to kiss the back of it.

“Banks.” I lifted my brows, making Kailey giggle as his homeboy stood in place, greedily drinking her in while she purposefully ignored him.

“Banks, huh?” Jamie nodded. “Interesting name.”

I gave him a closemouthed smile, not wanting to be mean, but not particularly interested either.

Lately, it seemed like if a nigga wasn’t Willow Harris, he didn’t do it for me, and I hated that. It felt like I was back in my teenaged years, looking for his replacement in order to get over my crush. On the upside, I forgot about his ass once and could do it again.

We’d talked a little since the night he’d come to my house, but with his hesitation due to fear of him hurting me, plus his unwillingness to do too much while a secret, and my hesitation to tell my family about us because I didn’t trust our dynamic, made it feel like we’d reached an impenetrable impasse.

Therefore, I was looking to focus my sights on other prospects.

“Banks as in Banks St. Thomas?” the man who’d been into Kailey asked, looking me over.

“Oh shit.” Jamie stepped back from me, he and his homie staring me down as if I were an infamous apparition.

“Aye, this is old girl with all them fucking brothers!” The homeboy shouted to the other guys who pulled their attention from my classmates to stare at me.

“Some nigga named Prime is yo’ daddy?” Another questioned me as I started to wanna fold into myself.

This shit was embarrassing and made me feel younger than I actually was. It was one thing for shit like this to transpire when I was a kid or even a teenager, but as a grown woman, it was annoying, infuriating, and humiliating.

“Yeah! Sif is her brother!” another responded.

Like clockwork, they all rose to their feet and began meandering out, discussing me and my brood of brothers by name.

“Ugh! This shit happens all the fucking time!” Synthia screamed, stomping her foot like one of my nieces.

“No it does not!” Kailey spat.

“It does! And her damn brothers are taken, so it isn’t like we can fuck on them! I don’t appreciate men I can’t even fuck, ruining my chances!” Nikita backed Synthia up.

“Bitch—” Kailey started toward Nikita, but I halted her.

“How about I just leave and let you stupid bitches kick it with niggas who are too afraid to talk to a woman over her brothers.” I grabbed my shit as everyone sans Synthia and Nikita begged for me to stay.

“I’m coming with you,” Kailey said.

“No, stay and have fun. I’m going to brunch tomorrow with my mom and sisters-in-law, so I can’t be out all night anyway.” I kissed her face since she was staring at me sympathetically like she didn’t believe I’d be fine.

“Are you sure? I don’t even really like them.”

“I am.” I laughed. “Have fun, and call or text me if you need anything.”

“Like for Asif to give me a ride home?” She lit up.

“Bye, Kailey!” I giggled, bumping the shit out of Nikita as I bypassed her, making her howl and fall onto the couch.

I couldn’t get out of there fast enough and was so thankful that this was one of those nights where Kailey and I met up so I could drive myself home.

The entire ride to my parents’ house, where I planned to spend the night so I could ride with my mama to brunch, I couldn’t come down from my irateness.

I didn’t know if I was pissed at the ladies from Prolific or them punk ass niggas for embarrassing me. I was kind of upset with my brothers, too, though they hadn’t done anything.

Pulling into the gate and up the long, winding driveway, I spotted Asif’s Maybach. Climbing out, I grabbed my purse and started past his car, until I noticed him sitting in it.

Opening the passenger door, I peered inside, being hit in the face with his masculine but calming cologne as he typed something on his phone.

“Who you texting so I can tell Stazi?” I jested.

“This is Stazi’s muthafuckin’ ass. Sending me these fucking TikToks, and when I don’t watch and respond quickly enough, she gets pissed.” He locked his phone, shaking his head as we both chuckled subtly. “Told her I don’t use social media, and them damn couple pranks is fake as fuck and not funny.”

I slid into his passenger seat while cracking up.

“She said she tried to do one on you and you ruined it. You made her cry.” I grinned, closing the door and basking in the warmth of his nice ass car.

“I just told her ass we actually in love, and I don’t play like that. She be crying to make a nigga apologize.”

I giggled, imagining it happening. “It works, though, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” He smirked as I laughed.

“I’m gonna have her show me the video, even though she didn’t post it.”

“Where you been at?” he queried. “And alone. Thought you and old girl was Siamese twins.”

“I was out with her and some of the girls from ballet school, but it didn’t end well.

” I huffed, putting my iPhone away, after reading Kailey’s message saying she was already leaving them hos.

“You and your brothers are ruining my life.” I cut my eyes at him playfully, even though tonight had gotten to me.

Asif stared, turning in his seat a bit with his brows furrowed, trying to understand.

“The ladies don’t even like me coming out with them anymore because every time some niggas learn who I am and who my family is, they want no parts, like tonight.

They basically hightailed it away from us after learning who I was. ”

His brows kissed, and I could tell he was upset. I thought he would’ve been happy to hear this, so I was caught off guard.

“What club? I can pull up on them niggas,” he offered seriously.

“No, Sif. It’s fine.” I shook my head at him while snickering slightly at his willingness to hurt them for humiliating me. “But thank you.” I simpered.

“I hope you know you should lose interest in a muthafucka soon as he turn pussy over hearing some shit like that.”

“I do. I even told the ladies that, somewhat.” I gave a one-shoulder shrug.

“Good.” He nodded once. “I love you, and I would never want to keep you lonely and without somebody, so long as that nigga does right by you, makes you happy, and ain’t no bitch like the nigga you brought to Lequay’s birthday.”

“I know,” I replied, though his words did surprise me a bit. I didn’t expect him to be okay with me dating anyone, not that I gave a damn, but it was nice to hear.

“By saying that, if it’s a nigga I don’t want you with, I got good reason.

I ain’t just throwing my fucking weight around, trying to make you miserable or control you.

” He eyed me, and I bobbed my head, willing myself not to tear up.

“You deserve the best nigga there is to offer, and though I know sometimes getting heartbroken is a part of life, I don’t think I could take seeing you go through that shit.

I ain’t the most sentimental muthafucka, but I got certain soft spots. ” He winked.

I grinned but turned away to use my pointer finger in order to keep the few tears welling up at bay.

“Stop. Please,” I joked, finally turning back to him.

“I’m just saying, I would for real put a nigga in the dirt for even making you have bad day, hence why I wanna roll back up to that fucking club and air it out, so I get why niggas who ain’t ’bout it wouldn’t want any parts of you.”

“True.” I nodded, recalling how Low had the same sentiments stating the average man would be scared, especially with the type of brothers I had. “Can you take me to get some food since you made me cry?”

He sucked his teeth before starting his car and saying, “Call my baby so she know what’s up. I was ’posed to have been left.” He tossed me his phone, and I ventured to his call log to tap his wife’s name as I chuckled.

The whole ride to the food place and back, Anastazia and I chatted Asif’s ears off much to his chagrin.

Compton Boys Diner . . .

“When he gets here, he will be on dishes because Aleya, who will be training him to work the front, is off today,” Presley explained as I trailed her around the back kitchen in preparation for Wyatt coming in.