Page 32 of Anything Necessary for Her (Crenshaw Kings #9)

“Damn.” I turned back to face Gaia. “I haven’t seen you speak or kick it with your man this whole time. You sure have been trailing behind mine though.” I folded my arms.

“Girl, puh-leeaasse! Low and I are just friends. I promise.”

“Ok. Well, you make sure it stays that way, Miss Gaia, and I don’t mean friends with benefits.

I mean platonic. Don’t so much as church hug him.

Because other people may fall for this ‘I have a man and Low is the homie’ stint, but I know better.

I have a lot brothers who have brought around their fair share of delusional hos and can tell when a bitch is trying to be territorial over some dick or start shit.

Don’t let the pretty face and ballet career fool you, sweetie.

I will fuck you up. And I can promise you, no matter what you say or do, you will never fuck Low again. ”

I could tell by the way her eyes darted around my face and her teeth gradually sunk into her bottom lip that I was on the money.

Snapping out of her trance as Kailey appeared, she sighed. “We are friends, Banks. I was trying to be nice because I can sense something, and I want the bro to be happy. I was thinking we could even be friends.”

“Nah, she got enough friends. Now you need to bring your ass back over to the dessert station, Gia, because we need help.”

“It’s Gaia,” she called to Kailey’s back as she switched off.

“Same thing.” Kailey threw out as Gaia rushed over to where all the desserts were.

“You crazy, Peep,” Low told me as soon as I went to stand between him and Wyatt. He hesitated as he was about to kiss me, forgetting our surroundings. “I gotta pee.”

I looked around as Low walked off, making sure everybody was occupied before going in the same direction he’d gone.

I’d been itching to kiss him, too, and feel his touch, so I figured this was the perfect time.

We would be behind a big building, and my family was busy.

Plus, tomorrow everything would be out in the open, so I wasn’t too worried.

I waited until Low came swaggering out of the bathroom, tugging him toward me.

“Peep.” He smiled, pulling me against him by my hips. “You gon’ get us in some shit.” He spoke against my lips before kissing me.

“I just wanted a kiss. Nothing crazy.” I tossed my left arm around his neck as he pressed me into the stubbly concrete wall.

I could hear the loud get-together in the distance.

“I been wanting to do this since I saw you. I can’t wait until this secret shit is over.” He swept his lips across my pulse.

“Less than twenty-four hours,” I whispered before we kissed some more, him slipping his tongue into my mouth as his hands grabbed at my ass.

“You keep playing, I’m gon’ want some pussy.”

“You keep playing and I’m gon’ give you some.”

He sucked my lips in response, hands still on my ass as I moaned. I knew I needed to stop before I ruined my underwear, and it was too hot for that shit. Plus, I had a long day left.

“Banks!” A loud, very recognizable and deep voice caused my stomach to sink as I froze.

Low stepped back from me slowly as I craned my head to the left of me to see a seething Lequay.

“Lequay—”

“Get yo’ ass back to that fucking table!” he snapped, cutting me off and jutting his thumb over his shoulder as I adjusted my Daisy Dukes.

“Lequay, calm down.” I put my hands up as Low stood beside me, relaxed.

“What the fuck I tell you?” His lids lowered.

“Aye, don’t be talking to her like that,” Low stated coolly, but he meant it.

Lequay’s eyes expanded as his head swiveled toward Low as if he couldn’t believe he had the nerve to comment. It would’ve been comical had this not been a tense situation, because I could tell my brother had never been spoken to like that.

“Like I said, Banks ?—”

“You can’t tell me what to do, Lequay. I’m grown. I will go back when I’m ready.” I stated something I had to remind my brothers of often, unless my mama was around because they didn’t try to boss me around in front of her or my father.

Lequay chuckled humorlessly, dropping his head some in thought like he was trying to make sure this moment was real.

“Anyway, as for you, nigga?—”

“Before you start—” Low cut him off, infuriating him.

“Before I start?” Lequay stepped up, fists clenching some. “I let that first comment slide, nigga, but you better watch who the fuck you talking to.”

“Whatever you trying to do, my nigga, let’s do it. Skip all the threats and bullshit. I don’t give a fuck and I ain’t hearing none of it.” Low waved him off irritably and again, the shock on my brother’s face could’ve been hilarious.

“Shit, fuck it. My type of party, nigga.” Lequay stepped up, preparing to fight, as did Low, but I hurriedly jumped between them.

Despite their age difference, Low and my brother were what for what in weight and height.

“Move, Peep.” Low kept his eyes trained on my brother despite talking to me.

“No! Help!” I screamed, though my initial plan was for this shit to stay between the three of us. However, I knew I couldn’t keep these two big niggas from doing anything.

Thankfully, a crowd rushed over, led by the rest of my brothers as Lequay and Low eyed one another menacingly, both trying to coax me to move out the way.

Gratefully, neither man would push me, or the fight would have been started. And every time Lequay tried to get around me, I would jump in front of him, upsetting him further as Low stood there calmly, waiting for the fight to jump off like it was normal.

Noticing the strife between Lequay and Low, Unique ran up from out of nowhere, sending his fist into Low’s jaw from the side.

The two men began fighting hard as hell as I screamed for them to stop.

Lequay grabbed ahold of me, recognizing I would attempt to intervene, causing me to writhe and thrash against his solid frame in order to break free.

He was too strong, making it a futile effort but that didn’t stop me.

“Unique!” Kabrina shrilled as blood droplets began to stain the walls of the concrete building containing the bathroom, the water fountains, and ground.

I couldn’t tell who was winning and honestly hated this.

“Aye, back the fuck up, nigga!” Cemone barked at Free who’d stepped from the crowd.

“Man, relax! I ain’t no bitch! I don’t jump!” Free barked back, recognizing Cemone was on ready at the thought of Free hitting Unique. “Yo’ brother getting fucked up anyway!”

“We can easily shoot this shit out,” Cemone retorted, pissed at either the situation, Free’s comment, or both.

“What’s up?” Free asked, pulling his gun off his hip and making a nice amount of people dart back toward the event in haste.

“Cemone.” I heard Yolani’s soft voice from behind, clearly trying to persuade her husband not to take it there.

Cemone ignored her attempts to wheedle him, taking his gun out as well.

The sounds of several guns being exposed and their safeties being taken off rang loudly in succession.

People scurried off in terror, and I couldn’t blame them.

My own heart was beating wildly, praying no one shot my brothers or Low or even Free, who I knew Low would ride for.

This was a nightmare and complete chaos. Unique and Low were already fighting to the death, and now it seemed as if guns were about to go off.

“Stop!” I cried out just as Asif and Bashar came into view, the former snatching Low, and the latter getting ahold of Unique.

“Baby, take the ladies. Please ,” Asif begged his wife, who immediately began trying to convince my other sisters-in-law to step away.

“The fuck is going on?” Khari boomed, eyes wildly bouncing around.

“Get the fuck off of me! I hate you!” I bellowed to Lequay and the rest of my brothers though he was the only one holding me.

I wanted to punch Unique the most.

Finally, Lequay released me, his hand going to his gun cautiously without fully extracting it.

“Baby girl—” he tried to speak, eyes remorseful, but I was irate.

“Nothing you niggas say or do will make me stop fucking with Low!” I hollered, interrupting whatever Lequay was about to say.

“Low?” Khari questioned in shock, looking Low up and down, who was still being blocked by Asif and now Free. Low wasted no time taking his gun off his hip like his homie had done.

“Y’all put that shit up! It’s kids and shit out here!” Asif barked, angrier than I’d ever seen him. His amber and green eyes looked menacing.

Silence hung in the air before everyone put their guns up falteringly, casing the scene to be sure everyone else was following along.

“You think that shit between y’all can’t be stopped, Banks?” Bashar questioned, a smirk lingering on his face that pissed me off.

“I wish the fuck?—”

“Aye, come here and calm the fuck down.” Asif walked over, throwing an arm around my shoulders to try and lead me away.

“Get off me! Fuck you!” I barked at him.

“You don’ lost yo’ fucking mind,” he spoke through gritted teeth at me, lids hooded in disappointment. “I came over here to talk to yo’ ass calmly, Banks, so watch yo’ fucking mouth. I expect the same respect I’m giving, despite the fact that I’m hot.”

Exhaling heavily, I dropped my head. “Fine.” I felt the tears well up.

“Let Low be, aight?” Asif shouted behind us to the rest of our brothers. Turning to look at Low, who was standing beside Free, blood in his mouth, he said, “Me and you gon’ have a conversation later.”

Low nodded curtly before our eyes locked. I felt terrible as Asif gripped my hand to lead me off.

Unable to contain myself and no longer caring, I slipped from my brother’s hand before rushing up to Low, who was turning to leave with Free in tow. He immediately looked over his shoulder upon hearing my steps, before turning around completely to embrace me, lifting me from the ground.