Page 62 of Anything Necessary for Her (Crenshaw Kings #9)

Hitting my key fob to lock my car, I stepped onto the sidewalk before going up to the door and ringing the bell of Scotland’s nail shop. She answered promptly, smiling at me brightly, and I wasn’t sure why it caught me off guard.

“Your original appointment was two weeks ago, Miss St. Thomas.” She hugged me and then locked the door once I crossed over the threshold.

It smelled sweet in here, like always, making me crave cotton candy or something.

“I felt weird about coming,” I spoke truthfully. When I realized the nail appointment was coming up, I promptly texted her to cancel. That was against her policy, but because I never did that and was her sister-in-law, she granted it.

Scotland’s lids lowered in confusion as she took me in, hand on her hip. She wore tights and a tube top, her body slowly returning to its original form after having birthed her fourth son. Her pregnancy glow was still prevalent, however.

“Weird wh—because of Lequay?” Her eyes bucked in astonishment.

“He is your man.” I set my purse in the chair next to the one I’d be seated in.

Scotland sucked her teeth as she rounded the station to take her own seat.

“Banks, we’re sisters, so regardless of whether Lequay is mad at you or not, that has nothing to do with us,” she clarified.

I pursed my lips, cocking my head skeptically.

“I don’t know if I believe that.”

“So you think I’d stop talking to you, doing your nails, or change anything we have going on over Lequay?” Her brow hiked, and she sort of tittered as if the thought alone was comical. “And don’t worry. I will get him in line.” She inspected my hands.

“Thank you.” I laughed. “But no. I don’t want people intervening, and I also don’t want you two arguing over me. Also, if he comes to me, I want it to be because he wants to and not because he is scared of losing bedroom privileges.”

She laughed as she began working on my nails.

“I will try not to say anything, but I had no idea he called himself still being mad at you. And why? Because of Low?” She shook her head.

“I mean, I was wrong for hiding it, and I think kissing him in front of them after that whole confrontation hurt them in a way,” I professed.

“I had my reasons for hiding it though. I knew this would happen, but at least while it’s happening, I feel good with my decision on being with Low.

Could you imagine if this was going on and he was a fuck-boy? ”

She chuckled then replied. “Yeah, that would be terrible. Well,” she paused, reaching for a box of tools, “when you do speak with your brother, remind him of my brother Finland and how he didn’t like his ass either, and kind of for the same reasons, assuming he was a certain way but didn’t know shit. ”

I giggled and she joined.

That was surprising to me since the times when Scotland’s brother was around, he and Lequay acted like old friends.

“I would never be able to tell. My brother is not even the type to fuck with someone who didn’t fuck with him. He doesn’t care how long it’s been.”

“True, but he’s my brother, so of course Lequay wouldn’t give him the same treatment,” she replied, making me think of Low.

I knew Low was only willing to reconcile with my siblings because of me.

“They’ve been cool since before Brave, but at one point, Fin was not fucking with it.

He nor my father wanted me with him because I was known for choosing terrible men, and once they learned he was in the streets and jail, it was like here she goes again. ”

“Makes sense, but people have to get to know people. Lequay knows nothing of Low except what he’s heard through the grapevine, and that was years ago.”

“Your brother is smart, so he knows damn well Low is not some trash nigga because Asif wouldn’t even associate with a person like that. But he doesn’t like being wrong, and like you said, he doesn’t like you going against him for somebody else.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I would never choose anybody over my brothers, but at the same time, Low isn’t asking me to choose, they are. I just . . . I’m grown, and I won’t be controlled by my brothers on who I choose to date, and I wanted to make that very clear.”

“As you should.” She bobbed her head, eyes focused on her work.

The rest of the appointment, we discussed other things, mainly my new nephew True, and she wanted some details on Low and me. By the time we were done, I had to pee from the champagne she’d offered me.

As I stepped out of the plush bathroom, I stopped in my tracks at the sound of my brother’s voice. I hoped to God she didn’t invite him here.

“Why’d you need two damn drinks?” he asked as I slowly entered the front of the salon.

His eyes landed on me, the bag of food he’d brought his wife suspended from his hands.

“For your baby sister that you should be bringing food to anyway.” She gestured toward me, patting his stomach so he’d kiss her since he was too distracted by the sight of me. “The one you’re mad at for no reason.”

He obeyed, lightly skating his lips across hers before pulling a chair out for her to sit.

“I ain’t mad. I’m disappointed,” he had the nerve to say before taking a seat, moving my purse and placing it on the station beside his wife’s.

“Why? What have I done that’s disappointing?” I chuckled sourly, shaking my head as I sat back down in my seat. His cologne assaulted my nostrils as he rocked from side to side in his chair.

“Lied and snuck behind my back to fuck with a nigga I told you I ain’t want you fucking with.”

“Told me?” I bucked my eyes. “Did you forget you’re my brother and not my father?”

“Yo’ father told you the same thing,” he retorted.

“Regardless, I’m grown, and anything I do without telling you isn’t considered behind your back. If that’s the case, you been doing shit behind my back for years,” I quipped, causing his wife to chuckle as she forked some of her food.

“I don’t want you with that nigga.” He skipped over my statement, making his point clear.

“I didn’t want you with Teyaira, but did you care about that back then, or did you keep dealing with her?”

“Oh my gosh,” Scotland commented, reaching to slap my hand with a mouth full of food, making her husband cut his eyes at her.

“I didn’t want Khari with Marley, Shakur’s ass with Teyaira—which y’all gave him no issue on but wanna press me. I especially didn’t want Bashar with crazy ass Nixi, Asif with Milan, or Unique with the Bobbsey twins. Cemone was the only one who never had anyone really around until his wife.”

“You know that shit ain’t the same,” he replied coolly, fingers laced as his elbows rested on the arms of the chair.

“And why isn’t it, Lequay?” I folded my arms, truly interested in hearing why the situations differed. “Was it because y’all were grown and could do whatever the fuck you wanted to or . . .”

Sighing, he ran a hand down his distressed ridden face and replied, “I love you, baby girl, and I don’t want you with a street nigga because I know how they can be.

Every hood nigga ain’t like me, Sif, and Pop.

The Low I was privy to was reckless as fuck when it came to any and everything, especially women.

True enough, I don’t know that nigga like that, but I know what I heard and from reputable sources. ”

I nodded, wanting him to know I understood his plight.

“That has nothing to do with how he is with me, Lequay. We all know none of you treat your wives the same way you’ve treated other women, especially Cemone.

None of you, though, were exactly stand-up niggas prior to your wives.

Now would it be fair for their people to be against you all because of how you moved with Teyaira? Or how Sif moved with Milan?”

“Baby, call Bashar or something ’cause she eating you up. You wasn’t ready,” Scotland chimed in. I tried my best not to snicker but was unsuccessful. “I should’ve warned you to prep a little bit before you came.”

Lequay shook his head, a smirk lingering from his wife’s comment before he said, “You right. I ain’t gon’ even try to come up with a fucking rebuttal.

” Running his hand down his mustache and fiddling with his chin hairs, he continued.

“I guess that’s my fault for forgetting you ain’t some stupid little girl.

We blood, so I should’ve known better. Ain’t nobody related to me stupid, even if related by marriage. ”

His last sentence was in reference to Asif.

“Thank you.” I simpered.

“She’s very smart, very focused, observant, and ambitious. I didn’t have my shit together like she does when I was her age.” Scotland backed me up. “And she’s a grown-up.”

Lequay bobbed his head, agreeing with his wife but keeping his eyes on me.

“If you bringing the nigga around, it must be for a reason. I ain’t wanna say, but I respected the nigga for not folding when I pressed him. I would never want you with a bitch ass nigga, and I ain’t detect a bit of fear in him when we was toe-to-toe.”

“Fearful just doesn’t belong in the same sentence as Willow.” I smirked, thinking of him. “I’m sorry for being sneaky, but also realize I shouldn’t have to sneak to do anything. I should be able to do what I want, when I want, so long as I’m being safe.”

“Being safe?” Lequay perked up.

“Stop.” Scotland shot him a look, but I could tell my brother’s mind was going crazy at the thought of me being intimate with Low. If he knew how unsafe it was, he’d probably faint.

“Anyway, will you get your brothers together to mend fences with Low? I also need Shakur to apologize to Asif for blaming him. This needs to be taken care of as soon as possible before Mommy steps in, and none of you want that.”

“Damn, boss.” He chuckled. “Anything else?”

“I’ll let you know.” I stood since my nails had been finished already. “Oh, you can pay your wife for me. Give her a good tip too.” I winked as Scotland held her hand out to him.

“Can I at least get a kiss?” He frowned, making me pause my steps then lean down to kiss his face.

Lequay ascended to his feet to walk me out but paused.