Page 66 of Anything Necessary for Her (Crenshaw Kings #9)

“She love me.” I shrugged, not trying to brag, just stating facts. “She can’t see shit like that and not react. I’m the same way ’bout her. You think I’d sit back and watch her father slap the shit out of her?”

“Oh, so she is the only one who loves you? I don’t love you?” Her brows kissed her hairline.

“I don’t know. Do you?” I truly wanted to know. “It ain’t ever seemed like it. Last time you made me a meal or even wondered if I ate, I was in fourth grade.”

When she rolled her eyes, balling her mouth and shaking her head in the process, I knew this fake ass kumbaya Whitney was gone.

“You honestly believe that some pretty, rich, spoiled girl loves you? She dances ballet for God sakes.” She laughed mirthlessly.

“So does Wave.”

“Yeah, in a cute little class! That spoiled ass girl dances professionally! You are a fetish to her, Low. She’s a good girl who has never been around a drug dealer, so she finds it exciting and cute!” she ranted, having absolutely no fucking idea what she was talking about.

Banks had not only been around drug dealers, but she’d come from the loins of one and shared sibling blood with two others.

“Aight.” I’d lost the appetite I’d barely had, scooting back from the table.

“Once she gets the life she wants, Low, you’re gonna be too beneath her for her to stick with you. Then what? You’ll have betrayed your own mother for a woman who will file a restraining order on you in just a few years.” She stabbed a fork into her broccoli while shaking her head.

“You don’t know shit about Banks St. Thomas or where she come from.” I rose.

“I don’t need to in order to recognize a rich bitch with a fetish for hood niggas just to use ’em up until she meets an NBA player or a lawyer, which is what she’ll want for a husband.”

“Well, I guess I’m gon’ have to find out the hard way, ’cause I ain’t letting her go,” I said, knowing that would piss her ass off. It was true, regardless of that fact though.

She wanted to see me affected by her words, and unfortunately for her, she was so off fucking base that her verbal assaults weren’t landing like usual.

“You—”

“I love her.” I cut in. “She make a nigga feel like somebody just from the way she look at me. The first woman to ever make me wanna be right and do right. Everything I do as of late is for Wave, Wyatt, and her.”

“Get out!” she bellowed, chest heaving and face contorted into a deep glare.

“This my muthafuckin’ crib, so you get the fuck out. And if I did leave, I’m taking my siblings with me.”

Whitney jumped to her feet and reached to grab the pan she’d baked the broccolini in, in effort to strike me.

“Do it, and I’ll have Banks come back specifically to dog walk yo’ ass,” I threatened, staring down into her face.

Her body quickly morphed from rigid to relaxed as she woodenly placed the baking pan back on top of the stove.

“Clean up this fucking kitchen.” I started for the mouth of the kitchen, leading to the living room.

“Oh, and do one more thing, and I won’t have any qualms about throwing yo’ ass out onto the street, Whitney. ”

I left, checking the time on my phone to see it’d be time to pick Waverley up from class soon, and I’d also be getting a peek of my favorite lady. I needed the latter badly like my mama needed that fucking bottle.

“Calm down, Peep. It’s gon’ be straight,” I said, throwing my shit in park outside of the St. Thomas’ crib.

This afternoon, her brothers and I were supposed to either hash this shit out or continue the battle. I was cool with either, personally, but for my woman’s mental and her own sake, I wanted shit to at least be cordial.

Banks was unhappy being estranged from them niggas—as she should be—and I didn’t like that. So if I could have a hand in fixing anything that caused her distress, I would do everything in my power. However, it wasn’t just me. Them niggas would have to meet a nigga halfway for shit to work.

“I know. I know.” She nodded as I stepped out the whip and rounded the front to assist her out of the passenger side.

We walked up, and she used her house key to enter. I could already hear her brothers’ voices floating from the den as she and I neared the entrance of it.

As we bypassed the large kitchen, I peeked my head in to speak to Lisara and Presley, who had it smelling good than a muthafucka. If shit went left today, I at least hoped I got a plate before I exited.

“What’s good?” I spoke up as soon as I stepped foot into the room.

I slapped hands with Asif as his other brothers mumbled shit among themselves.

Lequay approached once Asif moved out the way, and I was hesitant until I saw a subtle smirk gradually appear as he reached out a hand to slap mine.

I complied, smiling only after seeing how delighted Banks was at the interaction before she hugged both of her brothers.

Lequay went back to sit with his siblings, while Asif stood off to the side, sort of in the middle, and I knew why. In case he had to play referee, he wanted to be on guard.

Banks sat beside me, across from them, making it clear where she stood. And though I wanted her to rekindle with her brothers, I couldn’t lie and say her having a nigga’s back regardless didn’t feel good as fuck.

“Low, why don’t you say what you gotta say.” Asif gave me the floor.

“I won’t apologize for falling in love with Banks or loving her period, because life ain’t been the same since.

Y’all know her, so you can’t blame a nigga, for real,” I started, peeping Lequay’s nod of approval.

“Same time, I understand the issue. When y’all met me years ago, I know y’all witnessed certain shit and probably heard more.

I’d like to think my occupation of force ain’t the issue, considering who y’all associate with, so I won’t address that.

” I huffed. “The nigga I was back then is still in me, but the important part is that I ain’t that nigga with her.

“Asif—I don’t know if y’all know—has done a lot for me.

Done more than any family member, homie, or anything ever attempted to, and just based off that alone, I would’ve never messed with Banks knowing I was on bullshit.

I only did because I actually was feeling her and recognized this was some new shit for a nigga.

End of the day, I wouldn’t have even looked her way if I planned to fuck her over, just off the respect I got for Sif because, truthfully, and I mean no disrespect, it just is what it is, I don’t know y’all niggas.

Therefore, I don’t have any loyalty to you niggas outside of him and wouldn’t give a fuck how y’all felt about how I moved with Banks.

“I only kept this shit from him ’cause that’s what she wanted. And that quickly, a nigga was so wrapped up in her that being loyal to her eclipsed being loyal to Sif. But, I ain’t touch her until he knew—y’all knew.”

“They fucking. I can’t.” Unique palmed his mouth, staring at Banks and me in disbelief.

“I won’t say what me and Banks do or don’t do or have or haven’t done. Just know nothing of significance went down until this was out in the open.”

“So if we wanted to line that shit up right now, you’d be down? One-on-one.” Khari finally spoke.

“Kha—”

I touched Banks’s knee, advising her to leave it alone, and she did.

“I am. If that’s what y’all wanna do. Just know I’m not turning down no fades, and I’m not leaving Banks.” I made sure to lock eyes with all six of them niggas for two to three seconds each.

When I glanced off to the side, I noticed Asif smirking before he wiped it from his face.

“You tough, huh?” Cemone questioned, sunken down into the couch, watching me like he was in deep thought.

“For my lady’s sake and for the sake of our relationship, I would like to be cool.

That’s preferred. But, if I have to fade a nigga then sit down and play spades with his ass right after—some shit I wouldn’t usually do—I’m with that.

Anything necessary for her. I’m gon’ keep trying till you niggas fuck with me or accept the fact that it’s Banks and me forever. ”

Silence lingered as Cemone, Khari, Bashar, Unique, and Shakur all glanced at one another, having some silent sibling telepathy debate.

Khari stood to his feet and started toward me, so I rose up as well, ready for action. It caught me off guard when he stuck his hand out to slap mine, so I had a delayed reaction.

“You good, nigga. You ain’t no bitch, and you love my sister. That was the two main things I wanted whomever she ended up with to have,” he explained, and I bobbed my head.

His little brothers followed suit, coming to dap me up before I said, “I would appreciate if y’all apologize to my girl though.

She love y’all for real, and though it may seem like all she gave a fuck about was being with me, that ain’t true.

She was fucked up from this small moment of estrangement. ”

“And right fucking now,” Lisara said, standing in the archway of the den, holding a belt.

I knew from just looking at her that her ass whuppings hurt. I still would’ve taken them over the neglect, verbal, and physical abuse from my mama though.

They all apologized, talking over one another while bear hugging Banks and kissing her until she squealed. I wasn’t the most sentimental or emotional nigga, but encountering that shit made a nigga feel happy for my baby.

“Shakur, apologize to Sif,” Banks demanded.

“I told you they made up already, baby girl,” Lequay chimed in.

“I need proof.” Banks didn’t back down, keeping her eyes on Shakur.

“My bad, bruh. You was right.” Shakur went to slap hands and hug Asif. “That good enough, big dog?” He turned to Banks as everyone snickered.

“Yes.” She smirked.

“And just so you know, Ma, we did that shit ’cause we wanted to. We too big to be scared of that shit.” Unique nodded down to the leather dangling from his mother’s hand.