Page 82 of Anything Necessary for Her (Crenshaw Kings #9)

“Nice to meet you. I’m Willow’s mother, Whitney.” She obliged Lisara, and I sunk one of my hands into the pocket of my jeans while wrapping the other arm around Banks at the sight of Prime sizing Whitney up on the low. He knew of the shit she did, but I wasn’t sure if his wife was privy.

“Chianti. Banks is my baby girl.” He stuck his hand out after his wife, eyeballing Whitney in a way that made her lips part slightly and then shut. He’d nonverbally told her he knew shit.

“Nice to meet you, Chianti.” Whitney inhaled. “She’s amazing and not just on that stage.”

“She is.” He concurred as Lisara smiled widely, none the wiser, and it was right then I realized Prime hadn’t blabbed to his wife about the shit I’d told him. Not that I gave a fuck, but the fact that he hadn’t meant some shit to me.

Lisara immediately began chatting with my mama, making me smirk as Prime and Asif started talking as everyone headed out.

“Yo’ parents is cool, Peep,” I said once we’d filtered out into the parking lot.

“I know.” She nudged me, my arm around her shoulders as we meandered about.

“Nah, I mean for real. Hope yo’ mama can be an influence on mine.” I stared down into her pretty ass face.

Her eyes sparkled, looking more green right now than they did caramel-brown like always when in the sun.

She didn’t say anything; she only stared up at me, her supple, full lips pulled into a smile.

“See you this weekend! Oh hi, Low, and thank you so much! My parents love you by the way!” Kailey jogged up and then off, rushing to a white Range Rover truck with a black couple in the front seat, waving to me excitedly.

I bobbed my head to them as Banks giggled.

“Thank you for helping her too,” she said.

“I had to. She helped you, so it was only right for me to rectify shit.” I kissed Banks’s temple. “You’re beautiful, baby, in looks and the way you move on stage. Everything you do is like poetry for real. Couldn’t take my fucking eyes off you.”

“Fine, I’ll suck your dick,” she jested, catching me off guard and making me laugh as I checked behind me to make sure her parents weren’t nearby.

“Good. That’s the only reason I said that shit,” I replied, making her slap my stomach.

I helped her into my whip, and after meeting up with her big ass family to eat a big ass but fire ass dinner at the St. Thomases’, we went back to her spot.

“I have something to tell you.” She climbed into my lap once she came from the bathroom.

We’d fucked, brushed our teeth, then showered, but I was out of the bathroom before her since she had a whole ass skincare routine that took forever.

“What?” I welcomed her into my lap. She pulled the arm that was tucked behind her back and opened her hand to flash a pregnancy test that read pregnant in the window.

“I have more if you don’t believe it,” she informed as I stared down into her small hand.

“Why wouldn’t I believe it?” I asked, slightly affronted and still staring down at the white stick, feeling a whirlwind of emotions. “Fuck,” I grumbled, running a hand down my face.

Banks moved her hand, and when our eyes met, she looked confused but also offended.

“You’re upset?” I could tell by her tone that she was surprised.

“I am but at myself, Peep. I knew better and even claimed I was gon’ start using condoms, but I ain’t do it, and now look what I did?” I looked back up into her eyes once I finished speaking.

Her face relaxed some before she held the sides of my face, forcing me to look up at her perfect one.

“This is a happy thing, Willow. I’m happy about this. You didn’t do anything. We did this. I may have been a virgin, but I have one hundred babies in my family and a college degree. I know how they’re made.”

“But yo’ career?—”

“Dr. Ferris told me I could dance while pregnant since it is something I’ve been doing.

The rule is not to start anything new while pregnant.

I’m going to confirm with my OB, but I doubt he pulled that statement out of his ass.

I, of course, will have to take a break in the last few months and then when I have the baby, but I won’t be as out of commission. ”

“Who else you tell first?” I questioned.

“Just him, because I wanted to figure out what my plan was before I told you about it. That’s the only reason. Also, another dancer got pregnant last year, and I remembered her saying Dr. Ferris eased her worries.”

“That dancer ever return to ballet?” I cocked my head.

“No, but she’s not me. She also wasn’t at my level within Prolific. I’ve been moved up to a principal dancer after my performance in Giselle.” She beamed, and that announcement made me feel even fucking worse.

I wasn’t trying to be seen as the dope boy who ruined the pretty, promising dancer by knocking her ass up.

“Peep.” I shook my head, exasperated. “I knew I was fucking you too much.”

“No it wasn’t too much. I will take a break and then slowly but surely get back to it. You don’t plan to abandon me or anything, right?” she quizzed, smirking when I cut my eyes at her.

“I just don’t want you missing out and giving up on shit. Same time, if you got an abortion, I don’t know how I’d feel, but I’d have to deal with that shit,” I professed.

“I won’t be giving up my dreams, just deferring one while I live out the other.

I love ballet, so I will go back, and I will be the best, but being married to you and having children is also a dream of mine.

I love you, I love ballet, and I love the baby.

My father raised me, telling me I could have it all, and I plan to. ”

“I want you to. I wanna make sure you do, even if I have to get in that bitch and be yo’ dance partner.”

She chortled, tossing her head back briefly.

“I would actually like to see that, but your dick would be too distracting in them tights.”

I snickered subtly, still feeling a way.

“You sure, Peep? Don’t do this shit thinking it’s gon’ run me off. I’m gon’ feel some type of way if you get rid of it, I’ll keep it real with you, but it’s gon take more than that for me to let this shit we got go.”

“I’m sure. I do wish you were happier though.”

Kissing her neck, I said, “Don’t misunderstand me or my reaction, Peep.

I’m elated. You the only woman I would ever want kids with, and I do want ’em with you.

I just want it to be some shit we both excited about.

I don’t want you to feel forced or like you have to choose between me and whatever else you want in life. I’m always on yo’ fucking team.”

“Well then get prepared to become a daddy.” She smiled brightly, causing me to study her for a bit in an attempt to read her. “Are you ready?”

I didn’t detect any sadness or like she was faking it for my sake, so I had no choice but to believe her words.

“I can’t wait, low-key,” I confessed, grinning freely.

“What do you think we’ll have?”

“Boys dominate in ya family, but I can’t be sure. A little version of you would be perfect though.”

“I think so too, but I wouldn’t mind a little Willow either.” Her hand gravitated toward my face before she pressed her forehead to mine. “I love you.”

“I love you more, Peep.”

“Nigga, did I mistake some shit?” Free looked me up and down as I entered the warehouse.

“Nah, I’m going somewhere after this.” I shook my head at his grinning ass as he took in my outfit.

Usually when we handled business of any kind, we both dressed down—especially me—but currently, I was in Loewe jeans, low top Chucks, a wife beater, and a black silk Gucci button up that I left open.

“Must be somewhere with Banks’ ass.” He shook his head with a smirk. “I still can’t believe that’s you. Had I known she was up for the taking?—”

“Shut up, nigga. Mitch here?” I checked the time on my AP.

“Yep. Wouldn’t have you waiting, massa.” Free opened the door for me to the secluded room.

I could only shake my head as he cackled, sounding and looking like a bonafide house nigga.

“Sup, boss.” Mitch hopped to his feet.

Since he’d dropped the dime on Gaia for me, I wanted him to prove his loyalty, and what better way than to have him murk Detective Booth.

When Asif first started prepping me to take over, he explained that sometimes shit needed to be delegated to other niggas.

Once I became top dog, handling everybody that needed to be put in the ground was foolish.

At the time, I thought I’d never allow another nigga to take away from me the feeling I got when I watched the life drain from my enemy’s eyes, but here we were.

“Sup. Where my proof?” I locked my hands at the front of my crotch.

Mitch picked up a black bag that emitted a smell I recognized way too well. Unzipping the bag, he peeled the top flap backward just as Free and I stepped forward. We both groaned at the smell and sight of Detective Booth’s head rotting in the bag, though he’d only been murdered yesterday.

Bashar had let me know, as well as my new connect within law enforcement, Murray, that I could enact my plan out on Booth.

According to them both, Booth had taken it upon himself to dig into the background of some of the high-risk niggas in the system that they hadn’t been able to lock up yet, hoping to catch a win and get promoted.

He was greedy with the shit and therefore hadn’t asked for assistance of any kind—despite telling me had—so thankfully, once he was killed, all this digging into Willow Harris would dissipate, which it had.

“Fuck. What you do?” Free stood back, lip curled.

“Shot him as soon as I walked in the room and then chopped his ass up.” Mitch shrugged, zipping the bag back before walking it over to the big tin tub of acid, submerging everything.

The plan was for Mitch to pretend that like Gaia, he was willing to talk.

And since Booth wanted all the credit for catching me up, he hadn’t told anybody about meeting with Mitch.

That didn’t work out for him too well since now, he was dead with no one to account for his whereabouts since of course a pussy ass nigga like him was single with no family.

“Good work, nigga.” I slapped hands with Mitch, who visibly relaxed, smiling.

“So we straight now?” he still quizzed.

“We straight.” I stepped back. “Business as usual today though. I got shit to do, but if necessary, you can always hit me,” I told both he and Free, who nodded in reply.

Leaving out that room, I washed my hands and then hopped back in the whip. I ventured straight to the St. Thomas’, keeping my shit on me as I exited my whip and ventured off to the side that led to where the backyard party was.

It was a typical fish fry, hosted by Banks’s maternal grandfather who cooked everything up. The nigga was in good ass shape to be moving about like he was, frying that good ass food.

“Finally.” Banks rushed up to me, so I picked her up to kiss her to eliminate the struggle of her reaching.

She looked good as hell in the short, thin strapped dress and heels, her long dark hair sweeping the middle of her back.

And somehow, I was more attracted to her ass knowing what was swimming in her belly.

It was wild to think a person would walk this earth who was a combination of us.

I’d never thought about that shit until finding out she was pregnant.

I slapped hands and chopped it up with her brothers, eating food with some, drinking with others, and eventually playing cards.

As the sun began setting and everyone kicked back around the big ass firepit, Banks slid into my lap, putting her mouth to my ear.

“Ready?” she whispered, and I nodded. “Okay, everybody. I have something to say. Well Low and I do.” She brightened, making me smile as I looked up at her.

When would I not be in awe every time she was around? Each time I saw Banks it was like the first fucking time. And seeing she was truly happy about having our baby made a nigga feel light.

“We know about the promotion already. Ma told us,” Shakur said, and Lisara shot him a look as everyone laughed. “Ain’t my fault you didn’t give her a chance to say it.”

“Well, yes, I did get promoted to principal dancer, but my fiancé and I are gonna have a baby!” Banks shouted then froze as she waited for their reaction.

Her sisters-in-law were overjoyed, judging by their beaming faces, squeals, and them racing to hug her.

“Oh my Lord, she fucking. She fucking, Lord!” Unique fainted, rolling onto the floor.

I tried not to, but I laughed along with everyone else as Banks rolled her eyes while giggling.

“Congratulations, baby girl.” Prime walked up, eyeing us. “I would’ve preferred you be married first and spend some time enjoying your new role, but I doubted you before and learned my fucking lesson.”

We laughed.

When he reached to shake my hand, I said, “If I could marry her tomorrow, I would, but she deserves a big ass wedding.”

Prime nodded, eyes blinking slowly to signal that he believed my words.

After him, everybody else came up to congratulate us, except for Unique who was still ‘passed out’ on the floor. He eventually got up, mad that no one checked on him, not even Kabrina, as they instead surrounded Banks and me to chop it up.

Asif shook his head at me playfully, recalling back to my ill-fated promise I made not to let him know when I had sex with Banks.

“See, it’s not that bad.” Banks hugged my torso now that we were both standing, as a mixture of conversation, music, and shouting kids played in the background.

“I learned it’s hard for shit to be bad when you around, Peep.” I moved her hair from her face before leaning down to kiss her.

“You remember that when I get fat or have wrinkles and gray hair.” She hugged me tighter, simpering.

“I can’t wait to see that shit. I wanna see it,” I replied, watching her blush. “Long as that pussy still hit the same, we good.”

“Low.” She pinched my abdomen before locking her arms back around me. “I love you, Willow.”

“I love you too.”

It was strange how life worked. You could go from not really knowing a muthafucka and them rarely crossing your mind, to them becoming yo’ world and you not being able to fathom life without them, or hell, even remember life without them.

Banks had come in and stolen my heart, my undying loyalty from her brother, plus all the lonely nights and bad thoughts. Every fucking day, a nigga continued to fall. I would live the rest of my days suspended in air.