Page 26 of Certified Pressure

“… My bad,” she muttered.

I stepped closer to her, starin’ deeper into her eyes. “Say that shit like you mean it.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again, clearer this time.

I held her gaze for one more second, watchin’ her ego deflate. Then I turned away and looked across the pool.

“KAY’LO!” I barked. “Cut the muthafuckin’ music off.”

The speakers died immediately.

“Everybody,” I said, steppin’ out toward the middle of the patio.

The women scrambled, some barefoot, some still holdin’ drinks, all of ’em lookin’ like they just woke up from a bad dream.

I stood in front of them like a general.

“Let me make somethin’ clear, since a few of y’all must’ve left y’all manners at TSA. This ain’tBaddies.This ain’tFlava of Love.This ain’t no fuckin’ clout party.”

I pointed toward the main house.

“If you think you gon’ come up in my shit, disrespect who I vibe with, stir up drama, or act like you runnin’ shit, you gon’ get packed up, escorted out, and blocked like you never existed. I ain’taskinfor peace—I’m demandin’ it. Y’all got one time.”

Renza put his head down and shook it while Kay’Lo stood to the side with his arms crossed. Blaqson was watchin’ the girls like he was just waitin’ on me to saywho.

And right when the silence was startin’ to settle, Taffy Royale clapped her hands loud as hell.

“Period! That’s my man, y’all! Big Pressure! You hoes better clock it! My future baby daddy done spoke, so y’all better fall in line before we start packin’ you bitches up one by one. Don’t play with him.”

She looked dead at me, flipped her hair, then smacked her lips.

“Okay, baby daddy—so what we doin’? ‘cause I ain’t come here to play.”

A few girls rolled they eyes, but nobody said nothin’. Even the ones who wanted to say somethin’ knew better.

I looked at Taff for a second, and thought about sayin’ somethin’. Then just shook my head and walked off.

I almost smiled…Almost.

Blaqson nodded and started movin’ the women along.

Later that night, me, Blaqson, Renza, and Kay’Lo was posted in the war room. The liquor was flowin’ while blunts got passed.

We was surrounded by screens and names, photos pulled up on the big monitor, each girl’s info laid out in neat little rows.

Blaqson leaned back in his chair, blowin’ out a slow stream of smoke. “They a wild mix, I’ll give you that.”

Kay’Lo cracked a grin. “Shit feel like one big hood pageant.

Renza pointed toward the screen. “That one right there? She cool. She ain’t been in no drama, but she seem fake humble to me. Like she tryna figure out who to be dependin’ on who watchin’.”

Blaq tapped his glass. “Mmm. The one with the slick mouth? She a liability. Fine as hell, though.”

Kay’Lo laughed. “Nigga, they all fine. That’s the problem.”

I stayed quiet, just sippin’ slow, watchin’ each name fade in and out on the screen. I already had a short list in my head. Not of who was leavin’, but of who I was watchin’ close.

“Some of ’em real loud,” I finally said, my voice low. “Too fuckin’ loud. Shit gon’ have my head hurtin’”