Page 6 of Giving Him Something He Can Feel

“A nigga whose out here feining. You might as well put yo’ big boy shorts on and go get what you want. If not then keep having her fake ass girl invite her to places you frequent.”

“I’on know.”

I shrugged. “Well.” I had nothing left to say. This was the nigga literally stalking the woman, but he didn’t want a relationship. Shit at this point it was obvious he didn’t know what he wanted.

Virtue

I was out late, real late with Jovie last night.

So, I was grateful to my mother because even though she kidnapped my child I didn’t have to get up early this morning…

or so I thought. That is until I heard moving around in my kitchen.

By the time I heard footsteps coming in the direction of my bedroom, I was already in my closet fisting the pistol that Tafari told me to keep close.

“Wake yo’ ass up. Ain’t no partying all night and sleeping all fucking day.” Tafari’s voice boomed before he busted into my bedroom like he was somebody’s father. What the hell was he even doing here?

Opening my closet door, I glared at him, before tossing one of my shoes at him. “I could’ve just shot you. Why are you here?” I put my pistol back up on the shelf, before coming out of the closet.

He laughed. “Testing yo’ reflexes.”

I flipped him off and took a seat on my bed glaring at his stupid ass.

“Breakfast shorty, now get yo’ ass up and get dressed.” Then like the asshole I knew him to be, he turned my light on. “Up.” He turned to walk out of my room, threatening to come back if I wasn’t up within the next five minutes.

I contemplated getting back in bed, but I knew my brother. His ignorant ass would be back in here getting on my nerves. I reluctantly stood to my feet, walking toward my bathroom.

It didn’t take long for me to get myself together and be ready to leave with him. I didn’t overdo it at all, I just threw on a two piece short set, because I still had to work out today, before I made my way to the restaurant for the day.

“The dead has arisen.”

“I got in late asshole. You tend to sleep late, but of course you know nothing about that because you never sleep.”

He chuckled. “You’re baby free and laid up in bed like you made one last night.”

“Not funny. Where are we going?” I went into my purse and grabbed my wristlet and keys.

“To eat. Lil’ breakfast spot over East with good eggs. You know if you opened your spot before twelve, you’d get that morning breakfast rush too.”

“Probably, but that would kill the vibe of my space. Late open is purposely to create a late type of vibe.”

He nodded. “But you could still add some eggs to the menu, right?”

“Sure.” I was lying. I wasn’t adding no damn eggs to my fucking menu. He knew that too, that’s why he didn’t push the subject.

With his driving and inability to take his time with anything, we found ourselves at the restaurant less than forty-five minutes later.

Then when we walked in I knew God had to be playing tricks on me, because my eyes landed on the man from last night.

Him and the one Cartier who stayed in the vicinity of Jovie were standing at the door.

Then, to make matters worse my brother greeted them both, by name.

“What’s good nigga?” Cartier spoke to my brother.

Cartrek’s eyes never left me. I felt them, even though I looked everywhere but at him. I had to because his fucking stare was like a laser burning through me.

“Shit, tryna get a meal.” Fari shrugged, before his eyes went down to me. “Vee, this Cartier and Cartrek.”

I nodded, about ready to act like I didn’t know their asses, but of course Cartrek spoke and Cartier’s stupid smirk gave something away. Nine times out of ten they thought I was one of Fari’s bitches because besides a few freckles we didn’t look a thing alike.

“What’s good, Peach?”

“We ain’t speaking, Virtue?”

“Who is Peach? How you know them?” By now Fari was all in my shit like a protective older brother.

“Now Fari.” I was about to check him about how he was coming at me in front of these niggas.

“Ain’t that deep bro. Ain’t know this was you.” Cartier cut his eyes in his brother’s direction before looking at Fari.

“First of all, I’m grown and I’m not him or whatever you’re saying right here.

Second off Fari simmer down, I met them originally when Linny tried to give them some of my profits.

Then last night when I went out with Jovie.

Not that I have to explain myself to you, because you are not my father.

You are my brother, now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go make a call. ”

Without another word I walked off and left him there with them. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t realize I had walked into somebody until I hit a hard chest and fell back almost hitting the floor, but the same athletic frame caught me before I could hit the ground.

“You gotta watch where you going, Mama.”

“I’m sorr?—”

“Don’t be out here apologizing. You too beautiful for that.”

Back on my feet and standing before the handsome stranger, I smiled. “Thank you, and honestly I didn’t mean to bump into you. I wasn’t paying attention.”

An icy white smile crossed his expression. I mean this niggas eyes were even smiling. “Keepin’ it a buck I’m glad you bumped into me, baby. Means I ain’t have to fuck up yo’ motion to ask you for yo’ number while you was sitting down with whatever bunk ass nigga that you currently entertaining.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. He had personality, enough to crack me up in the first five seconds of meeting. You didn’t meet many handsome men with personality in this city. Everybody was so serious, carrying so much anger in their beings that you just left folks alone.

“So, you finna gimme yo’ number or do I gotta fuck up your motion?”

Cackling, I accepted his phone and keyed my number in. I mean why would I have held it hostage? Conversation never hurt anyone, right?

I handed him his phone back, before looking around hoping my brother wasn’t on his sneak up on me shit. He was notorious for that.

“I’m Aylo, an?—”

“Virtue,” I answered before he could ask my name.

“I’ll hit you up soon, lil baby.” He gave me a final look before he walked away leaving me alone to my thoughts.

“You know that nigga, Peach?” Cartrek’s voice behind me broke my thoughts.

“No, but that doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?” A frown rested on his handsome face when I finally faced him.

“Because it’s not like I gave him my address.”

He nodded. Looking at me like he wanted to say more, but he didn’t. Instead he told me he’d see me around, before turning on his heels and leaving.

I slid into a booth irritated that I even cared about what he didn’t say. That was odd for me, but then again my biggest flaw was me being one of those people who cared too much about the odd things in life.

“You didn’t tell me you met those niggas last night.” Of course Fari would want to discuss this.

“I didn’t realize I had to run everybody I met by you. Shit by the way I just met a guy named Aylo two seconds ago.” I was being sarcastic at this point.

My brother’s eyes narrowed. “Where?”

“Right here while you were talking.”

He leaned forward, giving me direct eye contact. “Stay away from that nigga. He got too much beef in the city. You don’t need to be caught up in his or nobody’s shit.”

“Is that so? Are we still talking about Aylo here or so?—”

“Who is Peach?”

I cackled. “Hell if I know. I met him when I cursed Lenny’s ass out. Then he saw what happened in the parking lot.”

“And what happened in the parking lot? What did he?—”

“Linny was being stupid, but it’s nothing that you should be worried about.” I waved him off just as the waitress approached our table asking what we wanted to drink.

I spent the allotted amount of time with my brother while he tried not to pry but was definitely all in my damn business.

Then when he finally did drop me back off at home, I was lowkey bored.

I probably sat in the house for all of twenty minutes before I decided to go check on my restaurant.

Today was my off day, but here I was headed there.

That is until Jovie called me. It’s almost like she sensed that I was on my way to be productive on my day off.

“Where are you going?”

“To chec?—”

“Nope, not today. I feel like shopping. Let’s shop. I’ll be downstairs when you pull up.” Then like the true diva she was, she hung the phone up before I could object or even give her an excuse.

Of course I busted a freaking U-turn in the middle of the street to go to her place. Then just like she promised she was downstairs when I pulled up. Almost like she was tracking me. She hopped in the car seconds later smiling hard as hell.

“You must have talked to Cartier.” I teased knowing that smile would dry up quick.

“Don’t bring that nigga up. He’s like a period. You bring him up and he pops up.” She almost looked like she didn’t want to see him.

I cackled. “Girl boo. You wanna see him. I just saw him though, he was at the breakfast place my brother took me to.”

“With who?” I felt her eyes on me as I drove.

“His brother. Be careful baby, you seem like you care though.” I cut my eyes in her direction.

“Yeah right. But since we’re baring it all, how about you do the same. Talking about his brother. You know that nigga’s name because he sure as hell knows yours, Peach.”

I waved her off. “Shut up, I already got a lecture from Fari about God knows what an?—”

“Hell yeah, because he’s an Ace affiliate. He knows the bullshit that happens with those niggas.” She shrugged like what she was saying was normal.

“Affiliate. What? Then I met this guy named Aylo, and he nutted the fuck up.”

She busted up laughing. “Aylo. Chocolate, unusually white teeth, six something, basketball player physique and dreads?”

I nodded. “How did you kno?—”

“Oh bitch. That’s a Mafia nigga. No wonder Fari nutted up.” She shook her head as giggles escaped her lips.

I waited until I parked the car before I looked in her direction for a full explanation. “Dumb it down for me, because I swear I don’t get it.”

“Cartrek and Cartier run the Ace Boys. Aylo is their rival if niggas even call it that. He runs the Mafia niggas. They’re not exactly beefing, but shit is thick with them. Meaning any little thing will have these niggas beefing and bullets flying.”

“And my brother is Ace.”

“Ace affiliate because he occasionally handles shit for them from time to time.” She shrugged.

“And how do you know this?”

“Who doesn’t? I mean with the exception of you, it’s public knowledge.” She shrugged. “So, Aylo. You give him your number?”

“Uh yeah, he was fine and had a little bit of personality.”

Jovie laughed. “I heard them Mafia niggas didn’t eat coochie, but that’s an ocean you gotta cross on yo’ own.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her stupid ass. “What is wrong with you, girl?”

“Shit, nothing. What Steve say ‘bout thinking like a man? When I see these niggas I think about sex. Nothing more nothing less.”

I nodded. “If that’s true, then what’s the problem with Cartier?”

“Everything. Nothing. Too much. Not enough.”

“English, Jovie.”

“Deep pockets, good dick, and a God complex. My fucking type, but he’s too friendly with the dick. I ain’t trying to marry the man or anything like that, but him fucking with Taylor blindsided the fuck out of me. Hell, I don’t know why it even bothered me.”

“Because you like him. I peeped the fear in yo’ eyes that night when you thought I had familiarity with him. He might not have but I di?—”

She nodded. “He did, then he cornered me about it while you were over there showing your thirty-two to Trek.”

“I was not. I was thanking him for the MacBook.”

“The MacBook? Bitch what are you not telling me?”

`I sighed, before running down the whole thing to her. Of course by the end of my story she was cheesing hard as hell.

“Well from experience I know Ace niggas eat coochie and spend the dough.” She hopped out of my truck at the same time as I did. We met at the back, walking toward the mall.

“Again how do you know I’ma sleep with the nigga, Jo?”

“Hell you betta. Test the fucking waters. You saw how unfair that love shit was last time you gave it a chance. We ain’t getting any younger either.”

That she was right about. I had done the love thing and got done dirty. Maybe it was time for me to just be with no expectations.