Page 16

“You better not cry,” I fussed at Mercy as she came down the stairs. She scowled at me as I dropped onto the couch. “She’s a freshman; you’ll do this at least three more times.”

“And I’ll cry then, too,” Mercy pouted as she sat beside me. She rested her head on my shoulder, and I rested mine on the top of her head. “I don’t think I can handle shit like this.”

“I don’t think you have a choice now,” I laughed. “You are the mother of a teenage girl who is beautiful and popular. Going to her first prom with August is just the first step in a long journey.”

“And as her mother, I’m telling you I am not built for this,” she said, shaking her head. “I want her to stay a baby.”

“You didn’t even know her as a baby,” I reminded her, and she kissed her teeth in annoyance.

“My spirit knew her,” she replied, and I rolled my eyes. “The Lord knew I couldn’t have been around when she was smaller. I panicked on the first day of school, remember?”

“Yes,” I laughed. “You really showed the fact that you’re related to Krude .” I patted her leg, and she playfully pushed my hand away. “Speaking of Krude, how do you think he will react to this?”

“He’s cried six times,” she answered with a laugh. “He’s in the garage with the rest of the men in my family, trying to figure out how they will break this to Deuce.”

I lifted my head and looked down at her. “He doesn’t know?” I questioned her, and she shook her head. “Baby, I’m not trying to be here when he finds out. He may be five–”

“He’s six,” she interrupted, and I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t give a damn,” I said, pushing her head off my shoulder. “That man is about to show us how much of a bad idea it was to let a DeCorte and Strong reproduce.”

“He’s not that bad,” Mercy laughed. The door that led to the garage door opened, and we both turned to see Deuce walk into the kitchen. He wore a serious expression as he looked around, then went to the couch opposite us and sat. “Hey, Deuce.”

“Mercy,” he acknowledged her, then turned to me. “Legacy.”

“Hey, Deuce,” I said slowly.

The door opened again, and his parents walked into the house. They shared a look before his mama pointed at him and then tapped her husband Nine on the arm. They shared a quick conversation through sign language before Nine dropped his head and sat next to his son.

Cross came to sit next to Mercy, and discreetly, she took her hearing aids from her ear and stuffed them into her pocket. Mercy and I exchanged looks, and keeping my laughter at bay took everything in me.

“Silver tooth gang member!” Krude called out as he came into the house. His daughter, Praise, was strapped to his chest, but she was alert and looking around like she knew some shit was about to go down. “You know that nigga trying to take your woman?”

“Krude!” Mercy and Nine yelled.

“Nah, tell the man the truth,” Krude said, waving them off. He slapped Mercy and me on the leg, acknowledged us, and then sat on the table and faced Deuce. “What did we talk about when it comes to your woman? Never let a man step to yours.” He put his hand on Deuce’s shoulder and shook his head. “Gang, August is taking your woman to the prom.”

“I know,” he said, then nodded. “We talked about it.”

“Who is we, son?” Nine asked Deuce. “You and Faylin?”

“No sir,” he answered as he turned to face his father. “I talked to August.”

“What did y’all talk about?” Nine asked.

“Don’t worry about it, Daddy,” Deuce said, shaking his head. “We have an understanding.”

“Deuce–”

“That’s what I’m talking about, Silver Tooth Gang Member!” Krude laughed and clapped his hands. His seven-month-old daughter mimicked his actions and laughed. “Put your foot down! This little shit doesn’t mean nothing cuz Faylin is yours.” He put his hand out, and Deuce dapped him up. “I like the energy.”

“Krude, you ain’t helping,” Nine sighed.

“And I’m not supposed to, nigga with gray eyes,” Krude said, shaking his head. Praise kicked her feet as she laughed at her daddy’s wild movements. “Deuce stepping up. Put some respect on that man’s name. He ain’t playing with August.”

The doorbell rang, and Mercy jumped from the couch to answer it.

“If he tries to get fresh with her, I got you for an alibi,” Krude said, tapping Deuce on the chest.

“He knows better,” Deuce said, shaking his head. He sat forward, resting his elbows on the top of his legs, and tinted his hands in front of his mouth. Every so often, he’d nod his head then smirk. He was plotting something.

I watched Cross sit up, tap the table to get her son’s attention, and signed something quickly. He shook his head, and she kissed her teeth. Her hands were moving so fast that I started to get dizzy. Deuce nodded, then turned and looked at his daddy, who only smirked.

“She said what she said,” Nine said with a low chuckle. “And we both know that whatever Cross Strong wants, she gets.”

“Yes, sir,” Deuce said, nodding. “Respect.” He stood, dapped his daddy up, walked over to kiss his mama, and then sat down on the steps.

“You’re creating a monster,” Nine told his wife once she put her hearing aids back in. Cross shrugged, then smiled. “You too pretty to be plotting with a six-year-old.”

“He’s my baby,” Cross said, standing. She came to sit beside him, but I noticed her eyes didn’t leave Deuce.

August walked into the living room with his brother, December, and his wife, Six. They greeted everyone in the house, and we chatted while we waited for Faylin to come downstairs.

“Alright, Legacy, you gonna have to get your best friend together,” Krude said, coming to sit next to me. He assisted with Praise standing on his lap. “She up there crying again.”

“Because she’s a crybaby,” I laughed, and Krude nodded. “But I have faith she’ll be fine once Faylin leaves.”

“She better,” he said, shaking his head.

When Faylin finally came downstairs, I realized why my friend had cried. She looked beautiful in a Princess Tiana inspired dress and hairstyle. August’s tux was the same green color, and his cut was fresh. They took a few pictures together before Faylin took some with her parents.

“Aye, Faylin, take a picture with Deuce,” Krude called out from the kitchen. He handed Praise to Cross, then walked over to Deuce, still sitting on the stairs. “My boy needs one for his memory book.”

“Okay,” Faylin said, nodding. She shared a look with Mercy before turning to Deuce. “You want to take a picture?”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding as he stood. He stood next to Faylin, ensuring he didn’t step on her dress. Mercy took a few pictures, and on the last one, he lifted his shirt to show his fake knife and flashed a smile.

“That’s what I’m talking about, Silver Tooth gang member!” Krude laughed. “Step hard at all times!”

I sat quietly in my seat, trying to hold my laughter in. I may not have been born into this family, but I loved that they had accepted me because no one else was like them.

* * *

“Move your feet!” our couch, Diara yelled from the sideline. I looked to my left to see Mercy in position with a mug on her face. I could tell she was in her zone, and I gave her a single nod, and she returned it. “Legacy! You’re the leader; why are you in the back?”

“I’m in the middle,” I said, putting my hands on my head to help my breathing. “I can see everything better from here.”

“Explain,” Diara said. She was trying to hold back her smirk, but I could see her eyes starting to dance. “Tell me what you see.”

“The court.” I dropped my hands to my side and looked around. “I know if we break out into a sprint, Mercy will get there first because of where she is positioned.”

“What about Vine?” she said, pointing to the newly acquired shooting guard. “Where will she go?”

“To the left corner,” I answered, and Vine nodded as she crossed her arms. She’d been picked up while the arena was closed, and I was with Aceyn. Vine led the league in made three-pointers and had an eighty-six percent scoring average. She was calculated with her shooting and didn’t just take wild shots.

“What about Helix?” Diara asked.

“Lix is going to trail,” I replied. “She’s quicker than all of us, and if by chance we have a turnover, Lix can pick up the defense.”

“And Archer?”

“Archer is going to crash the boards with Mercy,” I laughed. “She’s not going to wait for any of us, but at the same time, she’s watching the entire court to see where she can slide into.”

“Let’s see it in action, then,” Diara said, throwing me the ball. “Lead this team, Legacy. It’s the reason we brought you here. Yeah, you have chemistry with Mercy, it's obvious, but now you have to prove that you’re a leader and can control the court, which I know you can do.”

I caught the ball and then dribbled it between my legs. The second string sat down, and the men’s practice squad stepped onto the court. The Queens was one of the few teams that practiced against the G-league men’s team connected to our city. When I asked about it, Pyrite explained that he needed us to fight, hustle, and move better than any other team in the league, and he knew that playing against men would give us that extra push we needed.

“Four quarters, ten minutes long, regulated,” Diara explained, and I nodded.

We huddled, and I wiped my hand over my face. We’d been practicing for the last three hours, and even though we were worn out, I felt our energy shift. We were excited and it showed by the way we could barely keep still.

“We aren’t going to try and out-muscle them,” I started. “They are bigger, and we are tired. We have to move smarter.”

“Outrun them?” Mercy suggested, and I shook my head.

“We are going to be running off fumes by the second quarter,” I said, then looked over Mercy’s shoulder to see Diara watching us. “Which I think she wants.”

“So, what do you want to do?” Lix asked. “Because however you want to run, it is cool with me. I came to win a championship, and I’m never too humble to admit that I knew coming to play with y’all would get me that.”

“We’re going to do what we do best,” I said, nodding. “I spent the off-season studying y’all as my opponents, so I know your weak spots.”

“Get the fuck outta here,” Archer laughed. The skepticism on her face was apparent. “The rumors are true?”

“I wish she was joking,” Mercy said, shaking her head. “She’s not, though. So, either follow her lead or step off the court.”

“Nah, I’m here,” she replied. “What I mean is, there were rumors that you did that; I just didn’t believe it.” She turned to look at me. “You studied us?” I nodded, and she smiled. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

“Play to your strength. Your defense is top-notch; move whoever you defend into a corner and keep them there.” I turned to Vine. “Shoot the ball and don’t think about it. Don’t doubt it. I know they had you doubting yourself on The Maze, but we aren’t them. I trust your IQ.”

“Bet,” Vine said, nodding.

We broke from the huddle, and Mercy threw her arm over my shoulder. “You know you can show out now, right?”

“I know,” I said, dropping my goggles to cover my eyes. “And I plan to.”

“Fuck yeah!” she laughed, then moved her arm. We dapped each other, ensuring we flashed our tattoos before getting into position.

“Show the fuck out, Point Guard!” I heard from behind me. I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Aceyn. He clapped and laughed. “Play the fucking game, baby!”

* * *

“The Queens are ready to shine,” Aceyn read the headline from the newest article on the Black Women in Sports website as we laid in bed. I was tired from practicing nonstop over the last few days and was grateful for the night off. “Point guard, Legacy Glover, has spent years proving that she is a leader in her own right, and it looks like The Queens are allowing her to showcase her skills. The Five-ten point guard has been seen pushing her teammates, Vine Carter, Archer Nelson, Helix Tremaine, and Mercy DeCorte at every practice. If it indicates what they are bringing to the league, they are the team to watch out for.” He closed his laptop and pulled my leg into his lap. “What I tell you, Point Guard?”

I lifted my head to look at him and smiled. “You said I better fucking play,” I replied with a laugh, and he kissed his teeth.

“Nah, I meant about you playing for The Queens?” He tried to tickle my foot, but I quickly pulled it away. “Man, give me your foot.”

“Don’t try and tickle me,” I said as I slowly put my foot back into his hands. He pulled my second toe, and I tried to pull away again, but he had a good grip on my foot. “Not fast enough.”

“Whatever,” I sighed and waved him off.

He popped my thigh and then rubbed the sting away. “Don’t get no attitude when I’m trying to hype your ass up," he laughed as I narrowed my eyes at him. “Now, answer my question. What the fuck did I tell you?”

“That my skills were a bonus to the team,” I answered, and he nodded. Since returning from Bali, Aceyn had made it his mission to ensure I didn’t doubt myself. He constantly spoke life into me.

“Damn right,” he said, nodding. “Now niggas are starting to notice, and the talking has started. Trust me on that shit, too. Damn near every team doctor has been ringing my line, asking me what I’ve seen.”

“Why?” I asked, and he shrugged. “No, you know. Why, Aceyn?”

“Because we have a pool,” he answered with a laugh, and my mouth dropped open in surprise. “Even though the Queens weren’t playing last year, we were still in operation and preparing for this season, so I know all of them niggas. They are asking questions because of articles like that one and because they know we are together. They think I know something they don’t.”

“And you do,” I replied, and he nodded. “Did you tell them anything?”

“Fuck nah,” he denied and shook his head. “Last year, the pot was close to eighty thousand; this year, it’s expected to double that.” He looked up from my foot and smirked. “And I got plans for all that money.”

“What kinds of plans?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” he laughed. “Just make sure I win that shit.”

“I’ll try my best,” I said, pulling my foot from him and crawling into his space. I hovered over him and smiled. “Kiss me, Aceyn.”

He wrapped his hand around my throat and pulled me to him. I traced his bottom lip with the tip of my tongue before he crushed his mouth into mine. I moaned in pleasure when he deepened the kiss. He let go of my throat and reached between our bodies to push my shorts down. I helped him without breaking our kiss, then reached between us and pushed his off. When we were naked from the waist down, I guided him inside of me.

“Fuck,” I moaned as I sat on his lap. I could feel his dick pulsating inside of me, and all I could do was sit there and let it happen. He flexed his abs, and his dicked knocked against my G-spot. “Shit!”

“Ride, Point Guard,” he said, then smacked my ass. “Work my shit like you do the court.”

I planted my hands on his chest and started to rock my hips. My pussy was clenching and unclenching on his dick so hard I was afraid I was going to break it, but I couldn’t stop. I found my rhythm just as Aceyn grabbed onto my waist to help me, but I shook my head.

“Oh, shit, it’s that kind of night?” he grunted, then put his hands behind his head and gave me a sexy smile. “This your show then, baby.”

I continued to bounce on his dick, loving that he was trusting me to let me have control. I bit into my bottom lip and stared down at Aceyn. I loved that he always wanted eye contact, no matter how ugly our faces were contorted.

“Fuck,” I moaned as I felt my body start to get hot. “Baby!”

“I feel that shit, Point Guard,” he grunted. “Give me that nut. Wet my shit up.” He moved his hands from behind his head and grabbed my waist. “You got this pretty ass pussy, and she is swallowing my dick like only she can.”

“Baby,” I moaned, not knowing what else I could say.

Aceyn sat up, bringing me closer to him, and put his mouth to my ear, “I got you, Legacy, for life and beyond, baby. Let that shit out.” I dropped my head onto his shoulder and nodded. “You already know what I’m going to say.” He kissed my ear. “I need you, baby.”

“I know,” I moaned. “I know.”

“Easy or hard way, Legacy,” he grunted as he fucked me from below. “Either way, you are falling in love with a nigga.”

“I know,” I shouted as I orgasmed.

The thing was, I was already in love with him.