Page 6

Story: Hood Legacy

“You ready?” Aceyn asked when I walked out of the locker room. He stood leaning against the wall, arms over his chest, with a serious expression. I sighed and shook my head. I was grateful that he wanted to help, but I would never have been able to live with myself if something had happened to him. “You might as well stop shaking your head. I already told you I was going to be your shadow, and I meant that.”

“I thought Yeti said that Ra would be here by now,” I said as I walked away. Aceyn fell into step with me and laughed. “Plus, Jermaine is around here somewhere.”

“Jermaine ain’t here,” he replied, and I stopped walking to look at him. “I had him reassigned.”

“Why?” I questioned.

Aceyn stepped into my space and looked down at me. “What part of I am your shadow, don’t you understand?” he asked. “Ain’t shit Jermaine can do that I can’t.”

“It’s his job,” I said, shaking my head. “He’s paid to protect me.”

“And how well has that been going?” Aceyn lifted his brow and waited. “Now, you have two options: you can go along with this, or I can take you along, but understand that both end with you and me riding this out.”

Images of me riding his dick flashed in my mind, and I shook my head. Fucking Aceyn was the last thing I needed to be thinking about, but I couldn’t help it. He was gorgeous, and the way he looked at me had my panties wet. I couldn’t place his scent, but whatever it was smelled damn good, and I’d only ever smelt it on him.

“I don’t want to be a burden, Aceyn,” I said, then started walking again. I needed to get away from him before I threw caution to the wind and did something stupid. “I can handle what’s going on with me.”

“Then me being here is just an added bonus,” he declared. We made it to the elevator, and he pressed the down button. The doors opened, and we stepped inside. “You hungry?”

“Huh?” I looked over my shoulder to see him staring at his phone with a twisted expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he answered with a shake of his head. “Just something I gotta handle.”

“Go take care of it,” I suggested, and he smirked. “Look, I know you think you need to be my shadow, but I’m good. I’m going to grab something to eat, go home, shower, and go to bed. Nothing crazy, nothing wild.”

“Nah,” he denied. “We are going to get something to eat; you can shower and then sleep once I know you’re good.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he stepped into my space and smiled at me. “I’m trying hard to be a gentleman right now and not show out because you’re testing my patience, but don’t push it, Point Guard. I already know you’re hiding something, so unless you’re trying to let that shit out, you might want to let me do what the fuck I need to do.”

“I want seafood,” I said, nodding.

A tug pulled at Aceyn’s sexy ass lips, and he gave me a single nod. He stepped back when the elevator doors opened. Aceyn pulled me back by my bag and shook his head. “Don’t get off until I tell you to.” He pulled his gun from his waist and then stepped off the elevator with a mug on his face. Bowlegged and all, he swagged over to my car and looked around. He ran his tongue over his teeth, pulled his phone from his pocket, and gave me his back. Whatever he was saying was low, and I couldn’t hear him, but I could tell he was angry by his stiff back and the way he kept tapping the butt of his gun against his head. He finally hung up the phone and stuffed his phone into his pocket before turning to me. “Come here, Point Guard.”

I stepped off the elevator and approached him. My eyes went to him then to the car to see a bouquet of yellow roses sitting in my passenger seat. My grip on my gym bag tightened, but that was the only outward display of anger.

“Yeti had the garage locked down from when you arrived until now. The only people that have been allowed in here are basketball-associated,” Aceyn said.

I looked at him and nodded. “Okay,” I replied. I overslept this morning and got a late start; usually, I was here by seven, but I got here closer to ten. I opened my driver's door and tried to get in, but Aceyn stopped me. “What?”

“You didn’t lock your car?” he questioned. I dug into my pocket and pulled out my keys.

“I have keyless entry,” I answered.

Aceyn took my keys and shook his head. “Nah, you didn’t press the button on the handle; they were already unlocked.” He stuffed my keys into his pocket and took my hand. “Yeti is going to run the cameras back; hopefully, we will see something this time.”

“Where are you going?” I asked as we walked away from my car.

“My truck,” he said as we approached a white G-Wagon. He unlocked the doors and opened the passenger door for me. “Get in.”

“I just want to go home.”

“Nah,” he laughed and shook his head. “We going to eat. Now, get in.”

I debated if I wanted to argue, but my stomach growled, and I knew that it was useless. Plus, I wanted to get the hell out of this garage and as far away as possible. I got into the truck, gave Aceyn my bag, and buckled my seat belt. He closed the door, put our bags in the back, and then rounded the car. The entire time he checked his surroundings, he wore a serious expression. When he got in, he started the truck, put on his seat belt, and drove off.

I expected us to go downtown, but he went in the opposite direction. We pulled up to a small, hole-in-the-wall seafood market and exited the car. I didn’t expect to see the full food display or the delicious smell when we walked in.

“I knew I would see your ass before the end of the night,” a short woman behind the counter said. She wiped her hands, then leaned against it and smiled. “You having your regular?”

“If you knew, why my shit ain't ready, then?” Aceyn laughed and shook his head. The woman behind the counter playfully rolled her eyes and waved him off. “As a big cousin, you are legit slacking right now.”

“Bull shit, Hood,” she laughed. Her eyes went to me, and they lifted in surprise. “Now, how did my cousin snag your attention?”

“Damn, you trying to say I don’t have pull?” Aceyn answered before I could, and the woman shrugged. He threw his arm over my shoulder and pulled me close. “Point Guard, this is my cousin, Bright; she owns this place.” He wore a proud smile as he looked around. “I have been coming here since college, mooching off her.”

“I’m glad you acknowledged that,” Bright said as she stood. I compared their features and was surprised at how much they favored each other.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Aceyn questioned. He rubbed his stomach and chuckled. “I've always been a fan of food; you can cook. I know my lane, don’t think I’m a fool, and don’t know who kept me fed when my Mama was mad at me.”

“Speaking of your Mama–”

“Don’t,” Aceyn said, shaking his head. I felt him stiffen and wondered what the back story was with him and her. Did they have a horrible relationship like me and mine did? “Just hook us up.”

“Hood,” she sighed, and he shook his head again.

“Leave it, Bright,” he said. “Hook us up so we can get out of here. She’s been in the gym all day and needs to get home and rest. But, I said I would feed her first, and when she suggested seafood, I knew exactly where to come.”

“You’re the team doctor, not the drill sergeant,” Bright replied, and Aceyn shrugged. “I guarantee that Legacy Glover puts in the needed work.” She cut her eyes at me and smiled. “If she didn’t, I doubt Pyrite would’ve gone through all that work to recruit her.”

“You know who I am?” I asked, surprised. I was popular but not as big of a name as other players.

Bright waved me off, then started putting together a boil. “Girl, check the wall; we always display the Kings and Queens’ info. Mercy was here a few weeks ago, and Givens is a regular.”

“Well, I’m honored,” I replied, and she nodded. “You mind if I shout you out on social media?” I took my phone from my pocket and started recording. I wanted to show the entire process of her making my food so my followers would know what to expect when I posted it later.

“After you taste the food,” Bright answered. “That way, if you don’t like it, you aren’t lying to your followers.”

“You might as well be prepared to post it,” Aceyn laughed. He moved his arm from my shoulder, and instantly, I missed the heat from his body. “Get some good angles; I’m going to the bathroom.”

I watched him disappear around a wall, then saw Bright watching me.

“He looks happy with you,” she said softly. Her eyes were filled with concern. “He’s going to need you for support soon.”

“Aceyn and I are just friends,” I said, shaking my head. She didn’t have to say it, but I knew she was implying that we were more than that.

“You think so?” she asked, and I nodded. “That’s cute.” She shook her head and returned to packing a clear strainer with food. “You want it spicy?”

“Yes.” I looked around, partially wondering where Aceyn was and for the women's restroom so I could wash my hands.

“The bathroom is that way,” Bright nodded toward the way Aceyn went. “By the time you come back, the food will be done, and y’all can eat.”

“Thanks,” I said, then walked away. I went to the bathroom, handled my hygiene, and came to find Aceyn sitting at a table with food in front of him, talking to Bright.

“We will talk about it later,” Aceyn said to Bright when I approached.

“Okay,” she sighed and walked away.

“I could’ve sat over there and waited,” I said, and he grunted in disappointment. “It just looked like y'all were talking about something serious.”

“Sit down, Point guard,” he said, pointing to the empty chair and shaking his head. I sat, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and looking me directly in my eye. “Bright is a natural worrier. She has been that way her entire life. You would think she’s years older than me, but she’s not.”’

“No?”

“Nah,” he laughed lowly. “She’s like six months younger. She is naturally bossy, too, so when I step in here, I know she will fuss about something. I’m used to it, so I’m not trippin’ off it.”

“Okay,” I said, nodding. “I didn’t grow up with cousins or anything, so seeing other people work their family dynamic always has me stepping back.”

“Oh yeah?” he pushed a bag in front of me, then grabbed his own. Our food looked good as hell in the clear plastic bags. I saw crabs, lobsters, shrimp, clams, mussels, eggs, potatoes, and corn soaking up the seasoned butter. We bowed our heads and said a quick prayer before tearing into our bags. “You’re an only child, right?”

“Yeah,” I answered. “So are my parents.”

“Damn,” he sighed as he started breaking down his crab. “It was just me and Bright, but I can honestly say, I don’t know what I would’ve done if it was just me.” He laughed and shook his head. “Shit, I’d probably be worse than I am now and still in the streets.”

“Probably,” I agreed in between bites of our food. “But, you are lucky you will never have to know.” Aceyn nodded in agreement. “So, how did you meet Pyrite?” I knew bits and pieces of their friendship, but it was mainly locker-room talk. Most of the players and a few cheerleaders constantly talked about how attractive they were, and while I didn’t disagree, I never gave my opinion.

“What do you think you know?” he questioned.

I picked up my napkin and wiped my mouth before twisting my lips to the side and pretending to think. “Well, at one point, you were the head of a drug empire and got shot, died, and was revived,” I answered, and he laughed loudly. “Last week, I heard you were a runaway who stripped his way through college and med school.”

“Get the fuck outta here, Point Guard,” he laughed harder and waved me off. “Ain’t no way nobody saying that shit.”

“I swear,” I held my hands up in surrender and smiled. “Scout’s honor!”

“Yo ass wasn’t no girl scout.”

“I was,” I said, nodding. “Spent a whole two days as a Daisy Scout.” I cleaned my hands again, picked up my phone, pulled up the only picture I had from my tortured time, and showed it to him.

“No way!” He rocked back and forth in his seat and laughed. “Yo ass was a Daisy?” I nodded, and he held my phone, looked at the picture, and smiled back at me. I went back to eating while he sat there in shock. “Why did you only last two days?”

“I asked too many questions,” I answered with a shrug. He set my phone on the table and went back to eating. “My den mother got annoyed and sent me outside to play with her son during the first meeting. Guess what he was outside doing.”

“Playing ball?” he lifted his brow, and I nodded. “So, you are telling me a young nigga introduced you to ball?” he shook his head. “Damn, so this is how my villain origin story starts, huh?”

“What?” I laughed as I ate.

“A nigga introduced you to basketball; that shit can’t slide.” He wiped his hands with his napkin and then picked up his phone. “What’s his name so I can make some moves.”

“Stop.” I reached across the table and covered his phone with my hand. “It's not even that serious.”

He reared back in his seat and shook his head. “Damn, you even remember the nigga name?” he nodded and twisted his lips. “Bet.”

“He comes to games all the time,’” I said as if it would improve the situation. “He’s cool, happily married, and a fan.”

“Don’t matter,” Aceyn said, shaking his head. “Nigga gotta go.”

“Oh, whatever,” I laughed and waved him off. “Anyway, I was in love after he showed me how to play basketball. It didn’t help that my parents were too busy to worry about what I was doing. They didn’t even know that I was going to practice with Mike instead of doing Girl Scouts until I’d been playing for almost a year.”

“How didn’t they know?” he questioned with a look of surprise on his face. “Like, how were you getting to games, shit, paying the fees? You were young as fuck.”

“His mom paid them with the money my parents were paying her for Girl Scouts. It was enough to cover my basketball fee and have a little money left to pay for her gas since she was running us around.”

“Were your parents mad when they found out?”

“Nope,” I said, shaking my head. “My mama was more annoyed that she’d been called to the hospital because I broke my wrist in a game than the fact that I was playing.”

“You broke your wrist?”

“Yeah, I fell going after the ball and landed wrong.” I ate a few more shrimps, then decided to mess with him a little. “Mike was there to nurse me back to health, though.”

Aceyn was about to bite into his corn but stopped and stared at me. “Yeah, that nigga dying for real,” he said, then bit into his food. “No questions asked; he’s dead.”

I laughed so hard tears started to fall from my eyes. “I’m just playing,” I said once I got myself together.

“Don’t matter,” he said, shaking his head as he cleaned up his mess. “That nigga got too many fond memories for my liking. I gotta fix that shit.”

“Get out of here,” I said as I followed suit. I was full, and the food was so good that I knew I would be back soon.

After we were done, we said goodbye to Bright, promising that we would be back again and left. Aceyn rolled the windows down, and we rode through the city, enjoying our time together.

“Put your address in,” Aceyn handed me his phone and I put my address into his GPS. We were about thirty minutes from my house, so I adjusted my seat to get more comfortable and closed my eyes. “I’ll wake you when we get there.” He reached behind my seat, grabbed a jacket, and handed it to me to cover up with.

“Thank you,” I mumbled softly as I closed my eyes.