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Chapter Seven

Jackson ‘Stacks’ DeLuca

“Pops… I think I like her.”

Jace stood in the kitchen, arms crossed, brows drawn tight like he was about to confess to murder. I leaned against the counter, Jet in one arm with peanut butter on his cheek and a sippy cup in the other.

“You talking ’bout that the lil’ chocolate one with the nose ring?”

“Yeah. She bad as hell,” he said, and when I looked at him, he corrected himself quick. “I mean… she pretty. Real pretty.”

“Damn, lil’ man,” I said, smirking. “You look like you done caught feelings and caught a case at the same time.”

“I ain’t catch feelings. I just… I’on know. She’s different.”

“Ain’t that what every nigga say when he’s ’bout to fall?” I shifted Jet on my hip, grabbed a napkin, and wiped his mouth. “Talk to me.”

He exhaled, dropped his bookbag, and sat at the table. “Her name’s Layla. She’s in my homeroom. She got these braids, like them slick ones Ma be getting, and she smells like strawberries or some shit.”

I grinned. “Nigga, you been out here sniffin’ girls?”

“Man, stop playing wit’ me.”

“I’m just saying.” I sat down across from him. “You told her you like her?”

“Hell nah. I can’t say that off rip.”

“But you want to.”

“Yeah.”

“Then say it. Don’t be no scary ass nigga. Be real, be respectful, and be ready for whatever her answer is. That’s it.”

He looked down, nodding slow. “What if she don’t like me back?”

“Then you take that shit on the chin like a man. You feel it, you speak it. Let her decide. Don’t ever hold your tongue outta fear.”

Jet let out a screech like I was talking to him, dropping his cup, and clapping his sticky hands. I kissed the top of his head.

“That make sense?” I asked Jace.

“Yeah, Pops. Thanks.”

“Good. Now go clean up that bookbag up before your mama walk in here and trip over it.”

As if on cue, the front door opened, and I heard heels clicking across the floor. Jet took off like a rocket.

“Ma-ma!”

Kasha’s laugh rang out loud and warm. “Hey, baby!” She scooped Jet up and blew kisses on his cheeks, then walked into the kitchen, eyes landing on me with that familiar curl of her lip.

“You been home all day and still left Jet’s toys in the hallway?”

“I was having man talk with Jace.”

“Uh, huh.” She set Jet on his feet and gave me a kiss. “And what was y’all talking about?”

“Nothing,” Jace mumbled.

“His lil’ ass in love,” I blabbed, causing him to cut his eyes at me.

Kasha’s eyes lit up. “Oooh…my boy got a little crush?”

“I’ain say all that.”

“Yeah, you did,” I said, smirking. “Go do your homework, Romeo.”

When he left the kitchen, Kasha turned to me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

“You smell like sweat and peanut butter.”

“You smell like you wanna get fucked.”

She raised a brow. “Nasty ass.”

“You like that shit, though.” I kissed her slow, pressing her body against the counter. “Missed you today.”

“You always miss me when you wanna be nasty.”

“True,” I whispered against her ear. “But I also missed yo’ fine ass.”

“Boy, shut up.”

She tried to pull away, but I caught her wrist and spun her back into me, hand sliding down to her ass.

“Don’t start what you can’t finish.”

“Stop playing wit’ me, Kash.”

Jet was still babbling in the living room, but we didn’t care. I kissed her again, harder this time, and her breath hitched. She pushed me away, cheeks flushed.

“Let me get him settled, and I got you.”

“Say less.”

***

“You doing this shit on purpose?” I asked from the bed.

She looked over her shoulder. “What?”

“You know what the fuck you doing, man.” I watched as she strolled her thick ass over to the bed.

She climbed on top of me without a word, straddling my hips. My hands found her ass, her thighs, then her breasts. Everything about her felt like home.

“Don’t be loud,” I warned, flipping her onto her back. “Jace still up.”

“Then you better keep that mouth shut,” she challenged.

“Word.” I squinted right before I kissed her hard, then slid down to taste her. Her hands flew to my head, body twitching under me. She bit her lip, trying to stay silent, but I didn’t let up. I wanted to hear her beg.

“Shit,” she gasped.

“You taste stressed,” I growled with my mouth full. “Lemme fix that.”

She bit her lip, damn near trembling.

“I said be quiet,” I murmured when she cried out, sliding two fingers in to match the rhythm of my tongue.

“Jackson,” she whined.

“Shhh,” I smirked. “What’d I say?”

When I slid inside her, it was slow and deep. We moved like nothing else mattered because right now it didn’t.

She moaned into my neck, whispering curses and love all at once. I gripped her ass tighter, driving deeper, taunting her.

“Shhh, Kash. Can’t let the boys hear how nasty you are.”

“I hate you,” she cried out.

“You love this dick, though.”

“Fuuuck, Jackson.”

“Mhm,” was all I could manage to get out because her shit was sucking me in deeper.

I kissed her hard to muffle her cries as we succumbed to the orgasms that took over. Afterward, I laid back with her on my chest, fingers playing in her hair.

“I love you,” she cried.

“And I’ll walk through the fire for you, mama.”

***

The next day, I was at the yard early. Stone was already there, shirt off, wiping down a Harley with a Black in his mouth.

“Look who finally showed,” he called.

“Man, chill. I had shit to handle.”

“Mhm…let me tell you ’bout Gina’s ass?” he said, already laughing.

“Oh, hell. What now?”

“She showed up at Gina’s job with rollers in her hair, talkin’ about she still loved me.”

“Did she fight Gina?”

“Gina wished she would.”

I cracked up. “You attract chaos, nigga.”

“Or chaos just loves me more.” He smirked. “So what’s up with Kilo?” he asked. “Ain’t seen that quiet nigga lately.”

“He’s coming by today. Got some heavy shit going on.”

“Like what?”

Before I could answer, Buck’s black Navigator pulled up, followed by Kilo in his Escalade.

“What’s good?” I asked.

Buck answered first. “This bald-headed hoe still ain’t told Mel the truth.”

I looked at Kilo. “You serious?”

“Didn’t I tell you niggas I was waiting until I got the test,” Kilo said, rubbing his jaw.

“Man, Goldie keeps looking at me sideways like I’m the one hiding some shit. I’ma beat your ass if I lose my pussy privileges behind your secrets.”

Stone hollered. “This nigga said privileges.”

“Y’all wanna talk or y’all just here to air out frustrations?” I looked between my brothers.

Kilo sighed, leaning against one of the bikes. “This shit is fucked up. I’ain even processed the thought yet, but I know I need to tell Mel because she thinks I’m out fuckin’ ’round on her and shit.”

Buck lit a blunt. “Nigga, handle that shit ’fore I handle you.”

“You ain’t gone do shit. Y’all act like I’m out here hiding a family on purpose and shit.” He frowned.

“Nigga, we know you scared of Thugga, and right now you got every right to be. The fuck you think she’s gone do when yo’ stupid ass knew for weeks and ain’t say shit?”

“Odd as it may sound. This nigga right,” I countered.

“Fuck you, Jackson.” Buck stuck his middle finger up at me.

“I’m gone tell her. I just need a minute,” Kilo added.

“Nigga, you had three weeks’ worth of minutes. Times up, muthafucka,” Buck snarled.

Kilo cut his eyes at Buck. “I’ll tell her if the test comes back positive.”

“And then what?” I asked.

“Then I deal with that shit. One step at a time.”

I rubbed my jaw. “You better not fuck around and lose Mel behind this. You know how she move.”

“And she gone handle it by beating yo’ big bald-headed ass and I’ma help her,” Buck picked.

“I know,” Kilo muttered. “That’s why I’m trying to handle it right.”

We talked a bit longer, mostly jokes and jabs, but that weight never left Kilo’s face. I knew he was hurting, even if he’d never say it out loud.