Page 13 of Pills and Potions: Kase

That’s all it took. Her eyes lit up like Christmas.

Denise leaned closer, lips brushing my ear. “Well, if you gonna show me a good time later… let me show you one first.”

I tilted my head slightly, side-eyein’ her. “How you plan on doin’ that?”

“I got courtside tickets,” she said, grinning. “Warriors play tonight. Figured we could hit the game.”

I raised a brow, slow and amused. “You sure you want your husband to see us?”

She shrugged like it was nothin’. “We’re just friends.”

I smirked. That line was so damn tired, it barely made me blink. I didn’t give a fuck about her or her husband’s situation. I wasn’t about to turn down courtside seats, especially not when I had time to kill.

After headin’ home to get dressed, I slid into somethin’ fresh and met her outside the stadium. She was waitin’ near the entrance, heels on, face beat, grinnin’ like she already won. I kept it simple, black tee, chain tucked just enough, fresh kicks, and that usual, “I don’t chase nobody” energy.

We walked in together and took our seats just feet from the court. TheIndie Woods Warriorswere already warmnin’ up, crowd buzzin’, lights bright as hell, camera flashes poppin’ off left and right. She kept leanin’ into me, laughin’ at shit I didn’t say, tryna make it look like more than what it was.

But my mind? Still on business. Always was.

During the game, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Twice. Same name...Jace.

He ain’t usually blow me up unless somethin’ was urgent, so I pulled it out mid-play, thumb slid across the screen.

“Yo.”

His voice came in hot.“What the fuck you do?”

I leaned back in my seat, glancin’ at Denise as she posed for a selfie with the court in the background. “What you talkin’ about?”

“You knowexactlywhat I’m talkin’ about, nigga,” he snapped. “You really told Blyss to ‘show herself out’ in front of some chick like she was a damn assistant?”

I exhaled through my nose, unfazed. “She finished the job, didn’t she?”

“Nah. Don’t do that,” Jace fired back. “That girl be helpin’ you outta the kindness of her heart, and you clown her? In front of that bird? Man, that shit was foul.”

“Look,” I said, sittin’ forward with my elbows on my knees. “It ain’t that deep. Blyss ain’t soft. She’ll be aight.”

“You don’t know that,” Jace shot back. “She ain’t built for all that slick talk and brush-offs. That girl’s awkward as hell, but loyal. You know she like you, right? She don’t say much, but she do. And you embarrassed her.”

My jaw ticked, but I stayed quiet for a second. Denise leaned in to ask if I wanted a drink. I shook my head and waved her off without sayin’ a word.

“You done?” I muttered, my voice lower now.

“I should be askin’ you that,” Jace said. “But yeah. I’m done. You a grown man, you gon’ do what you want. Just don’t be surprised when she stop doin’anythingfor you.”

The call clicked off before I could respond. I let the phone hang in my hand a second longer than necessary, thumb hoverin’ over the screen. Then I tucked it back in my pocket, leaned back in my seat, and refocused on the court like nothin’ happened.

Chapter 4

Blyss Monroe

Iwas so damn foolish. Standing in the middle of my room, I chucked my crochet needle across the bed like it had betrayed me. Why would I keep putting myself in his presence, letting him treat me like I didn’t matter? I knew why because I cared too much. But when it came to Kase, logic didn’t stand a chance. There I was, surrounded by skeins of yarn, a half-finished blanket, and a stupid ball of purple wool rolled halfway under the dresser like it was even tryna escape this mess. And still, all I could think about was him. Kase. So damn fine, with those deep dimples and that cocky, sideways smile that could melt glaciers. Every time he flashed it, my heart did somersaults, and my knees? Useless. Like I was starring in some corny romance instead of real life, where I’d go over there just to be ignored or talked to like I didn’t matter, and then sit in my car afterward questioning my whole freakin’ existence. I hated how much I wanted him. And I hated even more that he knew it.

Deep down, I felt like he was feelin’ me too, though. Maybe not all the way, but enough to mess with my head. And maybe, just maybe, if I got him drunk, I could get the truth out of him. He did say a drunk man speaks a sober mind.Lord, I sounded like a fool.While I was stuck in my own head, a loud knock hitmy door, and before I could even react, Tuesday popped in with a sympathetic face and her hands on her hips.

“We’re going out,” she announced.

“Where?”