Page 25 of Suleem and Yahzi (D-Ville Projects #1)

Don’t threaten me with a good time because I will gladly accept the challenge…

“Yah, wake up.”

“Hm…” I rolled over and tugged the covers up under my chin, refusing to open my eyes. I smiled when I felt the brush of lips over my temple.

“You want me to drive you to the shop on my way to the courts?”

“Mmm, what time is it?”

“Almost eight.” I shifted my body and groaned from the ache in my muscles and between my thighs. When I peeled my eyes open, I found Suleem sitting shirtless next to me on the bed. His eyes were on his phone while he typed out a text.

Chestnut brown skin covered his frame and exposed the battle scars from years in the streets. I lifted a finger and traced the bullet wound on his shoulder.

He locked his phone and dropped his gaze on me. “What time you need to be there?”

I frowned a little. “Not sure. They open an hour early today, because of the games, so nine, I think…”

“Aight, get dressed and I’ll drive you.”

He lifted from the bed and headed to the closet.

I smiled at the shorts sitting low on his waist, bowed legs, and confident gait that carried him across the room.

The weight of his dick made it bounce behind the jersey knitted fabric that covered his lower half.

As sore as my pussy was, I was doing mental math trying to decide if there was time to get bent over and still make it to the shop before nine.

No, hoe, get your ass out of bed…

I groaned and sluggishly tossed the covers back and gingerly made my way to the bathroom.

Once I was done getting myself together, my next stop was the closet where I dug through my suitcase.

I worked on a pair of baggy jean shorts that stopped mid-thigh.

The front and back of them were ripped and distressed so I would be good to be out in the sun during the tournaments but still covered enough to get through my morning at Fadez.

After I had my feet in some Retro Low OG Nigel Sylvesters, Suleem walked up behind me and pulled me back against his chest with a hand on my hip. He kissed my shoulder and moved his hand up my stomach but I caught his wrist when his fingers edged toward the waistband of my shorts.

“Chill, man. I’m not trying to fuck. We both have shit to do.

” He kissed my shoulder again before I felt his fingers on my neck near my rose.

“This is sexy but you gon’ have to get another one.

I need it visible and niggas don’t need to be close enough to see this one.

We’re gonna get one on your hand.” He stepped around me and reached for a bag in the corner on the floor.

“ We ?”

I followed when he left the closet and stopped at the bed, removing two gray T-shirts and checking the tags before he pulled one on over his chest. It had D-Ville Ballerz printed on the front.

“Oh, that’s cute. Is that one mine?”

He snatched it up, held it behind his back, and dropped a kiss on my cheek. “Yeah but you can’t have that shit until later.”

“Let me have it now. I can wear it to the shop. It’s DP’s team so Kassir won’t mind.”

“Nah, he won’t give a damn but I’ll let you get it when I pull up to get you.”

“Why not now?”

“’Cause then you’ll have time to cut that shit up and be out here showing too much skin.”

I grinned and snatched the shirt from him when he tucked it under his arm to lift his phone and answer a text.

“I’m grown.”

“Grown doesn’t have shit to do with you being mine.”

I rolled my eyes and left the bedroom, heading to the kitchen.

Once I had the scissors out of the drawer, I carefully cut around the neck so it was wide enough to hang off my shoulder, removed the bottom half, and split the back so I could tie it and make it hug my body, accentuating my waist. My shorts sat low, exposing the black elastic band of my boyfriend briefs.

Suleem walked into the kitchen as soon as I had the shirt on. I turned my back to him, gathered my braids, and moved them to the side over my shoulder. “Tie this, please.”

“Bruh, you’re really trying to get somebody fucked up today. Let me find out one of them niggas tried you and it’s a wrap.”

“They won’t but you already know they likely won’t even acknowledge me.

My chair is probably going to be empty because they’ll be scared to be too close to me.

” I rolled my eyes while he knotted the shirt at my spine then hooked an arm around my waist, pulling me to him.

I felt him hard against my back and grinned when he kissed my rose.

“Nah, you’re gonna make money. I told you I won’t stop your shine, just keep your hands in the neutral zone.”

I turned against his body and looped my arms around his neck. “I told you that was just for you.”

“It better be.” He slapped my ass and pecked my lips. “Get your stuff so we can head out or you’re gonna be late.”

We made it to the shop at ten minutes to nine but it was already full.

The chairs that lined the wall were filled with waiting customers and there were also bodies chilling outside the shop leaning against their rides, blazing enough to provide a contact high on the short walk from Suleem’s Grand National to the door.

I begged him not to come in, but he ignored my request and walked me to my station, returning acknowledgement to those who spoke. A few he dapped, others simply received a nod. He placed my bag with my clippers and other necessities on the chair and watched me while I set up.

“Jordie, she got you.” Niecy pointed to my station and Jordie walked over while one of the guys two seats down frowned.

“How she got next? I was here before her.”

Niecy grinned and looked at Suleem. “You really want to be in her chair while he’s in here, Mook?”

Mook glanced at Suleem then placed his focus on the device in his hand instead.

I groaned, cutting my eyes at Suleem who grinned and dragged his tongue over his grill before he tugged at his beard.

“Do your thing, Yah. I’ma go handle my shit.

Hit my line when y’all get ready to shut down so I can pull up. ”

Thank fucking goodness…

There was no way I could cut in peace with him policing my every move. “I will.”

I walked up and pecked his lips but his hand moved to my ass and he held me in place, pushing his tongue into my mouth.

“Leem, let her live. They get the point. She’s yours,” Niecy said with an amused tone that had Jordie laughing.

He nodded when he released me, looking me over before he sent a visual warning to the men waiting next in line. As soon as he was out of the shop, Niecy put her clippers down and did a rotation of the other stations with her hand open. Each one of them placed a hundred in her palm.

“They thought he was gonna be holding the clippers while you directed him. I told them he was gonna let you live because none of them would be stupid enough to try you.”

I rolled my eyes and removed my cape, which I draped over Jordie. She brushed her fingers over the shaved side of her head. “You good with designs?”

“I’m decent.”

“Let me get D-Ville Ballerz then.”

“I got you.” I got started on her cut, creating a drop fade that would leave enough room for the design. “How’s my baby?”

I couldn’t wait until my Porsche was finished. I would be driving around the city just to be seen as soon as it was restored.

She grinned through the mirror. “You’ll see today.”

I got giddy as hell. “It’s done?”

“Yeah, it’s done. Shit is tight too. You wanna see? I have video.”

I shook my head. “No, not until I can drive it.”

For the next couple hours I had a rotation in my chair.

Several others requested designs after seeing how dope Jordie’s was.

Niecy wasn’t lying when she said they would be in here thick before the games.

The other barbers were cool. The conversation around the shop was mostly them talking shit about the games later and everyone discussing how much money they put on D-Ville.

A few of them made jokes about keeping it cordial and professional so Suleem wouldn’t be on their ass but for the most part I felt at home. The vibe was chill.

Niecy ended up turning away four customers who showed up at two because taking them would have meant us being late to the games.

I was grateful because I didn’t want to miss anything.

She made the guys sweep up the shop and Makai took the trash out.

A compromise because they wanted to leave early to head to the courts which would have left Niecy and me cutting the last eight heads split between just the two of us.

After I counted out my money and smiled at my total for the day, I dropped into my chair and watched while she packed up her station.

“How does this work? Does Kassir get a percentage of our daily totals or just the booth fee?”

She grinned at me through the mirror before she turned my way. “Um, I’m not sure how things will work for you, princess, but with the rest of us, just a booth fee. You’re on a different pay scale.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Nope, I’m following the rules.”

“Mhm, which is why your booth fee is paid up for the year.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

She angled her head to the side and sent a “don’t be stupid” expression my way.

“It’s cool though. You handled your shit today so nobody is going to give you grief about your connection to Leem and Kassir.

If you were in here fucking up heads that would be a different story.

Your chair would still have motion because they wouldn’t want to piss Leem off for bypassing you but the group chats about your subpar skills would be in heavy circulation. ”

She was right so I didn’t even attempt to deny the privilege attached to being with Suleem. “But like I said, you did your thing; so it’s all good.”

I checked my phone and noticed a text notification from Suleem saying he was pulling up.

“You need me to do anything else?”

“Nope, I’m about to shut off the lights then I’m heading out. He here?”

“Yes.” I nodded and lifted from the chair, grabbing my crossbody. I shoved my money into the zippered pocket at the back and was on my way to the door.

“What time tomorrow?”

“We’re closed. These niggas are about to be fucked up and partying all night. It’s always like that after the tourney. You cool with twelve to four on Monday?”

I nodded when I reached the door. “Yeah, that works.”

“Bye, girl. I’ll see you at the courts. Let me go get sexy.”

Even though Suleem was attached to almost every move I made, he still gave me space to exist and find my own rhythm, which further confirmed the growth and maturity of the man I was getting to know now versus the one I left behind three years ago.

As much as it hurt, we both needed to heal and grow individually so we could be better together.