“Don’t be hitting on my man like that,” Glimmer said. She hung off Gideon’s arm and looked up at him with stars in her eyes.
Haze found himself wondering if Devyn would ever look at him like that.
“He just mad everyone knows he ain’t the playa he pretends to be,” Gideon joked.
Haze waved him off. Really, he wasn’t even mad. He just didn’t want everyone in his business like that.
He brushed past Gideon and Glimmer and out the front door, which had been open for the stream of people coming and going.
“Haze, what the hell is Gideon talking about?” Deja, his cousin, asked. She and his little sister, Kyomi, sat on the swing on the porch, with drinks in their hands and looking nosy as hell.
Haze cut his eyes at Gideon, who pretended like he couldn’t hear the conversation from just inside the house.
Scoffing, Haze pulled a blunt out from behind his ear and lit it.
“Ain’t nothin’,” he replied to Deja.
“Sounds like something,” Kyomi pointed out.
Haze nodded his head toward the pink truck. Devyn climbed out and adjusted the jeans she wore. Haze could imagine her ass bouncing around in them, and he almost drooled. Instead, he played it cool and lit his blunt before taking a long pull.
“That her?” Deja asked.
Haze ignored her as he watched Devyn nervously look around. When their eyes connected, Haze felt his heart hammer in his chest. A million different thoughts zoomed around his head. Flashes of their future together played in his mind. He wanted Devyn so damn bad. She had no idea the lengths he would go for her.
“That gotta be her. Look how he’s stuck on her,” Kyomi noted.
“Wait ’til we tell ya mama,” Deja muttered.
Haze ignored them as he stepped off the porch. He took his time walking toward Devyn. Each inhale of his blunt quieted his mind and focused his thoughts.
“Hey,” she murmured when they were within arm’s length.
“I’m glad you made it, Thicka.”
She looked around and then found his eyes again. “I honestly didn’t want to come here, but I figured you would come find me if I didn’t.”
“You figured right.” He grinned before he pulled her into his chest. The action surprised him. He was never alet me get a hug typeof nigga, but with Devyn, it happened naturally.
It surprised him when she wrapped her arms around his waist. When they pulled apart, she asked, “Is it safe to be here?”
“You always safe wit’ me,” he replied. She looked uncertain, which offended him, but then he remembered what her experience was like the last time she was there. He put an arm around her shoulder and guided her toward the porch. “Look, I know you got a daughter to get home to, so I ain’t even gonna put you in no foul type of situation. I got hella security on this block. Ain’t no danger comin’ to you.”
He felt her shoulders tense up as he spoke, and he frowned. He wanted his words to comfort her, not make her more tense. Before he could comment on it, though, Deja and Kyomi were in their faces.
“Hi, I’m Kyomi, Haze’s sister.” She stuck her hand out to Devyn, who glanced up at Haze with confusion written all over her face. He knew she had no idea she would meet any of his family tonight, but he was ready to incorporate her into his life as soon as possible, and there was no better way to do that than casino night.
Haze simply took a pull of his blunt and nodded at Devyn encouragingly.
Her eyes found Kyomi again, and she offered a soft smile. “Hi, I’m Devyn.”
“And I’m Deja, this bigheaded nigga’s cousin.” Deja waved, and Devyn returned the sentiment.
“How long you and my brother been together?” Kyomi asked.
Haze chuckled when Devyn’s breath hitched. “Together? W-we aren’t . . . we haven’t . . . I mean?—”
“She don’t know she’s wifey yet. Give her some time,” Haze said. He winked at his sister and cousin before he threw his arm back over Devyn’s shoulders and took one last pull from his blunt.
