He stepped closer to her and I could see the power radiating off him.
"And why are you so scared of going to war with the Brick Boyz?" he asked, and there was something dangerous in his voice now. "You raised me better than that. You taught me to stand on business and if I’m being honest, you ain’t seen nothing yet. We killed a few of they people, and took they work. You know that’s light work. So go home, kick your feet up, and enjoy your retirement. Let me do what I'm supposed to do. And on my last breath, I'm bringing Zaire home and we gone put an end too all this street shit so I can run a smooth business without some low level niggas keeping up bullshit. That's a promise."
Before Zuri could respond, the door opened again and Kadeem walked in. He took one look at Zuri standing there in front of Kaseem with that angry expression and his whole demeanor changed.
"Zuri," he said, his voice carrying that weight that made people move. "What are you doing?"
"I'm checking our son," she said, turning to face Kadeem. "Somebody needs to because clearly he's making reckless decisions."
Kadeem walked over to her and got close enough that only she could hear what he was saying, but his tone was unmistakable. Whatever he said, it made her face go pale.
"If you don't stop this right now," he said, loud enough for all of us to hear, "we're gonna have some real problems. You need to let him make his own way and call his shots how he sees fit. You understand me? You just waiting on the boy to fuck up, but you not even giving him a chance to do that. You gotta sit down Zuri. You have to learn how to play the background unless you are needed, or else, all of this shit we’ve done is pointless.”
Zuri looked between Kaseem and Kadeem, and I could see the moment she realized she was outnumbered. She turned to leave but stopped at the doorway.
"Kaseem," she said, and her voice was low and dangerous. "If something would have happened to my baby, I would have been burying two sons. Because I would have killed you myself."
She stepped closer to him and pointed a finger.
"This family moves strategically, not recklessly. Everything you do from this day forward shows me if I made the right decision giving you this position. Because from where I'm standing, Namier's goofy ass would probably make better choices."
With that, she turned and started to walk off.
I sat there for a second, and then something in me just snapped. I couldn't let that disrespect slide, even if it was family business. I stood up and looked at her before she could get to the door.
"Hey Zuri," I called out, and my voice was sweet as it could be, but laced with sarcasm. "You got a little something on the side of your mouth. Crust, I think. I wasn't sure if you saw it when you jumped out of bed and rushed over here to fuss without getting yourself together."
She turned and gave me a look that could have killed. A straight death stare. But she didn't say anything. She just rushed out of the house with her whole face red.
Kadeem followed her out and I heard the front door close.
I sat back down and picked my fork back up, trying to act like nothing happened. But I could feel Kaseem watching me.
When he finally spoke, it was just one word: "Damn."
Then he burst out laughing. Not just a little chuckle. Full on tears running down his face laughing. He couldn't even eat because he was laughing so hard.
"Your mama really came in here with crust around her mouth talking shit," I said, shaking my head. "Nobody told her to leave that house with her mouth white around the edges like lil Boosie.”
"She better stop playing with my husband," I joked, pointing my fork at him.
Kaseem looked at me and his whole demeanor shifted. The laughing stopped. His eyes got darker.
"Your husband, huh?" he said, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "Don't make me get under this table right now. You know I'll eat it until you scream. You know I will."
And from the way he said it, I knew he wasn't joking. At all.
I felt heat rise up my neck and I had to look away from him to finish my breakfast, but inside I was ready to try my luck. This man was something else. He’d gave me the best head of my life, but was teasing me when I wanted more. He knew exactly what he was doing. And he had me exactly where he wanted me.
The way Tatti respectfully checked my moms for coming in my house and acting crazy with me, I wasn't expecting that at all. She didn't hesitate but she still wasn’t disrespectful wit it. She stood up and said exactly what needed to be said. My mom’s cared about her appearance more than anything that’s why the shit was so damn funny to me. Tatti calling out the fact that she was half stepping, while standing in my house talking shit, that was cold as hell.
I couldn't stop laughing thinking about it, but underneath the laughing was something else. Something that made me want to pull her onto my lap and give her ass what she was begging for this morning. Today showed me that no matter who I was up against, she was gone stand beside me. She was defendingme even when I ain’t need it. Not attacking my mom to be disrespectful. Just standing up for her nigga. And that shit turned me on in a way I wasn't ready for. Shit, I was still scared that I was falling for ass in the first place, and here she come, making a nigga fall harder. Anybody that knew me could tell you that Kaseem Carter did not fall in love. Never have. I couldn’t tell you what the shit felt like, so whatever this shit was that was growing inside of me for this muthafucka I had just met, it was foreign to a nigga.
I watched her across the table as she finished eating, not really paying attention to the food anymore. Just watching her mouth move, watching her hands as she picked up her napkin and wiped her lips. She felt me looking at her and looked up.
"With everything you got going on right now," she said, setting her fork down, "I'm not in a rush to say our vows today. I don’t mind if we have to push it back. With your brother and all, I promise I understand."
I set my fork down too and looked at her straight in the face.
