“She—”
“She?” Karmine repeated, a sly smirk spreading over his lips. “Aw shit… bro… I know it’s been a while, but you ain’t gotta pay no escort or no shit like that to get some pussy,” Karmine joked, pouncing into a nearby chair and continuing to eat.
“Fuck you, Mine,” I said after sipping my drink.
He snickered right along with Kara before she squinted, still trying to figure me out like some equation. She knew I didn’t fuck with people. I wasn’t the kind to go around making new friends or nothing like that. So if I was allowing someone into my space, something had to be going on.
“Well, do we get to meet this ‘houseguest’?” Kara asked excitedly. “I’m dying to see what she’s like.”
“Dinner. And chill out. This ain’t nothing outside of me and her building a business. She’s not here for anything else,” I warned.
“Hmm.” Kara folded her arms across her chest and poked her lips out. “I’ll go help Celine in the kitchen.”
I watched after my sister and focused on Karmine.
“So this guest, she fine?” He teased, playfully lifting his brows.
Instead of answering, I tipped my glass to my lips. His head moved from side to side. Karmine was a fucking fool. He made a joke out of everything. Nigga couldn’t be serious about one thing in his life.
Dinner began promptly at 6:30 p.m. Celine had the table in the dining room spread since there was room for more people. Deviance brought Harbor down from her room, and she was surprised to find other people seated. She was dressed in leggings, a bodysuit, and an open Champion jacket over it. That was her dance attire. The natural glow she had let me know she’d been in dance mode since getting settled. She peered around the table at everyone, and Celine nodded to the chair across from her.
“Good evening, Harbor,” she greeted her.
Ivy rolled her eyes in annoyance as she piled food onto her plate. My daughter was a hard case. She had that tough exterior, like her mother. On the inside, she was soft as shit though.
“Hello,” she spoke gently.
“Harbor, this is my brother, Karmine and my sister, Kara.” I introduced them.
“Nice to meet you all.” She dropped her napkin into her lap.
“Yes. Wish we could say the same,” Kara muttered, taking a sip of her drink.
Cutting my eyes at my sister, she peeked in my direction but gave her undivided attention to Harbor right after.
“So tell me about yourself. You look very… young. How old are you?” Kara queried, grabbing her fork and digging into her loaded mashed potatoes.
“Twenty-one,” Harbor answered, taking a bite from her roll. “And… I’m really not that interesting,” she muttered, putting on a tight smile.
“Oh, I doubt that. And… Quency, what kind of business you got with a twenty-one-year-old?” Kara asked, brows knitted while she scoped her brother from her chair.
“The kind that doesn’t involve you,” I answered, warning her.
She ignored me and whipped her head back in Harbor’s direction. “Frequency ain’t got no manners. Ignore his rude ass,” Kara chimed in, waving me off. “So Harbor, how did you and my brother cross paths? What is it you do exactly?” Kara continued to interrogate.
Ivy also seemed to be amused by the conversation. Her round eyes continued to circle the table, surveying everyone. Scarfing food down the entire time, her ear was kept to the conversation.
“I study many things. My major is computer engineering. My IQ is well above average, in the exceptionally gifted category according to my last testing. I graduated high school when I was sixteen, and I will complete a master’s program this year, as well as pursuing my real estate license. I also minored in dance and received a full scholarship for swimming. Currently I’m remote learning.”
“Damn, smart and fine as hell. You got a sister?” Karmine asked, tilting his head while he jaws moved, breaking up his food.
Tension rose in her shoulders and her eyes fell on her plate where she moved her food around. “Sure, but we aren’t close,” she finally answered, eating like a bird. She didn’t look at anyone as her head remained down.
“How are things in the UK?” I decided it was time to change the subject.
“The party scene is lit. Did you know that orgy shit is really the wave over there?” Karmine conveyed with a playful grin.
“What’s an orgy?” Ivy chimed in, her innocence still shining behind her eyes.
