Page 27 of Certified Sin

“You don’t mind making a stop, do you? My aggravating ass sister says she’s hungry,” I relayed, and Ronnie giggled.

“No, not at all,” she admitted, sitting her phone in her lap. “I wish I had a sister.”

“You on your own?” I quizzed, pulling into the parking lot. Three cars were ahead of me, so I got behind the last one and waited.

“Yup. I have my best friend, Monae, but I’m the only one.” I threw my arm around the back of the seat.

“You lucky as fuck.”

She exhaled softly, sadness written on her face. “Don’t say that. It was lonely most of the time, and my dad had high expectations for me early in life.”

“I bet. It paid off, though. Look at you now.” I wanted to reach out and touch her until I realized we were just on some friend shit.

“I do okay.” She blushed.

“Shit! You’re one of the best, and I ain’t just saying that because you got dude to drop the case.” Sin let me in on what was up. Apparently, the nigga just wanted a few hundred thousand to settle the lawsuit.

“That wasn’t nothing. All he wanted was money anyway,” she downplayed it and this time I couldn’t help myself when I touched Ronnie’s cheek.

“You gotta learn how to take compliments, Ms. Lady,” I said, noticing the way she relaxed the minute she felt my hand.

“I’m not used to getting them, I guess,” she explained, biting the inside of her cheek. “Everybody says I’m stuck up.”

“You are, to a degree. Ain’t shit wrong with that though.” The line moved, so I took my arm from her seat to drive up a bit.

She stared at me with a blank expression, so I continued, “What? You be cooped up in that office 24/7, Ronnie. I only saw you at a few events in the last few years. What you think they were gone say about you?”

Ronnie shrugged, playing with her thumbs. “So, I’m antisocial. I never had control over my life. The only time I’ve gone against my dad is now, being with Sincere.”

The line moved again and before I could respond to that, it was my turn to order. As I was doing that, Ronnie glanced out the window, deep in thought.

“Can I get nuggets too?” She turned in her seat.

“What? I was gone take you somewhere nice,” I explained.

“This right here is nice.” She smiled at me shyly. “Now, can I have nuggets?”

I chuckled, adding her food to my order. I liked that she ain’t tryna splurge just because I got money in my pocket. My phone vibrated while I waited at the second window. Jasmine was calling me again for the sixth time. Ronnie cut her eyes down to the phone and saw her name.

“Is she your girlfriend?” she questioned me, and I rubbed my hand down my jawline.

“Nah, the shit is complicated,” I admitted.

“Complicated how?” The window opened, and someone handed me a bag of food. I checked to make sure everything was there, before I passed it to Ronnie and pulled off.

“You all in my business, ma,” I joked, her head rearing back.

“Ohhh, okay. Mr. I’ll stand behind you. I know you’re not talking,” she rolled her neck, throwing my words back at me, and I laughed out loud. She got me.

“Alright. Jasmine’s a nice girl, but something she said rubbed me wrong, and I haven’t talked to her since.”

“What did she say?” Ronnie put a fry in her mouth.

“She had a fashion show she wanted me to go to, but I told her I got family business. She said something about me putting her first.”

“Mhmm.” Ronnie hummed.

“What’s mhmm, ma?” I mimicked her, making a left to get to the crib.