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“I feel you. I don’t like anyone questioning my word either. I feel like if I’m solid, and I’ve always been solid, there’s no reason to doubt me.”
“Exactly. But I know I haven’t always been solid with you so…I just want to show you that my word is what I say it is. Last year at the Christmas party was…” I couldn’t find the words.
“You used me as an opportunity to get to your mark. Nothing comes before your job, right?”
“Nothing,” I said, tipping my chin up. Even though I was kicking myself for not getting the dick sooner because…damn. “I shouldn’t have led you on, though. I could have found another way. I apologize for that, Bakari.” My words were sincere, and I hoped he knew that.
I watched him for a few quiet seconds while he seemed to contemplate my words. Finally, he nodded and pulled in a quick breath. “I forgive you. We cool,” he said. “Look, I gotta hit the Temple before I hear Maasai’s mouth. We’re having a meeting about this whole shit with Junior.”
“What about it?” I asked, lowering my brows and folding my arms.
“If we need extra security and shit like that. I know I told you I don’t like violence and everything but when it comes to defending the Temple, something my family worked hard to create and maintain, I’ll go to war. My dad made sure we all knew how to shoot and fight.”
I didn’t catch my laughter in time and Bakari frowned at me. “Wait, hold on,” I said, holding my hands up. “You know how to shoot and fight? What style of fighting?”
“What you’d expect. Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo.” He shrugged his broad, boxy shoulders like it was nothing. I was shocked. though. It took years to master those techniques. I was well-versed in them as well and even the flashbacks to my initial training made me wince. I got pretty beat up learning how to perfect my strike and defense.
“So, you’re trained in Jiu-Jitsu? Bakari Godwin? Mr. Non-Violent?” My laughter had grown to a full-on guffaw at that point. He pushed out a long stream of air while he watched me cackle.
Once I’d gotten over the shock of him knowing how to fight, I lashed out and tried to lunge for his shoulder, but he managed to flip me on my back. It all happened so fast. One minute I was laughing at him, and the next I was testing him. After that, my ass was staring up into taunting bedroom eyes.
“You thought I wouldn’t see that shit coming? Don’t try to test me, Sanai. You’re not the only one who knows how to handle themselves.” He held out his hand to help me up and I slapped it away, standing to my feet on my own.
“Okay, okay. You can pull off a nice Helio Gracie grab.”
“I’m nice with all of it. You don’t get to be a 6th-degree black belt holder by just being able to pull off a nice Helio Gracie grab. I’m just not trying to put you to shame right now.”
“You are not a 6thdegree black belt, Bakari. You’re full of shit.”
“As much as I’d love to bust your little bubble, I have to go to work. Remember, I’m not the liar between us.”
“Oh, but I am?” I put my hand on my hip, and he smirked at me.
“How many people know that sweet little Sanai Sinclair is a hitter?” he reached out and touched my chin.
“How many people know loveable Dr. Breeze is a surgeon who works on gang members, drug dealers, and killers just to earn more money even though he doesn’t need it?” I bit back.
Bakari’s nostrils flared as he nodded and stroked his beard. “I’d put my capitalism up against your murder any day, Sanai.”
“I bet you would. But a sin is a sin, right?”
“Yeah. Right.” He chuckled, moving toward the door.
“Tell me what you and your brothers talk about at the meeting,” I called out before he stepped outside.
“Why?” he turned and asked.
“Because I’d like to know.”
“If that’s your way of admitting you’re nosey, then you used a lot of unnecessary words.”
“Fuck you. Let me know what goes on. I don’t want any of y'all niggas out here stepping into a lane you don’t belong in. Don’t go after Junior. Leave that to me.”
“We got this. If you find out anything from Junior’s boy, let me know. Leave out the part where you fuck him, please.” He looked up at the ceiling and then down at me.
“I told you I wasn’t going to fuck him. And why do I have to tell you what happens as far as Junior’s boy goes but I can’t know what’s happening at your meeting with Maasai and Hakim?”
“Because that’s how this works. You’re the one trying to prove something to us, right? So the burden of proof is on you, sweetheart.”
