Page 33 of Omar

"Yeah." I was smiling. I couldn't stop. "I know and I genuinely don't care right now."

She was quiet for a second. Then her voice went softer. "Is it like it was? When you were young?"

I thought about his hand catching my face. About the way he'd looked at me in that park like I was the only thing in the world that mattered. About the sound he'd made when I kissed him back.

"No," I said. "It's better. So much better."

Nene was quiet again. "Asha."

"Yeah?"

"No, listen to me. I love you, and I need you to be careful."

"I am."

"Not Omar careful, I mean Supreme careful. You understand?"

The smile faded a little but didn't go all the way. "Yeah. I understand."

"Because if he finds out..."

"He won't."

"You don't know that."

"I'm being smart about it."

"Are you? Because kissing Omar in public don't sound smart to me."

"It was hidden and we were careful."

"Asha, there ain't no such thing as careful when you're Supreme's girl. You know that."

I did know that. I'd known it when I let Omar pull me to that park. I'd known it when I kissed him. I'd known it when I walked away and got in Cee's car and came back home, then having to fucking perform like an Oscar contender the whole evening as though nothing had changed.

"I'm handling it," I said.

"You got feelings for him."

It wasn't a question. I didn't answer.

"Shit," Nene breathed. "You got feelings for him and you're still in Supreme's house. This is gonna go bad so fast."

"I have a plan."

"What plan?"

I opened my mouth to tell her about the savings account, about how I was only three thousand away from potentially cutting it and running. But the words stuck. Because the plan had always been solo. Get the money, figure out the logistics, disappear clean. No Omar. No complications. Just me and a new city and a chance to breathe.

The plan didn't account for a man whose hand on my waist was enough to make me forget every smart decision I'd ever made.

"I'm working on it," I said instead.

Nene sighed. "Asha, baby, I love you but you need to get out. Like yesterday. Before this gets worse."

"I know."

"Do you? Because I don't think you're hearing me. Supreme ain't a man who shares. You know what he did to the last girl who tried to leave him?"