Page 69 of The Don’s Virgin Obsession

“Bossy ass lady,” I uttered.

My phone was in my hand, but I wasn’t looking at it. I already knew what I would see if I opened it. Messages. Calls. Women I didn’t want to answer. Business I didn’t want to deal with at the moment.

My thoughts went to Sade kissing her new nigga.

That bothered me more than it should have.

It wasn’t even the kiss for real. Women kissed niggas every day. It was how she looked with him. Softer. Relaxed. Not bracing herself for the next argument. Not cutting her eyes at him. Not standing ten toes down like she was waiting for war.

She looked peaceful around that nigga.

That shit punched me in the chest.

I moved through another unit, checking work that didn’t need checking, thinking.

Sade only seemed relaxed once she left me.

I didn’t like that.

I didn’t want to care either.

That made it worse.

I left the building ten minutes later and told security to lock everything back up. I didn’t go home.

I drove to my parents’ house.

My mother’s car was in the driveway when I pulled up. Lights on in the kitchen. Same house I grew up in.

I let myself in.

My mother was in the kitchen putting food in containers. She looked up when I walked in, smiled softly, then went back to what she was doing.

“Son, you ate?” she asked.

That was hello in her house.

“Nah.”

“Fix you a plate.”

“I’m good.”

“You’re not good if you ain’t ate.”

I kissed her cheek and opened the fridge for her. “I’ll take something with me.”

She gave me a look but didn’t argue. “Your father is in the living room.”

“I know.”

I grabbed a water and walked in there.

My father was in his chair with a blanket over his legs, oxygen close by, medicine on the table, and an old movie playing. He didn’t turn his head right away, but he knew I was there.

“You locking those buildings up at night?” he asked.

“Yeah.”