Page 35 of Still Yours

As he stood up, a few customers came in. It was a little after twelve, so the afternoon clients were starting to fall through. Then in came Lunden, holding a bouquet of white and pink roses and a few bags from Chanel and Louis Vuitton. All eyes were on him as he walked through with his flowers and gifts. Everybody thought he was bringing them because of their engagement the night before, but it was really his usual “I’m sorry” gifts.

Dexz looked at Lunden and then glared at Pretti. He smirked at them because he couldn’t believe they were a couple. It blew his mind every time he saw them interact, and it had only been a few hours since he had been around them.

“I’ma get out of here and let you rap with ya’ manz. I’ll be at your crib later tonight though. My PO is coming tomorrow.” He kissed her on the cheek and walked off, bumping into Lunden purposefully with a cocky smirk on his face.

“What’s up, my nigga? Treating your fiancée right. I see you, bro.” Dexz smirked as he playfully punched Lunden in the arm.

“Yeah, whatever, nigga. I always treat my girl right; this ain’t nothing. I see you got that shit cut off ya head tho’. You look like a new nigga,” Lunden shot back at him. He was pissed Dexz kissed his woman on the cheek, but he kept his cool.

“Yeah, I did, thanks to ya’ girl. I’ll check you later though, my guy. I’m about to go spend some of this dough and find me a chick to fuck on.” Dexz walked off, laughing. He could’ve told Lunden that he had fucked on Pretti, but he always kept it playa with himself, not kissing and telling.

He left out the shop feeling like a million-dollar nigga, but Pretti felt like her heart left out the door, leaving her behind. She had no interest in what Lunden had brought in for her, but she sucked it up and played her role.

“What’s up, bae? I got you something for our engagement.” Lunden handed her the flowers and the bags.

“Thank you.” She smelled the roses.

Lunden looked around to make sure Storm was nowhere in sight before he spoke.

“I also got this to apologize for last night. I wasn’t thinking. I get that you’re looking out for ya’ best friend. I’m just not used to how y’all are around each other. It’s new to me, all the hugging and kissing. That shit makes a nigga cringe,” Lunden admitted.

“You can’t be mad when me and Dexz are together. We have history, so we’re going to be close like we were before he got locked up.”

“I hear you. I guess it’s some shit I’m going to have to deal with. That nigga knew you before me, so what can I say, but just watch yourself. Remember you are my wife-to-be; you are going to marry me, and not that nigga. Don’t embarrass me with this best friend shit, okay?” He gave her a stern look.

“I’m not going to embarrass you, Lunden. Have I ever?”

“No, you haven’t, and that’s why I trust you. I made dinner reservations for us tonight. I’ll pick you up from your apartment at six. I have to meet with some niggas at my crib, so I’ll get dressed there.”

“Okay, I’ll be ready.” She smiled and kissed him on the lips to lighten the mood, even with Dexz’s soul still all over her from their lovemaking. She knew deep inside he was in a jealous rage and mad he couldn’t step to Dexz about her. But she kept the mood light, not even trying to argue.

“Alright, I love you, woman.”

“I love you too. Now I have to get to my clients. I’ll see you later.”

Lunden left her shop.

“Make up presents?” Storm asked when she walked up to Pretti’s station, already knowing what was going on before Pretti even told her. Storm already knew something was going to go down between them once Dexz came home. She knew Lunden would be jealous, and a fight was near.

“Yeah, and engagement presents, so he says. This nigga grabbed me up because I asked where Dexz was. I took my ring off last night, but he begged me to put it back on. I don’t know how much longer I can be with him. I fucked Dexz before you walked in, and girl, I took my ring off before I jumped his bone. I’m surprised Lunden didn’t know I had it off,” she admitted.

“Well, you know I got your back. Just to let you know, Lunden paid me to keep your bestie company, but as you can see, it’s not working. I didn’t fuck him, and I knew you would mess around with him. So, if I were you, I’d get my true love before some other chick does. Don’t let that go over your head, baby girl.”

Pretti sighed. “Dexz told me, and I hear you, boo. I’m so torn right now. But I’ll be making up my mind soon, though.”

“Ain’t nothing to be torn about… but we got money to make. Since you been fuckin’, I’ll hold you down for an hour so you can go home and freshen up if you want. That new Brazilian hair just came, and you know these bitches are about to be running through here like clockwork. So, fuck these niggas for a minute and let's get to this money,” Storm preached, trying to change the mood. She knew her friend loved money more than anything. So she snapped out of her love trance and got to the bag.

“I wasn’t going to wash him off me because I didn’t want our moment to end. I wish we could revisit it tonight since he is moving in, but I know Lunden’s ass ain’t gon’ let us spend the night alone. I’ma head home and change because I forgot my day bag anyway. I’ll be back in less than an hour. I’m not missing a dime. I’m trying to get a second car and a bigger house.”

“That’s my girl. You clockin’ big goals, baby.”

Pretti rushed out with only money on her mind. Wasn't no man in the world going to stop her cash flow because they got her in her feelings.

Chapter 18

WHAT HE SAYS… GOES

Dexz had been home for all of two weeks, and he was living his best life. He had bought himself a new wardrobe and draped out his bachelor pad. He finally got the okay from his PO to live on his own instead of going to a halfway house or staying at Pretti’s. Money fixed everything with his record, and he was happy his best friend had plenty of clean cash to help him.