Page 232 of A Street King’s Widow

“Nikki, don’t start the passive-aggressive shit. If you got somethin’ to say, say it. I don’t do good wit’ all that readin’ between the lines.”

She tossed the rag into the sink and leaned against the counter. “There’s nothing to read between. You told me exactly who you were, and I kept trying to convince myself that eventually you would want something different. That part is on me. I’m not about to spend every night asking what warehouse you were at, who called you, or why you came through the door at whatever time you decide to show up. It gets exhausting and I need to stop acting shocked by shit I already know.”

“So, you good?”

“Overly.”

Maybe I was overthinking it. Truth is, I had enough on my mind without trying to figure Nikki out, too. I ended up acting like I had some sense and fixed myself and Nikki a plate so we could sit down and eat. We were able to have a normal conversation without me thinking about my phone or what the fuck was going on with Kyenna or any of my warehouses. We showered and fucked like we usually would. We were back to our regular shit without the nagging.

The next morning, I got up and went to my main warehouse. The changes that I had made a few weeks ago were working out great, and things were back running smoothly. Once I put my eyes on everything and did all my checks, I was heading out but was stopped when I saw a text from Kyenna.

Kyenna: You left your watch over here.

Me: Put it in yo nightstand

Kyenna: Why the hell would I do that

Me: Cause that’s where I’m going to come get it from

The three bubbles appeared and then disappeared. Then reappeared again.

Kyenna: Not tonight you won’t

Me: We’ll see

Kyenna: No. We won’t.

As I was heading back to Nikki’s, Pops called and told me to stop by Royal Flush. Kyenna asked him to go over the new security for the back entrance with Grif. Why he was sending me when she asked him, I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t going to complain about too much security around Kyenna. This was my chance to convince her ass to let me come over tonight to grab my watch. I walked through the employee entrance and headed towards the back. Grif met me halfway.

“You want me to show you the camera placement first or the new door access?”

“Door first. If somebody can get through the damn door, the camera just records us gettin’ robbed,” I told him.

We spent twenty minutes going over the changes before Grif signed off on what needed to be ordered. I was about to leave and just talk to Kyenna later because Nikki had called twice, when I heard Jaharee’s laugh coming from Kyenna’s office. Then I heard another voice. A voice that irritated my fucking soul. I took the steps two at a time and the door was already open, which is I why I could hear them so clearly. Kyenna was sitting behind her desk with papers spread out in front of her. Jaharee was stretched out across the sofa scrolling on her phone, and Lloyd was standing beside Kyenna pointing at something on the paperwork. Too muthafuckin’ close for my liking.

“Damn, Lloyd, you got an employee badge now?” I busted in.

All three of them looked up at me.