Page 12 of Haze
His words hung between them like an unspoken promise that neither of them fully understood.
The rest of the ride was spent in silence. Haze was lost in thought about this woman next to him, wondering what it was about her that made him want to risk it all. He felt like he was the walking epitome of that SZA song “Snooze” because he would definitely touch that fire for Devyn. He would tell a lie, kill a bitch, and do what everyone else around her was scared to do.
When he pulled up to NellanNem’s Corner Store, Devyn eyed him. “This is where we’re having lunch?”
“Is there a problem wit’ that, love?”
Her eyes traveled to the brick bodega and then back to him. “A corner store?”
“Yeah, I know yo’ ass ain’t from the hood. You ain’t ever had a sandwich from NellanNem’s?”
She shook her head. “Never even heard of it.”
“I’m about to change ya life in more ways than one, I see.” Haze got out of the truck. When he got to her side, he frowned because she was already climbing out. “Fuck you doin’?”
She eyed him hesitantly. “Getting out of the truck?”
He noticed she said it like a question, so he shook his head and pushed her gently back inside his new whip. Once she was secured with a confused expression, he slammed the door in her face.
“Hey!” Her muffled voice took on an angry edge, which caused Haze to laugh.
He purposely kept her in there for a few seconds before he gracefully opened the door and grabbed her hand to help her out. “You don’t open doors when you’re wit’ me. You got that?”
Her eyes grew wide in surprise before they narrowed. “I don’t know if slamming the door in my face was very gentleman-like.”
Haze shrugged. “I never said I was a gentleman.”
Devyn looked like she wanted to argue, but she must have thought better of it because she clamped her mouth closed and walked ahead of him toward the door of the store.
“Let’s get this over with,” he heard her mutter.
“You bet’ not open that damn door!”
To spite him, she yanked the door open and walked inside. Haze stood outside, scratching the back of his neck. Slowly, he counted to ten before he walked inside the store. Habib, the store owner, was inside sitting at the register with his feet propped up. When he spotted Haze, his face lit up.
“What’s good, my guy? Ain’t seen ya in about a week.” Habib’s thick accent was just barely masked by his hood slang. The man was a true hustler and had given Haze a bit of direction when he was younger. Showed him good work ethic by hiring him at the store so he would stay out of trouble. It only helped a little, but Habib would always have Haze’s respect. The man was a staple in the hood and always did right by his community.
“Shit’s been hectic. Where that beautiful queen go that just walked in here? ’Bout yay high, fat ass, probably a stank ass look on her face,” Haze asked as he looked around the large store.
Habib laughed. “Check the candy aisle, and don’t be in here on no BS, Haze. I’ll beat ya ass ’bout my shit.”
Haze held his hands up in mock surrender as he backed away from the register. One would think he was an angel with the innocent look he had on his face, but Haze and Habib knew better. Haze had many domestic disputes with hos in that very store back in his day. He was wild and always getting caught up in some shit, but over the past few years, he had settled down significantly. Not to say he wasn’t still a menace in the streets, but he didn’t have a whole lot of energy for the toxic shit anymore.
He found Devyn in the candy aisle bent over a row of sour candies. He admired her for a second, salivating at the curve of her hips and ass, before he walked over to her and grabbed a handful of her jiggly flesh. Devyn straightened up, and beforeshe could even fix her mouth to curse him out, Haze grabbed her neck from behind and pulled her soft body into his.
“You don’t want to piss me off again, Thicka. I ain’t did shit to you but ask you not to open a mothafuckin door. You gonna listen to me from now on?”
“No—”
“Rethink that answer, love.” Haze muttered in her ear as his hand moved down the front of her body.
She dropped the sour Skittles she had been holding and gasped. He felt her nipples harden, and he knew her body had missed his just as much as he had missed her.
“Yes,” she murmured.
“Yes what?”
“I’ll listen to you.” She stifled a moan as his hand found the front of her pants, but he moved away just as quickly as he had rolled up on her.
