Page 38 of Juliet's Echo

I swallowed hard. These two had clearly crossed paths before. Psalm's eyes then settled on mine.

"You on a little date, Juliet?" he asked, mischief threaded through every word. He stared at me hard and still. But what right did he have to question me — let alone come over here with an attitude — after I damn near got pregnant off his music. No. He was not about to get on my nerves and ruin my dessert.

"Can I help you, Psalm?" I asked.

He faced Nazir but cut his eyes sideways at me. "Just saying hi."

"You've said it," I shot back.

This time he gave me his full attention. "Juliet, let me talk to your man in private real quick."

"We are on a date," I said firmly.

"I know." His eyes moved to Nazir and stayed there, flat and unimpressed. "That's why I came over here."

"Psalm—" Before I could go further he cut me off.

"Juliet, do me a solid and go to the bathroom. Please." His voice was deep and steady, never once losing its composure.

Nazir rose slowly from the table and pulled up his pants. "You got something to say, say it."

"Juliet, get your ass up and go to the bathroom. Now."

"Um, no — and who are you talking to like—" Before I could finish my sentence Psalm gently slid my chair — me still sitting in it — to the adjacent table.

"Watch her for me, bro," he said to the man sitting there, who was clearly on his own date.

"I got you, big bro," my newly appointed babysitter responded. “Handle your business.”

Psalm returned to the table where Nazir stood, both men radiating alpha energy.

"Look, Nazir — tonight was a good night for everyone. Do me a favor, leave, and let's keep it that way. Aight?"

"Ju, come on baby," Nazir called out to me.

"Nah. You leave. She stays. And don't ever speak to her again."

"Nigga, like I told you at your crib — she ain't yours. So, her business ain't yours."

His crib? My business? What the hell was going on?

"Well her business is hers — so you want to be the one to tell her your plans? How she's nothing but a means to an end? What was the goal again — marriage after law school, but not before you get her—"

"Mind your fucking business!" Nazir interrupted.

I rose from my repositioned seat and moved close enough that both men could hear me clearly. "Not before he gets me what, Psalm." He gave me this look but said nothing. My voice was steady, but my chest was burning. Every answer he'd never withheld, every moment he'd ever shown up and said exactly what he felt like saying to me — he didn't get to stop now. Not here. Not about this.

"Juliet," Psalm said, his tone shifting into something that sounded almost like a warning.

"No." I stepped closer. "You came over here with something on your chest about me and you have never — not once — held back when it came to me. So, say it. All of it."

The pause between both men was so heavy I could hear their rapid heartbeats. That's all I heard. One beating in anxiousness — Nazir. The other in anger. And something that felt dangerously close to sympathy. Psalm repositioned his body to face me, regret already present in his eyes before he opened his mouth. He took a breath.

"A little over a week ago I had a five on five at my house. Nazir was on the opposing team. During the kickback at the pool, he made it known that you were his target. His cash cow. That if he scored with you — including getting you pregnant — he'd be set financially for life."

And just like that, my own heartbeat accelerated. Thumps of anger — the audacity. Confusion — why me? Rage — I was going to kill this man where he stood. But I couldn't move. Above every emotion that should have delivered a surge of righteous strength, embarrassment swallowed them all whole. Here was a man who by all accounts couldn't stand me, delivering humiliating news about someone I'd actually allowed myself to consider. And then there was Echo, who was right once again.

Oh God. Why didn't I just listen to Echo.