Page 141 of The Ninth

“Wow...we might actually be able to remake our family...” I smiled at her. She rolled her eyes, blushing.

I scanned the restaurant looking for the waitress to ask for a shot. To my surprise, I made eye contact with someone at the counter who was already glancing back at me. I immediately recognized him to be the first nigga to speak to me at the gas station. One of Kenan’s niggas. He remembers me.

“You know him?” Tati asked on the low.

I sighed, “Don’t start tweakin, but he was at the gas station when I went up to Kenan.”

Everyone lowered their forks at the same time.

“Well, K3’s niggas followed Tati and I home. I felt safe. One of them just lived a block over from us and said K3 told him to spin through every so often. I think him being home is doing more good than we realize,” Kenzie nodded.

Tati quickly agreed, “Yup. He said K3 is worried some niggas from the club will try to get mad at the ambush they did. It seems like he doesn’t know about the set up.”

“Maybe I can casually bring it up soon. Find an excuse for him to keep making sure y’all straight. FUCK! I just realized the man you gotta tell about the set up is fucking Man-Man!” I whispered.

We all threw our hands up in unison. Including Devyn.

“We’re okay for now. Work through y’all’s shit with the Smash Bros, and then tell him,” Tati offered before taking a shot.

The three of us laughed at her while we all kept tabs on the nigga up front. Once he grabbed his food, he headed straight to the door. He threw me one more glance, winking and nodding his head,

“You still fine!” he offered as he left. I just shook my head and gave a light chuckle.

The girls felt better realizing this nigga just got pussy on the brain. Yeah, he remembers me but no connections were made. Kenan was a lot of things, but I doubt he was telling everyone about the private party. Especially so it wouldn’t get back to Pink.

Tati pressed her face to the glass, “Wait....bitch?! Is that K3 and Man-Man?!”

The three of us broke our necks to look out the window. Sure enough, these two goofy mothafuckas was sitting in Duke’s truck, casually eating and watching us like it was a drive-in movie. I made eye contact with K3 who just waved at me. Duke kept glancing behind him. Once the nigga that said I was fine walked behind the truck, he threw that hoe in reverse and hit his ass.

“OH MY GOD!” the four of us yelled.

Kenzie rushed to pay the tab as the rest of us flew outside. I crossed my arms, approaching the truck calmly while Devyn ran to the back, checking on the guy. Duke was casually saying “my fault, G,” and the nigga truly believed the targeted attack was an accident. Or maybe he just knew Duke’s body.

“Stalking is illegal!” Tatianna yelled while getting in her truck.

He waved her away while holding eye contact with me. His eyes left mine and went to my lips and down my body. Even though I’m upset, I unfolded my arms to give him a better look. And he looked appreciative.

“What are you doing here?” I faked annoyed.

“This ain’t Cook County no more, Crybaby. I don’t need anybody to keep tabs on you. I’ll do it myself. You okay?”

“Yeah. Are you?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’ll see yo—”

“Right, go ahead and get in this backseat for me.”

“I came with Tatianna!”

“And you almost got her truck hit with an airstrike by hanging up on me. Go ahead and get in that backseat, please.”

I passed him, heading to the backseat. “Mmmm...” he let out softly as I went by. It took biting my lip to hide the smirk that formed on my face. My stupid ass got right in the seat behind him. We both sat in the truck silently, listening to Duke and Devyn argue.

“Getcho ass in this truck, Devyn. Clearly you always getting into some shit when left alone.”

“You just assaulted someone with a fucking truck! I’m not leaving with yo—PUT ME DOWN!”