Page 142 of The Ninth

The door came open and Devyn came flying in. All I could do for her was smooth her hair back down as Duke hopped in, backing up and pulling off.

Kenzo leaned on the armrest. He looked at Devyn then Duke. Devyn then Duke again. I sighed loudly, knowing he was about to be on bullshit.

“How’d you meet Dominique again?” Kenzo asked Duke while looking at Devyn.

“She came to the tattoo shop in between letting niggas take shots out of her titties.”

Devyn gasped as Kenzo cackled, “THAT’S NOT TRUE! AND MY NAME IS DEVYN!”

“I feel like you gotta ask me if you can fuck with shorty since I met my wife first. So to join in the family you need to go through me.”

Duke laughed loudly, “Nigga, fuck you. Maybe I would’ve if she wasn’t lying about her cousin. And every time I came, I was just getting cussed out by Cassie. She’s rude as hell, she never even introduced me.”

“Yeah, I’ll show you rude, bitch...” I mumbled.

Kenzo looked between them again. “Duke and Demetria. I’m finna start calling y’all DND, on foe!”

I covered my mouth as the three of us laughed. Devyn did not think shit was funny. And what the fuck am I going to do about this nigga not remembering her name? Clearly he was dropped on his fucking head while he was a baby.

“At what point did you realize you was stuck with this nigga forever?” Kenzo asked. “Cause he don’t get like this with everybody.”

“Our first official date. I knew I didn’t want to fuck with anyone else.”

Duke dipped his head, laughing softly. I slapped hands with Devyn on the low. These two crazy niggas are hard lovers. You gotta get them in they soft spot. Kenzo turned forward, shaking his head,

“Corny.”

“NIGGA!” Duke slapped the back of his neck. I chuckled softly as they started slap boxing while Duke drove.

Soon, we pulled back up to the apartment. As Kenzo hopped out, I opened the door, getting out behind him. He looked at me as if I was insane.

“Why you with me and popping out of doors without me opening them for you?”

“Oh, I didn—”

“Last night was different. I hopped out to check shorty and you was supposed to wait inside the car until I finished. You know I don’t play like that.”’

“It’s been a while, baby...”

We stared into each other’s eyes as Devyn and Duke spoke softly. He told her that at some point in the next week, they need to speak. She agreed before walking away into the building.

“I know, baby. I know...” Kenzo finally offered.

He looked over at Duke and then back at me. Sighing, he pushed his door closed. This caused Duke to put the window down,

“LIKE A WEAK ASS BITCH!”

“Shut up, hoe! Be looking out for me.”

“On baby.”

Kenzo’s big hand wrapped around my waist, pushing me towards the building. I looked back at Duke, giving him the middle finger and sticking my tongue out. He cackled and beeped the horn.

“AYE! SHE’S EVIL! SHE’S SMALL AND EVIL!”

Kenzo chuckled as we made our way inside.

The entire drive I tried to find the words to ask him to come up with me. To be in bed with me again. I decided to leave the decision up to him, and he came. Our entire way up, he clung my body to his tightly. I pretended to stare forward, not noticing the repeated glances down at me. Once we made it to my door, he took the key from me, opening it and letting me in.