Page 71 of Promised To A Menace

“Shakaylen,” I corrected him.

“Yeah, her.” He smiled.

“We good.”

“That’s good. I’m surprised she ain’t giving you a hard time. That little girl got some mouth on her.” He laughed. “When your mama came to get her and take her to the room, she was asking all kinds of questions and had herself a little attitude.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

Kaylen had a mouth on her, alright. I was learning that shit firsthand. But I wasn’t complaining. Hell, half the time, I found her attitude entertaining.

“And the business? Everything still running smoothly?”

“Yeah. We good over here.”

“Good, good.” He nodded before shifting in his seat. “Let me ask you something, though.”

There it was. I knew he hadn’t come over here just to check on me.

“What’s up?”

“You heard anything from David?”

My attention shifted back to him. “Nah. Why?”

“Because he been coming by the warehouse asking questions about Shakaylen.”

I sat forward in my chair. “What kind of questions?”

“Shit that ain’t important.”

I stared at him for a second. “If it ain’t important, why the fuck you bringing it to me?”

My father waved his hand like he hadn’t just brought up a nigga who’d been trying to get his hands on Kaylen.

“I’m just letting you know he’s been asking about her.”

“Then tell me what the fuck he’s asking.”

He looked at me for a moment before shaking his head. “Don’t worry about it, son. I’ll handle David.”

I pressed my tongue against the inside of my cheek.

That was the shit I hated about my father. He’d give me half the information and expect me to leave the rest alone. David was asking about somebody living under my roof. I needed the whole fucking story.

“Whatever, Pops. Was that all you needed?”

“Yeah, that’s it for now.”

“Aight.”

He pushed himself up from the chair, but before he reached the door, he turned back around.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

I looked at him. “What now?”

“You coming to dinner Sunday? Your mama been asking.”