Page 9 of Soft On Her
Thoughts of Milani drifted in and out of my mind as I gazed at the fading sunset through the warehouse dock door. An involuntary smile spread across my face as I thought about the many times we sat out by my pool gossiping until the sun set. Suppressed memories resurfaced quickly, with thoughts of Milani running through my mind. Quinn still hadn’t reported anything back to me, and that was pissing me off even more. The lights on the second level of the warehouse went out, notifying me that AC was officially late for our scheduled meeting. I pulled out my phone and drafted an email to notify the Clayton family that they forfeited their money for the missing shipment since AC couldn’t read a clock.
“Sneaux Motha Fuckin Black, my favorite business partner,” AC’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
I turned to see AC swaggering into the dark warehouse without a care in the world. Once he was a few feet away, Inoticed the sparkly red lipstick staining his white button up shirt, explaining his tardiness. Rolling my eyes, I turned to motion for my cousin Terrel to bring this crybaby his money, but froze when his grimy, uninvited hand found its way to my lower back. “Why every time I see you, you look mad at the world?”
His voice was low and sultry, making my skin crawl. I didn’t respond audibly. Instead, I raised my right arm and drove my elbow sharply into his ribs, knocking the air from him. My gun was out and aimed at his head before he could process what happened. My cousin Levi darted from the shadows where he was leaning against the wall, his deranged eyes trained on AC.
“Don’t shoot him!” I commanded because Levi was his uncle’s nephew. He moved like a maniac, then thought about the repercussions later. Just like my father. Although Levi didn’t pull the trigger, he pressed his nine against AC’s temple while he struggled to control his breathing.
I fluffed out my double breasted Dolce & Gabbana pantsuit with my scowl trained on him. It had been years since I dealt with one of these niggas crossing a line that they wouldn’t cross if I was a man.
“First, we aren’t partners, we’re barely business associates. The last time I saw you, we were kicking you out of Terrel’s strip club for fucking one of the strippers raw in an area that was clearly marked for employees only. If you don’t wrap your dick up with random strippers you meet at clubs, I know you don’t have proper hygiene with anything else. So what the fuck would possess you to put your filthy hands on me? We don’t know each other like that? I’m supposed to be in the early stages of an arrangement with your sister, and you know that! The evidence of whatever hole you just stuck your dick in is all over your collar. Niggas like you disgust me,” I ranted, lowering my gun.
AC mugged me, and Levi nudged the side of his head with his gun. “Relax yo’ fuckin’ face before I say fuck it and blow your shit off,” Levi demanded.
“Yeah, and I’m already in a bad mood, so answer my question quickly,” I snapped my fingers in AC’s face.
“My apologies,” AC started, then stood to his full height. I could hear the disdain oozing off his apology. “I shouldn’t have touched you. It won’t happen again.”
“You damn right it won’t happen again because your access to us has been revoked just as fast as you gained it. Tell your father we will only meet with him from now on because you don’t know how to keep your hands to yourself or respect our time,” I spat, tapping the face of my Rolex.
“But I’m taking over after my marriage next week,” AC argued. “My mom just passed, and my father isn’t right mentally for this.”
“Bitch ass nigga she ain’t repeating herself twice. Y’all can do whatever the fuck y’all do amongst yourselves, but y’all don’t run shit when it comes to us.”
“Period. It’ll at least be a year before we’ll even consider reinstating your privileges. Be thankful you’re walking out of here with both hands,” I snipped, ending the conversation by turning back towards the side office. “Terrel, bring AC his money so he can get out of my face smelling like pussy and cheap ass perfume!”
Terrel came from the office on the left side with a black duffle bag grasped in his hand. He tossed it at AC’s feet, and he bent down, reaching inside the bag to verify the funds, but Levi interrupted that.
“It’s all there. The privilege of verifying funds is a privilege we extend to motha fuckas who are on time. Grab yo shit and get the fuck out,” Terrel growled.
AC nodded, gathering the bag while Levi escorted him out of the warehouse. I might’ve been the only child, but Levi and Terrel were more than my little big cousins; they were my brothers. The bond we shared was unbreakable. I always knew they had my follow-up without a second thought. We were all stair steppers, less than a year apart, with me being the oldest. Our family was unique in the fact that all three of us were heading the family. We didn’t need a one man dictatorship.
Traditionally, the firstborn son of the man on the throne was next in line to lead the family. If he was unable to produce a male heir, the reins would be passed down to the next eldest male in the bloodline. However, nothing about my life was traditional, not even my birth. My mom went into premature labor while accompanying my father on a business trip in New York. The labor was traumatic and complicated, ultimately leading to her losing both ovaries and robbing my parents of another chance to have a son to groom as my father’s successor. If it weren’t for that, I’m positive my parents would have had more children, because they loved being parents. The last warehouse dock door slid down, leaving minimal light in the space.
“I put a tail on AC. If he doesn’t go about his business and tries to circle back on any of us, I already gave them the green light, and we’ll let the chips fall where they may,” Levi notified me, returning with his gun safely on his waist.
“Thanks cousin,” I smiled at him.
“Always,” Levi nodded.
“Do you need anything else out of the office?” Terrel questioned, thumb pointing over his shoulder.
“No, I’m ready to go. I’m headed to Oland tonight. I need to check on shit at the lounge after my long vacation since neither of y’all have.”
“Aye man. When I put in on that lounge, I already made it clear my priorities would still be Premier,” Terrel replied,referring to his strip club. That was his pride and joy since purchasing the club last year. If Terrel wasn’t handling tasks for the family business, that’s where you would find him.
“And I was busy picking up your slack. This shit here gon’ always come first,” Levi noted before pulling me in for a hug. “Make sure you keep your head on a swivel and let Bill drive you.”
“Bill is definitely driving me tonight. I’m going for business, but I also want to decompress,” I admitted.
Terrel pulled the reinforced steel door closed, and we heard the click from the automatic locks before making our way towards the exit.
“What is up with you today? You been off and staring off into space all day,” Levi called me out. “You usually don’t even let motha fuckas get up on you close like AC did. Where your head was at?”
“I’ll let y’all know when I have a better idea,” I notified them.
“What the fuck does that mean?” Terrel queried.
