Page 10 of Mercedees: Forever An Atkins
Akira was too blunt for my liking sometimes. Striker coincidentally went on vacation the same time I did. However, he wasn’t who I slept with or married. I would’ve remembered that. My body would’ve remembered the familiarity presence and connection of that night. All I got was distant affection when I looked at him.
I mean, it couldn’t have been him… right? No, Cedees. You know what lines to cross. Stop tripping.
“That has nothing to do with me. Mind yo’ business bestie. The one that pays you, that is. I didn’t marry Striker so don’t go running yo’ mouth lying and shit. I’d hate to whoop a bitch ass for thinking me and her nigga got something going on.”
“Prove me wrong then. Everybody else playing nice. Yo’ birthday next week. Bring yo’ husband or I’m letting myliesfly,” she said before walking out the office leaving me behind.
Any other time, I could go back and forth with her defending my name. This time, I was stumped. I had no idea on who I gave my pussy to. Striker wasn’t a contender. I knew that for sure, but Akira was starting to make me believe maybe, just maybe, he should be.
She told no lies about the way he looked at me. Any fool with eyes saw how he felt about me. Royce’s joke had underlying acknowledgements. It stemmed from childhood but apparently, Striker and I were the only two that let it go.
Shaking my head, I said aloud, “You wild, but not Striker wild. Find that man, Cedees.”
Walking out the office, I strutted back over to my client. She wore a smile of patience. I shook off the bullshit Royce and Akira tried to plant and refocused on my craft. My customers were more important that finding myhusband.
Everything that was done in the dark would come to the light. I was an Atkins; the only thing I needed to do was wait and let the fool come to me. I couldn’t have been the only one between the two that blacked out like that and if I was, Sage Springs was sure to get some uninvited guests running up through here soon.
“Is everything okay, Cedees?” my client asked with a worried gaze.
“You better know it. This set is free of charge. Thank you for waiting so patiently boo.”
“Of course. I done seen you get down one too many times to know how this goes. I appreciate you.”
“That’s my line,” I teased.
That night, that man, and that mistake was pushed to the furthest part of my mind. If my family was so curious to know who I married, they could go find him themselves.
Chapter 4
Arion
Coming from a two-parent household, I was raised with a lil’ more than others. However, that ain’t stop me from being selfish. When it came to my product and artillery, I barely let others in to touch them. You had to have a hell of a status for the Greeks to look yo’ way.
BG looked across the table, and I continued to assess my nails. I was lowkey due for a manicure. A nigga wasn’t sitting down getting no full set, but I cared about my nail hygiene. Dirty shit just irritated the fuck out of me. He then turned his attention to the man of the hour. What I knew fa sho’ was that intimidating shit ain’t work on brodie. He moved like we did so getting him to budge was gon’ take God himself. Nigga knew his worth and stepped with loyalty. BG did this shit every time he saw him.
“The hell you staring at me for BG? Yo’ chest tight? You need to shoot the ones to loosen that bitch or what?” he inquired.
“Lil’ nigga I’ll put you on yo’ ass. Stop playing with me, Bentley,” BG threw back.
We sat there in silence before smiles were cracked. These two challenging each other was traditional damn near. In BG eyes, Bentley was a son gained. I ain’t deal with niggas. Theyain’t know what being solid meant. This nigga beside me though, ain’t never made me question him. When he called me up to do business, I was all ears.
One thing I knew for certain was how long that nigga money was and vice versa. He wasn’t coming for nothing but guns and whatever else could put a nigga down. I had it all, so it wasn’t no thang to supply him. Hearing his wife cut off his last supplier let me know he was serious ‘bout this one, and her word was law. I respected him to the fullest for that ‘cause Linh’s word damn sho’ was with the Greek’s.
“Why you always trying to stretch me out? I been solid and you know this. Don’t make me tell Aunt Daisy what you doing,” Bentley threatened.
“Don’t nobody care what Aunt Daisy talking ‘bout,” BG said waving me off.
He respected Aunt Daisy the same way everyone else did. We were neighbors during my high school years, so she kept him in check. Me, Bent, and Ashaun was out there running the streets making bread. So much goddamn bread, my parents wanted to adopt Bentley at one point in time. They just knew he was their long-lost son or something.
Bentley pulled out his phone and went to scrolling. “Keep that same energy then. Let’s see what she say.”
BG reached across the table and snatched his phone out his hand. “You still worrisome. What you want lil’ nigga?”
His reaction caused everyone in the room to crack the fuck up. There was always gon’ be good times when Bentley was around. He was family at the end of the day. I stood and walked over to the bar while they talked.
“I ain’t want shit but a damn plate from Ma Linh. Don’t nobody be coming to see you, Otis,” he jested.
“Stay the hell away from my wife. She always get extra squeaky when yo’ black ass come around.” BG hated when mymama gave us too much attention, especially Bentley. We all knew ‘bout his parents, so she gave him extra love and care. My father wanted to lay hands and feet on him every time just because of that.
