Page 17 of Collateral Love
She turned to him.
“I think what you have is fragile,” she said gently. “And I think you deserve something sturdier, and I want to be a part of that. I don’t need to be the face. No one but y’all needs to know I’m involved. I would prefer to just be an engineer. ”
That gentleness almost threw me.
Almost.
“You talking about building?” I said. “But you ain’t said what happens when somebody tests us.”
Her gaze slid back to mine.
“Then you do what you do best,” she said. “And I make sure the fallout doesn’t touch the innocent.”
“Innocent?” I echoed.
She didn’t answer right away.
“My sister,” she said finally. “People like her don’t get second chances.”
Something cold settled in my chest.
Family.
That was the real currency, and I knew if she ever fuckin’ crossed me I would start by hurting her sister.
I nodded once. Slow.
“That fuck ass Nigga, Martin?” I said. “I’ll handle it.”
She inclined her head. “Good.”
“And if I find out you wrong?” I added.
She met my stare, unblinking.
“Then I accept the consequences.”
When we stood to leave, the balance between us had changed.
Not because she’d overpowered me but because she’dearnedher place.
I paid the bill. Xavier slapped the table once, still buzzing.
“You wild,” he said to her. “But I fuck with it.”
She gave him a small smile. “You’ll learn. Oh, and Xavier?”
“Yes,” he smiled. “Stay away from my fuckin’ sister.”
He smiled brightly. “No worries, Kenya, I got plenty of other hoes to play with.”
I stepped close to Kenya before we parted.
“You step wrong,” I said quietly, “and I won’t hesitate to kill yo ass.”
She looked up at me, calm as ever.
“I wouldn’t respect you if you did.”
