Page 145 of Own It

Though Rakim used to box, too, he was never our father’s favorite because he never allowed my father’s advice or demands to leave the ring and melt into his personal life. Additionally, they’d fought our whole teenage life—Rakim usually taking a severe ass beating—and into adulthood whenever Nate disrespected our mother, until finally Rakim defeated him. They fought a few more times after, with Nate coming out as the loser, so he eventually gave up on sparring with Rakim.

“Don’t I know it.” Rakim huffed, putting boxes on the dolly.

“Only you can fight Ayan ’cause Pops don’t know if he can take you anymore,” I half joked, even though the shit was pretty much true.

We guffawed in unison.

“And you ain’t have to tell me you didn’t approve of what Ayan did. I already knew the shit. Zaire told me as much.”

I bobbed my head then got to helping him, deciding on my next fucking move. I either needed to kill Darron or get my shit together. Maybe a nigga would do both.

FOURTEEN

daylin

“After this box, we can call it a night and start back on fulfillment, Monday,” I told my team to which they clamored in response to say they understood.

“Day, you have a visitor here to speak with you.” My assistant Petra jogged up behind me en route to my office.

“Who?” I frowned, thinking most likely it was Rakim, and after such a busy day, I could use a dose of him.

“Morgin?” She frowned, attempting to read me and see if I knew her.

“My old assistant. Tell her to kick rocks please.” I was about to continue my stride until Petra spoke up.

“I told her you didn’t accept impromptu visitors at the warehouse, but she insisted and stated that it was important.” Petra clenched her teeth, and I could sense she was hoping she hadn’t made a mistake.

“Okay. I told them after this box here—” I pointed to it—“we were gonna end the day and start back up on Monday since after that box, it’s only orders that were placed twenty-fours ago,” I explained.

“Got it.” Petra walked right over to where my staff was fulfilling orders and got right in with them as I made my way toward the front door of my warehouse.

I couldn’t think of shit Morgin had to say to me, but maybe the bitch came back for a round two of getting her ass beat. As frustrated as I was with all these orders and impatient customers who were inquiring on their shipments, despite our shipping time being clear as day on the site, I could use a punching bag in the form of Morgin’s disloyal ass.

“Yes.” I stepped outside where Morgin was standing, looking like she’d seen better days.

Instead of being dipped in perfume, makeup, jewelry, and the latest fashions, she wore leggings, a crop top, a jean jacket, and her usually bouncy silk press looked greasy and stringy. I didn’t catch a whiff of any floral or fruity scents peppering the air, so I could assume she didn’t put on any perfume like usual. Morgin would typically leave her scent behind for days because she put on so much fragrance, so this was odd for her. Clearly the bitch was stressed.

“I think I’m owed a check.”

“No, you got your check. You cannot be serious.”

“I did, but it was a little short because I had some leftover vacation time.”

“No you didn’t. I just applied it to those days you didn’t show up to work nor did you call to inform me you wouldn’t come. So you got all of your money. Now is that it?”

Exhaling and looking off momentarily, she focused back on me and said, “Day, I am so sorry.” She held her hands in prayer mode, irises glistening with sorrow. “I know I fucked up and you hate me, but you know I loved Delicacies almost as much as you, so if you could put that aside and rehire me, I would truly appreciate it.” Her lids lowered for a moment as she sniffled. “I would even work the assembly line. I don’t have to be right under you like before, especially since I see I’ve already been replaced.”

“No, Morgin. This isn’t Target or some big ass corporation where I have to push my feelings aside and leave personal shit at home. You fucked my man, and I don’t want a bitch who fucked my man working for me. I don’t even want a bitch who fucked my nigga in the past before he met me working for me, so damn sure not while I was with him.”

She nodded.

“I get that, but be honest, Daylin, you were about to leave him. I mean you ran off with a whole nother nigga and⁠—”

“First of all, I didn’t run off with a nigga. Second, what I do in my relationship or to my man doesn’t give my assistant the right to go fuck him. Because if I fucked your man due to the fact that I thought you weren’t treating him right, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t be okay with that shit. Lastly, something you and Shaun seem to fucking forget, y’all were fucking each other almost the entirety of our relationship before I did anything. So let’s stop pretending like you two only came together because I was fucking around on him. If anyone knows that isn’t true, it’s you, bitch.”

“You’re right. I’m gonna be real with you, Daylin. I need this job. I’m in a predicament that I need to take care of ASAP.”

“Apply somewhere else, Morgin.”