My stomach flipped.
“And if a nigga even look at you too long, I’m on go,” he added, real calm. “Not ‘cause I’m insecure. That’s just the type of nigga I am, baby.”
A soft knock interrupted my thoughts, and I froze. Another knock came a second later, and my stomach tightened. Then I heard Knuck’s voice.
“Ny. Open this fuckin’ door.”
My heart started pounding.How the hell did he find me?
“N y ,”Is a i d, keepin’ my voice low even though my chest was still tight from the drive. “Open this fuckin’ door.”
I could hear movement inside, but she stayed silent. I leaned my head back against the wall for a second and exhaled slowly. I had spent the whole ride over here talkin’ myself down from kickin’ the damn door in. I rubbed my beard and knocked again. “Ny, I know you in there.”
More silence came, then finally the lock clicked, and the door cracked open a few inches. Nyomi stood there lookin’ at me wit’ red eyes and a tired expression that made my chest tighten instantly. I could tell her ass had been cryin’.
“How the hell did you find me?” Her voice was low when she spoke.
I pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped inside. “Credit card charge,” I said simply. “You forgot ‘bout the joint account?”
She rolled her eyes slightly and turned away from me, walkin’ back into the room. “I didn’t forget,” she muttered. “I just didn’t think you’d go digging through the bank like a detective.”
I closed the door behind me and looked around to see the crib sittin’ near the window. I walked over and looked down at him. My son was knocked out cold, his lil’ chest risin’ and fallin’ slowly. “He been good?” I asked.
“Yes,” Ny said behind me.
I nodded and rubbed my hand over my head before turnin’ toward her. She was sittin’ on the edge of the bed now, arms crossed, lookin’ at me like she was still decidin’ if she wanted me there or not. “I got half a mind to drag you back home…” I started to say, and she turned her nose up, noddin’ her head.
“The half of mind is right.”
“Turnin’ your fuckin’ location off like I’m not that nigga to fuck shit up behind you. Fuck is wrong wit’ you? You really was just gon’ disappear like that?”
She sighed. “I needed space, Keon.”
I walked closer slowly. “You ain’t see me hittin’ your line?”
“I wasn’t trying to argue so I put my phone on do not disturb.”
“You think this shit’s better?” I asked, spreadin’ my hands slightly.
Nyomi’s eyes flashed. “At least I’m not being embarrassed in public.” She stood up, eyes narrowed at me. “You walked into that restaurant acting like I wascheatingon you. Like… you caught me doing some foul shit.”
“You was sittin’ wit’ another nigga all smilin’ in this muthafucka’s face..”
“He is awedding planner.”
“He is still a nigga.”
She threw her hands up. “Oh, my God.”
“What?”
“You do this every time.”
“What the fuck do I do?”
“Turn everything into some territorial situation. That man was scared, Keon. I can’t believe you embarrassed me like that.”
I looked at her for a long moment. “Your ass embarrassed me, too.”