“The Mind of a Manby Yasmin Cuevas.” I typed it into the search bar, and it populated on the screen. I scanned the excerpt and ordered one hundred copies to start. I pulled my ringing phone from my pocket, seeing Nichelle’s name on the screen.
“What’s up, baby?”
“Hey, where are you? You were supposed to be here an hour ago.”
“I came to show Kenz and Ru the bookstore. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Okay. Oh! Can you go across the street to Dairy Queen and get me a mixed waffle bowl with chocolate fudge?”
I shook my head. “I’m on my bike, Nich.”
“They can put it in a container and bag it up. I’ve been craving it all day! Please, baby? I’ll suck your dick real good if you do.” She whispered the last part, and I chuckled.
“The shit will be melted by the time I get there. I got you later since we won’t be staying there long.”
“Ugh. Okay. Hurry.”
I hung up just as I heard the engine of a motorcycle. Ruger and I both stood, thinking a nigga was being bold enough to touch our shit, but I noticed Kaylani’s boyfriend, Jeremy or Shooter, whatever the fuck his name was, pulling his little ugly-ass 2010 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic in front of my store.
I frowned because I didn’t like that nigga.
Nichelle introduced us when I first moved there at some family function they were having. The nigga rubbed me the wrong way as soon as I saw him being aggressive with Kaylani. I didn’t get in their business, because I didn’t really care about what the fuck they had going on, but Nichelle told me the nigga was possessive and arrogant. I guess because he saw my colors, he got it into his head to ask questions about my motorcycle club, like he was interrogating me or some shit.
I politely told his ass not to speak to me. I didn’t fuck with niggas, especially niggas like him who liked to put hands on females and walk around like he was God. I always told Nichelle to keep his ass from around me before I put him down like the rabid dog he was.
The only reason I let Kaylani work here was because she was in her last year of college and needed the extra money. Otherwise, I would have turned her down just from who she was associated with.
“Trouble?” Ruger asked in a low tone.
“Lightweight.”
He nodded as Kaylani grabbed her stuff from behind the counter. “I’m headed out. You want me to lock up?” she asked.
“I got it,” I told her.
“Okay. Shoot, let me use the restroom first, then I’ll be out.” She set her things back down and headed toward the back, to the restrooms. I shut down the computer I was on, turned off the lights, and closed the blinds. Kaylani returned from the back, and we all left the store.
“What up, Grue?” Jeremy spoke.
I ignored his ass and locked the door to my store. I could hear him chuckle just as Ruger and Kenzi got on his bike.
“We’ll see you at the barbecue, mayne,” Jeremy said.
I looked at him, then hopped on my bike. I didn’t know if he thought I was playing when I told that nigga not to speak to me, but obviously, he didn’t catch the hint.
I hopped on my bike, turned up the Wayne track, and pulled off on his goofy ass.
When we got to the park, I realized I was only giving this shit twenty minutes of my time. The bikes lining the parking lot full of niggas, the crowd of people under the shed, and loud music had already overstimulated me. Ruger and I parked on the other side of the parking lot and got off our bikes.
“Twenty minutes, and we out,” I said to Kenzi and Ruger.
“Sounds like a plan.” I could see his guard was up already, so staying any longer than twenty would be suicide if one of these niggas stepped out of line.
I led the way across the park to where Nichelle stood by the table where the food was, talking to some nigga I didn’t know. Her ass was smiling a little bit too hard for my liking. I quickly assessed him and saw his vest with the name Flo Ridaz across his back, and his club colors and president etched into it.
Yeah, fuck that twenty minutes.
I strolled over to them casually and wrapped my arm around her waist, startling her.