Kynessa looked at me. "Trigg, what the fuck was that?"
"That wasn’t shit you gotta worry about. It’s all good,” I told Kynessa as I watched Mya's back as she headed toward the exit.
"It seems like I should be worried, fuck you mean.”
"Nah you good. Like I said," I handed her the bags. "Go take Nova to the car. I'll meet you in a minute."
"Trigg—"
"Now, Ky."
She looked like she wanted to say something else but thought better of it. "Aight. But you better straighten this shit out 'cause I ain't gon deal with random bitches running up on me."
I didn't respond, I just headed for the exit that Mya and Yah-yah walked out of. She was almost at the parking lot, shorty was moving fast as hell. I caught up to her right before she crossed the street.
"Yo, Ya'Mya, hold up."
"Leave me the fuck alone, Trigg," she threw over her shoulder without stopping.
"Nah. Come here." My voice was commanding, not asking.
"I said leave me alone!" She kept walking, heading toward a car where Yah-Yah was already standing by the driver's side.
I moved quicker, getting in front of her and blocking her path. She tried to go around me but I side-stepped, keeping myself between her and the car.
"Move, Trigg."
"No." I crossed my arms over my chest, looking down at her.
"You gon' stand here and listen to what the fuck I gotta say."
"I don't wanna hear shit you gotta say—"
"That's my niece." The words came out flat. She froze, her face going from angry to confused.
"What?"
"You heard me the first time shorty. Her name is Nova and she’s my niece. My lil’ sister Tasha's baby. Tasha locked up right now, so I got custody of her." I stepped closer, crowding her space. "And Kynessa is my sister's best friend. She helps me out with Nova sometimes. That's it."
Shorty’s mouth opened and closed. I watched the realization hit her, then I watched her face flush with embarrassment.
"Oh," she said quietly.
"Yeah. Oh." I tilted my head, looking at her with amusement.
"You really thought I had a whole baby and baby mama and was still coming at you the way I been?" She looked away with her jaw clenched.
"How was I supposed to know—"
"You wasn't. But you shoulda asked." I reached out and gripped her chin, forcing her to look at me. My touch was firm, possessive.
"Instead you chose to show your ass in front of everybody."
"You let me—"
"'Cause I wanted to see how mad you'd get." My thumb brushed over her bottom lip. "Wanted to see if you really felt some type of way about a nigga. And you did, didn't you?"
She tried to pull away but I held her there. "Let me go."