CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
NAJEE
Jackie had missed both of Max’s therapy sessions this week.
Including the mandatory breakout session.
Yet here she was, looking like she was smack dab in the middle of a lovers’ quarrel with Cassius.
Najee watched her knock over the bucket of ice, intentionally—onto Zambia and her annoying-ass entourage.
Ordinarily, Najee wasn’t one for chick drama.
But those bitches? They earned that splash.
Tonight, was his baby cousin Jamil’s twenty-first birthday, and the whole city had popped out—including the wolves.
That was exactly why Najee hated events that “brought the whole city out.”
Philly could turn dangerous quick, and even though the Amin-Rashid name carried weight, he still didn’t like being in spots where liquor, ego, and history all mixed together.
His family owned a good portion of the nightlife scene.
Jamil could’ve easily had the party at one of their spots, where security was airtight.
But Najee pushed the thought aside. Right now, he was just tired.
It had been a long-ass week. Back-to-back sessions at his Rittenhouse office, a panel at Drexel, clinic hours at his aunt’s school.
His head was buzzing. Still—family was family.
So here he was, against his better judgment, in a room full of people he didn’t trust. He’d promised himself thirty minutes.
Hit who he needed to hit, then slide. He was already halfway out the door in his mind when he noticed Jackie was still here—off by the bar, alone, staring into her phone like she wished she was anywhere but this party.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he stood.
Across from him, Cassius followed his line of sight.
His whole expression shifted—jaw ticking, shoulders locking, eyes narrowing.
“Where you about to go?” Cash asked, voice low but sharp enough to slice through the music.
Najee thought about keeping the peace and not saying anything.
Then decided against it. He was going to see about Jackie.
And he didn’t give a fuck who knew it. He hadn’t been able to get her off his mind since that night they ate takeout and peach cobbler on her floor.
The conversation had gone deeper than either of them meant it to.
He’d expected to see her this week for Max’s session.
He’d even looked forward to it. So when she didn’t show, he tried not to look too deep into it— even though he wanted to.
“I’m gonna check on Jackie,” Najee said, meeting Cassius’s stare head-on.
That got Cash on his feet so fast the table shook.
“Since when is that your fucking place? Najee didn’t flinch.
“Why does it matter to you? The woman you should be checking for is sitting’ right next to you. ” That did it.
The silence that followed was thick, and louder than the music and heavier than the bass.
Zambia slid in, voice all sugar and venom.
“Yeah, why are you so concerned, Cassius? You just saw what that ghetto bitch did to my dress.” Najee’s jaw flexed.
He didn’t look at her. Not once. But he clocked the way Cash did, like he wanted to say something but swallowed it.
Then Cassius caught himself. He leaned back in his seat and reached for his water bottle like it could wash the moment away.
“Let it go, Zambia,” he said quietly. “It was just water.” She blinked, thrown off, but didn’t push it.
Just muttered something under her breath, pulled out her phone, and started texting.
Najee watched his cousin a moment longer That restraint was tight, coiled, and deliberate.
He’d seen it before. Silence was Cassius’s version of self-control. But even his silence spoke volumes.
Najee didn’t sit back down. He stepped out of the section and scanned the room, looking for Jackie. When he finally spotted her, she was near the exit and moving quick. Najee followed.
Outside, the night air was damp and cool. Jackie stood by the valet line, pacing, muttering to herself. She spun when she felt him behind her, irritation flaring.
“What? Don’t tell me you came out here to chastise me?”
“No,” Najee said, voice steady. “Just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine.” She crossed her arms tight. “You don’t gotta play savior tonight.”
Najee’s mouth curved slightly. “Didn’t say I was.” “Then why you out here?” she snapped.
“Because I didn’t like the way shit went down back there.”
“Well, you sure as hell ain’t say nothin’,” she fired back. Najee’s jaw tightened.
“Wasn’t my place.” Jackie let out a bitter laugh. “Convenient.”
He didn’t bite. Just let the quiet sit heavy between them while traffic rolled by.
“You could’ve said something,” she pushed, eyes hard.
“You just sat there like the rest of them.” Najee tilted his head.
“And what exactly would you have wanted me to say? Comment on whatever tension you and Cassius got goin’ on?
Or the part where you dumped a whole bucket of ice on Zambia and her friends? ”
Jackie’s glare sharpened. “Don’t do that. Don’t make it sound like I lost control.” Najee exhaled slowly, the faintest smirk tugging at his mouth. “Didn’t say that either. Just sayin’… you handled it.”
“That’s the fucking problem,” she snapped, her voice cracking at the edges. “Everybody thinks I can handle shit. Sometimes I need—” She cut herself off. But Najee already heard the crack.
For a second, she looked like she might keep talking. Then she shut down again. Arms crossed, chin lifted. But he’d already seen it. He gave her a long, patient look, that usually made people uncomfortable because it meant he really saw them. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and honest.
“Alright,” he said quietly. “I shouldn’t have said it like that.” Jackie’s eyes flicked up, startled.
“I didn’t mean you had to handle it,” Najee continued.
“What I meant was… you shouldn’t have had to.
” She blinked. Once. Then again. “At least, not alone.” That stilled her, and for the first time since he stepped outside, she didn’t have a rebuttal.
Neither one of them tried to fill the silence with words.
Still, Najee could feel an energy shift.
It was softer now, and less hostile. Her arms were still crossed, but her breathing had slowed.
Najee didn’t move closer. He didn’t reach for her.
Instead, he stood there steady, giving her that rare thing most people never did, space to be seen without being picked apart.
Najee watched her shoulders loosen a little, the tension slipping out in small, uneven breaths.
Her eyes dropped to the pavement, lashes low.
“Yeah,” she said after a moment, voice quieter now.
“Well… that’s kind of my thing, right? Handle it. Figure shit out and keep it moving.”
Najee nodded once. “Maybe it doesn’t gotta be.
” Jackie’s lips twitched, like she wanted to argue but didn’t have the strength.
“You sounding real therapist-y right now.” He smirked, hands sliding into his pockets.
“Good thing I ain’t on the clock, then.” That earned him the smallest laugh, quick, reluctant, but real.
“Look,” she said, straightening a little.
“I appreciate you coming out here, but I’m good.
My Uber’s like three minutes away.” Najee’s brow lifted.
“Uber? Out here? In them heels?” She gave him a side-eye.
“What about my heels?” He stepped closer, tone easy but unshakable.
“Ain’t sayin’ nothin’ bad. Just sayin’… they deserve a smoother ride than that.”
Jackie’s lips curved, barely.
“You too smooth, Dr. Nigel.”
“Najee,” he corrected softly.
“Nah, I’m just practical. Let me get you home, unless you got somewhere else you’d rather be.” Jackie lifted a brow. “You tryna say something?” He shrugged, calm, almost teasing.
“Just sayin’, most people don’t leave a packed club early unless”
“Unless they never had any intention of coming to a packed club in the first place,” Jackie cut in, tone quick, dry, and straight to the point. Najee’s mouth curved. “That right?”
“Kormia told me this place was low-key,” Jackie said, rolling her eyes.
He let out a short, quiet laugh. “Luxe was supposed to be low-key?”
“She lied,” Jackie said flatly. “I wanted to catch a vibe, not a case.” That earned a real laugh from him, low and smooth. “Well,” Najee said, stepping closer, voice softer now, “it’s not too late.”
She looked up, one brow raised. “Not too late for what?” Najee nodded toward the curb, where his car waited under the traffic light. “To actually catch a vibe.
He paused, eyes steady on hers. “I might know a place.”