Kyrie Maddox
I looked down at Sianni, watching the way her lashes brushed against her cheeks while she lay in my arms. Seeing her like this, all soft and vulnerable, had me feeling some type of way.
I couldn't help but admire her. She had a point about me needing to talk, but my mind was already somewhere else.
I wasn't saying a word to the folks. I already had a mental list of the hitters I met when I first touched down here; I knew for a fact they’d handle that nigga for me without a second thought.
A light knock at the door broke my focus. I didn't even have to look up to feel my blood start to simmer. My cousin walked in, but it was the goofy-ass girl trailing behind him that really set me off.
I watched her through narrowed eyes, my jaw tightening as she waltzed into the room like she belonged.
I didn’t know why the fuck he even brought this hoe.
She wasn't here to check on a soul; I could tell by the fake-ass look on her face that her energy was completely off.
It was only a matter of time before she showed her true colors, and I was just waiting for her to trip up.
“Wassup, cousin?” He walked over to the side of my bed with a lopsided grin on his face.
I forced a dry, breathless laugh, my arm instinctively tightening around Sianni just a little more. “Hey, man.”
“You good?” he asked me.
“Yeah, I’m straight.” I nodded.
I was lying; I wasn’t good. I was mad at the fact that this nigga had caught me lacking, and on top of that, I was mad that he had shot me in my fucking arm.
Now I was going to be down for a lil’ minute.
Football was my life, and the fact that I was going to be down and not able to do shit for some months really had me ready to say fuck it and handle this nigga on my own.
“Good. You know who did this shit?” Marvin asked, giving me a look that said he was ready for whatever.
One thing about my cousin: he was a rider, through and through. He was the definition of “step when it’s time to step.” Folks looked at him and thought he was soft, but the nigga didn’t have a drop of hoe in his blood. Although he was a bitch when it came to the hoe he was with.
“Yeah, I know exactly who did it.” I nodded, keeping my voice low. I didn’t want to move too much. Sianni was out cold, her head resting against me, and I wasn’t about to wake her up. She was sleeping good as hell, looking peaceful for the first time all night.
“Aight then, who was it?”
“We ain’t talking about that right now. Later.” I cut my eyes over to Alexia. I wasn’t about to discuss business in front of his hoe. I didn’t want her to know a damn thing about me; it was bad enough she already knew the play between Sianni and me. “Hey, Alexia. Let me ask you something.”
“Yeah? Anything,” she said, flashing me a smile that was fake as a three-dollar bill. I didn’t want that shit; she could keep it.
“You been running your mouth about what Sianni and I got going on?”
“No,” she said, her head shaking a little too fast. “Besides, who am I going to tell?”
I let out a dry laugh. This bitch really thought she could play dumb with me. “You know exactly who you’d tell. Your damn brother.”
“No…” she shook her head again, acting like she was offended. “I’d never do that to my girl. I know she’s done with Amani. I can see she’s happy.”
“Uh-huh.”
I didn’t believe a word coming out of her mouth.
She was lying her ass off. She might not have hit Amani’s line yet, but she was up to no good.
I could feel it. I’d seen the way she looked at Sianni when she thought nobody was watching.
I didn’t know what her beef was, but the bitch was flaw as hell.
“Let me ask you one more thing, then.”
“Okay,” she replied, her voice going up a notch.
“What’s your real issue with Sianni?”
“What do you mean?” Her eyes darted around the room, looking everywhere but at me.
“Why you be looking at her like you have a problem? Like you waiting for her to fall?”
“I don’t look at her like nothing!” she snapped back, trying to play it off. “Kyrie, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Sianni is my girl. I’d go to the moon and back for her.”
I just laughed. The lies were dripping off her tongue.
“Well, cuzzo… I’ll let you and my cousin-in-law get some rest. I’ll see y’all at the house,” Marvin jumped in, clearly trying to ease the tension before I really went off on his woman.
“Aight.”
“Yeah, and tell those big-ass niggas in the hallway to chill.” Marvin chuckled, trying to find his ego again. “One of ’em grabbed my shirt and almost got his ass beat. He’s lucky I didn’t have my piece on me.”
I grinned. “Aight, bruh. I got you.”
“Good. I’m out. Love you, man.”
“Love you too,” I said, dapping him up as best I could from the bed.
Once they cleared out and the door clicked shut, the room went quiet again.
I shifted lightly, pulling Sianni closer until she was tucked right into my side.
I couldn’t believe she’d slept through that whole back-and-forth, but I was glad she did.
I kissed the top of her head, finally letting my own eyes close.
I was tired as hell, but with her in my arms, I could finally drift off.
TWO DAYS LATER…
I was happy as fuck to be rolling up in my driveway. Getting the hell out of that hospital was the only thing on my mind all morning; that tiny-ass bed they had me in was uncomfortable as hell, and the smell of bleach was starting to piss me off.
Sianni put the car in park and hopped out, coming around to my side before I could even reach for the handle with my good arm.
She reached in, offering me her hand to help me steady myself.
I looked at her hand, then up at her, feeling a way about the whole situation.
I was used to being the one opening her doors and handing her down, but the roles had flipped.
“Shawty, next time, let me get out of the car and help you,” I grumbled, stepping onto the pavement and leaning into her just a little more than I actually needed to.
“And how you gonna do that with one arm, Kyrie?”
She arched a brow, and I could see the corners of her mouth twitching. Her ass wanted to laugh so bad she was practically vibrating, but she held it in.
“Damn, you actin’ like a nigga handicapped or something.” I sucked my teeth, cuttin’ my eyes at her while she tucked herself under my good shoulder to lead me toward the front door.
“I mean, you kind of are.” She let out a light laugh, tossing her hair.
Her hair slung around, catching me right across the face.
The smell of whatever fruit and floral magic she put on it hit my lungs, smelling good as shit and instantly calming my nerves.
She didn’t wait for a comeback, either. She just turned and headed for the house, putting that little extra twist in her step that she knew I liked.
I followed her inside, the heavy scent of home-cooked seasoning hitting me the second I crossed the threshold. It smelled like heaven in here. As I made my way into the kitchen, I stopped in my tracks. My girl had the whole counter covered with food everywhere.
I leaned against the doorframe, watching her move around. My arm was in a sling, and my body was aching, but seeing her handle business in my kitchen made me realize that even if I was a little banged up, I was still the luckiest nigga in the city.
I scanned the spread laid out on the table, then cut my eyes back to Sianni. “Damn, ma. When the hell did you have time to do all this?”
“I started on it early this morning, but Mrs. Hill came through and helped me with some of it,” she said, moving around the kitchen with a focus that had me watching her every move. “So, I can’t take all the credit.”
“Mmhm.” I leaned against the counter, my arm still feeling the weight of the sling, but my mind was elsewhere. “Where’s my cousin?”
“He hasn’t made it yet. He and Alexia went to a hotel.”
I stopped mid-lean, my brow pulling together. “A hotel?”
“Yeah.” Sianni paused, turning to face me with her hands on her hips.
She cut her eyes at me, that sharp look she gets when she’s trying to get to the bottom of something.
“Mrs. Hill said Alexia didn’t want to stay here last night.
Said something about you made her feel uncomfortable. Kyrie, what did you do?”
A slow, wicked smirk crept across my face. I didn’t even try to hide it. “I didn’t do nothing,” I lied, the silk in my voice probably giving me away. “Why don’t you ask that hoe what she did?”
“I did. I called her, and she stood on the fact that she didn’t want to stay because of you. Now, I’m gonna ask you again. What did you do?”
I let out a low, husky laugh and bit down on my bottom lip, my eyes trailing over her. She was sexy as hell when she was trying to drill me, all serious and pressed. I took a step closer, letting the tension in the room thicken.
“I asked her what her issue was with you,” I said, my voice dropping an octave. “She kept trying to play it off like she was cool, but a blind person could see she isn’t rocking with you the way you’re rocking with her.”
I watched Sianni’s face change as the words landed.
I knew what it was. Sianni looked at that girl and saw a sister, but Alexia looked at Sianni and saw everything she wanted but couldn't have. Jealousy was a hell of a drug, and Alexia was overdosing. I’d pressed her about it last night, watching her squirm and play dumb like she didn’t know what the fuck I was talking about. We both knew the truth.
But it was cool. Real always recognizes fake, and eventually, that light was gonna shine on her true colors.
Sianni shrugged, her shoulders dropping just a fraction. “I’ve been sensing she was distant… I just didn’t want to believe it. We’ve been friends for too long.” She shook the thought off, a small smile returning to her lips. “But it’s cool. I got a new friend anyway.”
“Mmhm. So, you and Drayla gonna be kicking it more now?”
“Yeah, I don’t see why not. She was there for me last night, Kyrie. She came through and made sure I was straight.”
I nodded, feeling a bit of that tension in my chest loosen. “That’s good. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”
“Yup.” She reached for a plate, the smell of the food hitting me again. “Now come on and eat. I’m starving, and I’m not about to sit here and wait for your cousin any longer.”
I laughed, shaking my head as I watched her fix our plates. She was a queen in every sense of the word, and if I had to be the villain to keep the snakes away from her, then so be it.
She finished fixing our plates and brought them over to the table, sliding into the seat right beside me. She had this little smirk playing on her lips that I couldn’t ignore.
“What the hell are you smiling about?” I asked, tilting my head to the side as I studied her face.
“You.”
“What about me?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head, her eyes sparkling. “Now, do you need me to feed you?”
I let out a soft laugh, a smirk pulling at my own mouth. “Hell yeah.”
That had always been a nigga’s dream, having a woman like her actually take care of me like that.
As she sat there, holding the fork to my mouth, the sound of the doorbell cut through the vibe.
A second later, I heard the front door open, followed by the heavy footsteps of my cousin and the woman he was with.
“Kyrie, promise me that you’ll be nice,” Sianni whispered, leaning in close before they could make it to the kitchen.
I didn’t even hesitate. “I can’t make that promise, Ma,” I replied, my voice low and steady. “Because I don’t know how to be nice to hoes.”
The words had barely left my mouth before she broke out into a quiet, stifled laugh.
“Kyrie!”
“What?” I shrugged, my smirk only widening.
“Stop it.”
“I didn’t do nothing.”
Before she could even try to check me again, Marvin and Alexia stepped into the kitchen.
“Wassup, cousin?” I greeted him, my voice cool.
“Wassup, man. Y’all got it smelling good as fuck in here,” Marvin said, his eyes jumping between me, Sianni, and the spread on the counter.
“Yeah, my baby put it down,” I said. I kept my eyes on him for a second before shifting my gaze. I cut my eyes over at Alexia, letting the silence hang for a minute until it got uncomfortable. “Wassup, jealous bitch?”
The words hit the room like a dead weight.
“Kyrie!” Sianni reached under the table and hit my leg, but I caught the sly smirk she was trying to hide.
I knew her ass wanted to laugh, but she was out here trying to save face while I was out here speaking the truth.
“What, bae?” I asked, smirking.
“Stop it.”
“Big Daddy sorry. Do you forgive me?” I asked, letting a slow, wicked grin spread across my face. I caught her eye and dragged my tongue over my bottom lip, watching for her reaction.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Alexia over there fuming, probably wishing she could disappear, but she wasn’t bold enough to speak on it.
“I’ll think about it,” Sianni replied, her eyes dancing with that playful attitude that I loved.
I let out a low laugh and started to lean in. I wanted to grab her, to pull her body against mine, and slowly show her how sorry I was, but my damn arm caught in the sling reminded me to play it cool. If I weren’t locked on this brace, I’d probably be all up in that.
She shook her head, laughing under her breath before she finally leaned in and pressed her lips to mine.
“Aight, bruh, get a fucking room.” My cousin groaned, shaking his head while he focused on fixing his plate.
“I got plans, nigga. You need to do the same.” I cut a smirk toward him, then let my eyes drift over to his girl. She was over there rolling her eyes so hard that them hoes might’ve got stuck if she kept doing it.
This bitch was mad as fuck, and I didn’t give a single damn.
“Aight, Kyrie, come on. Let’s finish eating,” Sianni said, nudging me back toward my plate.
“Aight, Ma.”
I went back to eating, but my mind was already three steps ahead. As soon as I cleared my plate, I needed to get my cousin alone. It was time to tell him everything that was going down.