Chapter 14
Relic had fucked up when he gave Kennedy a credit card with no limit. A smirk stretched her glossed lips as she pictured his reaction to the dent she intended to make from her impromptu shopping spree that, according to Captain Tolliver, she deserved. Her eyes traced her shape in the white and lime green backless tennis dress that clung to her breasts and cinched waist while enhancing her thighs and ass. The exposed scars on her arm made her eyes roll before she shimmied out of it to toss in her purchase pile. Kennedy doubted she’d wear it, but the five-hundred-dollar price tag convinced her to cop it anyway.
“You aight in there?”
She froze at Lomar’s voice before rushing to slip on her jeans and tug her shirt over her head. Kennedy had blocked the day from client appointments to get her mind right, and he’d invited himself to meet her after she told him about her shopping plans.
“I’m coming out now,” she answered, stuffing her feet into the fresh sneakers her nephew had gifted her that morning just because.
As she scooped up two armfuls worth of clothing, the fact that she’d dug into Tekken’s ass for selling drugs crossed her mind. Kennedy had been so pissed with him for taking a path he didn’t have to, yet she’d turned around and did the same for Relic while knowing better. Her insistence to help a damn near stranger not end up like her brother had placed her between a rock and a hard place. Her head shook before she unlocked the dressing room door, strolling out while chastising herself for accepting a nearly impossible task she should’ve run from.
At the sight of her, Lomar stood from the small couch he occupied and grabbed her purse while hooking the bags she’d purchased prior on his arm. He eyed the newest items from her shopping binge.
“You’re getting all of that, too?”
“Yep. This is the last store, I promise. I need to get home because I still have to do my hair and figure out what I’m wearing.”
“Well, shit. One of the two won’t be a problem.” He held up the multiple bags, making her laugh as they meandered through the store and to the register. “Where did you say you were heading tonight again?”
“I didn’t say.”
Lomar chuckled and replied, “Let me rephrase that. Where are you heading out to tonight, mama?”
“If you must know, I’m going to the bar with one of the girls from the label.”
“Oh, word? Which one?”
“The one I’m going with,” she quipped, smirking as they moved up in line. “No, but for real, it’s the one who sings. Saucy. I don’t know her that well, but it’s kind of a business thing, so I don’t have much of a choice.”
“What do you have to do with the label? I thought that was your nephew’s lane. I didn’t know you were involved in that, too.”
“I wasn’t but...” Her sentence broke off as she searched for the best description of the unconventional arrangement Relic had conned her into. She found nothing.
“Oh, I get it. That nigga must got a thing for you, huh?”
“What?!” she shrilled, sputtering a laugh. “Hell, no. Relic has a million bitches to worry about, and I’m not one of them.”
“That’s what you think. I can bet you a hundred dollars he’s trying to make you his one million and one. Why else would he have his artist’s aunt that does hair doing shit for his label? If he ain’t sending her to sit in that salon chair you stay behind every damn day, then it doesn’t make sense, and you ain’t blind, Kennedy. I know you peep game when you see it.”
Her mouth pursed to not smirk and confirm his suspicions as she tossed her final round of clothing onto the counter when the sales associate fanned her forward with a smile. Kennedy watched the price on the monitor shoot up as the cute blonde with eyes that reminded her of Relic scanned the tags on her items.
“If that nigga is trying to press up on you, I ain’t worried about it.” Lomar circled back to their conversation as he leaned against the counter with a smug grin.
Kennedy slit her lids and folded her arms, giving his strapping build donned in a simple tracksuit a once over of appreciation before settling on his handsome face. That mischievous dimple materializing made her giggle.
“Why aren’t you worried, Lomar?”
“Because I feel like you have a type, and he ain’t it. I can’t see you ever fucking with a nigga who got his chain snatched but ain’t do shit about it.”
And just like that, her amusement vanished.
Kennedy took a breath and bit her bottom lip, conjuring up every ounce of cool she possessed so that she wouldn’t curse him the hell out. Relic had pissed her off to no end, but even still, she didn’t appreciate everyone running their fucking mouths about shit they didn’t know.
Niggas were quick to say what they wouldn’t do until they were in that position or worse and folded like bitches. Kennedy knew without a doubt; Relic was about that life. She was certain, he’d end a nigga and rest easy at night for the simplest infraction. The situation that had gone down at the club was tarnishing his reputation and giving the impression that niggas could disrespect and speak on his name without suffering consequences. If Kennedy had no genuine motivation to help Relic set up his scheme before; Lomar had sealed the deal.
“Tell me, Lomar. What would you had done if your chain was snatched? Mind you, no one even knows if that’s the real case, but entertain me.”
He chuckled and patted his hip. “I don’t keep that thang you saw me with for nothing, mama. I let my baby do the talking.”
“Hmm, a home appraiser by day and a real nigga by night. I hear you talking.”
Her eyes rolled as she snatched her purse from him, placing it on the counter to dig through it for her card. The sales associate glanced at the exclusive bag and clasped a hand over her chest as she swooned.
“Your bag is gorgeous! I’ve been saving up to purchase my first baby, and I can’t wait. I love your custom hardware, too.” The associate teased a finger across the charm link before asking, “What does the ‘B’ stand for?”
Kennedy flitted her eyes toward Lomar before fibbing, “I’m not sure, actually. It was a gift.”
“Wow. I need a man to buy me these kinds of gifts.”
The sales associate glanced at Lomar with a coy grin, and Kennedy tapped her card against the terminal, not even wasting her time with correcting the girl’s obvious assumption. If the bitch tried to sneak and holler at him to end up disappointed, that wasn’t her business.
“Uhh...” Kennedy frowned when the sales associate glanced at the monitor and informed her, “It was declined.”
“There’s no way in hell. Let me try it again.”
She waited until the machine instructed her to pay and then tapped her card, watching the trail of green dots light up before changing to red as the screen cleared. Her face heated, and the low chuckle Lomar made from beside her doubled her damn embarrassment.
“Can I make a call? I promise it will only take a minute,” she swore, rummaging through her purse for her phone.
Kennedy didn’t wait for an answer before she rushed to tap Relic’s name, which had taken over her call log since she’d been ignoring him for days. They’d met up at his lawyer’s office the day after their impromptu boat ride, where he kept his promise and she’d signed the contract for their sales agreement, but she had paid his ass dust since then. Relic had informed her of what her task with Sojourney entailed, so she didn’t see a need to converse about it further. She hadn’t planned to utter a word to him until the deed was done and she was washing her hands of their partnership.
“Is he picking up? Because we need to move aside if not, mama,” Lomar told her, gaining her attention. He moved closer before whispering, “These white folks looking at you funny.”
Kennedy’s first mind was to snap at him because she didn’t give a damn about the customers behind her. She held off after realizing the line wasn’t ringing.
“Hello?”
“Why’d it take me blocking my fucking card for you to pick up your phone?”
The mere sound of Relic’s commanding voice made her eyes shut as she exhaled to diffuse the brewing frustration with him that had her close to exploding.
“Relic, I’m in a damn line with people behind me who are waiting. I don’t have time for your bullshit. Unblock the business card.”
“Come see me.”
“Huh?” She heard him but his request threw her for a loop.
“I’m not too far from the mall you’re in. I’ll shoot you the address, so we can talk in person about how you got me fucked up. Only bring the pussy between your legs with you, too. If you bring the other one, I might use it for target practice.”
“My other pu—” Kennedy cackled before slapping a hand over her mouth once she caught on that Relic had heard Lomar. “You’re insane.”
“I’m very sane. The insane ones are the muthafuckas dumb enough to go against me. I see you still ain’t tell him who daddy is yet.”
“Unblock the damn card!”
“You got thirty minutes to get to me, Kennedy. Send that nigga on his way and hurry up.”
Three beeps made Kennedy gawk before she removed the phone from her ear to confirm he’d hung up on her. Her head tossed as she dropped it inside her purse and then pointed at the card terminal.
“I’m ready to try it again.”
The sales associate shot her a doubtful look but tapped a few buttons on the register before telling her to proceed. When it processed, the friendly blonde perked up with more excitement than necessary.
“Oh, thank goodness! I was worried you’d have to put back these pretty clothes. Does anything need to be gift boxed?”
“Nope.”
Kennedy kept it curt, swiping her purse and bags from the counter the moment the sales associate was done. She couldn’t wait to get to Relic and read him for filth for the stunt he’d pulled, but she was also anxious to know why he was so adamant about seeing her. Her stomach fluttered and pitted in the same instance because Relic had the tendency to either make her day or ruin it with ease. It pissed her off that she even gave a damn about seeing him because she’d lost count of the times she’d told herself to quit with him while she was ahead.
“Damn, you ‘bout to take off running, ain’t you? What’s the rush?”
“Oh, shit.”
Kennedy cursed under her breath and slowed her stride as they exited the store. Her mind was so one tracked that she’d forgotten about Lomar for a moment, and that sent up red flags because when it came to Relic, her senses clouded. She put the naivety she hadn’t experienced since her teens in check and plastered on a smile.
“I am so sorry. I had a business situation come up, so I have to meet Relic really quick before I head home, which is fucking up my time,” she rushed out in one breath. “I’ll hit you up once I’m done with Sojourney, if that’s cool.”
“Hit me up like?” He rolled his hand for more information, and she laughed.
“Nigga, don’t play dumb. I’m giving you another chance since you brushed me off the last time.”
His mouth twisted to one side before he rebutted, “Don’t act like you’re doing it for me, mama. You’re about to go out, get that liquor in you, and be horny as hell when you get home.”
“Which is usually the case, but I have you, so that shouldn’t be an issue for me this time, right?”
“Damn, right. Trust, I’m gon’ give you what you need.”
Lomar cupped her chin, tipping her head up to peck her plump lips as he tugged her closer. Kennedy angled her head and deepened their kiss, hoping he fucked as good as he used his mouth because she loved when they made out. She retreated and gave a soft smile after recalling how well Relic used his mouth to eat her out. He made it hard for her to even kiss a nigga in peace.
“Give me the rest of your bags. I’ll walk you to the car,” Lomar instructed, taking them before she could decline.
“You sure? I don’t want to rush you if you weren’t ready.”
“I’m straight, mama. I was here for you.”
He tossed an arm around her shoulder to guide her along, ending their debate as she smirked. Lomar was assertive, but she loved that he applied pressure and didn’t let her strong personality deter him. Even more, she peeped the stares they received from women who looked at her like she was tarnished or as if they were wondering how she bagged a handsome man like him with her glaring flaws. Lomar didn’t seem to notice. If he did, it didn’t move him, and she needed that small reassurance.
Their stride faltered when a few guys who knew Lomar spotted him, slowing to dap him up and exchange words in passing. Kennedy looked away when one of their scrutinous gazes wandered to her. Her stare coasted around the mall before stopping when she caught sight of a familiar face she hadn’t seen since their altercation during an interview that’d gone left. The bitch with her, Kennedy hadn’t seen since mere minutes before she was trapped inside a fire. Her heart rate skyrocketed off the charts as she glared at Ronnie and Mya chatting it up like long lost friends.
“Kennedy, you good? I thought you were in a hurry.” Lomar nudged her but she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
“I haven’t seen that hoe in two years, and she just comes back like shit is sweet.”
“What? Who the hell are you talking about?”
“Mya. The caramel one with braids and that ugly, ill-fitting jean romper on,” she described, making him chuckle. “I don’t like the bitch she’s talking to either.”
“Ronnie?”
“You know her?” Kennedy whipped her head around to glower at him. He shot up both hands in mock surrender.
“Aye, I don’t know what the hell y’all got beef for, and I don’t know her like that. She does my sister’s hair, so that’s where I’ve seen her.”
“Mhm. Either way, fuck that bitch. Let’s go before I spazz and end up in jail for whipping both their asses in this mall. I can’t wait to tell my girls this shit.”
Lomar smiled at the heated expression she wore before flinging an arm back over her shoulder to lead her toward the mall exit. He glanced back and peeped both girls craning their necks to see them as well. They’d either noticed Kennedy or were trying to verify if it was her.
“What you got beef with the Mya girl for?” he asked, holding open the door for her before following her lead to where she’d parked. “Let me guess, y’all used to be best friends and she did some shady shit.”
“I’d never be friends with her jealous ass. I worked at her salon for a few months when I first moved here, and she didn’t like me because I brought in hella clients off my social media. I guess she didn’t like the competition. Anyway, her salon was set on fire with me in it.”
Lomar stalled, inspecting her scars before saying, “Why do you blame her for it?”
“I don’t know how true it is, but people were speculating that she set the shit up for the insurance claim, which I doubt she got since I didn’t get paid a lick. She also disappeared,” she expounded while fishing her keys from her purse. After popping the trunk, she told him, “That bitch dipped out without so much as even checking on me or sending a word back. Nobody has seen her. Mya, and her cousin that my girl doesn’t fuck with, dropped off the map after that. I wonder if she’s back, too.”
“I’m sure you’ll find out. I didn’t want to say it while we were inside, but they saw you, too. I bet she’ll be reaching out on some petty shit soon.”
“She can try me if she wants to. The way my anger is set up lately, I’m liable to end up in handcuffs.”
Kennedy tossed her bags inside the trunk and waited for Lomar to do the same before she shut it. He went to open the door for her as she pulled out her phone to see where in the hell she was supposed to meet Relic.
“Call me once you get to the crib, Kennedy. Let a nigga know you got there safe, aight?”
“I will,” she muttered, sliding into her front seat. Her eyes flitted to Lomar when he didn’t move away from her door because he was so fixated on her phone screen. She held it out and offered, “It’s easier if you take the whole thing instead of snooping. You don’t have to worry about me chasing your ass for it if you do.”
“Man, take yo ass on. Stay off the phone and drive safe.”
Kennedy cracked up as she started her car while he shook his head and shut her door before heading back toward the mall’s entrance. Her mouth downturned a smidge since she figured he was leaving as well, but she didn’t trip about it. She glanced at the GPS to see where she was heading as she backed out.
The location was less than ten minutes away, causing her to frown before she tapped her dash screen since she doubted he lived in such a congested area. Relic liked his seclusion too much. As soon as the location’s name popped onto the screen, she spit out a laugh that held a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. Every bone in her body told her to leave his ass there waiting and head home because his efforts were for the wrong reasons. The fact that he knew where she lived dissuaded her because, after he showed his ass at her salon, she didn’t put it past him to pop up there next.
She made a mental note to relay the mall incident and Relic’s placatory gestures to Savvy but then thought of a better idea. When she slowed to a stop at a red light, she shot the group chat—that’d been dead since her grand opening—a text asking them to meet up with her tonight. Kennedy needed her girls back on one accord, so she decided to kill two birds with one stone. She doubted they’d decline her since they had been begging for her to come outside with them. More than that, she knew they were parched as hell for the tea on her and Relic.
Her amusement waned at the thought of him as she turned into the dealership where he’d demanded she meet him. It didn’t take long to spot him standing near the entrance with a salesman, his eyes dipping to the watch on his wrist and then the street. Kennedy noted the instance he spotted her because those piercing eyes beamed on her car as she parked, while his thick brows dropped and mouth balled. Even annoyed, he looked sexy as hell to her.
“You’re late!” he called out as she climbed from her car and stood beside it with crossed arms. “I told you, thirty minutes.”
“You’re complaining like you didn’t hold me up when you blocked the damn card, Relic. Not to mention, it’s heavy traffic in this area. What did you expect?”
“I expected you to not run my fucking credit card up for damn near twenty G’s or for you to do it with another nigga who ain’t even have the funds to pull out his own card to outdo mine.”
“Damn, I spent that much?” Kennedy asked, redirecting the conversation before it led to Lomar. Relic walked up on her and smirked, peeping game.
“You did, and I want every goddamn receipt because if you even bought that nigga a pair of socks, I’m reporting it as fraud. Yo ass is going to jail.”
She cackled, gripping her stomach in stitches as he stared at her with a straight face. Relic was serious as a heart attack, and Kennedy found it cute, but she found the fact that he thought she’d spend a single dime on a nigga even cuter.
“Relic, do I look like a bitch who’d trick off? Let’s be realistic here because you know better. I did get you something I saw that I thought was neat, though.”
He pointed a finger at his chest. “You bought me something?”
“Don’t get excited because, like I said, I’m not a trick. It’s cheap, but I thought of you when I saw it and had to get it. Unfortunately.”
She muttered the last part, but Relic gave her a pass since he was more invested in seeing what she bought him. He followed her to the trunk, rewinding years of his life to recall the last time a woman had thought to buy him something simply because he’d crossed their mind. Nothing came to him. His eyes lowered to his wristwatch that he hadn’t taken off since his mother had gifted it to him on his twenty-fifth birthday. Even after his heart had sunken at the inscription underneath—and he found out later that Shabu had paid the fee—he still hadn’t removed it. Relic wore it as a reminder of what Judith saw him as, and proof that he gave so much to everyone for nothing in return but loyalty. His cost seemed too much to most.
“Found it!”
Relic glanced up at Kennedy and rubbed his temple, feeling the faint throb that warned him of a brewing headache. He caught the concern that swept across her face before it vanished because he’d told her a thousand times over, emotions didn’t mean shit to him. The thought to add that to his short list of regrets crossed his mind as she held out a rectangular box for him to take.
He stared at it like it was a snake that’d bite him before he accepted it—unknotting the white ribbon tied around it before removing its lid. The thin, gold necklace nestled inside with three aligned charms in the shape of blue irises with black pupils caused his heart to flip flop on some sappy shit as his eyes flicked to Kennedy and then back to his unique gift. She didn’t have to tell him for him to catch onto her reason for buying it.
“It’s an evil eye,” she explained to him, although he was aware. “It reminded me of the story you told me about your cursed eyes as soon as I saw it. When I asked the lady in the store what the necklace meant, she said the opposite. She said it’s protection. The evil eye deflects negative energy and wards off bad luck. To me, it seems like your family has their own personal evil eye that protects them, brings them good luck, and constantly places them in a position to win. I figured maybe you could use one of your own to balance it out, so your energy won’t end up depleted.”
“I’m already there, Larenn.”
That confession spilled from Relic before he could contain it, but he didn’t care about expressing his feelings or coming off soft for once. Kennedy was a safe space. She was the woman version of Shabu—a person who’d hold him down even when they didn’t want to or who’d hate him but still protect him while ensuring his mental was intact.
He wasn’t ignorant to the fact that Kennedy should’ve been gone, yet she stood before him with passive eyes and a weakened defense she was strong enough to rebuild every time he crossed a line. She was the woman Savvy had told him that he needed. The one who wouldn’t become a doormat, who’d put him in his place, and who’d see him through his brazen flaws. A woman who’d slip from his grasp because he’d never give her anything outside of false illusions, dick, and cash. Relic hadn’t been taught to give much more than that.
Kennedy frowned as Relic’s expression morphed so fast that she couldn’t pick up on his reaction until his features relaxed and eyes grew empty. She bit her lip, knowing a million emotions were coursing through him that he’d never vocalize. His eyes flitted up when she eased the box from his hands to remove the necklace, tossing the box in her trunk before slamming it shut. She reached up to link the jewel around his neck and widened her eyes in mild shock when he bent down to let her.
“I thought you said it was cheap.” He grazed a hand over the gold piece before tucking it in his shirt for safe keeping. Kennedy cracked a smile.
“I caught it on sale, so it was a little under a thousand, and I spent twenty times that off your card, so it was a drop in the bucket. Fuck it.”
“Says the person with the shallowest pockets. We need to make this quick since you have moves to make later. My man over there is going to help you pick out a car.”
“I told you, I didn’t want a car. You can stop with the Blaise dust because it’s not necessary.”
“The what dust?” A genuine crack of laughter shot from Relic as he gripped his stomach from being called out on his swindling tactics. “What the fuck are you talking about, Kennedy?”
“Don’t get amnesia because you showed your hand before you played it! You know that glitter y’all sprinkle on shit to make it nice and shiny like gold. That’s what you’re doing, right? Making sure I don’t back out on you tonight.”
His thick tongue lolled out to lick his lips. “If that’s what you believe, yes.”
“That’s exactly what I believe, but you don’t have to. Luckily for you, I’ll do it for free. Lomar mentioned the chain snatching thing while we were shopping, and it pissed me off. They’re starting to underestimate you. When Koda did shit I felt was beneath his level in the game, he told me that sometimes niggas need a reminder. Remind them that you haven’t relinquished your thrown yet, Relic.”
“Oh, believe me, baby. I am.” A smirk played at one corner of his mouth before he tugged her toward him by the shirt and jested, “Now I see why we can’t work. You rather fuck a nigga who runs his mouth like a hoe.”
“No. I rather fuck a nigga who fucks me like a hoe but handles me like a delicate flower otherwise. Not one who plays with my damn head and thinks a car is supposed to fix it. I bet, you weren’t even going to offer me a good one. Probably assumed I want an ugly ass G-Wagon.”
That got a laugh out of him as he tossed both hands in the air. “Hey, I thought that was every boss bitch’s dream car.”
“I’m not just a boss bitch, Relic. I’m the boss bitch.”
“Because you’re fucking with the boss, so remember that part, Larenn. I got a lot of money to get rid of. Show my guy what you want, and it’s yours.”
“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, but I’m not turning it down again.”
With that forewarning, Kennedy traipsed off toward the dealership with the goal of purchasing the most expensive car that she liked. Relic was making it too easy for her to enjoy the fruits of his labor, but she’d learned the hard way that with every high also came the heart wrenching lows. She intended to have her fun with Relic for however long it lasted.
His hand brushing her marred arm as he trekked behind her made her flick him away like a fly. A shriek shot from her when he yanked her backward against his chest, clamping a hand around her neck while the other landed on her belly. Kennedy hoped he didn’t feel the burst of flutters that exploded there as his soft lips grazed her ear.
“I can’t touch you, Kennedy? How you go from begging me to feed that pussy to acting like it ain’t mine?”
His gravelly tone sent sparks straight to her clit that throbbed in response, and she pushed him away.
“Easy, and I’m handing over the title to another nigga tonight. Watch me work.”
“I’m not pressed about that bullshit you’re talking when I wrote my name all in it. Matter of fact, I can hear her calling me now. Daddy, daddy ...” he mocked, stooping down to put his ear near her pussy as she cracked the hell up. “Where he gon’ fit at? I know I stretched that lil’ muthafucka out.”
“That you did, but this lil’ muthafucka bounces back.”
Kennedy patted her pussy for added measure and then tapped a finger under his chin before she spun to strut away and catch up with the salesman. Relic cocked back a hand to smack her hard on the ass before she got far.
A bout of laughter shot from him when Kennedy didn’t give him the courtesy of a glance but lifted a finger to flick him off, making him fist his crotch for a squeeze to calm down. His amusement waned after realizing that her combativeness made his dick hard. There wasn’t much about Kennedy that didn’t, so Relic knew without a doubt, he was treading a fine line. He was letting emotions he’d bottled up and forgotten how to use seep out, and that wasn’t safe for either party.