Save Room for Us (Crenshaw Kings #7)

1. Anastazia Chase

SOME TIME LATER…

“The defendant’s bail will be set in the amount of one million dollars.” The judge banged the gavel, and though I was happy to get bail granted, the amount was way too fucking high, so I didn’t get why Bashar was smiling.

“Who has one million dollars, Bashar?” I frowned.

“Your Honor, the defendant shot her boyfriend six times. I don’t think she should be allowed back into society!” the prosecutor, who I already didn’t like, Emilia Finley, shouted back.

“Miss Chase has no criminal history, no access to private planes, so is therefore not a flight risk, and has a young child that still nurses. She will be granted bail, and I don’t want to discuss it any further,” Judge Herringbone replied. That old white lady was quite scary, making Prosecutor Finley retreat and pack up.

As Finley walked out, Bashar explained, “We only have to pay ten percent, so don’t worry about that shit.”

“That’s one hundred thousand dollars.” I chuckled humorlessly.

“I know, love. I can count. See you in a bit.” He walked out as the guard escorted me to the back in order for me to be taken back to the jail so I could be processed out.

An hour later and I was free. I hadn’t spent much time in the jail, only a few days, and that was because Cedric had beaten me so badly, I had to stay in the infirmary for a long while. Bashar assured me, though, that this would help me tremendously in the trial, and how smart I was to let him get a few hits in before I shot him. While I agreed initially, as I limped to the black truck he and Analicia were sitting in, waiting on me, I wasn’t too sure.

Bashar opened the back door for me and assisted me into the back seat with my adorable nephew Benton. I smiled at him as he slept soundly, fat cheeks on full display. I couldn’t help myself as I leaned over to peck his cheek gently as to not wake him.

“How are you feeling?” Analicia turned in her seat a bit to look back at me.

“Good as I can be, considering I had three broken ribs, a fractured face, and deep bruising on my neck from being choked.”

“Ugh, I’m so happy you shot his ass.” She huffed, making us all chuckle subtly.

Bashar stopped for me to get something to eat, and then we ended up at my mother’s home.

“Thank you.” I opened the door to get out and noticed Bashar exiting as well.

Coming around to help, he walked me up toward my mother’s home and said, “Few things to update you on, Stazi. I was able to get the courts to grant temporary custody to your mother, so Sophie has to reside here. But you also must reside here or anywhere but home, because your residence is a crime scene, and at the moment, you can’t live in that muthafucka. Lastly, as far as work, your license has been suspended temporarily as well, so you can’t practice right now.”

“Oh.” I bobbed my head up and down slowly, in disbelief and confusion.

A part of me was thankful as far as Sophie went because I didn’t know what the court’s plans were and was hoping they didn’t grant Cedric’s family custody for the time being. However, not being able to work or live in my home was something I hadn’t taken into account. I just wanted Cedric’s ass out of here.

“Yeah, but don’t worry. All this shit is gon’ work out in ya favor, aight?”

“Okay.” I half smiled.

“Lastly, is there anyone you told about Cedric’s abuse? I know you didn’t tell Leeci anything, but I figured since you’d covered all bases as far as this shit went, maybe you planted something in someone’s head.”

He was right. I did just that, making sure I had somewhat of a witness to all Cedric had done. I knew Analicia wouldn’t be good enough because everyone would assume, as my sister, she’d lie for me. But Jacinta was sort of a mutual party. Sure, she was my coworker and work friend, but she wasn’t my bestie or someone I hung out with outside of work, so in my eyes, she was perfect.

“I did.” I nodded. “My coworker Jacinta. I told her about him hitting me and a few other things.”

“Jacinta…”

“Proctor. I even showed her some of the photos in my phone.”

“Nah, I know who she is. I reached out to her when I found some of ya texts to her. I was about to say Jacinta refused to testify on yo’ behalf.”

“Huh?” I frowned. “Did she say why?”

This sounded nothing like the Jacinta who’d rubbed my back and sent me words of encouragement all the time. She’d even often said she would have my back if I wanted to leave Cedric, so it confused me as to why she didn’t want to assist me with this very important attempted murder trial.

“Nah, she didn’t. She just said she ain’t want to and hung up on a nigga. Did y’all get into it or some shit? From her tone and her responses, she came off to me like she ain’t fuck with you.”

I chuckled, glancing off down the street for a moment before focusing back on Bashar, almost expecting to see a joking smile on his face. But no, he was serious, awaiting my reply, and I could tell he was just as puzzled as I was.

“Jacinta Proctor?” I queried to be sure.

“Yes. I got her number straight from ya phone.”

“Um, alright then, no. I don’t um, have anybody else. I only told her and showed her pictures.”

“Aight. You straight, don’t worry.” Bashar swaggered off, leaving me standing in my mama’s grass bewildered.

When I finally snapped out of it, I waved bye to Analicia through the window and hated the look of sorrow she wore as she watched me, waving lazily back.

Lord, shit was not going well, but any life I got that wasn’t spent with Cedric was worth the hardship.

I spotted Jacinta getting into her Mercedes and pulling out of the hospital parking lot. Starting my vehicle, I trailed her all the way to this sandwich shop she loved to eat at. We parked virtually at the same time, so I quickly hopped out and jogged to catch her ass before she could enter the eatery.

“Hey, Jacinta.” I tugged on her arm, and when she turned to look my way, her surprised expression quickly turned to one of annoyance. “What is going on?” I asked.

“With?” She folded her arms.

“You. Us. My lawyer said he contacted you to testify for me and tell what you know about my abuse, and you refused?” I posed it as a question despite knowing for sure Bashar wasn’t lying or mixed up in any damn way.

“Look, I can’t, and I won’t.”

“Why? I get not wanting to be mixed up in this type of shit, but I need you, Jacinta. You are the only person I told about what was happening to me,” I admitted, hating that I’d done such a thing, but I’d made no other real friends at work.

“How convenient.” She scoffed.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s mighty strange that you only told me and not even your sister and mother who you claim to be so close with. Why is that, Anastazia?”

Sighing, I glanced off for a moment, then back at her. “Because I knew they would get upset and make things worse.”

I was half lying, but part of that was true. As explained, Jacinta was a more reliable witness for me versus my sister or mom, who would always ride for me and do what was needed to be sure I was free.

“I didn’t want to have to tell you in this way, but me and Cedric have been messing around for a while now. In fact, this is his baby.”

I stepped back from her out of reflex, feeling betrayed beyond belief but not because she was fucking my man. I felt betrayed because I’d confided in her, and she was a shoulder to lean on, all while fucking the very man causing me so much harm and distress.

“You’re lying,” I said, hoping I was right.

“No, I’m not. The whole time you were telling me about him beating you and terrorizing you, I knew it was lies, but I felt bad for you. He told me all about how crazy you were and how you pretended he was abusing you to get sympathy from people. He told me how he tried to leave you so many times, but you threatened to kill yourself or tell the world he was beating you.

“So see, you don’t want me to get on that stand, Anastazia, because it will blow your little case wide open. I know you shot Cedric because he was probably trying to leave your ass again for the umpteenth time. He’s a good man, and I knew he was, which is why when you first started complaining about him, I sought him out, and we’ve been together ever since.”

I stood there before Jacinta, damn near hyperventilating. I couldn’t believe this shit and that I had somewhat trusted her. It wasn’t too shocking that Cedric would fuck with her, though, because he would do anything to make me feel like shit, and fucking a coworker of mine would surely do that if I still gave a fuck or loved him. I found it funny, though, that the dynamic he claimed we had sounded an awful lot like some people named Bashar and Nixi.

“You know, I thought you had more sense than to be blinded by a nigga like Cedric, but I see you’re a typical dumb bitch that will take a piece of a man just to say you have one. Even if he is a bum,” I spat.

“Bitch, please! I ain’t got a piece; I got the whole fucking thing! He didn’t want you, but you couldn’t let the shit go, and now my man is in a coma while I’m pregnant!” She barked back.

Unable to control myself, I hit her in the face. Jacinta’s head popped back, and she immediately removed her purse from her shoulder and swung it at me. While she kept swinging that purse, I punched her in the face repeatedly, causing her to grab onto my shirt. We swung around in circles, me pounding her face and her horribly maneuvering that purse to hit me with instead of using her hands, blocking the entrance of the sandwich shop.

Even as I heard someone from inside tell us to move whilst calling security, I continued to beat that bitch’s face in.

“Hey!” I heard what sounded like a burly man bark at us, before coming over to pry my hands from Jacinta’s hair.

“You are fucking crazy, just like he said!” Jacinta screamed, her once perfectly poised bun now loose and all over the place.

“Hey!” The security yelled again but now at Jacinta, pointing at her like an upset mother readying to chide a child.

“Bitch, keep talking, and I will show you crazy!” I hollered over his big ass arm as he continuously nudged me in the opposite direction of Jacinta.

Finally, he gripped my shoulders to steady me and looked down into my eyes. Recognition hit him, and I didn’t know why until I remembered why I was even here approaching lying ass Jacinta. My face and Cedric’s had been all over the news.

“Aye, aren’t you?—”

I snatched from him abruptly before he could finish his sentence and darted off to my car. I didn’t realize it until now that people would know me when I went out. I could no longer do things like a normal person, because every time someone turned on the news, there my face was in that horrifying mugshot. And I admit, I looked crazy and broken.

Sitting in my car, I thought back to everything I told Jacinta and all the times I’d actually thought she was a friend, when the whole time she was running back to Cedric, telling him everything. It all made sense as to why whenever I would show her a photo of my injuries, Cedric would be gone all night and then come home the next day irate. At the time, I was just happy his ass didn’t come home. I didn’t too much think about the details and puzzle pieces.

Covering my face with my hands, I could do nothing but weep.

I stepped out into the backyard of the St. Thomas residence, seeing the party going on was in full effect, as “The Largest” by BigXthaPlug played from the speakers situated in the back. Everyone was here tonight, including Yolani, which was a nice treat.

As many times as I’d been around her at this point, I still got starstruck. Even in person, she just looked like somebody. She wore a dress at the moment, and though her body had always been it, the baby had somehow improved on a body that didn’t need improving.

But stranger than seeing Yolani just chilling as if she were a normal person was seeing Cemone in love. Currently, she was seated in his lap, both parties smiling as they kissed every so often. I felt like I was in the wild, seeing the most unseen shit right now.

“You came!” Analicia rushed over to me, making me grin.

“Yeah. I figured it was safe to get out and come here. Plus, I need fresh air. Mama is driving me crazy,” I joked, making her giggle.

“Probably driving my baby Sophie crazy too,” she replied, and we chortled in unison.

“Where is Benton?” I quizzed.

“Inside and upstairs with his grandparents and his cousins.” She beamed, looking so happy.

“This muthafucka wanna be Prime so bad he even limping like that nigga,” Cemone called out, and when my sister and I glanced back, we saw Lequay walking up, looking as if he’d injured his ankle.

The whole backyard broke out into laughter at Cemone’s comment, and even though Lequay tried to remain stoic, I could see the smile hiding in his face as even his wife guffawed.

“Nigga, I hurt my ankle. Fuck you.” Lequay flipped his brother off before slapping hands and leaning down to hug him then Yolani.

“Nigga even trying to come up with a reason to get an amputation,” Khari stated, and the laughter continued, Lequay mocking them with a face.

“Fuck asking me if I’m okay, huh?” He sat down, and Scotland descended into his lap, giggling as she kissed his temple.

I greeted and spoke to all the ladies and brothers, before doubling back inside of the house to do the same to Prime and Lisara.

For the next hour, we mingled, took some pictures, and ate food, but when the ladies wanted to start dancing, I decided to sit that out. It was only so much pretending I could do, and right now, I wasn’t in the dancing mood.

Sitting down at one of the tables, I gripped the beer I’d decided to try, because fuck it, and took a big gulp as I chuckled subtly at the ladies dancing and the boys making lewd or funny comments.

I heard the sliding door to the backyard open, and out stepped Asif with that same girl he was always around. She happily pranced across the yard as Asif trailed her, busying himself with his phone. She was so happy to be in his presence, and it was obvious. She didn’t miss the chance to shoot me a nasty look as she switched over to where the rest of the ladies were.

I snickered to myself because she was doing too much for no reason. I highly doubted she was Asif’s only one, so she was right to be suspicious, but I wasn’t even close to being one of those bitches, so she should’ve been putting her energy elsewhere.

“I’m just curious, didn’t you say you was gon’ whup all of our asses?” Presley quizzed Milan as soon as she was near.

“I said everyone except Yolani.” She looked around Scotland, who she was in front of, and waved to Yolani excitedly.

“Okay, so what’s up?” Analicia questioned, and I prayed the girl didn’t touch my baby sister because then I would have no choice but to clock her. When it came to my sister, I didn’t care if people considered it jumping—I didn’t like people putting their hands on her.

Scotland and Couture eyed Milan as well, all four ladies waiting for her reply. Yolani hadn’t moved from Cemone’s lap, and I didn’t blame her, considering she was rich out the ass, and all it would take was for her to step on Milan’s foot, and she could get a cool little payday out of her.

“Nothing. I was just mad that day, but I’m good.” Milan looked at me out the corner of her eye as the ladies mumbled and dispersed, leaving her be.

The festivities continued, and I stayed in my seat, just watching. Whilst I wasn’t in the mood to mingle, I enjoyed seeing the couples, the brothers, and then the ladies interact.

The chair at the table I was seated at grated across the concrete, making me look to see who was about to sit down. When I saw Asif’s handsome face, butterflies seized my stomach. I didn’t know what it was about him, considering every man in this backyard was handsome, but he did something to me. He made me nervous, and I wasn’t exactly the type of bitch to get nervous around men. I was what people called a maneater back in the day; minus the promiscuity.

“Why you over here alone?” He moved the chair to be closer to me and sat down, his cologne wafting over me.

Currently, he was in a Nike tracksuit, and though simple, he made it look like runway fashion. The icy ass chain with the letters MFM hung from his neck, making me wonder what it stood for.

“I’m just not in the jolliest mood, and I didn’t want to be a wet blanket.” I sipped the beer again, deciding right then it would be my last due to the disgusting taste.

“Oh, aight. Well then, I guess a nigga can keep you company for a little bit.”

No, please go away so I can relax.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ve already gotten two nasty looks from your girlfriend, and you haven’t even been here for an hour,” I half joked, stealing a look at his handsome face.

He was Prime’s twin, only younger with more facial hair and dreads he’d grown out even longer since the first time I’d seen him. Currently, he had them tied down with a do-rag on, so they flowed down his strong back.

Like his father, though, he bore the same pretty green and amber eyes, same full lips, same caramel complexion, build, height, and even some of his father’s mannerisms. But while Prime had more of a welcoming demeanor, Asif came off slightly guarded like you would only know what he wanted you to know. He was different from the Comptons in that way, more mysterious. Asif was strategic personified, and that was attractive to me for some reason.

“I don’t have a girlfriend. We just cool.” He slipped his hand into his pocket, blinding me with his watch as a cute, crooked smile graced his lips.

“Just cool, huh? Well, you have a hell of a protective bestie,” I said, making him laugh.

That was alluring too. It was deep and gansgta, like he only laughed if shit was actually funny and in front of only certain people.

Letting his laughter cease, he said, “She ain’t gon’ fuck with you, especially knowing you’ll shoot a muthafucka.”

He was joking with me, but it immediately dampened my mood. For a moment, I had put that incident to the back of my mind somehow, and now it was back at the forefront, and I was ready to go home, cuddle with my baby, and sleep.

“Right.”

“It was a joke, baby. I apologize. It was too soon, huh?” He stared at my side profile for a minute, and finally, I got the courage to turn slightly and look him in the eyes.

“No, no, it’s okay.” I shook my head, lying. I didn’t want him feeling bad when he had no reason to. I had, in fact, shot a muthafucka.

“Next time you need to take a muthafucka out though, holla at me.” He stood, towering over me and making his sexy cologne become more pronounced.

I seemed to fall into a trance as his tongue ran across his bottom lip, something he often did on the rare occasions we made eye contact. I didn’t know what it meant to him, but it was giving sexual tension on my end.

“What are you, my personal hitta now?” I smiled up at him, becoming more comfortable with looking this Greek god of a man in the eyes.

“I can be.” His eyes cascaded from my face down my body and back up. “I’m dead ass though. Next time you need a nigga handled, I don’t care if it’s for him looking at you disrespectfully, hit me. Or, shit, just hit me.”

Again, I was picking up a sexual vibe, though I wasn’t sure if that was what he was attempting to put out. I felt my cheeks grow hot feeling him look me over like one would a meal straight from grandma’s kitchen.

“No—”

“Cemone, leave her be, please!” Scotland shouted, cutting me off and making both Asif and I look.

We noticed Cemone had come behind his wife as she danced, hugging her from the back before a kiss ensued. Seconds after, he’d thrown Yolani over his shoulder to take her into the house, and it was quite obvious what was about to happen as she giggled flirtatiously.

Her happiness was so evident it was damn near tangible. I couldn’t remember a nigga ever making me that happy. Maybe one day.

“Yeah, we need that tour for the new album. She can’t have no baby!” Presley backed Scotland up.

“I’m gon’ give him however many he wants. Sorry.” Yolani blushed, still laughing just before Cemone shut the sliding door as the women shouted responses back.

I couldn’t say I blamed her. If a man had me floating like that, I’d give his ass a football team too.

“We should go listen,” Analicia suggested, making all the ladies laugh, including me. What made it even funnier was seeing every woman contemplate doing just that.

“Man, what?” Bashar frowned at his wife as we continued to crack up. “Bring yo’ ass over here. You wanna hear some people fucking, it needs to be us.”

His brothers slapped hands with him, clearly agreeing as the ladies groaned, rolling their eyes.

“I already listened to us before we left the house, remember? I also got a visual, the one of your eyes rolling back in your head while moaning,” Analicia quipped, sending the whole yard into laughter and causing his brothers to crack on him.

“You saw ya legs shaking too?” Bashar asked, making his brothers wild out and shout his praises, as my sister and her husband exchanged lusty, playful stares.

“Them folks crazy,” Asif commented just as Milan started over, holding a red cup to her face. “Where is baby girl?”

“Sophie?” I inquired, somewhat confused. Asif had only seen Sophie maybe twice, since usually when I came around he and his brothers, it wasn’t for a kid friendly event. So the fact that he remembered her and was asking about her caught me off guard. When he nodded, I said, “Home with my mom for the moment. That’s where I’m staying too.”

I felt the need to insert that last part. I hated that my mom having temporary custody was all over the news. I was happy it was given to her and not Cedric’s people, but at the end of the day, it was only on paper because I still did everything for Sophie. I would never allow my choices to burden my mother, though she claimed to want more time with Sophie since in her opinion, I was overbearing.

“Baby, all this sex talk got me horny.” Milan flounced over and stood on her tiptoes once she reached Asif and attempted to nibble his ear, but he was too tall. He had to be about six feet, four inches.

It was clear she said that so I’d hear, but again, she was doing all of this and for the wrong reasons because I didn’t give a fuck. Only reason I’d entertained her behavior in the past was because I was miserable, but now that I didn’t have to go home and deal with Cedric, there was nothing her immature ass could do to disturb my spirit.

“Go back over there and wait until I get done talking,” Asif replied, coolly but sternly, wiping away Milan’s salacious smile.

He clearly had her ass in check, and it was even clearer that she was embarrassed by his response and rightfully so. She’d just propositioned the nigga, and he told her to go sit down.

“Okay.” Milan spoke so lowly it was almost inaudible, before giving me one last look and returning to her post.

When he looked back down at me, I smiled while lifting my eyebrows, making him chuckle sexily. I loved how deep his voice was, making me forget he was younger than me. The man looked a good thirty-four and in the best way possible.

“Protective bestie,” he said, causing me to crack up as he backed away.

My laughter made all the ladies look, including Milan, but while the women wore inquisitive expressions, Milan was sneering.

If I gave a fuck, I would tell her she had nothing to worry about, but I didn’t, so I would let her sweat.

“You got a hickey on the back of your thigh and lower back?” Bambi, who’d arrived while Yolani and Cemone had gone inside to do their business, asked. “Girl, what sexual position did you get those during? I need it!”

The girls, including me, broke into laughter as Yolani blushed, trying to look over her shoulder to see for herself. She was in a tiny dress, her Cemone tattoos slightly visible, so the marks were on display. Now I was wondering the same as Bambi.

She threw Cemone a look, trying to glare, but she was blushing too hard to be taken seriously.

“I love you, girl,” was all he said in reply as the ladies continued to inspect her.

As I made my way over to the women, I felt eyes on me, and though I didn’t want to look, I couldn’t help myself. Asif and I caught one another’s eyes, giving closed mouth smiles at Milan being all over him. I shook my head with my brows raised, and he shrugged slightly.

How did we already have an inside joke?