My jaw dropped.
“Right, Mama?” Zyro teased. “Answer the man, Eriss.”
I looked around, shaking my head lightly. “Yeah, Ermias. Zyro is big dawg.”
Ermias extended his hands out with his thumbs up. I couldn’t deal.
One by one, Zyro flicked the rings with a casual flick of his wrist, his expensive-looking watch shining brightly. The first two clinked against the glass bottles and bounced off, but the third slid neatly onto a neck. Then the fourth. Then the fifth. Ermias went craaaazy.
“Big daaaaawg!” Ermias yelled. It was a sight to see, seeing him hugging Zyro’s legs.
The game runner was even shocked. He said, “Go ahead and choose a big price, my man.”
Zyro turned to me, his lips tugged a smug grin. “Which one you want, baby?”
I could have melted into the hot pavement when he said that. There was no way my legs felt like noodles, and I was throbbing in the most sensitive part of my body.
Pointing to a brown bear, I replied, “That one.”
The game runner wrestled the huge teddy bear down and handed it over to Zyro. Ermias was squealing. He was too excited. I couldn’t help it. I began smiling too when Zyro handed it to me.
Zyro leaned over closely to me and muttered, “I just need to spray it down wit’ my cologne and we’ll be all set. You won’t be lonely anymore.”
6
ZYRO COLEMAN
The drive back to their home was quiet except for Ermias in the back seat, lightly snoring. I was glad he had a good time. I spent a lot of money tonight and didn’t regret it at all. Beside me, Eriss was holding her bear and glancing out of the window. Ever since I said my lil’ one two ‘bout spraying my cologne on her bear so she wouldn’t be lonely, I could tell she kind of distanced herself from me for the rest of the night. It was coo’. Mahlia had put me on game the night of the family reunion. It was no pressure. Eriss was a cute, fun girl when she let her hair down, but that’s where it really drew the line. Like I told my cousin, I wasn’t the one. I was a good nigga, but just like Eriss—I wasn’t lookin’ for a relationship.
When I turned onto her road, the energy shifted. A car was crooked in her yard, and I can tell Eriss tensed up some. The lights were beaming, engine still running. The door of the Altima opened, and out stepped a nigga.
“You know him?” I asked Eriss.
“That’s Ermias’ dad,” she said lowly. “Fuck.”
“Fuck…what?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. Ermias! Wake up, babe.”
“I can carry him in,” I offered. I placed my truck in park.
“Um..”
“Um, nothing. That nigga out there don’t fuckin’ scare me, and you bet not be scared of his ass either.”
“I…I just don’t want any shit,” Eriss whispered. “Not in front of my son.”
“Mama…is that Daddy?” Ermias asked, sleep laced in his tone.
“Yeah, Ermias. It is.”
“He pops up like this all the time, or did you know he was stopping by?” I questioned, opening my door.
“Zyro…” Eriss’ voice trembled. “Please don’t. Let me handle this. I appreciate it, but it’s okay.”
I bit down on my lip. Her eyes begged me to back off, the cloudy one darting to mine. I sighed through my nose and leaned back, but I kept my eyes locked on that nigga whose face was frowning the fuck up like he was trying to figure out who the fuck was in this big ass truck. My windows were tinted dark; there was no way he could see inside. It was also dark outside since we’d been at the fair for hours.
“Yo, Eriss!” the nigga barked out across the yard, walking toward us. “You in that truck? Whose truck is that?”
