I hit her on FaceTime, and she picked up on the first ring.
“What’s going on?” she asked, voice soft. No judgment. Just my sister checking on me, like she always did.
I sat back on the couch, rubbing my beard. “It’s Halima. The firefighter. I gotta pull back on some shit.”
“Ohh, that’s a beautiful name.”
“For a beautiful woman,” I muttered before I could catch it.
Omni didn’t miss a beat. “So… why are you talking ‘bout pulling back? I didn’t know you even pulled up.”
I hesitated, mostly because saying it out loud made the whole thing sound way wilder than it felt in my head. And Omni was a girl’s girl. She’d ride for me, but she’d absolutely call me out on my bullshit. Omni stared at me like she already knew something was coming.
“I've been doing a little something,” I finally said.
Omni’s brows shot up. “A little something like what, Vinci? Use your words.”
I blew out my breath. “I covered her spa day.”
“Okay…”
“And I left breakfast on her car.”
Her mouth twisted as she blinked slowly. “Oh…”
“And I also left flowers on her porch.”
Omni just stared. “Vinci.”
“What?” I shrugged. “I ain’t been stalking that woman. I’m not following her around. I’m not popping up where she at. I’m not doing any of that weird shit. I just… wanted to do something for her without dragging her into my mess.”
Omni tilted her head, studying me like she could see all the parts I was skipping. “So you've been being thoughtful. Is that what you’re telling yourself?”
“Yeah, something like that,” I corrected. “I just never signed my name because Cassie is outside acting like a damn loose wire, and I’m not pulling Halo into that until I clean it up.”
Omni’s mouth curved. “You like her.”
“Yeah,” I said quietly, finally letting the truth sit where it needed to. “I like her enough to fall back until it’s safe for her. That’s it.”
“And because Cassie’s out there acting unstable and nobody’s caught her yet,” I added, “I put security on Halo. Not breathing down her neck, not following her inside places—just making sure she gets home safe. Eyes on the block, nothing else.”
Silence stretched again.
“I’m fucked up, O.”
“Fucked up indeed, DaVinci. I’m telling momma she raised a stalker.”
I dragged a hand over my beard. “Quit playing. I just ordered her new skates. A backup pair, too. That’s the type of shit Halo got me doing. I should fall back, huh?”
“Halo?”
“Halima is her first name, and Halo is what she goes by. That shit dope ain’t it? Everything about this woman is fucking with me.”
Silence.
“Omni, say something, damn,” I said, kissing my teeth. “I knew yo’ ass was going to judge me.”
“I’m not judging,” she said slowly with a giggle. “I’m… processing. Brother, you are stalking this woman.”
