Me: You good?
When I looked back up, I saw one of the Publix employees coming out the door with a cart. He stopped at the trunk of the car and then approached my driver’s side. I let the window and he asked, “What’s the name on the order?”
“Saint-Mercier,” I answered him.
“And where do you want everything?”
“The trunk is fine,” I told him and popped the trunk. He went back there and lifted it all the way. I stared at him through the rearview mirror. He just stood there, staring at Greg. Clearly, Greg wasn’t stupid enough to jump out the trunk because he was still in there where I’d put him.
“We got a problem?” I poked my head out the window and asked buddy.
“N-no,” he replied and grabbed a couple of the bags.
I watched him as he placed everything into the trunk and slowly pushed it back down. “You ain’t seen shit, you hear me?”
“Have a great day, sir,” he said and briskly pushed the cart back toward the door.
I pulled off and headed to the house to take Wren her groceries before her ice cream melted. On my way there, I shot Grim a text.
Me: Come get this nigga outta my trunk. He ain’t talking about shit.
I pulled into the driveway, got out the car and opened the trunk. Greg lay there, staring up at me. “When are you gon’ let me out of here?”
“You’ll be out soon,” I said and then gathered all my bags and shut the trunk back on his ass.
Wren
A WEEK LATER
“How’s things been going with Wicked?” I asked Aria and took a bite from my roll.
Her eyes cut to me from across the table. “They’re fine. I still talk to him every single day. My favorite time of the day is when he FaceTimes me at bedtime. Girl, the way that man talks to me…” She fanned herself. If he was anything like Maniac, she ain’t even have to explain herself. That man still makes my pussy gushy and gives me butterflies after all this time.
“I’m glad that you really gave him a chance. Has he talked to Zion yet?”
Her eyes lowered to her lap. That told me all that I needed to know. She hadn’t told him.
“I haven’t told him about Zion yet.”
“Why?”
Her shoulder hunched. “It just hasn’t been the right time. I’m gon’ tell him though.”
“When? When he gets out and is standing on yo’ doorstep? ’Cause I’m pretty sure that the moment he gets out, he’s coming to find you.”
“I’m gonna tell him. I just have to wait for the right time.” Grabbing her glass, she took a sip of her wine.
“I just don’t want you to wait too late and end up getting your feelings hurt. That’s all.”
We finished up lunch and then got up from the table. Aria walked me out the door and to the car. “So, he just gave you the Maserati now?” she asked as I hit the fob on the car. It’s what I’ve been driving ever since I gave Big John the truck back. I’m not even sure what happened to it after he was killed.
“I guess. We haven’t really discussed it.” Opening the driver’s door I climbed into the seat.
“It fits you though… The new you.”
“What do you mean,the new me?”
“Your new mob wife aesthetic,” she joked and snickered.
