“Aight. Aight. I hear you.”
“Do you?” Savio looked at Twizz, wishing he really did hear him.
“Yeah, man. I do. I got you.”
Savio looked at him for a moment longer before he eased up. He ran a hand down his face and asked, “What you got goin’ on tonight?”
“Harold is havin’ a kickback. You should slide,” Twizz said, which instantly pissed Savio off again. Harold was no good. He was heavy in the streets and had beef with a lot of people. Twizz didn’t need to be kickin’ it with that nigga. As Savio looked at Twizz, he knew the younger man was grown and would do what he wanted, despite Savio trying to correct his teachings.
Savio sighed. “Look, I’ma just say this. You might bemylil nigga, but you ain’talil nigga. Man up. Leave that street shit alone,” Savio warned.
“I hear you,” Twizz said, and Savio felt like he really was heard, so he let the shit go.
“Cash wants me to talk to Cell about beefing up security for Ivoree. I just wanted to let you know before I talked to him. Ain’t got nothin’ to do wit’ you. I think there’s some shit goin’ on that they’re being extra hush about, so make sure you’re on point.”
Twizz nodded seriously. “I got you, for real.”
And Savio felt like he really did. When Twizz said something, he meant it. A man of his word, just like Savio taught him. He just prayed that whatever was going on behind the scenes wouldn’t touch him or the people he cared about.
The urge toreach out and grab Savio’s hand was strong as they walked into the store. It had been three days since they shared a kiss, and she had yearned to have another one. She suddenly didn’t know how to act in his presence, but she noticed that there were more intentional touches and flirty banter between them.
The way she craved him at night when they were in separate rooms was new for her. It was like Savio had given her a taste of something she didn’t know she needed, and now she craved it all the time.
“Oh, these are so cute,” Ivoree said with a squeal as soon as they walked into the store.
Cashmere stopped focusing on Savio’s big, strong hands and looked at her sister. They were at a store that sold scrubs. Ivoree collected them and couldn’t wait to wear them every day. Cashmere couldn’t relate. She didn’t understand the hype, but she absolutely loved seeing her sister happy. Twizz had the dayoff, and they were still getting a couple of new guards for Ivoree, so Savio offered to take her to the store. Cashmere decided to tag along.
Over the past few days, Cashmere had been keeping a low profile.
“You should get them,” Cashmere encouraged as she wearily peered at the pink scrubs with rubber duckies on them. Ivoree knew how to dress her ass off, but when it came to scrubs, Cashmere couldn’t compliment her baby sis. The things were hideous if you asked her.
“You think I’m not?” Ivoree asked in a playful tone.
Cashmere giggled and turned so she could get her sister a basket because she knew Ivoree was about to go crazy in this damn store.
“Where you goin’?” Savio asked as he gently grabbed her arm.
It wasn’t that long ago that his question and him grabbing on her would have gotten him a good tongue lashing. Now? Aw, baby. Now, she wanted to melt into him.
With a soft smile, she pointed her manicured nail toward the baskets by the entrance of the store. “Just getting a basket. That okay?”
He glanced at the baskets and then back at her with a smile of his own. “I’ll allow it.”
She giggled and quickly grabbed a basket before she joined her sister. Cashmere had been doing her best to keep things professional with Savio in front of others, but as the days went on, it only got harder. Ivoree’s next words proved that point.
“What’s goin’ on with you and Sav?”
“Sav, huh? That’s what you call him?” Cashmere asked playfully as she nudged her sister.
“Uh-uh. You aren’t slick. Don’t try to change the subject. Besides, that’s what Twizz calls him.”
“What’s going on with you and Twizz?” Cashmere asked, hoping that the question threw her sister off enough to move away from the topic of Savio. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to have some girl talk with her sister. She just didn’t really want Ivoree to think it was okay to get involved with a guard. Twizz, mainly. It wasn’t that Cashmere disliked him. He’d actually grown on her, but Ivoree needed to stay focused on her studies and graduate. Then she could focus on having fun and finding love.
Ivoree suddenly busied herself with looking at a pair of dark blue scrubs with smiley faces on them. “Nothing.”
Cashmere hummed. “You sure it’s nothing?”
“Yeah. He’s cool and we get along well, but I kind of have a crush on someone else. Besides, I don’t think Twizz is good for me. He’s a friend. That’s it.” Ivoree shrugged.
