Their mother blew out a frustrated breath. “I know that, Naomi! I just wish she wouldn’t walk around looking like a slave all the time.”
“Whoa!” Xander spoke up with bass in his voice. He looked from their mother to Niyah. “Is she for real?”
“She’s for real,” Naomi confirmed.
“What?” her mother questioned with wide eyes. “I’m sick of that nappy, dirty-looking hair!”
Xander slammed his hand down on the table and shoved the bowl from in front of him. “Now, that’s enough!” he shouted.
Niyah could see the rage in his expressive blue eyes. “Niyah’s hair is just like her…beautiful!
“Yeah, okay,” Gretta scoffed. “You don’t believe that.”
Xander glared at her like he couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. “If one more tone-deaf racist remark comes out of your mouth, I’m gonna throw you out of here.”
Gretta jumped to her feet and threw her hands on her hips. “You’re going to throw me out of my daughter’s house?”
“Damn right!”
Niyah stood, glaring at Xander. “Hey!” she shouted. “We need to talk!” She walked around the table, grabbed Xander by the hand, ignoring the smug look on her mother’s face as she dragged him from the room. They went down the hall that led to the front door.
Niyah pointed at his loafers. “Put your shoes on!” she demanded.
“Niyah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dis--”
“Hey,” Niyah interrupted. “Put your shoes on.”
Xander sighed and slipped into his shoes. Niyah stepped into a pair of crocs. She opened the door and looked up at Xander. “There’s a bar downstairs. Let’s go get drunk.”
Xander chuckled. “Wait, you’re not mad at me.”
“Hell, naw! Let’s go.”
Xander’s brow wrinkled. “But my wallet is in the bedroom.”
“Don’t worry, I got a line of credit,” Niyah revealed. “Come on.”
Xander looked back toward the dining area. “What about Naomi?”
“Fuck Naomi!” Niyah yelled in a whisper. “She’s the one who set us up in the first place.”
Xander shrugged. “Fuck it. Let’s go.”
Quietly, he opened the door, and they crept out.
BELLA
“Hey, who was that on the phone?” Taylor asked.
Bella sat on the soft leather seat directly in front of Taylor. “It was Niyah. Our absence has been noticed.”
“What did you tell her?” Lincoln asked.
“I told her that I was sick and Taylor was probably handling family business.”
“Did she buy it?” Donna asked.
Bella laughed. “Of course, she did. She ain’t suspicious as fuck like you!”
