“Um… can I just say—thanks. For last night.”
I nod. “It’s fine.”
“No, I mean it,” she says, stepping closer, voice dropping. “What you did for Frankie. You didn’t have to do that.”
I shrug, but my chest tightens. “I wasn’t gonna let that slide.”
She studies my face, like she’s checking for something.
Sincerity, maybe.
“It’s just…” She exhales. “For a long time it’s been me and her against the world. And I didn’t realize how heavy that was until someone else stepped in.” Her lips press together. “It’s nice having you around.”
Something nudges at me then.
The urge to tell her.
To just say it plainly.
Me and Frankie are...
But I swallow it.
“Za,” I say instead, steady, “you know I love bein’ around you, yeah? Part of why I came back was for you.”
She smiles and her eyes shine before she pulls me into a quick hug, squeezing tight. “Don’t be late to practice.”
“I’ll try,” I say, already stepping back.
I head down the stairs, push through the front door, and the street noise hits me full-on.
I couldn’t tell her.
Not because I don’t want to or because I’m scared of her reaction.
But because I know Za.
I know how carefully she loves, how deeply she protects the people she lets close. And Frankie sits right at the center of that.Whatever this thing is between me and Francine, it’s still new. Still rough around the edges and I’m still figuring it out myself.
Dragging it into the open too soon would make it heavier than it needs to be, turning it into something it’s not ready to carry.
So I keep it to myself. I head to practice with it tucked in my chest, let it sit there. There’ll be a time to tell her. I’m sure of that.
Just not today. ?
I haveto talk to Frankie first.
nineteen
hold me.
Jabari.
I hadthis girl’s pussy in my mouth an hour ago.
I’ll probably haveit in my mouth again in the next hour or so.
It’s ridiculous that we argue like this.
