Exhaled slow.
We stood there for a minute, just passing it back and forth.
“You ain’t gotta act like you only looking out for my sister for me no more.”
Ares didn’t react right away.
Just watched me.
“I know y’all locked in,” I continued. “Been knew.”
A small smirk pulled at my mouth.
“Y’all wasn’t hiding Vegas like y’all thought y’all was.”
He huffed a quiet laugh.
Shook his head once.
“Back then…” he started, then paused, choosing his words. “I wasn’t trying to disrespect you.”
He looked at me straight. “I was gon’ marry her then, if she let me.”
I held his gaze for a second. “I know.”
I took another pull.
“I ain’t tripping,” I added. “Just don’t end up with six females again when the smoke clears.”
That made him laugh.
For real this time.
Low, but genuine.
“I’m working on committing to her,” he assured me.
I glanced at him sideways.
“You better be.”
He took the blunt back, shaking his head.
“We not kids no more, bro,” I said after a moment.
He nodded slowly. “Yeah. This shit real now.”
I leaned back against the counter, eyes drifting toward the hallway where the girls disappeared.
“Real when you got something to lose.”
Ares followed my line of sight.
“If something happens to me…”
I cut him off. “Nothing happening to you.”
He looked back at me.
