“I invited her. You were talking about babies and wivesamonth ago. Why are you pissed?” His piercing stare straightened my posture. “What’s the issue, Pops? I’ve heard about the fallout between us and the Blackstones, but we haven’t had a run-in with them since I was a kid.”
“Out of all the bitches you could’ve date?—”
“Chill with the b-word.” My eyes lingered on Kannon. “She’s actually not that bad.”
“You’re starting shit, Neptune! Kannon’s family isn’t like Chrissy’s. You break her heart, and there will be hell to pay.”
Instead of telling him I was more concerned about her playing with mine, I assured him I had everything under control. When I returned to the party, I walked to where Michael Jr. and Kannon did a two-step on the custom dancefloor.
“Do you mind if I cut in?”
Junior combed his hair back with his fingers. “You better take her back before I forget she doesn’t belong to me.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I would’ve reminded you,” Kannon replied.
Junior stumbled off, laughing and dancing over to his lady. I planned to walk Kannon to the bar to grab something to drink, but a Bruno Mars tune held us in place. I wrapped my arms around Kannon’s waist while she roped her arms around my neck. The rhythm of the music ordered our steps. Like two kids, we laughed when the lyrics of the song we danced to mirrored our lives.
“Why were you late?” I quizzed for the second time.
“I have a job, Neptune. You asked me to be on your arm, not your payroll.”
“I’on like that.”
“Then retire me or hush. My family has money, but we all earn our keep. I have to make money to take care of myself.”
A muscle beat in my jaw at the idea that Kannon’s family wasn’t making sure she was straight. With the way I catered to Easy, I could only imagine how hard I would go if I had a sister.
“Why haven’t you let aniggatake care of you? I know they’ve tried.”
She lifted a shoulder. “People aren’t reliable. I learned that when my daddy didn’t show up when he said he would. When my grandmother sent me to live with him after years of no contact, I really looked at people sideways. It’s like I know my worth, yet those around me don’t value my presence unless I’m doing what they say.” She snickered. “Never mind. It’s not that deep.”
“It is to me. It tells me a lot about you.”
“Other than confirming I won’t have a fit when you leave, you shouldn’t worry about anything else.”
Kannon tried to mask the quiver in her voice, but I caught it. Most of what she said may have been true, but the part about walking away with no feelings was bullshit.
“Anyway,” the pretty lady sang. “Give me the tea. What are the Delanos into? The library is stunning. From outside, it looks like a massive Catholic church.”
“Yeah. They’re loaded. The Delanos have their hands in different pots around the city.”
“Where does your family come in at?”
“We do business together. Some of the most expensive businesses in the city, we’ve had a hand in starting them or keeping them afloat.”
Her brows chased her hairline. “Oh. The Sinners are hot shit.”
“I’ve been trying to tell you, but you don’t listen, Kitty.”
“Mm. Maybe I found a rich man to retire me after all.”
I pushed a one-note laugh. “If you act right.”
“I am not your child, Neptune. I know how to act.”
I pulled her to me, so my lips aligned with her earlobe. “I can’t tell. The pictures you posted on your Instagram make me believe otherwise.”
Her head snapped back when she released an open-mouthed laugh. “Damn, stalker. You have a problem with me going out with my friends?”
