“First off,” Najee started, his deep voice echoing through the speakers. “I just wanna thank everybody for pullin’ up tonight. I know it’s been a minute. Some of y’all been rockin’ with me for years, and others I’m just meetin’ tonight. Either way, the love hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
The crowd responded with a few “yessirs” and claps, with some lifting their glasses already.
“I wanna thank my Uncle Ron for holding the business down while I was gone. Business might’ve slowed up, but it ain’t stop. To my sister and auntie, I love y’all fasho. Appreciate everything y’all did even though I got cussed out for not calling.”
The crowd chuckled, cutting through some of the tension he felt.
“My right hand,” he continued, nodding toward Saleem. “You know what it is. Same shit, different day.”
“Getting new money a different way,” Saleem finished, reciting their infamous mantra they’d been saying since they were youngsters.
He gave him a salute, and Najee continued.
It’s a lot of y’all in here who looked out, and if you’re here, it’s because I want you to be.” He spoke those words while looking directly at Orielle, and she prayed no one noticed. But that was like wishing on a star. A few folks glanced her way, but she didn’t notice. Her gaze stayed locked on his until he broke eye contact.
“But most importantly…”
He paused and looked down at Renae, who beamed up at him like she was the main character in a fairy tale ending, and was getting her happily ever after.
“I wanna thank Renae.”
The crowd echoedawww,and Renae blushed.
“I wanna thank her for reminding me what it means to trust my intuition when you locked up in that cage. She kept it so solid, and I didn’t expect anything less.”
While everyone else listened with admiration to the praises he gave, Renae felt sick to her stomach. The smile she had faltered, knowing she hadn’t been solid at all. With everyone’s phones out recording the moment, she hoped she didn’t look as guilty on camera as she felt.
“Bitch,” Cheyla hissed in Orielle’s ear. “I know this nigga didn’t invite you to his engagement party.”
Orielle’s heart dropped. She didn’t think Najee would do something as lame as that, but his speech was giving proposal.
“But I should’ve,” Najee voiced.
His tone was much harsher, and he finally looked at Renae. She knew he had discovered her deceit without her having to say a word, and before she could try to intervene, Najee continued his speech.
“Nah. Watch out,” he spat, pushing her hand away as she tried to grab the mic. “Everybody in this room knows what type of nigga I am. How I move and handle mothafuckas.”
“Oh, Lord. What this girl done did,” Aunt Joyce murmured in the distance. Najee was respectful of his elders and would never openly talk so recklessly, especially in front of her.
“Najee, please.” Renae’s pleading was heard faintly over the speakers.
“Please, what, huh? Don’t do this? Don’t tell all of our family and friends who you invited tonight how much of a slut you are?”
“Aye, cuz,” Jermaine called out. “You ain’t bouta disrespect my sister.”
“Nigga, fuck you and your sister. While she’s parading around here like she’s the girlfriend of the year, did she tell y’all how she’s been lying to my face, having me thinking shit was all good when she was out here pregnant with another nigga’s baby.”
Gasps echoed throughout the room. Renae was so in shock, she couldn’t move. Her face drained of color, but that wasn’t enough for Najee. He warned her, and now she was about to feel every bit of his wrath. The pissed off chuckle he released before continuing was so cold, it was felt throughout the room.
“That ain’t even the most fucked up part, y’all. The bitch got an abortion.”
He chuckled and shook his head, flicking the tip of his nose.
“You’re going too far!” Renae’s mama shouted.
He hadn’t gone far enough in his opinion.
“Najee, that’s enough,” Nyesha whispered, tugging on his arm. “We get it.”
