Page 51 of Own It

“Oh.” He dropped my hand immediately. “Hope to see you around again, Daylin.” His eyes drank me in while at the same time oozing lust.

“Of course.” I was out the door before I even finished speaking, scared out of my mind for some reason.

“Thought I was gon’ have to come get yo’ ass,” Rakim announced, holding the passenger door open for me.

No one was outside, which was perfect, and his tint was too dark to see me once I was inside of the vehicle.

I laughed his comment off, still shaken up a bit from my encounter with his big, creepy ass father. Rakim having a rough childhood was of no surprise to me after meeting that man. I wasn’t sure how difficult his younger years were, but I could bet money that his dad had a lot to do with it.

“The food was good,” I said once Rakim was in the driver’s seat, pulling off.

“Them wings, huh?”

“Yes! How did you know? I could’ve ate twenty of them, but I stopped at ten.” I sat back, happy he was turning on the heated seats.

I hated how cold LA got at night.

“Yeah, my pops loves them and has them at every fucking thing he throws.” He whipped the steering wheel, and for a moment, I just admired his side profile. “Surprised you didn’t try ya fucking luck tonight.”

“I would’ve, but these heels are too high and too cute. Messing them up wasn’t worth my freedom,” I jested, cutting my eyes his way to confirm that he was smirking while watching the road. “Speaking of . . .” I took the heels off.

“Why you ain’t take ’em off inside the party?”

“Against women’s etiquette. Keep the shoes on until you leave.” I leaned down some to remove my other shoe and noticed Rakim watching me as we sat at the red light. “Why are you watching me?”

“You look beautiful.” He pulled off once the light changed.

I was surprised to hear him say that, but I played it off well.

“Thank you, but I disagree. The dress is just a simple black number, and my hair has seen better days. I didn’t even have product to style it right.”

“And still.” He glanced my way, and sadly, I couldn’t hide the way I blushed at his compliment.

“Thank you. Are you flirting?”

He squinted his eyes as he sped down the freeway as if he were thinking. “I think I’m just speaking facts more than flirting. You look beautiful. You are beautiful. Any nigga telling you that is speaking on the obvious. He gotta come harder than that to be considered flirting.”

“Hmm.” I thought on his words, fighting not to cheese like a fool. I didn’t care what he said, his compliment made me feel something. “I learned a lot about you tonight, Mr. Godfrey.”

“I figured your nosy ass would when I peeped you chopping it up with Big Mouth.”

Giggling, I said, “Yeah, Tarin is a piece of work. But how would your brother feel knowing you’re name calling his girlfriend?”

“She ain’t his damn girlfriend.” He laughed, brows bunched almost as if to say my comment was preposterous.

“Tarin told me they have been together for years and that he had a baby on her.”

“They were fucking for years, she got pregnant, then he got someone else pregnant. Tarin, being jealous, got knocked up again. Sort of like a baby competition or some shit.”

We chuckled in unison.

Damn, how different the actual story was, was crazy.

“Well, Miss Tarin told me a lot about you. I get why you and your twin aren’t close, and I don’t blame you.” I glanced his way, but he said nothing, stroking his beard some with his free hand. “What he did was dirty, and I don’t like LaMia’s ass either.” I scoffed, shaking my head.

“You ain’t gotta have beef with people for me, lil mama.” His eyes toggled between me and the road, a glimmer of amusement in his dark brown eyes.

“It’s not for you, it’s natural. You did what you did for her, and the bitch couldn’t even cheat with a nigga outside of your family.”