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It was close to one when we finally called it a night.

“Want me to wait with you?” Jody asked as I pulled out my phone.

“I’m good, go ahead. I’ll text the group chat when I get in.”

“You sure?”

I nodded. She hugged me and headed in the direction of the subway.

I went through my nighttime routine on autopilot, my mind running the whole time. Not about the lie per se. I’d told worse ones and slept like a baby. It was everything else that was bothering me. I’d just gone and sat in his lap, practically melting in his arms. It was pathetic.

I kept trying to get ahead of Cardez and ended up exactly where he wanted me anyway. It was frustrating because it didn’t feel like manipulation—it was a scale finding its balance, natural and inevitable. I’d spent my adult life ensuring that no man ever had that kind of effect on me. And now my ass was annoyed at a nigga for not letting me come in his lap at a lounge.

I was about to get in bed when there was a soft knock at my door.

My throat tightened. The knock came again harder this time.

I went for the gun in my nightstand. Between scamming niggas for sport and being a single woman in this city, I never put it past anyone to try me. I moved quietly to the front of the apartment and looked through the peephole.

Cardez was standing in my hallway with his hands in his pockets, looking directly at the peephole like he knew I was on the other side of it.

I pressed my back against the door and let out a long breath.

“Jesus, be a fence,” I muttered.

1 Say too much by Kaliii

13 CARDEZ MONTAGUE

“Are you crazy? It’s nearly 4:00 a.m.,” Belle said when she opened the door.

“I know.” I noticed the gun in her hand. The same one I’d seen in her nightstand when I was in here a few weeks ago. “You know how to use that?”

She waved it in my face. “Yes. Need me to shoot you to prove it?”

That turned me on a little bit.

She stepped back and let me in, locking the door behind me. I looked around like it was my first time seeing her place. It hit different being in here with her.

“You always answer the door strapped?” I asked, nodding at the gun still in her hand.

“When people knock at my door at odd hours of the morning? Yes.” She rolled her eyes and stalked down the hallway to put it away.

“You ever been in situations where you needed one before?” I asked when she came back.

She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “You could’ve texted.”

“You would’ve ignored it.” I moved from her bookshelf and crossed the room to her. “I realized we didn’t discuss your punishment for lying to me.”

“My what?” She busted out laughing. “I don’t know what the fuck you on, but you can go.” She pointed to the door. “Show yourself out and lock the door behind you. You got me fucked up if you think I’m about to stand here and listen to you go on like you somebody’s daddy.”

“I’m not?”

“Cardez, get the fuck out my house.” She turned toward the bedroom.

I caught her arm and spun her around.

“Car—”