Page 17 of Know Your Place

I huffed out a dramatic breath. “I went to her job earlier and caught her playin’ wit’ a nigga’s dick?”

“You a lie.” Keegan laughed like the shit was funny.

“I ain’t lyin’, nigga. His dick was all out and she talkin’ ’bout she workin’. Talkin’ ’bout she waxin’ it.”

Keegan was silent for a second before he asked, “Well, . . . was she waxin’ him?”

I blinked. “I mean, yeah, but that ain’t the point.”

“Then what’s the point?” Keegan crossed his arms over his chest.

“The point is, she got me fucked up.”

Keegan chuckled. “Y’all got issues.”

“How I get in it? She the one gettin’ paid to play with dicks.” My face automatically frowned up when I said that. The image of Icelynn’s delicate hand around another nigga’s balls fucked my head up. Trina snorted from beside me, and I cut my eyes at her. “Somethin’ funny?”

She quickly shook her head and looked back down at her phone, probably to find something safe to do because laughing at me right now wasn’t it. Keegan was lucky I didn’t knock him in his damn head for laughing and making slick ass comments.

“Y’all need to work on your communication,” Keegan summarized as he leaned against the display case.

My brows shot up. “You done married Chyna, and now, all of a sudden, you’re a relationship expert? You know how to deal with women? Huh? Because if you ask me, they’re all insane, and ain’t no figuring them out.”

“They’re actually pretty simple, but I ain’t ’bout to sit here and break that shit down to you. You’ll learn eventually. What I do know is that you and Ice need to get ya shit together or leave each other the fuck alone. I never thought y’all two hookin’ up was a good idea, but since we’re past that now, you guys need to decide to either be in it or let it be. This in between shit will cause one of y’all to get hurt. Or both of y’all. Hell, possibly even other people. I’m surprised you ain’t hurt ol’ boy she was playin’ wit’.”

The nigga had the nerve to look like he held back a laugh at the mention of Icelynn playing with another man.

“She wasn’t playin’ wit’ him, idiot. She was waxin’ him,” I defended.

Keegan burst into laughter once again. “I thought you just said she was playin’ wit’ him?”

I clenched my jaw. He was playing with me, and I didn’t like that shit. Not right now when I was in a crisis. Icelynn had me fucked up, and I seemed to be the only mothafucka that understood that.

“Whatever,” I mumbled as I waved him off. I focused back on the business card samples Trina brought by and touched them. One had a glossy finish and the other was matte. I picked up the matte one and handed it to her. “I like this one. And for the flyers, we can print up a few bigger ones to hang up by the door. Send me over the digital copy, and I’ll post it on the store’s socials.”

“Perfect. Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asked as she gathered the samples. I knew her ass was glad to get up out of here. I was glad to have her gone so I could go home and think about Icelynn.

“The lady asked you a question, Beretta.” The stern voice came from behind me.

I barely registered Keegan laughing quietly to himself as I turned and laid eyes on Icelynn.

I wasn’t the type of man to get spooked often, but the way her ass just materialized had me shook. I glanced around my otherwise empty shop and asked, “Fuck you come from?”

Icelynn ignored me as she nodded at Trina and asked, “Aren’t you going to answer her? Is there anything else she can help you with? A strip tease or some head, perhaps?”

“Yo, you wild, Ice,” Keegan jeered.

Icelynn’s pretty, brown eyes cut over to him before she focused back on me.

My hand slid down my face slowly. “What’s your issue, man? I thought you had a full schedule today?” I mocked.

“I cleared it, goofy. You gonna answer this bitch or not?” she snapped.

“Bitch? I⁠—”

“That ain’t what you wanna do, shorty,” Keegan warned. One look at him let me know he found this entire situation highly amusing.

I scoffed. “Juicy.”