Page 26 of Know Your Place

I tugged on her leg and pulled her toward me. When she sat right in front of me, I laid my head on her lap. “You want me to delete the post?”

She sighed. “No. I just want to go to sleep.”

I scooted up to the top of the bed so I lay next to her and pulled her down so she could lay her big ass head on my chest. With one hand wrapped around her waist and the other stroking her braids, I whispered, “Get some rest, baby.”

It didn’t take long for her light snores to fill the room. I wasn’t a smilin’-ass nigga, but I’d be damned if my ass didn’t smile until I fell asleep, and then I was sure I smiled some more because my dreams were filled with Icelynn.

Me? A girlfriend? Yeah. I freaked out. I panicked.

And I ran.

I groaned as I parked my car. I knew running was a bad idea the moment my eyes popped open this morning. If Beretta was insane before, I knew I hadn’t seen anything yet after the night we just shared.

Flashes of the sex we had—no . . . the lovemaking—filled my mind. I closed my eyes tightly and relished in how good last night had felt. And not just the sex . . . everything. Being with Beretta felt so right.

My eyes popped open as a fresh wave of panic hit me. I got out of my car and jogged up to the front door of Chyna’s house. I’d sought out my sister for my meltdown yesterday. It was Chyna’s turn today. Chiara needed to be on standby because at this rate, I’d need her ass tomorrow.

I rang the doorbell and waited, but it only took a few seconds for Keegan to answer the door. He looked down at me with a knowing smile, and I frowned as I pushed past him.

“What?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, aight. I seen that post, Icelynn. You and my cousin, huh?” Keegan asked.

The post. Damn. I’d forgotten all about that. I groaned again. “Where is my cousin?”

“Right here, girl. Come into the kitchen with me,” Chyna said as she descended the stairs with KJ and Liam right behind her.

“Auntie!” Liam shouted. He and KJ hugged me around my waist as soon as they hit the bottom step.

“Hey, rug rats.” I patted them on the head before I followed Chyna into the kitchen.

Keegan had disappeared somewhere else in this big-ass house, and that was just fine with me. I needed a bit of girl time so I could come to terms with this big ass change in my life.

I sat on one of the stools at the center island, and Liam and KJ climbed up onto their own stools on either side of me while Chyna moved around the kitchen to make some coffee and fix the boys each a bowl of cereal.

Finally, with her mug of coffee in hand, she leaned her elbows on the center island across from me. She peered into my eyes over the top of her cup like she had all the answers in the world.

“You really think you and Beretta are a good idea, Ice?” Chyna asked.

I shook my head. “No.”

I let out a deep sigh as Chyna continued to peer at me.

“Beretta is my uncle cousin,” KJ said proudly.

“Him my friend,” Liam added.

I rolled my eyes. Here these two went. They didn’t know how to stay out of grown folks’ business at all.

“Him is Auntie Icelynn’s friend, too, Li. Her special friend.” Chyna giggled before she took a sip of her coffee.

I cut my eyes at her. “This ain’t funny, Chy. You know like hell I don’t know the first thing about being a damn girlfriend.”

Chyna sighed and put her mug down. She gave me her full attention as she responded. “Then why did you agree to be his girlfriend?”

“I didn’t! Not really. He didn’t give me a choice.”

Chyna snorted. “That sounds real familiar.”