Page 27

“Come up.”

I released the button and stood there for a second.

Levin was Xavier’s older brother.

He had gotten out of prison about six months ago after doing seven years for some armed robbery and possession shit.

Or whatever the fuck exactly happened.

I didn’t know.

And I didn’t ask.

That was one thing about me: whatever Xavier and Levin had going on outside this house was their business. Xavier worked construction, brought his ass home, helped pay these bills and took care of his kids. Anything beyond that?

I didn’t need a briefing.

Especially when it came to Levin.

That nigga had always been…

Different.

Even before prison.

I heard the downstairs door shut.

Then footsteps started coming up the stairs.

Slow.

Heavy.

I walked over and unlocked our apartment door before he reached the landing.

And listen.

Levin was fine as all outdoors.

I could admit that.

I wasn’t blind because I was married.

Him and Xavier were both handsome men, but it was different.

Xavier had always been cute-fine. Nice smile. Good body from working construction. The kind of man women looked at twice when he walked through somewhere.

Levin had that grown-man fine.

The irritating kind.

The kind where you didn’t even want to give the nigga the satisfaction of staring too long because he probably already knew.

He reached the top step wearing a plain black hoodie, gray sweats and clean sneakers. Nothing loud. Nothing screaming money. He didn’t need it.

Prison had changed him physically too.

He looked…