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“Three years.”

“I know the fuckin’ timeline, nigga.”

“Then act like it,” he snapped, slammin’ his hand down on the table. “You do remember what happened the last time you decided to go against the grain. Don’t make Savannah a liability, JuMarion.”

My blood ran cold hearin’ him say her name. I pushed away from the table, leavin’ him and Ni there. I had to get the fuck away from that nigga before I lost my last bit of patience. As I walked through the house, my chest felt like somebody had stomped on my shit with both feet. As soon as the valet saw me, he scurried off to get my truck. I stood in front of the house, tryna control my fuckin’ breathin’.

Before the valet could make it under the carport, I was already standin’ there. He tossed my keys, and I hopped in and sped off. This nigga had me fucked up. He meant what he said. I knew what he was capable of, but I also knew I couldn’t stay away from Juicy no matter how hard I tried. I was back in her space, seein’ her, talkin’ to her. The further I got away from the house, the harder I gripped the steering wheel. I should’ve been thinkin’ about stayin’ away from Juicy. But all I could think about was gettin’ back home. Back to her.

I was fresh off the birthday shenanigans I put together for Emery, and now I was right back to work. Juvie’s first Nike-funded youth event was packed. Kids, community leaders, coaches, and volunteers filled the field. We were deep in the trenches of West Baltimore at a new youth center that didn’t have nearly enough resources to serve the kids and families in its community.

We’d been here since 9:30 this morning, ironing out the details. We discussed how much volunteer work Juvie would do and how much security would be needed to protect Juvie if somebody got out of line. He made it clear that he wanted to talk to the kids and the parents; he didn’t want massive media coverage either. “Sav, I’m not gon’ let these mufuckas come in here, makin’ shit uncomfortable. I don’t need no awards for comin’ home.” Those were his exact words, and I respected it.

I’d been researching security firms for days until Devyn referred me to one owned by her friend’s husband. I’d worked with my share of security teams, but Knight Watchmen were on another level.

Everyone was armed, but they kept their weapons concealed. They did a great job controlling the crowd and patrolling regularly. Three of the team of twelve stayed on Juvie all morning, making sure nothing happened. They even directed the line for security checks. All we had to do was show up.

Kendra, the coordinator of Future Leaders Community Center, moved through the sea of people effortlessly, making sure everyone was warm and had refreshments. The outdoor heaters surrounded us, keeping it nice and toasty. Juvie was crouched beside me, talking to a little boy clutching a beat-up glove to his chest. He couldn’t have been more than seven. He was so shy when he walked up that he couldn’t even meet Juvie’s eyes.

“Wassup, lil’ man? You ain’t gotta be shy. Tell me your name,” Juvie said, his voice softer than I’d ever heard him speak.

“Amari…” His eyes went to the ground.

“I see your glove. What position you play?” Juvie asked, lifting his chin.

“Shortstop… Just like you.”

“Oh, for real? You got a favorite team?”

The little boy finally smiled. “It was the Vipers. Now, it’s the Blackhawks.”

Juvie chuckled and pulled up the little boy’s coat zipper. “Dang, lil’ man. Why you switch sides?”

“Because… You my favorite player.”

Juvie’s eyes softened as he glanced at me. Even when we were young, Juvie was always good with kids. His little cousins, kids in his neighborhood. Random kids he saw in passing. Now, I got to see that same softness in him as a grown man. My hand fell over my chest as I watched him interact with a child who was meeting his favorite athlete for the first time. The joy on both of their faces warmed my heart. Juvie stayed crouched, talking to the little boy like nobody else was around. He asked how long he’d been playing, whether he wanted to go pro, and whether he had any baseball cards.

I couldn’t look away from their exchange, and I didn’t want to. It made me realize why Juvie wanted so much control over how he handled this event. For him, it wasn’t just a charity event; it was a way to connect with his community and really learn what was happening in his city.

“You wanna take a picture wit’ me?” Juvie asked the little boy.

Amari’s face lit up instantly. “Yeah! I can show all my friends at school!”

Juvie looked up at his mom. “Is it okay if we use your phone to take the picture?”

She smiled and nodded, almost shoving the phone into Juvie’s hand. He looked up at me and grinned.

I shook my head, smiling. “Yes. I’ll take the picture.”

Juvie stood, then hoisted Amari into his arms and posed. The happiness pouring from him couldn’t be manufactured; he really was happy to be here. As I took the pictures, I tried to focus, but the more Juvie stared back at me, the warmer my cheeks felt. For a second, I saw something behind his eyes that I hadn’t seen in a long time. My heart beat a little faster. The noise around us got a little quieter. For the first time since I’d been back in Juvie’s life, this business relationship felt wrong, like business wasn’t the only thing moving between us.

Kendra’s high-pitched voice snapped me out of it. “Juvie, you have to give your speech in five minutes.”

“Huh?” Juvie said, his eyes still holding mine.

“Your speech… in five minutes. You ready?” she asked, looking between us.

I cleared my throat, looked away, and passed Amari’s mom her phone.