Save Room for Us (Crenshaw Kings Book 7)

by Shvonne Latrice

So you been asking your sister about a nigga?” “Like once.” She rolled her eyes with a smile, lying.

“I couldn’t imagine being that way to Sophie. I think I love her more than myself.” “Because you’re a good mother, baby.

“I’m happy you got Lisara though.” “Me too. I got attached to her ass quickly as fuck too.” I smirked, making Anastazia do the same. “She was nice, beautiful as hell, and she could cook a mean ass cheeseburger.” We chuckled in unison. Letting mine dissipate, I continued. “She was comforting, gave great hugs and shit. Always smelled good. Anybody that say a boy don’t need his mother is a fucking lie, love. At that time, I would’ve traded my video games and anything else I treasured to keep Lisara’s ass around.” “Sounds like if she and your father broke up, you would’ve went with her.” She simpered. “Probably, shit.” I grinned as Anastazia giggled. “On some real shit, I probably would’ve asked if he could leave me with her.

“I don’t mean to be self-deprecating. I just truly don’t get the allure, Asif.” “You beautiful, for starters.” I picked her hand up from my face and kissed the inside. “From the first day I saw you, fresh out the hospital and still a stunna, I knew then if you were that pretty after giving birth, I could only imagine you on the regular.

I was getting my feet wet in the game and needed to focus. A lot of muthafuckas think this shit was handed to me and I just took over, which in a sense, I did, but I cleaned house a lot. Formed my own shit, my own connections, changed a lot of shit around, and it wasn’t easy. I work different than my brother. “Anyway, I left it alone, but now, you free game. Now, I know you was never at peace, and that nigga didn’t appreciate what he had. Had I known that shit back then, I wouldn’t have given a fuck about taking you from him. And though I find you beautiful, Anastazia, your mind, your intelligence, your strength is what attracts a nigga most. I fuck with the fact that you can take matters into ya own hands, stand on yo’ own, even though while you with me, you won’t need to.”

“That means a lot to me.” She nodded. “I’m glad, but I’m just speaking facts. A lot of women hear strong, especially black women, and think it means you can weather a storm a nigga is about to throw yo’ way, but I wanna clarify that ain’t what I’m on at all. When I say you strong, I mean you not gon’ let a nigga slip, especially not now. You gon’ keep a nigga in line, and though I got my shit together, my mentality together, even the best niggas gotta be kept on track here and there.”

he didn’t play about his daughters.” “I like him.” I nodded. “I’m gon’ be the same way when or if I have a daughter. Tell Sophie buckle up.” Anastazia’s eyes sparkled at my comment. “I like you too, Asif. But I have to be honest. If you’re expecting us to have a whirlwind romance and be engaged by next week, I can’t promise that.” “I told you I like yo’ pace. I’m on yo’ time, love. Still think we might be engaged by next week though.”

“I love ya laugh, baby. And how ya eyes turn to slits when you do it.” I pecked her as she hugged my neck. “I know you got a lot on ya plate—me, too, though not as much—but just save a little room this. For us. I only wanna complement shit, not complicate it. Aight?” “Alright.” She nodded.

Just because you are a mother doesn’t mean you can’t have a life. I love having Sophie this much, so go.

“I like what I see.”

Asif and I had gravitated closer and closer. It started with his hand on my thigh, then slight adjustments here and there before we were shoulder to shoulder. Then, his arm rested behind me while part of my back was against a part of his chest. When one of the guys made a joke about gelatin, I laughed, turning to Asif and not realizing how close our faces would be. He was closed-mouth smiling, too, and it was so mesmerizing that what was supposed to be a quick glance turned into a lingering, smiling, blushing stare.

I could say a word, he added a second, leaning up only to watch my face. He kissed the corner of my mouth as I tried not to moan as loudly as I wanted to, feeling my panties become soaked. “Asif.” I sniveled as he went harder, surely putting a hickey on my neck as he pounded my pussy with his fingers. Thank God for this table and tablecloth hiding the indecent things going on under this table. “Cum for me, Anastazia.” He sucked on my ear, thumbing my clit.

He took some fries, using those same glazed hands, and ate some. Keeping eye contact, he licked his fingers as if it were remnants of his meal. “Ten out of ten.” He nodded at the plate as if he was speaking on it, but I knew he meant my juices.

“This is so amazing, Asif. I’m proud of you.” I nodded, and when I focused on him, I saw the puzzled look. “You are?” “Yes. You’re twenty-six years old and living like this. But at the same time, you’re not as flashy as you could be. One would have to pay close attention to you to know you have money, and most men at your age would be popping Ace of Spades in the club every night to prove it.” I inspected the thick curtains. Asif bobbed his head, taking in my comment. “I appreciate that, baby.” He spoke softly, as if he were still thinking. “I don’t think nobody, except for my pops, has ever said that shit to me before.”

He made me feel good, pretty, sexy, and that made me horny.

“Type of shit I’m into, I would never get out if I got hemmed up. That’s why I lay low, make my bread, and I get rid of muthafuckas at the first sign of disrespect, disloyalty, and anything else I don’t fuck with.”

Only nigga I can say I would let in on big shit is Low. He young though, twenty-one, so he still reckless. But once he get older, I can tell he gon’ tighten the fuck up.” He nodded.

“It’s not difficult having people you don’t trust in something like this?” I frowned, admiring his handsome face and all his little quirks, like the way he stroked his beard or ran his tongue over his bottom lip when in deep thought or how he gave a closed mouth smile, letting his eyes twinkle before he would actually show teeth and laugh. I’d even become privy to his love for candy straws, because he always had a pack in his car, and I’d seen some more fresh packs in his bedroom.

I was comfortable talking to him, even about things I wouldn’t think someone would be interested in, like the crazy shit I found online while researching.

“What would the prosecutor think if I came to her and confirmed you have been having an affair. ’Cause see, I remember you looking at Asif well before you shot your husband, Stazi. Now as soon as he’s laid up in the hospital, comatose, you and Asif are all of a sudden like this.” She held up her middle and pointer finger, intertwined.

“Do what you want, bitch, but you still won’t have him. I could die tonight, and he still wouldn’t pick you. He’d choose someone else. You’re too airheaded and focused on the wrong things in life to understand that you and Asif are not equally yoked. Why would a man as smart, handsome, ambitious, tenacious, and rich as he, settle for you?”

“That’s what I mean. Looks wise, you are definitely a sight for sore eyes, but you have nothing else to offer. You want to lock a man of Asif’s caliber down, you’re gonna have to do more than wear clothes from the toddler section, a bear weave, and caked on makeup.”

“She ain’t gon’ do that because she want that nigga too badly, and she know if she does, he gon’ cut her ass off.” Wait, he hadn’t?

These weren’t even from Asif. No wonder the presentation was different. The first arrangement was from a man with intentions; the second was from a man just trying to do what he thought would get him closer to some pussy.

“I think you should take them back and give them to a woman more deserving of these from you in particular.” I walked them over to him. “Damn, a nigga can’t do nothing nice no more?” “It’s not that. I appreciate this, but I’m not interested, and my father always taught me to never take things from a man I don’t want to be with.” I spoke truthfully.

“No, not really. Yes, I am getting to know Asif, so taking flowers from you wouldn’t be appropriate. But also, as I just said, I’m just not feeling you, so I don’t want them to be wasted on me.” I shook the roses, hoping he’d grab onto them.

“Did you tell your boy that you weren’t interested in me? Like recently?” She forked some of her baked macaroni and cheese that looked good as fuck. Frowning because I was confused, I said, “Hell nah. I would never say no shit like that, even when I had just met you.” She smiled, saying, “Okay, I didn’t think so, which is why I wanted to ask you.” “Let me guess… Grady told you that shit.” I sat back, irate. “Yeah. He gave me flowers, and when I explained that I wasn’t into him and that it’s not proper for me to accept them, knowing I’m dealing with you or whatever this is, he told me that.” She ate some of her food. “Said I should give that loyalty to a man who deserves it.”

“He was lying, well, embellishing. I told his ass not to make passes at you or attempt to get at you and that I wouldn’t either. I only said that shit ’cause I wanted to make sure he and everybody else around this muthafucka respected you. But I never said I ain’t like you or I wasn’t interested. He could’ve asked me that shit the day I seen you in Bashar’s office, and I wouldn’t have said that shit.” “You were interested off rip, huh?” She beamed with her pretty ass.

“I was. I thought it was cute as fuck how you tried to fix ya hair behind my back. You know you pretty as fuck when ya hair all over ya head and a nigga is still into you.” Her jaw dropped, and I could tell by the slight redness to her cheeks that she was abashed.

“Something about him is dark. Plus, I would never believe the competition.” “Oh, he my competition?” “I mean, the flowers were nice.” She cheesed, guffawing as I mouthed wow. “I’m just kidding, but I mean, I would never listen to someone who sees themselves as your opponent when it comes to me.”

but I know how females are. And you deserve it, baby. Treat yaself to some new shit, go to a spa, whatever to have you feeling and looking yo’ best, in yo’ eyes, for the date. I want you to feel yo’ fucking best when we step out. It don’t matter what I think.” Picking it up, she said, “This is way more than that would cost unless you want me to get a BBL.”

“I definitely don’t want that. Leave ya body exactly how it is, please, especially that fucking water park you walking ’round with. You bet not touch that.” I spoke honestly and saw her brows lift as she tried not to laugh. “Whatever is left, though, do what you want. That’s for you.”

“I’m only gon’ say this once, nigga. I’m interested in Anastazia. I like her. I want her. I’m gon’ pursue her. I am pursuing her. She off-fucking-limits. That’s me, and if you so much as open a fucking door for her, it’s gon’ be the last time you use yo’ fucking hands for anything. I don’t give a fuck what I told you or the rest of them niggas. Y’all not me, hence why I’m top dog and you do what I tell you to. I change the rules whenever the fuck I see fit or how I see fit, so I’m tweaking this one. She ain’t fair game, she spoken for. I’m the only one in the mob that can touch that. You got any questions?”

“You gon’ get enough of questioning me, my nigga. This ain’t no fucking roundtable discussion. I put the order out, and it gets followed. You shouldn’t even have no fucking questions. That’s yo’ fucking problem. You so busy focusing on appearances, how shit look, and where you think you should be instead of actually putting in the work to get there. “You older than me, but you work under me for a fucking reason. The shit you think you know, you don’t. That’s why you haven’t elevated on ya own or within Money Fiends. No muthafucka who is constantly questioning and being insubordinate as fuck is ever gon’ graduate to being my right hand.” “I got you. You right.” He nodded, but I didn’t miss the way his eyes low-key sized me up. I fucked with Grady and liked the way he worked, for the most part, but I was feeling like I was gon’ have to murk him.

my attention was on Anastazia anyway. If I wanted that woman, I couldn’t split my attention on other females. I was giving 100 percent effort when it came to her ass.

“My point is, Nique, that sometimes women are dealt a bad hand in life, and instead of counting ’em out for refusing to stick around with an ain’t shit nigga, we should be commending the shit. Name another woman who would’ve left a nigga she had six kids with? Or one who would risk shooting a muthafucka that’s been knocking her ass around? It happens but it’s rare. We gotta protect and appreciate those rarities, nigga, and realize when you lucky enough to obtain one.”

“I know, but this shit I’m doing ages you quickly as fuck. The fast money, fast women, fast lifestyle, it gets old quick. I don’ had the random one-nighters, fucked the bad foreign bitches, had some wild ass nights in and out the country. It’s cool but it ain’t forever. I want some solid shit and with a woman I feel like matches my energy. If she can shoot a gun, that’s a plus.”

When I saw him trying to calculate, proving he was lying, I whipped him around and sent a punch to his stomach, making him fold over. After dropping his ass with a deep elbow to his back, I said, “If I ever catch yo’ creep ass trying to fuck with any underage girl again, muthafucka, not just my baby sister, I’m gon’ put you in the ground, cuz.”

“These grown ass muthafuckas not into you ’cause you act mature or whatever the fuck they gon’ try to put in yo’ fucking head, B. They into you ’cause you impressionable as fuck and because you ain’t gon’ make their muthafuckin’ asses come correct like a grown ass woman would.” I sped out of the lot, irritated as fuck that I couldn’t pop that nigga. It was daylight and me whupping his ass was risky enough.

“They better not come with shit unless they want niggas coming to see them lowered into the fucking ground.” I came to a red light. “Baby girl, you gon’ learn all the shit that impresses you now ain’t gon’ make you bat an eyelash when you become a woman. Niggas know that and gon’ try their best to get yo’ time while yo’ standards ain’t as high. Don’t give it to ’em. They not fucking worthy.

“Next time, shut it down, Banks, or me and you gon’ have issues. You understand?” I asked calmly. “I understand. I’m sorry.”

“Can I get yo’ permission to take ya mama out? I’ll take good care of her and bring her back at a respectable hour.” “Okay.” Sophie nodded animatedly. “Thank you. Can I have a hug? Or is it too… soon.” Before he could finish, Sophie tossed her small arms around his neck and Asif’s face was beaming brighter than Candy Cane Lane during Christmas. “That was a good one, thank you.” He stood up to his full height, dwarfing everyone.

“You made me a playlist?” I questioned. “I did. More like a joined playlist. I started it but we can add to it over the years with songs we fuck with individually or together. Something that’s ours.”

“I think you perfect, baby, but I want you to think you perfect too. I want you to feel the way a nigga feels whenever I see you walk into a room.”

“May sound crazy but whenever I went to a family function I could feel if you were there or not.”

I’d never had a man do something like this for me and I didn’t know how to react. Everything Asif did was with intention and it showed. He didn’t just throw money at me like most rich men did, and the one time he did it was also intentional because he saw I wasn’t feeling myself like I should be.

I wasn’t going to admit this to you but I’ve never been… pursued like this. I thought shit like this only happened in books.” “The books gotta get the shit from somewhere, love. Art imitates life.” He took my hand in his. “To be honest, I’ve never done shit like this before. But you special to a nigga and you deserve it. As fucked up as it may sound, I’m happy to be the first nigga to give you something like this.”

Asif & Anastazia’s First Date Menu.

Asif & Anastazia’s First Date Dessert Menu. We both decided on the double chocolate and caramel brownie topped with ice cream, and sent Greg off to get started.

“You the only one I’m trying to be with, fuck with, kick it with, make a family with, do every fucking thing with.”