Save Room for Us (Crenshaw Kings Book 7)

by Shvonne Latrice

So, I left Cedric and was never going back. However, he found my new place, cuffed my hands behind my back, and then proceeded to force my head into a bathtub filled with water until I was mentally speaking to God, knowing I would see him soon.

I appreciated his candor. And I knew he was right; the law wouldn’t care or do anything until I was being zipped up in a bag.

Cedric’s body danced, and his arms flailed as each bullet wounded him.

Not to mention, the Cedric I met is a loose cannon, easily angered and reminiscent of a child, aka just the type of muthafucka I wanna cross examine.”

“The defendant’s bail will be set in the amount of one million dollars.”

“Nah, I know who she is. I reached out to her when I found some of ya texts to her. I was about to say Jacinta refused to testify on yo’ behalf.”

“I didn’t want to have to tell you in this way, but me and Cedric have been messing around for a while now. In fact, this is his baby.”

I stepped back from her out of reflex, feeling betrayed beyond belief but not because she was fucking my man. I felt betrayed because I’d confided in her, and she was a shoulder to lean on, all while fucking the very man causing me so much harm and distress.

No, I’m not. The whole time you were telling me about him beating you and terrorizing you, I knew it was lies, but I felt bad for you. He told me all about how crazy you were and how you pretended he was abusing you to get sympathy from people.

He told me how he tried to leave you so many times, but you threatened to kill yourself or tell the world he was beating you.

So see, you don’t want me to get on that stand, Anastazia, because it will blow your little case wide open. I know you shot Cedric because he was probably trying to...

He’s a good man, and I knew he was, which is why when you first started complaining about him, I sought him out, and...

“You know, I thought you had more sense than to be blinded by a nigga like Cedric, but I see you’re a typical dumb bitch that will take a piece of a man just to say you have one. Even if he is a bum,” I spat.

When it came to my sister, I didn’t care if people considered it jumping—I didn’t like people putting their hands on her.

When I saw Asif’s handsome face, butterflies seized my stomach. I didn’t know what it was about him, considering every man in this backyard was handsome, but he did something to me.

He made me nervous, and I wasn’t exactly the type of bitch to get nervous around men. I was what people called a maneater back in the day; minus the promiscuity.

“Just cool, huh? Well, you have a hell of a protective bestie,”

“She ain’t gon’ fuck with you, especially knowing you’ll shoot a muthafucka.”

“It was a joke, baby. I apologize. It was too soon, huh?” He stared at my side profile for a minute, and finally, I got the courage to turn slightly and look him in the eyes.

“Next time you need to take a muthafucka out though, holla at me.”

“I’m dead ass though. Next time you need a nigga handled, I don’t care if it’s for him looking at you disrespectfully, hit me. Or, shit, just hit me.”

“Shit, after what Cemone went through, you may need to check again.” I sat behind my desk, taking the shit in.

The plan was for me to come on as CEO in a few more years but because I’d made more money than he had expected me to, shit had to be done earlier to protect my freedom.

“You ain’t gotta worry about that shit with me. I don’t shit where I eat.”

Rich as fuck and discreet was my motto.

I always made shit clear, and I wasn’t fond of muthafuckas who were hard of hearing or hard of understanding.

No nigga who worked for me could say they weren’t eating good. I took my freedom and money making very fucking serious.

Money Fiends Mob

Bitches always wanted to be seen and in the middle of some shit, and because I was a low-key nigga, I wanted a woman to match my vibe.

And while most niggas were scared shitless of Anastazia at the moment, I found her actions against that fuck nigga Cedric gangsta and sexy as hell.

My pops, and even my brothers, liked to call me paranoid, but Asif St. Thomas would never spend the night with a bitch I was only fucking.

“How are you the villain and he’s not?”

“I guess I would’ve had to allow him to kill me for me to be the victim.

“Niggas ain’t crazy enough to bother you.” “Right, because I shot my ex.” “Nah, ’cause them muthafuckas ain’t trying to answer to me.”

She kept the door cracked, only allowing me to see her head as if I hadn’t been inside her mama’s house before. My jealous ass mind immediately went to wondering if she was hiding a nigga in there, and I knew right then me continuing to pretend I didn’t wanna be Anastazia’s second baby daddy wasn’t gon’ fucking last.

I get you, but I wasn’t asking for permission or approval. I was letting you know. If that nigga wakes up and come knocking, it’s gon’ be the last time he knock on any fucking thing.”

“If you think I’m going naked head in a bitch I won’t even kiss in the mouth, you crazy.”

“I’m a simple nigga. What I say is what I mean; ain’t no underlying shit to it. By saying that, when I pop out with my wife, she can’t say shit.”

“Nah, only woman I’m worried about defending, outside of family, is you.”

Anastazia might not have been in the mood for a new nigga, but she was about to get one.

“How ’bout you walk off while you still can, nigga. ’Cause if I have to put hands on you, then I gotta shoot you, and I don’t think getting bodied is worth a woman you never gon’ have. But you let me know.”

“Why can’t I be looking for a man? After what I endured, I deserve it.” “Because when you start looking, yo’ eyes need to land on me.”

“So you ready to play step daddy?” “That’s already in a nigga’s blood. You forgot? I was put on earth to be a step daddy.” He smiled and I chortled, thinking of Lisara. “But I don’t play no roles, love. I live in the shit, show other muthafuckas how it’s done. That was supposed to be my baby anyway.”

“I didn’t know you when she was created.” I hated myself for cheesing at this shit he was laying down, but I couldn’t help it. “Now you do. You bet not have another fucking baby that ain’t carrying my DNA.”

“I’m gon’ put it to you like this though: Either you fucking with me or you single.” He shrugged subtly and nonchalantly.

My father taught me young that a man with no sexual discipline, when necessary, wasn’t a man at all.

Only Anastazia could have a street nigga bringing his lunch like he worked a fucking desk job.

“I know we friends, but I want you. Long as I ain’t making you uncomfortable, let me do me. A nigga can’t see something I want and be idle, baby. I’m a go-getter.”

“I’m yours and you been mine since you walked into that fucking office. When I thought you was happy, I was willing to suffer and be a homeboy or some shit but now that you free, love, I gotta do what I gotta do; go for what I want. I’m ready to lock you down, ice out that finger, put Sophie on a nigga’s taxes, and take care of you. When you ready, of course.”

Asif: A persistent man is a winning man, love.