Guarded Love

Chapter 13

Demetrius

"What the fuck Jessica?!" my pops yelled from his room. "Why'd you bleach all my clothes?!?"

"Whoops," she said sarcastically while rolling her eyes. I laughed at them. Everyday these two are at it like cats and dogs. Their fights are always the type of entertainment you can't pay for. So dropping in on them and listening in is always a treat.

"I'm going to fire your ass Jessica," he mugged her while throwing all of his things away.

"That's fine. Mr. Kinley up the street was looking for a maid."

"I'll shoot you and that nigga house up don't fucking play with me Jess." It's very obvious that Kinley has this crush on Jessica and pop hates it.

"What he do this time ma?" I chuckled drinking some water she gave me.

"His old ass was out all night with some damn hoe, came back in the middle of night drunk as hell with her in tow, and made a mess of the damn bathroom," she fumed. "After I kicked the little hoe out I bleached all of his shit. That fucker knows I hate being woken out of my sleep."

"Savage," I chuckled. "But seriously, you straight?" She shrugged indifferently. Even though she puts up a front I can tell what pop is doing actually hurts her a lot. "Y'all need to talk this out. All this back and forth ain't good."

"You know your father. Doesn't listen to anything. Never mind us, what brings you over here?"

"Nothing in particular. Wasting time before this doctor's appointment."

"What doctor's appointment? Are you sick?"

"No it's not for me. For a friend."

"Friend? You mean that girl you're stalking."

"I'm not stalking her ma."

"Mhmm. Does this girl know you're taking her?"

"Nope."

"Then how do you know she has an appointment today?" She raised her brow to me and I laughed. "Stalker."

"Nah her brother told me. We used to hang out back in the day with her people's when we lived in ATL. I don't know how but he found my number and asked if I could make sure she goes to the doctor. Knowing her she'd try to skip it."

"Already met the family huh? So why haven't you brought her here so I can meet her?"

"For one you're crazy as hell ma and two because things have been moving slowly with us. I don't think she knows I'm serious about us."

"Well have you told her?"

"Nah," I rubbed my neck. "But I've made it obvious."

"Not obvious enough. Stop playing games with the girl and tell her what your intentions are. Show her that your serious so she knows it."

"Alright." If it was that easy I would've had her by now. Essence is a difficult person on every level imaginable. You have to understand how she works in order to get the results you want. Sure, it's a slow moving process but it's working.

"Did you get your club situated?"

"Yeah. Just some kids starting trouble," I lied. Much like our father, we tend to keep our business to our selves. Especially when it deals with the other side of business and the people we care about. "Everything is fixed up so I'm re-opening tonight. Got the guards who let it slide replaced. They really let a measly twenty dollar tip lose them a decent job and risk other people's lives. Shit is sick."

"Ahem," she glared at me.

"Sorry."

"No problem. I know your under a great deal of stress. I'm glad everything is resolved then."