Keith.

A Week Later.

I dragged myself inside of the shop. I woke up late because of the crazy night I had. Brittany hosted a party at AOD so me and my boys went. We didn't leave there until it closed. Then they found a bar to go to.

Everybody ended up drunk except for me so I had to get them home safely. By the time I got to my crib it was 5, almost 6 in the morning. I didn't hear my alarm and now it's 2 and I'm just now getting here. I had to promise all my morning appointments that their next cuts will be free cause of what I did. Now it's about to be another long night at the shop.

"Well look who's strolling in here late as hell." April said.

"I know my bad." I walked over to her station and ate some of the chips she had sitting there.

"You gotta stop having sex til the crack of dawn." She smirked.

I bit my lip and smiled. "I'll try."

"Get out of my damn chips!" She tapped my hand.

"I'll buy you some more." I took the bag with me and headed to the back.

"Damn man. Where the hell you been?" C said.

"I woke up late. I had a crazy night. I meant to call you but I was so busy rushing trying to get here."

"Don't make this a habit man."

"I promise I'm not."

"How he gone tell you what to do? I'm his boss." April said walking into the room.

"Shut up." Chris threw a towel at her.

"I'm about to order lunch, want something?" She asked him.

"Hell yeah, I want some chicken and fries please, order from a place that sale cheesecake." He responded.

"K...you hungry Keith?"

"Starving. Can you order me a bacon cheeseburger with fries."

"Sure." She walked out and my eyes went straight to her ass.

"Damn right in front of her big brother though?!"

"Oh shit. My bad C, I forgot."

"You feeling my sister?"

"I barely know her."

"I barely knew my wife but I knew it was something about her that I liked. Now look at us, married for 5 years with a little girl."

"Damn. I got a girl though."

"Oh okay. Well if you do think you feeling my sister, make sure you break up with the girl you with before you even try to approach her. She done dealt with enough when it comes to no good ass niggas."

"You talking bout Q?"

"You know him?"

"Whenever I go to AOD they mention him and her and some chick name Alexus."

"Damn. I hope my sister is done with that pussy ass nigga. She deserve better. She a good girl."

"I can tell she is. So where you meet your wife?"

"We been together since high school. We broke up for a little bit and I realized that my life just wasn't the same without her so I won her back, few years later we got married."

"That's wassup. I hope I find a girl like that."

"I think you have. You just gotta break up with your girlfriend first." He laughed and headed to the front.

April a cool girl but I barely know her. They few times I picked her up and dropped her off she barely talked. I mean I don't expect her to tell me her life story but she was quiet and mainly on her phone.

I did all the talking.

I wouldn't mind getting to know her though.

...

After cutting a few heads she finally came back with my food.

"Sorry it took so long, they screwed up our orders." She handed me a bag.

"It's cool, how much I owe you?"

"You're fine." She sat in Chris's chair. "So what did you do last night?"

"My girl hosted a party at AOD so I went then I ended up at after hour bar and shit just got crazy." I but into my food.

"Wait, you date a stripper?"

"Well she's really not a stripper."

"Her name is Brittany right?"

I nodded.

"Oooooohhh. You date the girl that gives the singles." She said all hyper-like

I laughed at her reaction. "Yeah, her."

"She's cute....I guess."

"Ha...what was that about?"

"What? I said she's cute. Have you met her daughter yet?"

"Daughter?!"

"Oops, said too much."

"She got a daughter?"

"Anywaaaaay."

"You gone leave me hanging like that?"

"That's not my place to talk. I thought you already knew that's why I said something. Maybe she's waiting for the right time."

"Bullshit! That's something you tell somebody from the beginning. Wouldn't you want to know if the nigga you was messing with had kids from the jump?"

"Yeah, I would."

"Damn."

"Chill, I'm sure she'll tell you."

"You know all about my love life, what about yours?"

"My love life is complicated. I just got out of a 5 year relationship, finally. It's was way overdue I'm just glad it's over."

"Dude really fucked up huh?"

"Yes. You've been at AOD, im sure you know Alexus."

"The bartender, yeah I know her."

"She was the icing on the cake. I finally realized I deserve better."

"You do." I looked into her eyes. Her teeth pierced into her plump bottom lip as she stared back.

"April! Your next client is here!" Nique yelled.

"Damn, I didn't even get to eat." She got up.

"Here, take a piece of this." I handed her my burger. She broke off a piece and gave it back.

"You're a life saver. Everybody is hanging out here tonight you should stick around."

"I will."

"You think you can drop me off too? Chris can't stay."

"Yeah no problem."

"Thanks Keith."

With that she walked out.

Chris is right, I do need to get to know her.

April.

It was now 2 in the morning and we were finally leaving. We bought drinks and food and we sat around laughing about our crazy day.

Now Im packing up my things while Keith sat in my salon chair waiting on me.

"It's really like a family in here." He said.

"Yeah. Everybody that works here I've known for a long time. I hired people that I know I can trust."

"That's smart. People you don't know can do you dirty."

"Well people you know can too but I'm not worried about any of them." I said. "Only one I don't know would be you."

"Get to know me then." His tall frame stood behind mine. I looked up at him through my mirror.

"Would you ever cross me?" I asked.

"Naw, I'm not that kind of guy."

"Mmhm." I turned around to face him and leaned back on my work station. "I don't know if I can trust that."

"Look at this face, isn't it trustworthy?"

That face looks like a seat! Look at me. And I swore I didn't want him.

"If you say so." I said, shaking away he bad thoughts.

"You can trust me. I think we should get to know each other. Maybe we can go to dinner or something."

"I don't know. I don't want Brittany jumping to conclusions."

"It's just two co-workers eating. We ain't doing nothing wrong."

"But girls don't see it that way. And most chicks see me as a threat though."

"Ah ha, cocky...I like it."

"Not cocky, just confident." I smirked.

"How about we cook something? We are neighbors. Ill just say you a old lady that invited me over." He laughed.

"If you gotta lie it ain't a good idea."

"That's true. Well I'm just having dinner with my boss. That's the end of that."

"Right. How about Sunday? I'm free."

"I am too, so that sounds like a plan."

"Cool, I hope you can cook."

"No I hope you can cook."

"Of course I can, my momma taught her baby well."

"We'll see."

I smirked. "You ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah, let's go." He picked up our bags, I grabbed my purse and we headed out. As I was locking up, a black escalade was slowly creeping around the parking lot. Keith stood closer to me as I locked the door. When we started walking to Keith's truck the Escalade sped up. Keith put our bags in the back then opened my door.

The driver side window of the Escalade rolled down and Q appeared. He smiled and blew a kiss at me.

I took a deep breath and sighed.

"Hurry up, get in." Keith said while gently tapping my ass. I would've had a problem with that but it felt good. I climbed inside and he went around and climbed in the drivers seat.

As he tried to back out Quavo ignorant ass blocked him, almost causing him to hit his car.

"Why does he have to be so stupid?! Ugh!" I yelled.

"I'm guessing that's Q?"

"Unfortunately. I'll get him." I tried to get out but Keith pulled me back.

"Stay right here." He pulled something from under his seat, tucked it in his shirt and got out. "What's the problem? I'm just trying to take her home?" I heard him say.

I instantly got nervous. Q is crazy I don't need him hurting Keith cause he ain't got nothing to do with this.

He was out there for too long. As soon as I got ready to hop out Keith was climbing back in. He sped off like a mad man, scaring the shit out of me.

"Keith, I'm so sorry, you shouldn't have to deal with this. I'll just leave with Chris from now on. My car will be here Saturday. That's what I get for getting a custom car rig-."

He grabbed my chin cutting me off. It honestly turned me the fuck ON! Quavo used to do the same thing be he wasn't as gentle.

"I'm not worried about that nigga. If you need me to take you home, I will. I know a pussy when I see one." He said with so much bass in his voice.

PANTIES WET!

"K." That was all I could get out. I crossed my legs and rolled down window a little bit.

It instantly got hot in here.

The rest of the ride was quiet. We eventually pulled up to my place.

"You gone be good here? My guest room is made up you can always come down to my place.

"I'm fine. He knows he can't be anywhere near my house. I had to get a restraining order. I guess I gotta get one for the shop too."

"A restraining order is just a piece of paper April. I just want you to feel safe tonight."

"I'm ok, really. I really appreciate you Keith."

"No problem. Here put my number in your phone." He said. I passed it to him and he added his number then called himself. "Whenever you need me, call me."

"I will." I leaned over and kissed his cheek."Goodnight."

"Goodnight April."

I grabbed my stuff out his backseat and headed inside my house. As soon as I shut and locked my door a text came through. I sat everything down and picked up my phone.

It was a unsaved number.

4047884552 - That new nigga you fucking with will be dead soon. - 3:22am

Ugggghhh!

This is some bullshit.