Messari threw the hardest punch his little body could, and as soon as his little hand connected with Meek’s, Meek took that hand and slapped Isa with it.

“That’s how you get with these bitch-ass niggas out here, lil’ homie,” Ahmeek stated.

Aria hollered in laughter as Messari high-fived Ahmeek and hugged his neck tightly.

“Damn, nigga,” Isa complained. “I should shoot the shit out ya’ ass,” he snickered. “You know I’m light-skinned. Got yo’ mu’fuckin’ handprint on my shit like I’m a bitch out here.”

Ahmeek laughed as he slapped hands with Isa and pulled him in as they tapped shoulders. Isa rustled Messari’s head.

“You lucky yo’ backup came, nephew.”

Messari hugged Ahmeek tighter, hiding from Isa.

Morgan’s entire body froze. It was a sin to love someone the way she loved him. Ahmeek didn’t even look her way. Her last words to him had been so cruel she couldn’t say she blamed him.

“Okkayyy,” Aria said, cutting through the awkward vibes in the room. “Let’s get focused, Mo. You been fucking up all day. We could have been done. I’m gonna run it back.”

Aria handed Yara to Isa, and Ahmeek stepped back. He still held Messari as he made room for Aria and Morgan to finish their routine.

The music started, and Morgan turned on. She had been so distracted before, she’d missed every step the first few rounds of practicing. With Meek’s attention on her, she was flawless. He was pretending not to watch her, but she knew he hadn’t missed a beat, because if he loved nothing else about her … he loved when she danced, and Mo was showing out. Whenever he was in the room, the stakes tripled. She loved to see the look in his eyes. It was more than lust. It was pride.

By the time the song ended, Morgan was sweating she had danced so hard. Her heavy breathing made her chest rise and fall.

“That’s all that ass you carrying around that got you tired like that,” Aria teased. Morgan blushed. The music changed, and Aria turned up the volume. Music lived in her soul, and her moods fluctuated with the harmonies of her day.

See I don’t need n’aan nigga jocking me,

slowing me down and stopping me

Climbing all on top of me,

if he ain’t gon’ fuck me properly

“Don’t write no check that ass can’t cash, Ali,” Isa said as he snatched her by the waist, pulling her to the couch.

“That’s a bit much for them, yo,” Meek stated, nodding to the twins as he picked up the remote control and pressed the arrow skipping the song. “Trina got to keep that bad-bitch shit to herself.”

“Mmkay, Meek. Look out for your babies, boy. You better step!” Aria snickered.