Hakeem Esias Jones grew up with nothing. From the very moment he could walk and talk, he learned to survive by any means necessary-stealing, fighting, and looking out for himself.
Raised on the streets, the street code became his only guide, and he...
It wasn't until Keem came along that the idea resurfaced, reigniting old feelings they thought were long gone. And to their surprise, neither got upset when the other admitted their attraction to Keem.
Their only problem now was Keem.
What if Keem didn't feel the same? What if this was all for nothing? The two had absolutely no clue how he felt-and wouldn't know until they asked.
"Youn wanna keep doing little slick shit to see if he folds?" Kai asked, watching Sailym spin her promise ring around her finger.
"Nah," She mumbled. "Now that I'm really thinkin' about it, the first plan was messed up. We was tryna lure him into something without even knowing if he's interested. That's foul."
Her voice grew more thoughtful. "What if this whole thing backfires on us? What if Keem don't like neither of us like that? Then we're sitting here embarrassed, and whatever relationship we was building with him gets ruined."
This wasn't anything either of them could decide on alone. It had to be a joint decision―something they both agreed on.
"Ian think about dat." Kasim acknowledged, jumping on to Sailym's point. And even though Kasim preferred teasing Keem for fun, he had to admit Sailym was right.
Boundaries and rules upfront made sense―especially if Keem decided to roll with the plan.
They needed something solid to make this work.
Sailym gave Kasim a knowing smile. "I know you didn't." Sailym teased, cupping his face before pulling him in for a kiss. Her tongue glided over his lips, coaxing him to open up, and when he did, she swirled her tongue against his, leaving him breathless.
Kasim pulled back just enough to lick the faint trace of her spit still on his lips. "So, we telling him when we get back, or we waiting 'til tomorrow?" Kasim asked, trying to brace himself mentally for what was coming.
Sailym stilled, thinking it over before answering. "Today. Soon as Keem comes back." Kasim gave a small nod and leaned his head back against her.
Now all that was left to do was wait.
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Keem snatched his black backpack from off the seat and popped open the car door. "I preciate you," He mumbled, nodding toward the driver. Keem double-checked to make sure he had all of his things before shutting the door with a solid push. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he tugged at his sagging pants and strolled toward the apartment building.
It was already twelve-twenty-one in the morning, and he was just now getting home.
Hakeem needed some time to clear his own head, so he'd spent the past few hours at a quiet nearby park, just sitting there, jotting down thoughts in the notebook he'd picked up recently. Afterward, Keem stopped to grab a bite to eat before heading back.
