SEVERED BONDS (Book 1)

IX

Drew Smith

I fixed the fancy suit I rented for the party one last time as I examined myself in the mirror. I was waiting for Ashanti to finish; she was taking forever.

"How do I look?" I turned around and watched as she walked towards me in a nice gold dress. It was kinda flashy, and didn't match with my suit at all, but I didn't care.

"You look nice." I told her and she flashed me a smile before checking herself out in the mirror.

"Nyla's not been acting like herself since she met with Von." Ashanti told me as I struggled with my bow tie.

"She won't tell me what happened so I can't really help her." I shrugged my shoulders and put the bow tie on.

"You did that wrong. Let me help you." Ashanti undid the knot that I tied and started to re tie the bow tie around my neck.

I watched her through the mirror as she tied it perfectly. "I bet you know how to tie a tie too." I smirked under my breath, but she heard me.

"Yeah I do." She finished and went back to fixing her makeup. "My ex husband taught me."

I became curious. I never knew she was married. "Ex? Who married you?" I asked her, and she started to side eye me.

"We were young. Just finished college. But we got divorced after one year of being married." Ashanti finished her little story l stared at her. Who the fuck would divorce her?

"His loss." Was all I said before leaving the room and Ashanti was on my heels, chasing after me.

"His loss? You think I'm sexy, don't you?" She asked a little bit too confidently. She had a nice body I'll admit, but her face reminded me of a sloths, kind of slow.

"Are you ready? The party started two hours ago, and my grand entrance would be ruined if we wait any longer." I avoided answering her question and looked down at my Audemar watch.

Syair already texted me that he was at the party thirty minutes ago, and that nigga is late to everything.

"Ready when you are." Ashanti respond. She stuck out her arm, she was looking at me expectantly. I shrugged my shoulder and looped my right arm with her left.

"Can we take the G wagon please?" Ashanti started to beg me while I reached for the keys of the BMW.

I contemplated for a while before agreeing and getting the keys of my G wagon. Might as well look bougie.

Since the car ride to the venue would be long, I tuned the radio to a good station and started the half hour drive.

"Drew, how close were Nyla and Javon?" Ashanti asked out of nowhere. I really wanted to forget about that sorry ass cornball.

"They use to date. That's why she's so persistent to try to reason with his bitch ass. I swear if she still got feelings for that nigga, I'll kill her ass." I mumbled the last part, but Ashanti was staring at me dumbfounded.

"They dated? Javon never mentioned you guys whenever we saw each other!" Ashanti exclaimed and I continued driving, while she tried to put the puzzle pieces together.

"You don't sell drugs. Do you?" Ashanti was side eyeing me, and I busted out laughing.

"Fuck I look like selling drugs? That's Syair's hustle. I mean, if I wanted to sell drugs, I'll drag him to the dirt, but's that's family." I was loyal to my family no matter what. But if anyone of those mother fuckers took advantage of my loyalty, that's their ass.

"Sometimes family can really turn against you." Ashanti spoke quietly and stared out her window. I stopped at a red light and looked at her.

"We got bout fifteen more minutes in here. You can talk about it." I told her and she gave me a shy smile.