In Too Deep by Dwayne S. Joseph

also remember him because of the license plate he said he was going to have made specifically for the convertible Benz that I sold him. HnstAbe. That’s the same license plate that was on the back of the Escalade I saw parked next to your car earlier today.”
    He didn’t say another word as he walked out and closed the door.

Abe
    â€œW hat do you mean ‘He knows’?”
    I hadn’t spoken or seen Taki for a little over a week since our last rendezvous because I had to go away to Dallas for a business conference. We were initially going to hook up there, but she changed her mind and said she needed time to think, which was cool with me, because after our last conversation, space was the one thing I wanted. Her talk of having deeper feelings for me freaked me out. Pissed me off, actually. We had talked too many times about keeping it strictly physical. Love and romance were never supposed to be part of the equation. But instead of following the game plan, she was getting wrapped up in the worst way.
    Falling in love with me?
    That was the one thing I didn’t want to hear. My only hope was after having made it perfectly clear that I wasn’t on the same page, she would get her head back on straight, and everything could go back to being business as usual.
    When I got back from Dallas, I called her once to test the waters and see what her mind-set was going to be like. I had to know what I was or wasn’t going to walk into when I went back to the office. She never answered her phone though, and she never called me back, which worried me a little. When it came to their emotions and not getting what they wanted, women could be vindictive as all hell. Shit, I’ve known brothers who’ve had their cars keyed up, clothes burned, cash spent, or worse, I’ve known women who have flipped out and become psycho like Lynn Whitfield did in Thin Line Between Love and Hate .
    So when Taki stopped by my office and said she wanted to see me after hours, I was a little apprehensive about it. But I never walk away when the music’s on, so I agreed to stay. I didn’t quite know what to expect, but I was damn sure not expecting to hear what she told me when I walked in and closed her door.
    â€œWhat do you mean ‘He knows’?” I asked her again.
    We were alone in her office. Lights on—bright; door closed, but not locked. This was not the kind of meeting I’d been hoping for.
    â€œHe saw your truck.”
    â€œHow’d he know it was mine?”
    â€œYour license plate.”
    â€œWhat about it?”
    â€œBefore he met me, he sold you a Mercedes-Benz. I guess in your conversation with him, you told him about getting personal plates.”
    I scratched my goatee and thought for a moment. Then I remembered. “That’s your husband? He looked different back then.”
    Taki curled her lips and said, “Yeah, he’s changed a lot since then.”
    I let that go because I wasn’t trying to step into her personal space. “So he saw my car. So what? I work here too. If he didn’t see anything, then what’s the problem?”
    Taki got out of her chair and walked to the window. She was looking stressed. Her hair was wild and unkempt; she hardly had any makeup on, and looked like she hadn’t been sleeping much. “I told him I was here alone.”
    â€œOkay, so why did he have an issue with that? So we were both here, that doesn’t mean we saw each other.”
    â€œAbe, he knows we work together. Come on. He’s not stupid.”
    I was frustrated. The last thing I wanted to do was deal with a jealous husband.
    â€œWhy didn’t you just say that we were doing work? Why lie to him?”
    â€œHow was I supposed to know he was going to come here?”
    â€œDoesn’t matter. I told Nakyia I had to get information for you. I never said I would be alone. Cover all your bases, Taki . . . that’s what