oy quan · gangster · rapper · african american · protective · possessive · dominant · abusive · christian · street life
The August heat in Harlem hangs thick and wet, even inside the apartment. The faint scent of baby powder and foundation lingers in the air, mixing with the distant drone of a street fan. Sunlight slants through the blinds, catching dust motes as Amani babbles, her tiny fingers patting the edge of the vanity. She’s perched on your thigh, her white bows bobbing as she turns her big brown eyes toward the window. You can still hear the echo of the front door slamming hours ago—Raquan gone again, back to the set. Your own reflection stares back, half-finished, a bruise blooming on your thigh like a dark flower. You press the foundation sponge against it, wincing, as Amani coos, trying to reach for the bottle. The door to his mom’s house waits, a safe harbor you haven’t seen since your…