Page 184 of I See You

Roman sat up straighter. Jules raised a brow. Von paused mid- keystroke.

No one said shit. Not because they didn’t believe Hassan meant it—but because none of them thought they’d live to see the day Ice Gaines admitted he was in love.

“We need to level the fucking playing field.” Hassan’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “Von, you got something I can use?” Vonsmirked,hisfingersalreadyflyingacrossthekeyboard.

Hassan shot him a look. “Mane, why y’all always smiling before giving me what I need?”

“Because this one? This one’s perfect,” Von said, scrolling to a photo and flipping the screen around. “Carlos has a granddaughter. Senior at University of Memphis. Fine Arts major. Last name’s different, but the car she drive, the way the school’s been paid off, all that told me she livin’ off that DeVille money. And from the way Carlos protects her, she gotta be his pride and joy. Youngest grandchild. Only girl.”

Hassan’s jaw clenched. “I want her close.”

“We can get her to you,” Dorian said without hesitation. Harper’s head nodded like the decision was already made.

“No,” Jules cut in, low and sharp. “You two need to sit this one out. This is business. Grown man business. I ain’t raise this nigga to have civilians in his war room.”

Dorian’s eyes narrowed like twin blades. “With all due respect— fuck that. You might be the OG in here, but I’ll still shoot your fine old ass behind my cousin.”

Jules let out a slow chuckle, eyes gleaming. “I fuck with her.”

“Shenotjusthereforshow,”Romanadded,voiceflat.“That’s blood.”

ButevenRoman’sjawtickedslightly.Hedidn’twantDorian anywhere near this shit. Neither did Hassan.

“No.” Hassan and Roman said it at the same time.

“Fuck what y’all talkin’ about,” Dorian snapped. “If this girl gets usonestepclosertoSevyn,I’mdoin’it.Andlet'sbereal—whatit looklike with y’all big asses showing up on a college campus trying to snatch a girl up? Ya’ll gon’ have SWAT on y’all in minutes. Nah. Let me and Harper handle it.”

Harper chimed in, calm but firm. “Carlos and his people don’t know us. We blend in easy. We young, we pretty, we just graduated. We’ll butter her up, get close, get her where you need her.”

Everyone sat quiet for a beat, weighing it.

“Fire and brains,” Jules muttered, shaking his head with a smirk. “Yeah, I fuck with them.”

Dorian smirked back. “Flattered, but I don’t fuck with grandpas.”

Roman cut a cold look toward Jules. “Watch it, old man. That’s mine.”

Jules grinned. “I got seasoned meat waiting at home. Don’t flatter yourself, young blood.”

Hassan leaned back, his thoughts racing. As much as he hated putting them in the middle of this, Dorian had a point. They were the best shot at getting the girl without catching a war before it was time.

“Fine,” he said. “You two bring her to me.”

“Signed, sealed, delivered—faster than Amazon Prime,” Dorian said, deadly serious.

Harper laughed. “Shit, a glass of wine and a free full set , and anybody her best friend. Ask Sevyn how she got me.”

Even Hassan cracked the smallest smirk—but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Because war was here now. And they had one shot to win.

“Now, did you do that favor?” Hassan asked, locking eyes with Roman.

Roman smirked. “Man, that nigga just wanted a Hongqi L5.” Jules leaned back in his chair like that was a light ask. But it wasn’t.

That car? A million-dollar Chinese classic—only three in existence. Roman pulled strings through his deep-set Asian car plug, and somehow came back with one. That favor alone could move armies.

“We got all the machinery and muscle we need now,” Roman said. “Igotafedhighupwatchingeverything—skyandground.If Carlos tries to move Sevyn by car, jet, private plane, or fuckin’ hot air balloon, he ain’t leavin’ Memphis,” Jules added as Hassan nodded. “Also,”Julessaid,reachingforalong,matteblackcaseonthe desk. “I know you don’t fuck with guns… so I got you this.” He snapped the case open.

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