Page 200 of I See You

“What’s the word?” Von answered smoothly.

“Aye, we need a location on Ariel Caldwell,” Roman said, glancing over at Hassan, who stood like a ticking bomb, waiting.

“There’s three Ariel Caldwells in the system living in Memphis,” Von responded, already pulling data.

“Her pops owns Caldwell Credit Union,” Hassan added without blinking, his voice tight with heat and intent.

“Bet. Got her,” Von said seconds later. “East Memphis. Just sent the address.”

Both Roman and Hassan’s phones buzzed.

“Aye, how my baby and cousin doing?” Roman asked, smirking a little as he leaned back.

“Theystraight.Complainingaboutbeingbored,andnowthey won’t stop harassing me about doing my nails,” Von said, amused.

“And the gift?” Roman asked, referring to Celine.

“She woke up a lil’ while ago. Dorian went to check on her. Whatever she slipped in that tea knocked her right back out. Nigga, I was impressed.” Von chuckled low.

“My thugga baby,” Roman said proudly.

Hassan stood silent. Awkward. Wishing like hell he could be on that phone talking to his baby too. But he had no clue where she was or what condition she was in. Just the thought of Sevyn’s name, her voice, the feel of her skin—it had his jaw locking and his blood on fire. “Yeah, ya’ll left me with they crazy asses,” Von said, but the smirk in his voice gave him away—he was enjoying it.

“Is that my cousin?” Harper’s voice rang from the background, bold and sweet all at once.

“Nah, Roman, love,” Von answered, his tone dropping a level, smoothing out like velvet.

Hassan clocked the change in his voice. He knew Von was feeling Harper, and from what he could tell, Harper was feeling him back— quiet, unspoken, but real. Hassan didn’t mind. Von was solid. Loyal. He could trust him with his life, so trusting him with his cousin? That was nothing.

But still, if Von ever played with her heart… Hassan would have him buried beneath the damn city.

And Von knew that too.

“Can I see the phone?” Harper asked, and seconds later, her voice rang clear through the speaker.

“Hey, Roman. Is my cousin by you?”

Roman glanced at Hassan, who stood stiff, his hands buried in his pockets, eyes cold, jaw tight. He shook his head, silently mouthing no. “Nah, he out,” Roman lied casually, but Harper wasn’t buying that shit.

“Nigga, you always been a bad liar. I know he standing right there, hands in his pockets, ready to kill somebody.”

Roman chuckled, because damn—she was dead on. That’s exactly how Hassan was standing.

“Hassan, I know you don’t want to talk… so just listen,” Harper said softly. “I talked to Madea. She asked about you and Sevyn. I didn’t tell her what happened, but she sounded worried. I tried to keep my voice calm, but I’m worried too.”

Hassan’s jaw tightened. He didn’t want to feel anything right now. Emotions clouded his thinking, and he couldn’t afford that—not with Sevyn gone. But it was hard not to feel when the one woman who broke down every wall in him was out there, hurting.

“You’re gonna get her back, San. I know you think this is all your fault, but it’s not.”

Roman nodded in agreement, but Hassan clenched his fists. He was sick of hearing that.

It is his fault. If he hadn’t gone looking for revenge, if he hadn’t stayed in the streets, if he hadn’t pulled Sevyn into his world—none of this would’ve happened.

“I love you, cousin. And I know Sevyn does too,” Harper continued, her voice trembling now. “I know you, Hassan. I know you’re thinking about leaving her after you save her. You did the same thing to me after what Hendrix did.”

Hassan shifted, his body tense, haunted by the memory.

“You blamed yourself for not protecting me, even though it wasn’t your fault. You stayed by my side, but you left me emotionally. You shut down. And I know if I wasn’t so damn clingy—begging you to stay—you would’ve disappeared because of that guilt.”

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