Page 153 of River & Crown
"They're not coming. Too much is happening around us. Until I know for sure niggas are solid, anything from this point until I say differently stays between us." I glanced at everyone, making sure they all understood.
"Ight, let's get down to business. Everything we have moving in the Grove and Ember Hills is getting shut down," I announced.
"Slowing down the money is supposed to do what?" Syn questioned.
"Stop a person's livelihood, and they become desperate," Choyce answered. "I think shutting things down is our best move. I'll speak to Lucian about the connect keeping the next shipment until we can figure this shit out. He won't be happy, but I'm sure, there's a favor or two I can take on to make sure it happens."
"Get it done," Wolfe told her. "Have either of you tried reaching Breeze?"
"I reached out the day after the dock situation, but the number was disconnected. More than likely, it was a burner," Choyce answered.
"Same," Syn added.
"None of this shit feels like it's about territory," I said more to myself than anyone else.
"If not territory, or sweeping y'all off the board, then what?" Choyce quizzed.
"We got hit first in Ember Hills. Mick let them niggas rob the bricks and burn the money. Whoever did the hit got what they needed product-wise to start laying the foundation of their operation. We didn't hear anything 'bout it. Six months later, Choyce gets a bug 'bout a nigga wanting to set up in Ember Hills, but outside of that, what else have we heard? Situations keep happening, but there's never any follow-through."
"It's personal," Wolfe said. "Whoever is doing this shit is playing the long game. They're throwing bones, waiting for us to attack."
"They're not after us nigga they're after me."
"Crown, we were all at the dock that night. If they wanted to get at you, they would've reached out for a meet with you and not Choyce and me," Syn pointed out.
"Wolfe said they were throwing bones, waiting for us to attack. Those first two situations didn't provoke me. I killed Mitch and kept business moving. I went to speak to Killian, and that was settled with little conflict. Nothing popped off until?—"
"Four's accident," Wolfe finished for me. "They toyed with you to see what would send you off the deep end."
"Exactly. When you hear back from your people, get at me," I told Syn, then turned to Choyce. "Handle getting the next shipment stalled. If you run into any issues, let me know."
"Nice to see someone else take charge for once. I'll be sure to tell Honor he's not the only one capable of leading." She winked. "I'll be in touch when I have something."
The four of us walked out of the mill with Syn and Choyce getting in their cars and pulling off first. Wolfe and I waited a few minutes before getting into his car and dipping off.
"What you wanna do about Four? You're not fucking with her, but if she's in harm's way, we gotta move her."
"I know."
"If you don't want her at the crib with you, she can come stay with Chosyn and me. We'll have her ass on nanny duty," Wolfe joked, but sounded too damn serious.
"That might be the move until we figure this shit out. Did security find anything on the cameras from the shooting at the hotel?"
"Not shit that we don't already know. Black car, tinted windows, no plates, and the nigga doing the shooting was masked up."
"Same shit from when I got shot," I mumbled.
"Nah, this don't have shit to do with that. All of this might be a big-ass coincidence."
"My mom taught me coincidences don't exist. A hidden message unfolding in perfect timing."
"The universe isn't aligning to knock you off. This shit gotta be something else. I don't see niggas coming at you knowing Honor and I aren't too far behind."
"Y'all weren't supposed to make it off the dock. Think about that shit, Wolfe. They weren't aiming at me. Those bullets were for everyone but me."
"Crown, you can't?—"
"The nigga I killed for shooting Honor was Dre," I blurted, cutting him off.
