Page 218 of River & Crown
"Everything's in motion for this evening," Killian relayed before I got a word in.
"Wassup to you too, nigga." I laughed, shaking my head. I pulled my whip close to the curb and pushed the gear to park.
"We have no time for pleasantries."
"Yeah, ight, just make sure you got everything situated on your end."
"I said it's already in motion. Either you didn't hear me, or your time away dulled more than your edge. Let me know if we need to start calling you Simple. Simple and Four does have a unique ring to it."
My jaw ticked as I stared out the windshield.
"Talk nice to the muthafucka who did what no one else was willing to do for you," I shot back.
"Technically, Ghost found her," he said. "But yes, thank you for your... contribution."
I let out a low laugh, shaking my head. Killian was a peculiar nigga, but he never pretended to be anything else. This world was full of fake loyalty and half-truths. Killian being himself, no matter who he was around, mattered more than the bullshit he often said.
"Syn will be meeting you at the restaurant," Killian said.
"Aight, cool, but are you sure that's where Four's gonna be?"
"Yes. I've been monitoring Kysre, and with you gone, I took it upon myself to make sure River was being looked after."
"Looked after how?" I frowned.
"I observed and intervened when necessary. That's what looking after someone entails, in case you forgot."
"Ight. I'll see you when we meet up," I stated, ending the call.
I hopped out of my car and walked across the street to stand in front of Gravehart Homes. The outside of the building still looked the same, but that was where the familiarity ended. Once Navy took over, she did everything in her power to make sure the inside of this place didn't remind Honor, Wolfe, and me of the shit we dealt with and the hell we raised. Wolfe might've gone inside once or twice after Navy took over. Honor only came when Navy forced him, and I came only when needed.
I used to hate this place, but those two months away forced me to realize certain things about my past. I didn't hate this place because of what I dealt with. I hated this muthafucka because it raised the pieces of me that my parents left behind. It was loud here, with kids yelling and fights in the hallway. I started popping pills here. Wolfe broke bones, and Honor got his ego bruised in this building. Too much shit happened here, and it shaped all three of us. It defined how we saw the world and put meanings to the words that we lived by. Through all of that, though, this was where I found family. A fucked-up family, but family, nonetheless.
Catching a black car in my peripheral view, I turned my head. A Bentley Bentayga Azure pulled up slowly. I leaned against the fence, waiting on these niggas to get out. Wolfe climbed out first and walked over.
"My nigga!" He smirked, dapping me up and pulling me into a hug. "I missed you, kid."
"I was gone for two months. That's nothing." I chuckled, happy to see my baby brother.
"Tell that shit to Chosyn. I had to hear her curse you out for two months. The only time she shut up was when I put my dick to her lips."
"I'ma tell her you said that shit." I laughed.
"Tell her. She's gon' agree anyway." He grinned and then got serious as he looked me over. "Time away did you good. You look more relaxed."
"Somethin' like that, but I still got a ways to go." I shrugged. "Why is your brother actin' like a heartbroken teenager?"
"You left without sayin' shit. I knew you were thinkin' about leaving, but Honor didn't know anything. Then y'all got into it and y'all's shit never got resolved."
"Tell him to get out of the car so I can make this quick."
Wolfe walked back over to the truck and knocked on the window. Honor's bitch ass rolled it down, and the two exchanged a few words before Honor stepped out.
"Wassup." He nodded coldly.
"Look, we don't gotta peace shit up, but I'm not about to keep how I'm feeling bottled up either. This right here," I nodded toward the building, "this is our roots. We became family here, and nothing is bigger than family. I apologize for how I handled things. I reacted without expressing my disappointment. That's on me, but how I feel still stands. Wolfe might be cool with you lying and keepin' shit to yourself, but I'm not. Secrets have already tried to tear this family apart twice. Eventually, that try is gon' turn into success. I don't wanna be around when that happens. I love y'all too much for that."
"Fuck does that mean? You're a fuckin' Gravehart! There's no getting away from that," Honor snapped.
