Page 105 of River & Crown
"Yeah. Leah and I didn't get along, but her mom was cool. I wanna send my condolences."
"She's not dead, Chosyn! You know how crazy it'll be for her to get condolence flowers when her daughter is still very much alive."
"But is she, though?" Chosyn's tone was rich in dry skepticism and immediately had me thinking the worst. Grabbing my phone, I quickly texted Rook.
Me:
Did Leah leave there?
Rook:
Monica drove her to the hospital.
I let out a sigh of relief and tossed my phone on the couch.
"Leah won't make it past the night once Crown finds out what happened. He let her off the hook once, but I doubt he'll do it again."
"You speak about murder like death means nothing to you," I quipped with a little more sass than necessary.
I've never judged her or the things she's done, mainly because I understood. Her past fueled a lot of her irate behaviors. The threats, the walking around with the blade in her mouth, the chip on her shoulder all stemmed from her issues with Chance, who was dead now. Chosyn had a beautiful marriage, a beautiful child and still was still on bullshit.
"In a way, I guess it doesn't. I tried killing Chance at what fifteen and went on to love King, who teetered the same line as my father. Both King and Chance had a hand in dismantling my innocence. They changed how I empathize with people. I guess Choyce played a part in that, too."
At the mention of her sister, I watched her gaze shift. Her eyes glossed over, lips slightly parted. Chosyn's thoughts had slipped away. She was present, but she wasn't.
"Chosyn," I called out, placing my hand on her knee. She flinched beneath my touch, and when her eyes came back to mine, she seemed her normal self.
"Sorry." She sighed.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. I get it. Killing Chance wasn't your fault. Choyce set you up to do that, but even then, you had your reasons for doing so."
"So as long as someone has a reason, killing is okay?" she asked, throwing me for a loop. In my mind, killing was wrong no matter the reason. However, for Chosyn, I made excuses.
"I didn't say that."
"Then what are you saying, River?"
"I don't know." I sighed.
"You might want to figure it out before Crown sees your face."
Chosyn had a point. Crown made it clear when he killed the DJ, that he didn't give a fuck about killing someone over me. I never thought too much of it because we weren't a thing back then. Now we're in love. Telling him I love him fueled his crazy. Leah wasn't someone I saw myself reconciling with, but I also didn't want her dead.
"Chosyn wha... what am I suppos... supposed to do?" My voice elevated as my words stammered, and my hands became clammy.
"Relax, what is wrong with you?" She frowned.
"Crown is going to kill Leah."
Her brows scrunched together. Basically, telling meduh."I know. That's what I've been telling you."
"He can't Chosyn. Leah's been through too much to?—"
"Nope! I'ma stop you right there. Leah obviously hasn't been through enough if she keeps trying you. She fucked Crown before you, told you she didn't care about you messing with him, just for her to throw it in your face because you locked him down. Crown made that girl snap pictures of y'all inherphone as a reminder that it'll always be you for him. Do you know how crazy you gotta be to still start shit? Leah walked into that garage with a death wish." Chosyn shrugged. "You can't convince me otherwise. She knows how throw'd off Crown is and she still put hands on you."
"I hit her first." I sighed, and Chosyn pursed her lips together and tossed her shoulders forward as if to sayand.
"I don't care who hit who first. She knew the consequences of putting her hands on you, and she still did it. Had you let me kill her, this wouldn't be a conversation."
