Page 134 of River & Crown
"Let's this be the last time you interfere with my shit. I don't give a fuck what we came to do. Disrespect of any kind—" Choyce looked back to Syn, "won't be tolerated ever."
With that, Choyce sauntered over to where the boats were docked, with Kage moving with her. I shook my head ready to call this shit off.
"Honor. Crown."
"Yeah, man," I answered Killian, scratching at my jaw.
"I allowed you two to handle the situation because Choyce Mancinelli comes from your world. I deal vaguely with Lucian. However, I have no loyalty to him, only a treaty that I don't mind breaking. Keep a muzzle on your bitch or I'll put her down myself," he spoke with ease.
Ghost let out a guttural snarl that almost seemed like a laugh. Grim took a step forward, muscles rippling beneath his coat.
"Ight, we'll handle it. Tell Ghost and Grim," I said as Honor stalked off in Choyce's direction.
"Why? They're waiting for a reason, and something about Choyce tells me she's going to give them one."
"What time these niggas 'posed to be here?" Wolfe asked.
"Over thirty minutes ago?" Syn answered.
"Something feels off 'bout this sh?—"
Shots cracked in the distance. Short, sharp, and muffled. Niggas had suppressors on their shit. Our eyes caught sight of smoke coming from the direction Honor walked just seconds prior. Wolfe and I ran up first. Three masked men were too busy ducking from shots coming from inside the boat to see us coming. We fired off. Bullets jerking their bodies. Dropping onto the boat, Wolfe and I moved with ease. Sweeping the main floor, Wolfe froze. Kage was down, slumped against the wall, blood pooling under him, and two bodies across from him.
"I got him," Wolfe said, already dropping to his knees to apply pressure. "Go! Make sure Honor is straight!"
Without hesitation, I moved on to clear the lower deck. What I saw once I got down there mired my heart. A masked man stood in the shadows, gun aimed at Honor and Choyce. She barely had time to react as her hand reached toward the holster on her thigh. Shots rang out. Honor threw himself in front of Choyce. The bullets pierced him as my shots tore through the masked man's skull, dropping him.
Honor hit the floor, gasping, blood blooming fast through his hoodie. Choyce scrambled to him, eyes wide with panic and disbelief.
Everything was fucking blurring together, noise, shouting, movement, all of it. Shaking my head, I tore the mask off the nigga I'd just killed.
Fucking Dre.
Chapter 35
River Ashland
"Girl, this is your party! You should be the one shaking ass!" The bartender smiled, handing me my sixth Nitro Rush of the night.
"Last time Idanced,a man lost his life," I told her, then sipped from my glass.
The shocked expression on her face was short-lived and replaced with amusement.
"I remember that night. You should have known better than to give the deejaycome fuck me eyeswhile dating Crown."
"I wasn't dating him. It was just casual sex."
"There's nothing casual about Crown. He fucks and once he's done with you, he moves on. How you showed out that night..." the bartender narrowed her eyes as if to get a better read on me. "...Crown must've pissed you off and you decided to one up him."
"Is this you speaking from experience or..." I let my sentence linger so she'll know it was wise for her to fill in the blanks versus me coming to my own conclusion.
"Oh, no!" She laughed loudly. "Crown isn't my type. I have an appetite for pussy. You're more my speed than Crown." She winked, eliciting a blush out of me. The bartender was cute andreminded me of Dess Dior with her chocolate complexion and slim physique.
"I've worked at The Vault since it opened almost four years ago. I naturally observe people, and Crown has been my favorite case study."
"Oh yeah, what else have you learned aboutmy man?" The heavy emphasis on Crown being mine wasn't necessary, but the amount of Don Julio rafting through me had me feeling possessive.
"He's changed since meeting you. Usually, when Crown comes in here, he's light-hearted and flirty. Since you, he's turned cold toward anyone who doesn't know him."
