Page 158 of River & Crown
"Fix your face, beautiful."
"Rakim, please," I huffed, smacking his hand away.
"You're making it seem like a nigga trying to look out for you is a bad thing."
"When the nigga isn'tmine,it is a bad thing, especially when you're questioning me about business that has nothing to do with you."
"Oh, I get it! You're fucking a Gravehart, so it's fuck the people who came up with you."
"What?" I frowned. "Rakim, you and I have never been cool enough for you to question. Sincere fucked with you and out of respect for?—"
"Respect," He scoffed, cutting me off. "If you really respected Sincere, you wouldn't be fucking his enemy."
"Sincere and Crown don't know each other."
"Yeah, ight. He killed Sincere."
My head jerked back in shock. Rakim must've meant one of the other niggas I've fucked with because he couldn't have been talking about Crown.
"Damn, I hate to be the one telling you this, but he's been playing you. Why do you think Chosyn was so quick to tell me her nigga killed King? She fucks with Wolfe and his brother is?—"
"No... no... no! Crown didn't... Chosyn wouldn't..." My words tripped over my tongue, and my mind went blank.
"See, this is why I gotta keep an eye on you," he said, moving closer. "The closest muthafuckas to you been plotting."
Crown killed Sincere.
My chest tightened, as every conversation he and I ever had came flooding back. Not once did he mention Sincere or any of the people Sincere hung out with.
"You don't seriously think Crown killed Sincere," I said low enough for only the two of us to hear.
"You don't gotta take my word for it," he said. "Ask her."
Rakim chucked his chin in Leah's direction, who was now walking over.
"I hope she isn't your proof," I scoffed. "You know she was fucking Crown, too, right?"
"Nice to see you too, friend." She waved. A fake smirk played on her lips.
"Leah, stop with the petty shit," Rakim gritted. "Tell her."
"It's true. After Sincere died and you checked out, I started hanging out in the Grove. I heard a rumor going around that Crown killed Sincere, and Honor helped to cover it up. I wanted to tell you, but you were so distraught that I kept it from you. I remembered Rakim used to fuck with Sincere, so I reached out and told him what I knew. Rakim told me to get Crown to fuck with me, so that's what I did. It took me some time, but I eventually put the pussy on him."
"Bitch, please," I spat. "Crown dicked you down and tossed you to the curb like Wednesday's garbage. But let's say I believe you, why quit the BBs and try to break Crown and I up?"
"I didn't want you getting caught up with him. You were still vulnerable when you started messing with Crown. And then he was so persistent with you that I knew he had to know something about you being with Sincere. Crown is charmingand dangerous. I don't know if you know, but he killed his last girlfriend."
"You hear a lot of shit without knowing facts," I sassed, feeling a way that Leah knew something he swore, I was the only one he told."
"That doesn't make anything I'm telling you less true. If Crown could kill his last girlfriend, what makes you think he won't do the same to you?"
"I'm not her, so I'm not worried. But if Crown is so dangerous, why were you willing to risk your life to set him up?"
"Friendship. I can admit I was jealous of your friendship with Chosyn. The two of you clicked in ways we used to, but I still love you. I figured if I got justice for Sincere, then you'll see Chosyn is just a selfish orphan bitch."
"No good for me like Crown, right?" I asked.
"Exactly! I saw through her bullshit. If anything, I deserve an apology."
