Page 161 of River & Crown
"That's twice too many from where I stand," Crown gritted as his finger flexed on the trigger.
"Wolfe, stop him!" I shouted.
"Not here, Crown. It's too many of 'em," Wolfe warned.
Crown licked his lips, nodded, and slipped his hand into mine, pulling me with him toward the truck. We barely made it a few steps before he half-turned and let off three shots, each one finding Leah.
"Leeaahh!" I screamed, frozen in shock.
"Twice too many," Crown muttered with a cold chuckle. "Scrape your bitch off the pavement, pussy nigga."
With the confidence of a man who feared nothing and no one, Crown turned his back on Rakim and his crew. Still gripping my hand, he led me toward the truck. Behind us, Wolfe moved in silence, eyes locked on Rakim's people.
We climbed in, Wolfe up front, me sliding into the back, and Crown driving.
As Crown reversed out of the lot, Rakim just stood there, that smug-ass grin plastered on his face like he knew something we didn't. Maybe he did. He wanted Crown dead for killing Sincere. He had him and Wolfe outnumbered but did nothing other than tell his men to stand down. Maybe he wasn't the one in charge.
"Crown, I think?—"
Swallowing hard, I let my sentence hang short. Crown, glaring at me through the rearview mirror, wouldn't let me finish. His steely gaze was a warning.
Don't say shit.
So, I didn't.
Chapter 41
Crown Gravehart
Never in life have I wanted to whack-a-mole someone for kissing me the way I wanted to bop Four upside her curly ass fucking head. I hopped out of the truck, ready to kill, when I saw Rakim. That nigga kept a sneaky-ass grin on his face like what he had going with Four was a game to him. That shit fucked with me 'cause there wasn't shit to play about when it came to the woman in charge of my heart. Still, I kept shit meek. It wasn't until Rakim started dry snitching that I looked her way. I had to see for myself if she gave a fuck about me killing her nigga without knowing why I did it. When she started talking, I just knew she was gon' be on bullshit. All I needed was a yes or a fucking no. That head shake sufficed, but I still didn't trust her. She played the fuck out of me and I was none the wiser until I found out the truth... the truth that she should have fucking told me. Shit was complicated with Four 'cause our energy was magnetic and the love seemed to be un-fucking-dying.
"Did Chosyn call you?" Her voice, soft and cracked, broke through the silence. I glanced over at Wolfe to make sure he didn't answer her ass.
"Um, is anyone going to answer me?" she spat, locking eyes with me in the mirror.
"You good?" I asked instead.
"I'm fine," she smacked. "Since no one wants to talk, just drop me off at my house and continue acting like I don't fucking exist."
"Shut your bratty ass up. You're coming to my crib." Sending her ass to Gigi's house was the better option but having her near calmed the anger boiling in my veins.
"I don't think?—"
"Honestly, River, I don't give a fuck what you think. You clearly don't make the best decisions, so now I'ma think for you. I think staying with me is the only place you need to be until I say otherwise."
"Whatever," she groused, crossing her arms and looking away.
Biting back a laugh, I shook my head at the brat I created. I always gave Four her way, thinking it would help her realize I wasn't a nigga better for her than me. She got away with murder because, in all honesty, I wanted her to see me as I've always seen her. It backfired, though, and this bullshit attitude she had was my karma. All her ass did was pout and poke her big ass lips out.
"Fucking baby," I muttered, thinking she was going to ignore it.
"And what are you?"
"A man. Fuck you thought?" I smirked as Wolfe chuckled.
"Don't laugh at him, Wolfe. Crown is as much a baby as I am. That stunt you pulled on the rooftop was a tantrum if I've ever seen one."
"River, ain't shit I gotta tantrum about. Your bratty ass knows what the fuck it is even when you wanna play dumb. The rooftop situation was me showing you the wool you had over my eyes is gone. I see you, River, and the real you is shining bright as fuck."
