Page 140 of Tangled Hearts
“What if,” Noir blinked, her voice stronger now, “I’ve been in love with you since you made me drop my freezy cup?”
Cash stilled, searching her face. The noise of the city below faded into nothing. He traced her jaw with his thumb, his words low like they were sharing a secret. “You saying that now?”
“I should’ve said it five years ago,” she admitted. “But I was scared. You were chasing everything you deserved, and Christian was right there. He made it easy for me to choose wrong.”
Cash kissed her slowly, pulling back to look at her again. “Nah, you ain’t choose wrong. You chose what you thought was gon’ love you best. That’s what we all do, pretty girl. We gamble on love. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.”
Noir’s throat tightened, but she held his gaze.
He pressed his forehead to hers. “Lesson is, don’t punish yourself for loving somebody. Even if it don’t last. Don’t drown in guilt when your heart finally start telling the truth. If you been feeling me, let it be that. Stop fighting it.”
Her chest rose in rapid spurts. “You think we could work?”
Cash smirked faintly, brushing his knuckles down her cheek. “You asking me that while I’m laying on top of you? Look at me, Noir. I wanted you when I had nothing but a mic and a dream. I want you now when I can give you more. And I’ll want you when all this rap shit fade. That’s what love is—choosing the same person in every season.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. For once, she didn’t argue. Didn’t play it off. She just let herself be wanted, finally giving herself permission to believe it.
Rock parked in front of the building, Rodeisha in the back humming with her tablet. He looked up at the brick exterior, imagining his name on the front window. A shop of his own. Something he could pass down. He stepped out with his daughter’s hand in his. He was nervous—something he wouldn’t admit.
The door opened from the other side. Qua darted out first, his little sneakers slapping against the pavement. “Cousin!” he yelled, sprinting toward Rodeisha.
“Cousin!” she yelled back, letting go of Rock’s hand to meet him halfway. They fell into laughter, twirling around before collapsing into giggles on the sidewalk.
Rock froze.
Hov leaned against the doorframe with the keys in his hand.
The same Hov who had been his brother, his enemy, and everything in between. Their eyes locked. The months of silence and slick words lived between them.
“What you doing here, nigga?” Rock asked.
Hov shoved his hands in his pockets. “I own this spot. Meeting somebody about leasing it.” His gaze dropped to Rodeisha before moving back to Rock. “Didn’t know it was you.”
Rock smirked, though his chest twisted. “Crazy. Guess that makes you my landlord.”
“Guess it does.” Hov’s words carried an edge.
The kids tore past them into the open building, their laughter echoing off the empty walls. The sound softened the weight in the air.
Hov turned to Rock. “What you need a business for? Thought the streets was enough.”
Rock stepped closer. “I’m tired of the streets,” he admitted. “I been drawing, inking people inside. Now it’s time I put my money where my mouth is and create something that’ll live past the streets. I want something that’s mine. Something for her.” He pointed toward his daughter, who was now showing Qua how to balance on a cracked tile.
Hov watched, then exhaled. “Bout time you thought about more than the block. Come on, so I can show you the place.”
Hov had no ill intentions for Rock so he would give him a tour as if they didn’t know each other since they were snotty nosed kids.
They went inside. Rodeisha and Qua ran in circles, chasing each other until they collapsed near the wall, still laughing.
Rock rested against the counter, eyes on Hov. “You gon’ keep throwing that mug on your face or we gon’ talk?”
Hov’s shoulders dropped. “I’ll talk. I owe you that” He signed. “I shouldn’t have got with Knyc behind your back. That was foul.”
Rock clenched his fists before letting them go. “Yea, it was. Then you ain’t tell me you had a baby with her. That was real fucked up. Had me already loving him like a nephew.”
“We all got secrets,” Hov’s eyes focused on Rodeisha.
Rock stood straight. “That ain’t the same, nigga and you know it. You did some foul shit, don’t try to validate it by showing me how I wasn’t right. Own whatyoudid.”
