Page 44 of Tangled Hearts
“Y’all good in here?” he asked once he stepped foot in the old house he was just sharing with his best friend.
In unison, everyone in the house nodded, or said some form of yes.
“Money good too?” he inquired, his eyes roaming the area while they all confirmed the money was, indeed, good. It was a mess, and although it was a trap, he still wasn’t into having a junky place. “A’ight, I’m out, but y’all niggas need to clean this shit up. It wasn’t fucked up like this when y’all came, so get it back in order.”
Some of the boys kissed their teeth but knew better than to say anything reckless to Hov. He wasn’t a tyrant by a long shot, but his tolerance for the slightest disrespect was damn near nonexistent. Instead of addressing it, he walked out the door the same way he came in. After checking the time on his phone, he headed to the mall to do a little shopping. It was the weekend, which meant he would probably fall through one of the hangout spots before calling it a night.
“Damn, I gotta damn nearstalkthe block to see you.” Briana twisted her neck with every word. She was still salty about Knycole answering his phone.
Shrugging his shoulders, he looked her up and down. “You know how it is. What’s up, though?”
She felt his eyes roaming her curvy body. “Trying to get some of your time. What you ’bout to do?”
“Head to the mall.”
“Can I ride, too? I just got paid and needed to get something for the night, anyway.”
Briana was as a good girl. She went to school, stayed out the streets and worked in order to afford the things her mother couldn’t.
He wasn’t looking forward to riding with a companion but wouldn’t mind the company. “Yea, come on, but don’t be on that stupid shit asking a bunch of questions.”
A big smile spread across her face. “Stop acting like you don’t like my company,” she said playfully, ass bouncing with each step she took.
“You cool,” he replied, not wanting to hurt her feelings. If he was being honest with himself, he didn’t feel anything for her. She was a neighborhood cutie, but that’s where the attraction stopped for him.
Briana wanted to say more—wanted to know if the attraction she felt for him was reciprocated. Anytime she saw him, her stomach knotted up, and she always found a way to gain his attention. For her, he was supposed to be her man, and they were supposed to be the “it couple” in the neighborhood. Too bad he didn’t feel anything remotely close for her.
“So, what you going to the mall to ge?—”
“Hello?” Hov answered the phone, cutting her off immediately. “What’s up, nigga!” he answered joyfully, placing the call on speaker phone.
“You already know what it is. Still down here waiting to see what these pigs gonna give a nigga,” Rock responded, sounding just as happy as his best friend.
“I took the money down there to the lawyer. What he talking about?” Hov, kept his eyes on the road, forgetting who Briana was while she was eavesdropping.
Rock kissed his teeth. “That nigga ain't really saying much right now, talking about he’s working on it. His ass better hurry the fuck up and tell me something.”
“Straight facts. His ass talking about he can at least get the charges reduced, but I don’t know to what.”
“Nick really got me down here bad. You seen that nigga?” Rock asked, speaking in code.
Hov wasn’t one to tell a lie, no matter how hurtful the truth could be. “Yea, I talked to him. He’s getting clean and shit.”
“His ass better find God while on that journey ’cause that’ll be the only thing that can save him.” Rock gripped the phone tighter thinking of all the things he wanted to do to Nick for taking away his freedom.
“Aye, chill, Rock,” Hov warned.
“How’s Knycole? She still tripping about me not talking to her?” Rock asked, his heart hurting just as much as hers.
Hov’s hand gripped the steering wheel tighter, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Briana. “Yea, but she’ll be alright.”
Rock nodded, even though his boy couldn’t see him. “I talked to Rocky, and she told me you took some money over there. I really appreciate that shit. You solid as fuck.”
“Nigga, shut yo’ simp ass up. They my family too, and I’m gon’ always make sure they’re good. You just hold your head up and stay ten toes down.”
“You already know. Aye, tell Shakeisha to come see a nigga,” Rock got out before the phone hung up.
“That man crazy,” Hov mumbled to his self, forgetting Briana was in the car with him.
