Page 24 of Tangled Hearts
Hov sat in his car with a heavy heart. His right-hand man—his brother was about to do time behind foolishness. He wasn’t an “I told you so” type of guy, but he’d warned Rock time after time about dealing with Nick the way he was. Hov never served Nick because he cared about Knycole just that much. She had so much potential, and the only thing holding her back was her father’s addiction.
Deep in thought, he stared out into the dark until the jiggle of his door handle drew his attention.
With a scarf, tattered sweatpants, and a slouchy wife beater, Knycole plopped down into the seat. The sparkle in her eyes was gone.“Now, what you want with me, nigga?” she asked with her brows raised.
Hov snorted. “Aye, you better chill your lil’ ass out. I wanted to make sure you were okay. You need anything?”
“Yea, a new life. Can you help me with that?” Hov just stared at her. “Yea, that’s what I thought.”
For seconds that felt like hours, the two of them sat in silence. He didn’t know what to say to ease her pain, and she knew there was nothing anyone could say.
“You remember when we were young?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
The tears that were threatening to fall continued to fill her eyes, but for a different reason. “Yes.” She sniffled on the verge of breaking down.
He knew talking about their past was a tear jerker for her, but he needed her to understand. “I remember one night my mama beat me so bad before putting me out in the freezing cold rain. Man, that was one of the coldest days in the city, I swear. I was only ten at the time with no family to go to. For one reason or another, your nosey ass was looking out the window and saw everything. When our eyes connected, I felt so ashamed. But you saw me that day and risked an ass whooping of your own to sneak me in your house.” He chuckled a little. “You didn’t have much but were willing to offer me all you had. Do you remember you ran the shower for me and sat on the toilet while I washed my body because you couldn’t sit in your room or that would’ve given us away?
“My body was so sore, and I could barely bathe. It was like, you knew I needed help; I just couldn’t find my voice to ask. So, instead of making me ask, you pulled the shower curtain back with your eyes closed tight and washed my back as best you could. Knyc, you were a fuckin’ eight-year-old girl. You were so strong and wise well beyond your years. I needed you, and you were there for me every night after that. You would share your food with me, help me with my homework, and make sure your daddy never caught me in the room with you. You’ve been my best friend ever since then. Now, imagine if your life were different, I wouldn’t have you and no matter how selfish that may sound, I don’t want to imagine a life without you in it.”
With a breath caught in her throat, tears rapidly slid down her cheeks. She hated how Hov’s mama treated him. The air in the car became too heavy, and she needed some kind of escape so she could breathe.
The distraction she needed came when Hov’s phone rang. When he looked at the number, he knew who it was. “Rock?” he answered, pealing his eyes from her.
Knycole’s attention shot to him. “Let me talk to him,” she demanded.
“What’s up, nigga?” Rock asked on the other end. He didn’t know too many numbers by heart, leaving him to call either his best friend or his girlfriend.
With Knycole being related to Nick, that wasn’t a good move right now. He needed to clear his head, figure out his next move because sitting in jail hadn’t been on his bingo card for the year. It wasn’t his first offense. Still, being caged wasn’t something he ever looked forward to.
“Ain’t shit. What they in there talking about?” Hov asked, looking over at Knycole, who was an impatient mess.
Rock looked around the room. “They ain’t really saying much. You know I’ll get the rundown Monday morning. But um, you talked to Knycole?”
“Yea, she’s right here. You want to holla at her?” Hov asked, shifting his body towards her.
“Yea, let me talk to her real quick, but then I need to holla at you again.”
Passing the phone to her, Hov smiled tightly.
“Babe?” Knycole’s voice trembled.
“Knycole, I don’t have that much time because I need to holla at Hov again but listen to me – stay your ass in school and make something of yourself. I left fifty-five hundred at the top of your closet. It’s yours. And you can’t come see me... ever.”
“Wait! What?! What the fuck you mean I can’t come see you?!” Knycole yelled.
Hov knew shit was about to hit the fan, so he grabbed the phone.
“Get the fuck off me!” Knycole tussled with him. She didn’t want to end their conversation.She had so much more to say. She needed to make sure he was okay and wanted to see what she could do to get him home.
“Calm the fuck down, Knyc. Let me try to talk some sense into him, okay?” Hov tried to reason, lying through his perfect teeth.
Sniffling profusely, she nodded.
“Yea?” Hov placed the phone up to his ear, but his eyes never left hers.The pain etched into her face was too much for him. Knycole was his weakness, and since the age of ten, he vowed to never let her hurt.
“Look, I left her some money, but I know it won’t last long. Look out for her for me. I know you care about her just as much as I do. Make sure she makes it out. Hov, she’s special as hell.” Rock’s heart bled as he spoke. No matter all the reckless things he’d done, he knew without a doubt, he loved Knycole. She’d been his rock since forever, and it pained him to let her go.
“I got you, bruh. I’m taking something to a lawyer in the morning,” Hov told him. Regardless of what he would have to do, he was going to make sure Rock was good.
