Page 2 of Tangled Hearts
Not even her.
He stood in the doorway for a long time, chest rising and falling like he didn’t trust his own breath.
Out on the street, a black car sat idling.
The glass was tinted, but inside, another boy—older by a couple years—watched him from the back seat.
Expression unreadable.
The car pulled away slowly.
The boy on the porch never turned around.
CHAPTER 1
PART I: STRINGS ATTACHED
Knycole stoodbeside her best friend, Noir, her weight tilted to one side in a stance that wavered between impatience and unease. Her expression was caught in limbo between eagerness and anxiety, her eyes flitting over the rain-slicked streets, where puddles shimmered beneath the dim glow of streetlights. Just minutes ago, the downpour had roared against the pavement, a chaotic symphony that mirrored the storm inside her—unsettled, unpredictable, and teetering on the edge of something unknown.
“Bitch, stop looking around like you scared or something,” Noir whispered, using her sharp elbow to dig into the side of her friend.
Paul, a local dope boy and one of Noir’s potentials, eyes bounced between the two of them. “What’s up with your girl? She acts like she’s working for them people or something.”
He wasn’t too familiar with Knycole, which meant his guard was already up. Add that to the way her eyes were wandering, and Paul was ready to place a cold slug between them. When the light brown beauty, Noir, hit him up and told him to slide through to see him, he didn’t hesitate. Even if it meant going toa hood he wasn’t from. Being young and dumb, he was willing to risk it all for a whiff of what was between her legs.
Feeling the sting of Noir’s elbow for the third time, Knycole finally spoke up. “I ain’t working with the Feds. I’m just tired of standing out here trying to give my girl a cover just in case her mean ass mama come looking for her. But since you want to be all snappy and shit, I ain’t with it no more.” Her neck twisted and her eyes rolled.
Noir kissed her teeth and waved her off. “Girl, you just scared that nigga gonna see you out here.”
Her statement couldn’t have been more true. Still, Knycole wasn’t going to look like a fool in front of an outsider.
“Bitch, please. Ain’t no body worried about that boy. I can move how I want to. Plus, ain’t nobody trying to get caught in the rain again,” she stated matter-of-factly.
“Yea, whatever.” Noir scoffed at her friend. “But what’s good with you? You got a few dollars I can get?” she directed to Paul.
Before Paul could say something fly and break his little boo off with a few dollars, a blue Cutlass cruised onto the block, stopping all movement. Knycole’s leg shook because she didn’t know what was about to happen next, and no matter how truthful her words about Paul being Noir’s friend would be, she was sure she’d still get handled. Always ready for drama, Knycole watched the car pass her like a hawk watching its prey.
“Oh, this nigga got me fucked up,” she mumbled as she watched a head full of weave, bob up and down while Rock cruised his hood without a care in the world. The sloppy head he was receiving made him overlook his girl and her friend standing to the side with the perfect view of his betrayal.
Noir knew it was about to be some shit, so she asked Paul for some money again, needing him to get the hell on. “Look, this ain’t your hood, and I’d hate for you to get caught up in some shit that has nothing to do with you. So, do you have a few dollarsfor me to pay my phone bill so I can call you tonight?” Usually, she would turn on her young sex appeal, but in this moment, she knew time was of the essence.
Paul watched her cute lips with thoughts of them being wrapped around his dick. “Yea, you know I’m gon’ make sure you’re straight.” He reached in his jeans pocket retrieving a wad of money to count out a few twenties. “Is this enough?” he asked, passing her one hundred dollars.
“Um, can I get a few more? I want to get me a new phone case too.” Noir fluttered her long false lashes. In all honesty, her no good ass father paid her phone bill faithfully if he didn’t do anything else. But like most women, she loved money. Plus, why give him her time if he couldn’t break her off a few dollars here and there?
Proudly, he flipped five more twenties and passed them to her. “Make sure you call me as soon as you get in the house,” he demanded before kissing her lips and squeezing her ass. Once he got done feeling on her how he wanted, he trekked over to his car and pulled off leaving dust behind.
“Damn, bitch. Are you ready to go whoop this nigga’s ass with me, or do you want to continue to sweet talk that nigga?” Knycole rolled her eyes but didn’t wait for a reply before she was stomping off in the direction of Rock’s spot that he shared with his best friend.
Knycole was what people considered a good girl but she was still from the hood. She was book smart but could also throw hands with the best of them and right now, that was all she wanted to do because Rock and the girl he just couldn’t seem to stay away from had her so messed up.
Rock had just come up on a nice little play when he ran into Shakeisha at the liquor store. The way she poked her ass out and pushed her breasts into his chest before she spoke to him, he knew he was about to have a good night. He was a youngnigga with too many responsibilities, so whenever he had a little free time and extra money, he enjoyed himself a little too much. Much like now.
The way Shakeisha sucked his dick made his eyes close, almost swerving off the road. Knowing that her mouth was vacuum-like, he knew he needed to pull over but also knew it was best to wait until he made it back to his hood. Jack boys were always looking for an easy come up, and he’d be damned if he became a victim.
“Damn, girl. Slow down ’cause I ain’t got shit for you.” He grunted, easing his car over to the curb in front of his spot.
Shakeisha’s head popped up, and his dick popped out of her mouth. “Wh?—”
