Page 127 of Treason's Temptation
“ The queen always has pieces around her. Not out of fear but respect.” Navie schooled him like we were really back in 6thgrade. “I think we’re a lot alike. You don’t play well with others, but I think you can learn.”
K-Low hesitated. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face, but only for a moment. He was stubborn, sharp, and not the type to fold easily. “And if I say no?”
“Why would you turn down a chance to save the day. Save the city, really. You can choose to make it easy, otherwise he’s gonna make things hard for you and everybody you love. I don’t think it’s worth it, so name your price?”
The tension in the room shifted. K-Low tried to mask it, but I saw how his eyes lingered on her. My hand twitched, but I let it rest at my side.
“I want a bigger cut of the co-op. Fifteen percent for my sacrifice.”
“You must be snorting more than you’re selling if you think I’m going for that,” I replied.
“Seven percent and Tre fixes your mother’s permit issue so her daycare doesn’t get shut down. He’ll also put a call in to your grandmother’s nursing home,” Navie spoke up, before her hard work went down the drain.
K-Low’s gaze narrowed while scrubbing his beard, likely trying to figure out how the fuck Navie knew that. Shit, I was too.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded reluctantly. “We’re good,” he muttered.
“He needs to hear you say it,” Navie demanded, the room now watching and waiting for my response, because that would determine where the conversation went next.
“I’m cool, so let’s stay that way otherwise your queen might not be so safe.”
When he finally nodded, conceding, I wanted to wrap her in my arms and pull her out of his orbit. But she was too busy gloating. Stupid nigga didn’t realize the queen wasn’t in danger. She was the danger and had him eating out of the palm of her hand.
I waited until we were outside to ask, “Enjoyed yourself?”
“Of course,” she said, eyes dancing. “But watchingyousquirm is priceless. Have a little faith in me, Stink.”
“It wasn’t you I was worried about.”
“Damn, Tre, she might be colder than you,” June joked, as I leaned against the truck with Navie planted in front of me.
“I didn’t think he was gonna make it watching K-Low drool all overBlue.”
She waved it off because K-Low’s attention didn’t move her.
“You know you owe me, right?” Navie asked.
“I got you, as soon as we get home,” I flirted.
June’s eyes grew wide, and a hand covered his mouth, “Oh, this nigga is gone for real,” then he shook his head, “Plan thefuneand organize the repast. Tre ain’t coming back.”
“As long as you don’t put my picture in those ugly ass clouds,” I joked.
June shook his head, “I can’t believe my man is gone like this. After all the bitches we ran through. This shit is crazy.”
“Oh really? You were runnin’ through ‘em like that?” Navie asked, craning her neck enough to glimpse my face.
“It’s time to go. I’ll hit y’all later,” My arm circled Navie’s shoulder, guiding her in the opposite direction of June’s loud ass mouth.
The adrenaline from her victory had her talking a mile a minute on the way to the crib. It was cute to see her so excited, but she was headed back to the bench.
“Admit it, I was right,” she demanded, shifting toward me.
“One way or another, K-Low was getting handled.”
“My way was less risky and messy.”
I delivered the words, she’d be wanting to hear, “You were right, Blue,” my hand falling on her thigh.
