“He needs to do his fucking job. Do I need to talk to him?”
“Chill. I’m already on that.” I chuckled. I was kinda enjoying this. “I’m handling things. But I appreciate your concern.”
She sighed. “Okay. Good.”
“You ain’t gon like this, but I don’t want you working. Not right now. Not until I figure out who’s at me.”
“I doubt they’d do anything to me. I mean, look at your family. They didn’t even bother to call me. Nobody thinks this is real.” She shook her head. “Not that I’m saying it’s real. Just—”
“No, I got you. I know what you meant.”
We sat in silence for a while. It wasn’t awkward this time, though. Just quiet and comfortable.
“So how are you feeling?”
For the first time since I woke up, I told the truth. To her, and to myself.
“Man, I feel like shit. My shoulder hurts, my throat hurts. And I’m fucking worried. Somebody really wants me out the paint. That shit is…it’s fuckin my head up.”
She nodded. “What do you need me to do?”
“Just…I need you to ride for me. To be straight up, and keep my secrets close, and keep an eye on shit that I might not see. For whatever reason, I trust you. So I just need you to maintain that trust. Be in my corner.”
She leaned over and pecked my lips. “I’m already there.”