The guilt was suffocating.
“Always,” I managed.
She disappeared into the hallway, phone pressed to her ear.
I closed the door and leaned against it, my legs suddenly weak.
Zoo was looking for Nigel’s killer.
Zoo had connections. Resources. A thirst for revenge that wouldn’t stop until someone paid.
And if he found out the truth—if he discovered that Yusef was the one who’d pulled the trigger?—
I couldn’t finish the thought.
I pushed off the door and walked to the window, looking out at the neighborhood that had never really felt like home. At the yellow tape still visible in the distance. At the spot where Nigel had died.
We couldn’t stay here.
After the parole hearing on Monday, we were gone. I’d pack what we could carry, grab Yusef, and disappear. Again. The way I’d done before.
New city. New names. New life.
I’d been running for so long. Had gotten so tired of it. Had let myself believe, for just a moment, that maybe I could stop. That maybe Prime could be my safe place. That maybe we could build something real.
But that was a fantasy.
This was reality.
And reality meant running. Always running.
I just had to make it through Monday first.
41
PRIME
I pulled up to Zahara’s building at 5:45 AM.
Fifteen minutes early. Couldn’t sleep anyway. Had been up since four, staring at the ceiling, replaying our fight over and over in my head.
I’d spent the last two days trying to convince myself I didn’t care. That if she wanted to leave over some bullshit, that was on her. That I wasn’t about to chase a woman who didn’t trust me.
But here I was. Early. Like a nigga who cared way more than he wanted to admit.
I texted her.
Me:I’m outside.
No response.
I waited five minutes. Texted again.
Me:Come on. We got a 3 hour drive.
Three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then nothing.
I was about to get out and knock on her door when it opened.
