“I love her—” Julius started.
“You love her?” Quest laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Nah, nigga. You don’t know what love is. You weak. Pathetic.”
“Quest, please?—”
“See, I get it. I understand wanting more than one woman. That’s why I was upfront with Kiki and Tione. Told them both I’m poly. Told them I wasn’t gonna cheat, I was gonna be honest. Because that’s what real niggas do. We don’t sneak around. We don’t lie. We handle our business with honor.” He leaned in close to Julius. “But you? You’re a coward. Too pussy to be honest, too weak to be faithful. You ain’t even a man. You’re a bitch in a man’s body.”
Julius was crying now. Actually crying. Tears and snot running down his face.
Quest straightened up and looked at me. “Lil bro, what you think we should do?”
I walked over to the duffel bag we’d brought in earlier. Pulled out a Glock 19. Checked the chamber, then walked over to Julius.
I pressed the gun into his hand.
“Take it,” I said.
Julius stared at the gun like it might bite him. “What?”
“Take the fucking gun, Julius.”
His hands were shaking so bad he could barely grip it. Ivy was making these small, terrified sounds beside him.
“Now,” I said, stepping back. “Shoot her.”
“What?” Julius’s voice went up an octave. “No! No, I can’t?—”
“Shoot Ivy. Prove your love and loyalty to Serenity. Show us you choose our sister over this bitch.”
“Please!” Ivy was hyperventilating now. “Please, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
“Shut up, bitch,” Quest barked. “Are you willing to die for the dick? You wanted it so bad. Now you gon’ die for it.”
I picked up the gun and forced it back into Julius’s hands. “You got two choices. Shoot her, or I shoot you. Simple as that.”
“I can’t do this,” Julius was saying, the gun hanging loose in his grip. “I can’t, please, I won’t ever?—”
Both of them were sobbing now. Julius was shaking his head, saying no over and over. Ivy was begging, pleading with him not to do it, pleading with us to stop.
“Aight, cool,” I said. I pulled out my own gun and cocked it, aiming it directly at Julius’s temple. “I’ll shoot both of you then. Starting with you.”
“Okay! Okay!” Julius raised the gun with shaking hands, pointing it at Ivy.
“No! Julius, no! Please!” Ivy was screaming, trying to back away, but Quest grabbed her shoulder and held her in place.
Julius was crying like a child, his whole body shaking. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to her. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Do it,” I said coldly.
Julius squeezed his eyes shut, tears streaming down his face, finger on the trigger.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry?—”
He pulled the trigger.
Click.
Nothing.
