“I swear Mama Diamond failed you niggas at times,” she said, then kissed her teeth. “Look, I need to get off this phone so I can get dressed, and then I’ll be over there to talk.” She hung up without letting Amethyst get another word in.
“I’m pretty sure she called you dumb as soon as she hung up,” I laughed at Amethyst’s confused expression.
Amethyst got up, put his phone in his pocket, and walked around to my side of the bed. He bent so that we were eye to eye. He wrapped his hand around my throat, then kissed me. I wanted to be mad at him, pull back and tell him never to touchme again, but instead I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close. I was honest when I told him I never hated him, just hated how he chose to handle all this. We pulled away, and he rested his forehead against mine.
“After I kill Quincy, I want to take you on a trip. Just us, no outside noise, no nothing. We gotta get right before our daughter gets here.” He kissed my forehead, then left the room.
“I’m going to end up with cavities and worms,” I groaned.
Chapter forty-five
Amethyst
Igot out of my car, rounded it, and opened the door for Yale. We were back at the hospital. Yale was going to sit with Diara while I talked to the Strongs and DeCortes. I took Yale’s hand, not caring that she probably didn’t want me to, and we made our way to the elevator. The sound of a car pulling up made me stop, then move Yale behind me, and with my free hand, I reached behind my back to grab my gun. I only relaxed and moved my hand when the blue truck I knew belonged to Gift came into view. He parked next to my car, got out, and approached us.
“What’s up?” he greeted me. I dapped him up then stepped to the side so he could see Yale. “Good to see you again.”
“Just like the first time, I wish it were under better circumstances,” Yale said, then pressed the call button for the elevator. “How is your sister?”
“She’s alright,” he answered as he looked around. Forever the cop, he kept an eye on his surroundings. “The bullet wentthrough the side, clean, through and through, which surprised the fuck out of everybody.”
The elevator doors opened, and we all stepped inside. I pressed the button for the floor we needed to go to and waited. Gift stood on the other side of Yale with a mug on his face. The elevator stopped on a floor we didn’t need to stop at. I felt Yale take a step back. Without saying a word, Gift and I moved forward and closed the space between us so whoever it was couldn’t see Yale.
“Isn’t this a surprise?” Xoey said when the doors opened. Her eyes went from me to Gift, and for a brief second, my home girl was stuck. Her dark eyes met Gift’s, and a shy smile appeared on her face.
“Xoey,” Gift said, holding the door open. Her cheeks reddened, and she licked her lips.
“My Gift,” she said, nodding at him.
The air between them shifted, and all I could do was stand there and let them have their moment.
“This is cute and all, but I have to pee,” Yale said, pushing into my side. I turned and looked down at her. “Move so she can get on the elevator, Amethyst.”
I nodded, then turned and stepped aside so Xoey could get on.
“Where are you coming from, Xoey?” I asked once the elevator was moving again. “Your house is on the other side of town. It would’ve taken you double the time to get here from there.”
“The studio,” she answered. She was facing forward, so I couldn’t tell if she was serious.
“How many tracks do you have left?” Yale asked, and I looked over at her, confused. My brow went up in a silent question, and Yale waved me off.
“Six,” Xoey sighed. “I planned to be done by now, but it looks like I’m going to have to step into my producer role and fast-track it.” They were talking like this was an everydayconversation for them. But this was also Xoey, so I couldn’t be surprised if she were, in fact, in the studio working on an EP.
“Why?” I asked.
Xoey looked around Yale at me and smiled sweetly. “Because now I gotta kill some niggas and I have no idea how my mental is going to be afterwards, so I want to get the EP done before then.” She rightened her stance then shook her head.
“Xoey, you know that nigga is a cop, right?” I chuckled and nodded my head at Gift, who was looking at something on his phone.
“I know,” Xoey shrugged. “I’m not worried about him arresting me, though.”
“No?” I questioned her, and she shook her head. “Why not?”
“Because the only time I plan on having her in cuffs will be when I have her consent,” Gift answered, then the elevator doors opened on our floor. He stepped off first, checked the surroundings, then, without looking back, reached back and took Xoey’s hand.
“Umm, Amethyst?” Yale said as we followed behind him.
“I’m just as confused as you are, Sunshine,” I said, shaking my head. Since Yeti had been attacked, a new team had been brought in. They were Yeti’s little sister, Rage’s team. We checked in and then made our way back to Yamari’s room. I knocked on the door, waited, and then pushed it open. The room was dark except for a small light in the corner. Yamari’s vitals were strong, but she looked so damn small in the hospital bed. As a doctor, I was used to seeing people in those beds, but when it was someone you knew, it always felt different.
