“Okay, but make sure you do. You know I’m thoroughly invested in your life.”
The women giggled.
“Likewise, babe. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Silence filled the car after they hung up for a few seconds before her phone rang again. This time, it was Biggie. Relief filled her as she quickly answered the call.
“Hey—”
“You need to get to the hospital,” Demo’s voice wafted through the car, causing Tuesday to press the breaks and pull over on the side of the rode in a panic. “Biggie’s been shot.”
Ice filled her veins as Demo’s words echoed in her ears before she finally responded. “Which hospital? I’m on my way!”
TEN
Earlier…
“You good, bro?” Demo asked for what felt like the hundredth time as he drove and glanced at Biggie every few seconds.
Biggie grimaced. As big as he was, this little stab wound was fucking him up. He’d never been stabbed before, but it really wasn’t for the weak, and he was positive he needed to go to the doctor. His fear with that was them trying to get in his business. He wasn’t no snitch and was gonna handle the situation his way.
He pushed the pain aside baring teeth
“Yeah, man. We just need to find this nigga fast. I’m not tryna bring this shit into tomorrow.”
“We gon’ find him. We got niggas all over looking for him, and for some reason I don’t really think he left the city. He wants your spot too much to leave, you feel me?”
Biggie thought about what Demo said and had to agree, but he was for sure in hiding, and that pissed him off. He didn’t want to spend a whole lot of time on this shit. LeavingLAand coming here was supposed to help him transition into a more quiet life while still doing what he loved—running the streets. Never in amillion years did he think he would get a son and a baby mama out of this move and get caught up in some more street beef. He was supposed to be lying low, and Antonio threatened that shit.
Biggie got lost in his thoughts while Demo drove, keeping his eyes peeled for Antonio or any of the niggas he ran with. He thought more about getting out of the game. The idea honestly made him sad, but not getting the chance to get to know his son made him sadder. He couldn’t get the look of disappointment, on Tuesday’s face, from earlier, out of his head. He couldn’t get the feeling of being stabbed out of his head, either. He felt violated. Disrespected. Embarrassed. Of course, he’d been in fights and was shot at before, but being stabbed felt too personal. It meant he allowed niggas to get too close to him, and he didn’t like that.
“You ever think about getting’ out the game?”
Demo side-eyed him before focusing back on the road.
“What you talkin’ ‘bout, man?”
Biggie kept his eyes to the streets.
“I just been thinkin’.”
Silence filled the truck for a few minutes.
“Nah,” Demo said. “This is what we do, and we’re good at it, but you poppin’ up with a son was never a part of the plan either, so I can understand why you might be thinkin’ ‘bout it.”
Biggie appreciated Demo for understanding because he wasn’t even sure he fully did. Hustling was in his bones. Like Demo said, it was what he was good at. Him having a son shouldn’t have changed that…right?
Before Biggie could respond, he caught sight of a yellowDodgeChallengerfollowing behind them. It had just bent the corner, causing his thoughts to shift. He tapped Demo with the back of his hand, sitting up straight.
“Didn’t Antonio and them niggas drive off in a yellow Challenger yesterday?”
It was chaos yesterday, but Biggie distinctly remembered that damnChallenger. Demo looked at Biggie and then followed his line of sight before clenching his jaw.
“Yo, these new niggas is bold as hell.”
That was all the confirmation Biggie needed. He grabbed his gun out the front pocket of his hoodie. Demo grabbed the one out the holder in his door. Slowly, they rolled both their windows down while Demo took a quick right. TheChallengerfollowed.
