“Make that shit work. Marcus snatched Jasmine, so you already know Money finna burn shit down behind her. Get it done and call me when y’all in position,”
“Shit,” Slim muttered. “Yeah, aight. I got you. I’ll hit you back.”
I cut through traffic, praying I wouldn't get pulled over for speeding. I needed to hit my condo for some heat. I dialed Monica next. She sent me to voicemail twice, but finally she answered.
“What do you want?” she asked. I could hear the impatience in her voice.
“Jasmine’s missing,” I said, cutting off a slow car.
“What? I just saw her when I got off work.” I heard rustling and a low voice in the background.
“Yo, who you got over there?” I snapped.
“Lani, you just told me Jasmine’s missing, and now you’re worried about who’s here? You a nut ass nigga, you know that?”
“Damn right I wanna know who’s at my girl’s crib,” I shot back.
She sucked her teeth. “Are you calling ‘cause you want my help? Want me to call the hospital?”
“I’m actually ‘bout to come get you. We’ll go together.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“Monica, have your thick ass ready in thirty. And tell the nigga you got over there your man’s coming through—and I’m a shooter. Don’t play with me.” I hung up and floored it.
I double-parked in front of my building and put the hazards on. I stormed through the lobby and punched the elevator button to my penthouse. My phone vibrated, and I answered without checking.
“Her phone is still pinging at the hospital,” Money said tightly.
I’d never heard my brother worked up about anyone like this before. No woman had ever gotten under his skin the way Jasmine did. He didn’t say it out right, but the way he moved when he talked and acted around her made it obvious. That nigga worshipped the ground she walked on.
He was in love.
“I’m picking up Monica and heading over there. I’ll see if I can get footage and find her phone,” I replied. “You hear from Nai?”
“Yeah. She’s gonna bring Kyree to the crib. I’m taking him down to the basement. Come through when you’re done at the hospital.”
“Bet. Slim’s rounding up the crew to hit the shipment. He’s not happy about it, but he knows what it is.”
“Good,” Money replied, ending the call.
I stood in the entryway of my condo, heart racing as adrenaline pumped through me. We’d been to war before, but this wasn’t that. This wasn’t business. We didn’t know what we were walking into, what resources Marcus had, or what he’d do after his shipment was destroyed.
“I hope she’s worth it, bruh,” I muttered aloud as I stormed into my office. I flipped open the hidden panel and punched in the code. There was a soft click, and then the bookshelf split open to reveal my gun cache. I grabbed the duffle bag on the floor and started tossing shit into it—handguns, extra clips, knives, gloves, and a small med kit.
I needed to be prepared for anything.
By the time I was back at my car, my chest was tight, my mind spinning with a hundred different ways this could play out. If Marcus hurt Jasmine, Money was gonna burn all this shit down.
The drive to Monica’s was a blur. I kept wondering just how far my brother was willing to go to get his girl back.
As I pulled up, I spotted Monica already sitting in the lobby of her building. I honked twice to get her attention.
“I’m only here because of my friend,” she grumbled as she got in.
“And because you missed me,” I teased, leaning over to kiss her cheek.
She mushed me in the face. “Don’t even start.”
