Were they cracking jokes like a man hadn’t just gotten his finger chopped off?
“Man, fuck y’all,” Cash flipped them off, turning back to Kyree. “Point is, you really thought I didn’t know what you were up to, when I’ve known for months. Rahmel snitched you out, you know.” He cocked his head. “You need a better team if you’re going to try and move in on my shit.”
“Money, I was just trying to help the nigga set up shop here,” he blubbered, tears and snot streaking his face. “I was gonna put you on, I swear!”
“Uh huh.” Cash lifted the knife again. “Why would you help some random nigga push shit in my territory, Kyree? And his shit dirty. I don’t need you or anybody putting me on to shit.”
“I don’t—” Kyree started, but the knife came down straight through the middle of his hand.
This time, the scream was instant.
I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped Jelani’s leg as Kyree’s cries echoed off the walls.
Cash pulled out his phone, tapping it to pull up his lock screen.
Oh, he had my girl as his wallpaper? This nigga was gone over her for real.
“You seen her before?” he put the screen in Kyree’s face.
Kyree squinted, blinking weakly as he struggled to focus. His face was pale from the blood loss.
“Yeah,” he mumbled. “I saw her with you at Emerald Lounge a while back.” His voice trailed off as he slumped over.
“Nai, hit this nigga again,” Cash ordered.
Nairobi pulled another syringe from the bag and walked toward them.
My nurse instincts kicked in. “Careful, you don’t want him having a heart attack,” I muttered.
“I got this. Thanks,” she replied dryly as she jabbed the needle into Kyree’s thigh.
He jerked awake, coughing as the adrenaline kicked in again.
Jelani knelt beside me. “They know what they’re doing,” he whispered. “He won’t die before we get what we need.”
“So you’ve never seen Marcus with her?” Cash asked, holding up the phone again.
Kyree shook his head vehemently. “No. He barely paid attention to the girls Bambi brought around.” He winced as Cash yanked the knife out his hand. “He did ask me about your girl once.”
Cash’s face darkened. “What’d he ask?”
Kyree swallowed, struggling to steady himself. “He just wanted to know if I knew anything about her… I told him I didn’t know who she was, just heard she was some nurse bit?—”
The metal table clanged as Cash’s fist smashed down on Kyree’s injured hand.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” he growled.
Kyree screamed, his body shaking from the pain. “Aight, aight, I’m sorry!” he panted. “That’s all I know! He just said that maybe she could be… useful. I don’t know nothin’ else!”
Something clicked.
New York.
I don’t know how I knew, but I felt it deep in my gut. It made too much sense.
BC was too deep in Atlanta for Marcus to hide out here. But he could move freely in New York. If he had the money, he could’ve easily chartered a flight with no one knowing.
“They’re in New York,” I blurted, shooting up from my seat. All heads turned to me. Nairobi raised an eyebrow, halfway impressed.
