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“That’s a lil ass kid, chill out,” Duke said before looking away.

“Far from it,” she shot back before walking into the store.

She grabbed her things and walked back outside.

“Aye,” Duke called out before she could cross the street.

“Yeah?” Diamond replied as he walked toward her.

“Somebody fucked with my work.”

“And?” She turned to him and looked up at his six-foot frame. Chocolate, midnight black with the perfect set of pearly white teeth, need she say more.

“And I want answers.”

“From me?”

“From anybody who know something. I got two hundred.”

She tilted her head to the side, “Paying folks to solve your problem sounds like begging. Besides, I’m not in the business of snitching.”

“So, you do know something?” he grabbed her arm and looked down at her, she didn’t flinch.

Diamond was very much street smart, she loved gangster movies, especially ones with female hustlers. It was something about a woman running a man’s race that made her imaginary dick hard.

She stepped in close enough that her breath brushed his chin. Her voice was razor sharp.

“I don’t know shit and if I did, I wouldn’t tell. Loses are a part of the game you’re playing, take the L, the next W will feel better.”

He blinked slow and slightly loosened his grip. Diamond used that moment to yank her arm back.

“I hear you,” he muttered and watched her walk away.

If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought Duke was a little soft on her, but she knew better, he was out of her league.

7

“Bro, you choosing Diamond over Farrah?” Chris asked as they sat around Cam’s room tossing a football.

“I’m not choosing shit; Diamond just cool people and Farrah is a forced trophy.”

“A rich ass trophy!” Ryan chimed in.

“Farrah ain’t rich, her momma stay out south in the hood. Her pops got it, but money don’t make up for common sense, Farrah green as fuck,” Cam tossed the ball to Ryan.

“I heard lil Kayla got a crush on Ryan,” Chris teased as Cam laughed.

“That’s a little ass girl, she better get the fuck on. I’m looking for a college bitch.”

“Speaking of college, Cam, you ain’t said shit,” Chris added, looking at his boy.

Cam leaned back; he had already made up in his mind, he wasn’t going away to school. He would take some courses in the city to make his mother happy, but Cam was ready for thebig league. He was ready to follow in his father’s footsteps, no degree in the world would bring in the money his father did.

“I’m staying in the city.”

“That’s crazy, you the only one out the crew that can afford college and yo ass ain’t going?” Chris asked with a stale face.

Cam knew his struggle was nothing compared to his homeboys, they came from nothing while he had everything.