“I can’t say, but everything that’s done in the dark eventually comes to the light.”
He read between the lines perfectly, one day Duke was going to avenge his father’s death, he just needed confirmation. His heart told him Stone was behind it, but he didn’t have proof, and he wasn’t in the business of killing for no reason. He despised stupid street niggas, there was always a method behind his madness. Big Duke died when Duke was jumping off the porch, when he needed his father the most. He remember seeing his father lying lifeless in a pool of his own blood with a shot to the back of his head, and his mother’s screams. From that day forward, Duke feared nothing, especially not death.
“Fasho. I’m all in, whatever you need.”
“I appreciate you, tell your mother I said hello.”
“Fasho. Can I leave my number for Diamond to call me?”
“You sure she don’t know it by heart,” Rich joked.
“Nah,” he chuckled.
Duke dapped him up and walked back outside. The end of summer was nearing and something told him it was about to be a very cold winter in Chicago.
He walked toward his car and saw Ace standing near it.
“What up, Duke?”
“What up?”
“I’m gon’ need that lil bread back.”
Duke gave him a stale look because that shit wasn’t happening.
“What bread?”
“What bread? Ok.” He shot back as Duke hopped in his car and pulled off.
Fuck that nigga, Ace; if he wanted it, he had to come get it and that was suicide. Duke was young and still learning, but no nigga had a heart like his, especially not Ace. His hate for him and Stone ran deep, so deep he would kill one of those niggas for fun.
He rode through the city with Diamond heavy on his mind, he knew she could protect herself, but she didn’t belong in there. She was too pretty, too smart, too far away from him, he had gotten used to holding her in his arms. She had become his homie, they talked about shit he kept bottled up and shit she was too tough to talk about.
Bitches called his phone left and right, but he wanted to hear Diamond’s voice. He held her at a different level, especially once she told him she was a virgin. She was pure, she didn’t deserve a nigga like him, he was still young and doing dumb shit. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her in any way.
Duke kepthimself busy for three days straight, but he couldn’t get Diamond off his mind. Was she cool in there? Was she eating? He was home, lights low, TV on mute with a blunt resting on lips when his phone rang. It was an unsaved number, he usually wouldn’t answer those calls, but he did.
As soon as he heard the automated system, he knew it was her, so he accepted without hesitation.
“Duke…”her voice was barely there, he sat straight up on the couch.
“You good?”
She fell silent and that told him she wasn’t. He could hear her breathing slow and controlled like she was holding herself together one inhale at a time.
“Diamond.”
“I’m good. It’s loud, even when it’s quiet.”
Duke closed his eyes, he wished he could trade places with her.
“I ain’t scared though,”she added quickly, that made him smile a little, she was so tough.
“I know.”
She let out a small breath that might’ve been a laugh.
“I thought I was ready for this life… I thought I was gon’ get right back out because I’m a minor, but they treating me like an adult. I’m around all of these crazy ass women.”
