Icon’s eyes locked on mine. “If they bring heat, you put it out. If they do some goofy shit and it touch us, it touch you first.”
Legend didn’t blink when he added, “You the one vouching. So you take the fall.Youdeal with the consequences.”
I held all three of their stares. “I understand.”
Prodigy leaned back in his chair, rocking on its back legs. “We ain’t here to fuck up. We here to eat.”
Legend’s gaze slid back to the cousins. “Good. Then act like it.”
“You understand what we saying?” Icon pressed.
Prodigy said something quick in Italian. “Comprendiamo.”
Saint’s head snapped toward him, frowning. “Man, don’t do that sexy shit with us,” he fussed, irritated and amused at the same time. “Save that for the ladies. Speak English, nigga.”
Prodigy laughed and held his hands up. “My bad. I said we understand.”
Even Vega’s mouth twitched like he almost smiled. Wise shook his head once, as if Prodigy always did too much.
Legend’s face stayed serious, but his eyes had a hint of humor in them as the laughter settled. “A’ight, then we’ll see what kind of men y’all really are. Let’s eat.”
26
RHYTHM BROOKS
Idramatically twisted in my seat to look at Sincere as he drove. “Where are we going?”
He smiled like he was enjoying my impatience. “Somewhere.”
I poked out my lip. “That’s not an answer.”
His hand slid over and squeezed my thigh. “It’s enough of an answer.”
I huffed. “You could just tell me.”
He glanced at me and smiled his warning. “Rhythm.”
“What?”
“Shut up,” he said gently, like it was a joke and a command at the same time.
I opened my mouth to argue, but he reached over and cupped my face. My eyes drifted over the healing burns on his hands and wrists as he kissed me quickly before the light changed.
After resetting my mood, he pulled back and kept driving. I stared out the window, forcing myself to stop asking questions and trust my man.
A few minutes passed before he spoke again. “You still okay? You still alright with Kodi being gone?”
My throat tightened with emotion. He’d been asking me that a lot, like he needed to hear it from my mouth every few days, so he was sure that I didn’t suddenly hate him for what he did.
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “I expected nothing less from the Cartiers. I was surprised you did it yourself, though.”
He nodded as if he understood.
“I’m not mad,” I reminded him. “I feel…honored, if that’s the right word, that you thought I was worth doing something like that for.”
Sincere’s jaw flexed like he was reliving those moments. “I would never let anyone hurt you, and if they do, I’m not letting him get away with it.”
I swooned, leaning towards him over the console. “I appreciate you. But I need you to be careful too. Don’t go off doing anything dangerous because of me. I can’t imagine losing you.”
