"It's cool, Navy. Let this nigga get hisbig bad wolfact off." He chuckled, then looked at me. "Yeah, nigga I see you."
"Then know she's good whenever I'm around," I gritted, narrowing my stare.
"What's going on out here? Navy, you better bring your ass back to the basement before River eats your spare rib tips," Chosyn said, stepping onto the porch with Phoenix in her arms and River trailing behind her.
"What happened to you not saying anything?" River fussed.
She pushed past Chosyn and went to stand in front of Crown. He slipped his arm around her waist. His palm rested on her stomach instinctively. River leaned into him, her hand covering his. The sun caught her diamond, making it dance all in a nigga's face. It was different from the original one she started wearing after Christmas. My mouth went dry, but I couldn't take my eyes off the newly engaged couple and soon-to-be parents.
They didn't fucking tell me.A silent reminder of how I'd somehow become the black sheep of the family.
"Hey, Honor," Chosyn sang, coming over to hug me. Navy shifted aside, letting me hug my sister-in-law.
I grabbed Phoenix from Chosyn and tickled her belly just how she liked. Her giggles eased some of the tension on the porch, but even her melodic laughter couldn't settle the feud brewing between my brother and me.
"Wassup, River? I hear congratulations are in order." My words were for River, but the harsh tone was aimed at Crown.
"You a funny nigga, you know that," Crown interjected before River could respond. "You did all that screaming 'bout you making a nigga, but you can't even see you're the reason shit ain't right between us," he tossed back and leaned against the porch railing.
"Nigga this ain't on me." I kept my voice calm since I was holding Phoenix, but in the event Crown wanted to take it there, Chosyn was gonna have to take her drooling ass baby.
"Okay, whatever this is," Chosyn interrupted, waving her hand between Crown and me, "won't happen in front of my daughter," she finished, reaching for Phoenix. Instantly, she started crying and reaching for me.
My heart broke seeing her upset because, out of everyone on this porch, aside from Navy, Phoenix was my favorite.
"River and Navy, y'all go inside and finish eating," Wolfe instructed.
River turned around and whispered something in Crown's ear before planting a kiss on his cheek and heading into the house. Before she was fully inside, she turned toward me and mouthed, "I'm sorry."
I nodded, letting her know it wasn't on her.
"Navy, go inside," I urged when I noticed she hadn't moved from my side.
"No, I want to stay."
"Navy, nothing is gon' happen."
"Promise?" she asked, knowing if I said I did, I would be on my best behavior.
"Promise." I dropped a kiss on her lips, then gently pushed her toward the door.
"Ight, y'all niggas gotta work this out. We're too deep in for y'all to beef," Wolfe said after Navy closed the door behind her.
"As I said, this ain't on me. This nigga's the one who can't get past not knowing my every fucking move," I defended, cuffing my hands in front of me.
"Yo, I'm not tryin’ be your bitch, and that's no disrespect to Navy, but I'm not clocking shit you got going on. I told you I was willing to let shit at the slaughter mill be water under the bridge if you kept it a stack with me from here on out. Honesty is all I'm asking for. You know how easy it is to tell the truth versus being mad at your brother? Nigga, it's easy as fuck, but you?—"
"I do what the fuck I do so you won't fucking have to. What don't you understand 'bout that shit, my nigga? I'm the muthafucka that goes bump in the night, so y'all two niggas don't gotta be," I gritted.
"Fuck you talkin' about right now? Wolfe puts in just as much, if not more, work than either of us. You're not the only nigga catching bodies out here."
"Crown." I chuckled, rubbing the shit out of my jaw. It was like he was listening but not hearing what the fuck I'm saying. "Wolfe puts in work, we all know that, but what he does and what I fucking do is not the same. This nigga might kill one or two muthafuckas or torture 'em for information. What I do is wipe out bloodlines."
"Nigga, we do that too, or did you forget whatreapermeans?" Crown mentioned as if he had a point.
"Nah, I ain't forget 'cause I created that shit. I call you niggas in when Iwantthe help. It doesn't mean I'm not collecting lives like infinity stones on my own. When you close your eyes, Wolfe, what do you see?"
"Sleep." Wolfe chuckled, and even I had to smirk at that.
