“Ain't no telling. You know how loyal these niggas are to Tuck. Have you heard from Vic?”
Noble pulled on his chin hair in deep thought. “No, but him disappearing right now is raising red flags.” He went silent for a while. “I don't wanna think Vic would snake me but where the fuck he at? He took a convenient time to go ghost on us.”
“Yeah, that shit don't sit right with me,” Rio agreed. “This ain't no coincidence that Van get shot and now he ain't nowhere to be found.”
Noble had known Vic since they were teens but he also knew the game. Enemies were rarely strangers but always friends and family.
“How Irish doing?”
“Fucked up.”
It had been a week since Jovanis’ death, and Noble was frustrated that he couldn’t take Irish’s pain and bear it for her. Being pregnant and grieving was an episode of life thathe would’ve love to cancel. If she wasn’t crying, then she was sleeping and if she wasn’t sleeping, she was awake in the depths of the night. Noble had no clue on how to care for her and it left him discouraged. She was his to have and to care for. Knowing there was nothing he could do to stitch the broken part of her together again made him feel less than.
“I figured she would be,” Rio muttered. “Shit’s been so crazy, I ain't even been able to digest that Jovanis and Tuck was fucking.” He snorted a chuckle, shaking his head at the thought. “Where the fuck was I that I didn’t see the signs?”
“You should be glad you missed the signs. I found out on accident.”
Amusement danced on Rio’s face. “How?”
“Tuck sent me a text that was supposed to be for Jovanis. That nigga was talking reckless.” Noble snickered. “I’ll never repeat that shit.”
Rio doubled over in laughter. “Hell nah. That’s crazy.”
“Man,” Noble drawled. “It fucked my whole day up. I was mad I read that shit.”
“I feel you.” The smile faded from Rio’s mouth. “Cali been around?”
Noble downed the rest of his drink. “Yeah, she’s been helping out with Irish.” He smirked at Rio. “Why you asking about her? I thought it was fuck her forever.”
“It is.”
“Then, why you wanna know about her? You want that old thing back?”
Rio snorted, face contorted into a grimace. “Hell nah. She’s disloyal, and I’ll never look at her the same… but I hurt her feelings and I can’t understand why I feel bad about that shit.”
“How you hurt her feelings?”
Rio swiped his tongue against his bottom lip. “I fucked her hairstylist.”
Noble’s thick brows rose, making Rio burst into laughter.
“You a bold-ass nigga. Her hairstylist? Damn, you were on some true get back shit.”
Noble couldn’t imagine Daysha going to fuck his barber to get back at him. Although he didn’t care who she dated, his barber would have been too close for comfort.
“When I did it, I didn’t give a fuck about Cali’s feelings but now that she knows, I don't think I should've made that move.”
“Uh, you think?” Noble spat, sarcastically. “Now she ain't got nobody to do her hair.”
Rio chortled so hard he snorted. “This shit ain't funny but for you to think of that got me dying.”
Noble leaned back in his seat, grinning. “You still love her, Rio. You ain't fooling me.”
“I swear I don't. I would never be able to trust her again. Cali is damaged goods.”
“You say that shit but you purposely fucking her hairstylist to get her back says otherwise. But I’ma let you lie to me. I know the real.”
Rio held his head down, opting not to respond. Noble recognized a man who still loved a woman. He’d put in too much effort to hurt Cali. If he didn’t give a fuck about her like he claimed, then he wouldn’t have sought revenge.
