After parking, I exited my car and climbed the steps, dragging my feet forward until I reached my door. The key slipped from my trembling fingers twice before I forced it into the lock, my hand shaking so badly I almost dropped it again trying to turnit. By the time the door swung open, the hallway light split into three, and the floor tilted up to meet me. I grabbed the doorframe with both hands and stood there for a moment, just breathing.
Booda stopped pacing, his expression shifting from irritation to alarm as he took in my injuries. “Koko?”
The concern on his face hit me immediately. His eyes dropped to the blood running down the side of my face, then to the knot swelling near my temple, and all the color drained from him.
“Damn, baby,” he cursed, rushing toward me. “What the fuck happened?”
I tried to answer, but a wave of dizziness stopped me before I could get anything out.
As the room spun, the edges of my vision darkened, and I stumbled against the doorframe, struggling to keep my balance as my shoulder clipped the doorframe. I grabbed hold of it to steady myself, my head spinning as I fought to stay conscious, breath coming in shallow gasps.
“Fuck! I knew I shouldn’t have let you convince me to stay here,” he said quickly, tightening his grip around me as another wave of pain ripped through my skull.
“Ouch,” I groaned and pressed my hand harder against the side of my head while he guided me toward the couch. “My head hurts so bad.”
Booda froze for half a second before helping me sit down carefully. “Easy, baby. I got you.”
Once he was sure that I was comfortable, he took a seat beside me. “How the fuck did this happen?”
“She hit me.” I managed a weak smile, but the effort felt hollow against the throbbing pain.
Booda didn’t find a damn thing funny.
“How the hell did she get that close to you to do that?” he asked, worry written all over his face as he looked me over again.
“I don’t know.” I swallowed hard as nausea rolled through me. “But my head is killing me.”
His jaw flexed as he gently moved my hand away from the side of my face to get a better look at the injury.
“That bitch cracked you good,” he spat, anger bleeding through his tone.
I closed my eyes for a second, and the moment darkness hit, I saw Giani’s face again.
“She did, but that’s all she got to do before I killed her,” I whispered.
“Then we need to go,” Booda said after a few moments had passed.
I looked up at him weakly. “Go where?”
“Outta town. Tonight.” His tone left no room for argument. “Everyone’s dead now. Ain’t nothing left for us here except problems.”
Another pulse of pain burst behind my eyes, and I groaned softly before pressing my hand against the side of my head again.
“Can you just help me to the bed first? I need to lie down for a minute. I won’t be any good if we hit the road right now.”
Booda stared at me for a second, clearly weighing his decision. “You good to move?” he asked after a minute.
“Yeah.” I nodded even though I wasn’t sure if it was true.
“Come on then.”
He slid his arm around me carefully and helped me up from the couch. My legs felt weak as he guided me through the apartment. The pounding in my skull seemed to get worse with every step, and by the time we reached the bedroom, my stomach was turning so badly I thought I might throw up.
Booda helped me sit down on the edge of the bed before crouching in front of me again.
“You taking anything for that?” he asked, glancing toward the knot swelling near my temple.
I nodded slowly and reached for the drawer beside the bed. The bottle rattled in my hand as I shook two pills into my palm.
