“He’s connected to the Sinners.”
“What the fuck!” Yari stopped pacing.
“He’s not a big fish. He’s a distant cousin. I went through Junior’s file cabinet and found his profile. His name is Levi Sinner, and his debt is heavy. According to what I read, he has been on the run for months.”
My cousin caressed her forehead. “Yo’ ass is going to get in trouble.”
“Girl, please. I’m twenty-seven-years-old. I’m not a child. Besides, I’m helping my brother. He would’ve had to pay The Merchant to pick Levi up.” I intertwined my fingers and placedmy hands behind my head in a cocky manner. “Now, all I need to know is if Junior wants him dead or alive.”
Nola’s back crashed against the front door. “I don’t understand why you want to join Junior’s team instead of focusing on your nursing career. You spent all those years in school for nothing.”
“Girl, we all know I got my degree so my daddy wouldn’t cut me off. I’ve been working at the nursing home for years to stack my bread because I refused to be controlled. If Junior gives me a shot, and my daddy has a problem with it, he can’t hold money over my head this time.”
“All right.” Yari crossed her arms over her chest as she sat next to me. “When are you going to call your brother? I want to make sure I’m around to hear him curse you out.”
“Nobodyis scared ofJunior,” I lied. “I’ll call him in a few hours. You know how he gets when someone disturbs his beauty rest.”
“Yeah. Okay. Just make sure I’m close when you make that call.”
Chapter 2
Neptune
Amateur-ass bitch.
Being forced into a situation I knew little about had me pissed, butI was entertainedevery time the lady with the dark-brown complexion and pixie cut came into the room. Every move she made was one of a fool. It was like watching a crash dummy try to avoid the inevitable. There was no way she had done something like this before, and if she had, I didn’t believe she had done a decent job.
As thoughts of how I would make it back to the city ran through my mind, amusement rocked my chest. Amateur or not, I had to give it to her. She caught me slipping after I agreed to do my cousin’s job. For my business and my family, I would do anything from work behind the bar at our casino to killing a thief for crossing the wrong bloodline.It was obviousKand her crew didn’t know who I was, and the lack of a crew or security didn’t help the situation. Since we were young, my cousins clowned me for being a loner, but I never felt the need to walk around the city with protection. I was the fucking protection.
I shifted my weight from side to side to give my ass some relief. Beads of sweat trailed down the side of my face, even though the room was cool. I knew it was because I had gonetoo long without my medicine. Born withIsolated Dextrocardia, I had always been different, though I didn’t miss out on shit. I played basketball in school, beat ass when I felt the need, and I ran around the city despite being born with my heart on the opposite side of where it would normally be. My condition was rare, and thankfully, it hadn’t caused many hardships in my life.
The sound of footsteps grew close, adding strength to my slouched posture. Unlike the night wemet, the head honcho entered the room in clothes that showcased a sleeve of flowers and symbols tattooed on her left arm. Though her white tank top was basic, the Gucci cargo pants tailored to her waist revealed she had a sense of style. The black Timbs on her feet looked small enough to fit a kid, yet her big breasts confirmed she was a grown-ass woman. Simple stones adorned her belly button, wrists, and ears, but her sideburn tattoo was bold. I remembered how out of my mind I was when I got ink put on my face. It was intriguing to think a woman pulled the same stunt.
From opposite sides of the room, we mugged each other as she positioned a chair across from me. With the same knife she used hours before, she sliced into an apple, then fed herself.
“I bet you’re hungry,” she said in an antagonizing tone.
“I have to use the bathroom.”
“Oh. You finally decided to stop holding it?”
“I’m two seconds from pissing on you.”
“Nigga, please. I will chop off your wee-wee before the stream can land.”
Despite tension packing the room like smoke, I smirked at her response.
“Is that a smile? A second ago, you looked like you were about to pass out.” She giggled. “Get up, Levi.”
On the surface, I upheld a straight face, but on the inside, I was fuming when she referred to me by my cousin’s name. From the moment the short-haired lady approached me, I knewshe’d made a mistake. People had the right to make mistakes. It was human nature. Still, her ignorant ass made one that would change her life.
While Kitty used one hand to keep her weapon trained on me and the other to release my ankles, I studied her. I knew I could pin her to the floor. Yet, my lack of energy made me unsure of how long I could maintain control. I also wanted to hear more about why I was here. I didn’t trust a soul without having proof of what came out of their mouth, but I knew Levi enough to know the lady wasn’t lyingabouthim. He had always been a pain in my ass, and the only reason I hadn’t carved his face off was because of our elders.
Considering our fathers were twins, I could see how the mix-up happened. Levi and I shared a similar birthmark around our right eyes, but that was where the comparisons started and stopped. Levi was lazy, while I was a go-getter. Every luxury and opportunity the elders offeredto my other cousins and me had been offeredto Levi. However, unlike the rest of us, he accepted the benefits but acted like a bitch when someone mentioned work. He loved the power and respect that came from being aSinner, but he didn’t want to contribute to the legacy.
“You’ve been in this chair for over twenty-four hours. I know your legs will be weak when you stand. If you try anything, I’m going to kick you in the back of your kneecaps and watch all 240 pounds of you hit the floor.” She delivered the last line with the conviction of a final verdict.
I tried to play it off when I lifted my body from the chair, but I grimaced. My legs felt like stones when I lifted my feet to walk. Even with my ankles loose, I had to take small steps to keep my balance. When we exited the room, I didn’t hear any movement. The place was hardly lived in but appeared fully furnished. Sealed windows highlighted specks of red dirt on the windowpane, confirming we were on the South Side of SlydeCity. The information wouldn’t mean anything if the crazy lady’s plans panned out, but being observant was second nature to me.
