Silence filled the line for half a second and then Marv exploded. “That old bitch told you that?”
Disrespecting BJ would get him killed without question. “Watch your fucking mouth.”
“I knew she was gonna call you. Soon as I left, I said that old lady about to call Lev and make me sound crazy.”
He lost his fucking mind. I saw exactly what BJ was talking about. “Nah, you made yourself sound crazy.”
“Nah, y’all trying to play me.”
“Nobody playing you. The fuck you talking about.”
“Navy playing you.”
My grip tightened. On the wheel. I had to use the other to light the joint before he pissed me off. “Leave her out of it.”
“That’s your problem right there. You so busy sniffing behind her you can’t see what the fuck she doing. You think I don’t know. I ain’t stupid nigga, look how ya’ll disappeared thar night at the restaurant.”
“Man fuck all that, what she doing?”
“I know these bitches.”
“You don’t know her though.”
“What? You gonna beat me up over some bitch Marv had first?”
The words came fast, tangled with whatever chemical was racing through him. I forced my voice lower. “You need to get some help. You losing your fucking mind.”
“Nah. I see clear.” His breathing came hard through the phone. “Paper working for Rome. Rome playing with us. Navy playing with you. Everybody wanna hide and move sneaky, we need to make a statement.”
“What statement?”
“Fuck her up.”
Everything inside got cold and dark. “What the fuck you just say?”
“You heard me. Put hands on her, scare her, whatever. Make that nigga come out from wherever he hiding. Niggas wanna play, stop playing fair.”
“There ain’t shit player about what you saying.”
“She ain’t innocent.”
“She ain’t got shit to do with whatever you think Paper doing.”
“She the leader’s wife.”
“Not for long, and again that ain’t got shit to do with her.”
“Oh, so that’s what this is?” He laughed wildly. “You saving her now? Captain Save-a-Hoe?”
“You need to listen to me carefully.”
“Man, fuck?—”
“If you go near Navy, speak to Navy, call Navy, or even park your car where she can see it, I’m gone deal with you in a way neither one of us can come back from. That’s the same for BJ until you get yourself right in the mind.”
The noise behind him seemed to fade, or maybe he had moved away from it. “You threatening me?”
“I’m warning you.”
