Page 35 of Just Like Summer

Side-by-side, the two walked back to the car. “You good? They are a match made in hell.”

She laughed and slid inside. “And they’re your best friends so that says more about you than them.”

“Damn, you right,” he said with a snap of his fingers.

Inside the car and heading back to his corner, he looked over at her. She wasn’t fidgeting with her phone or blocking out the noise.

“How you feeling?” he posed.

“Better,” she admitted. “I know you don’t want me thanking you. But really, thank you. I didn’t realize how much I was holding onto.”

“That shit has made me hard. Holding onto shit. Your heart is too good to turn cold. So you’re welcome. Just say the word and I’ll take you back. Whenever you want.”

She nodded and then yawned. “Okay.”

In the house, Cairo eased into his room while Kamilla was in the shower. Changing into an all-black outfit, he headed out being sure to send her a text.

C-Ro: lock up and get some sleep

With that, he slipped out and headed over to the traphouse only to be met by Nate.

“Oh, you thought you were going alone? Nah,” Nate spoke up. “And after that shit with Tiny, I moved everything out of here. Your shit is in my trunk.”

“You weren’t going to tell me that earlier?”

“Nah. We don’t mix business and pleasure,” Nate recited Cairo’s rule. “Plausible deniability.”

“Thanks, bro,” Cairo muttered, heading to the trunk to retrieve the duffle bag of money. “Any word on Tiny?”

“I think that nigga still licking his wounds. Niggas said he hasn’t been by here,” Nate replied. “Do I think he’s going to lay down long? Hell nah.”

“He’s going to do some shit. How stupid it is, is to be determined. Nigga can’t keep shit quiet, either,” Cairo grumbled. “Good thing is we’re removed from it so let the nigga sink.”

“Hear you.”

“Good, take that to Sapph and get home,” Cairo directed.

“Ohh shit, you got something fine in your bed so you gonna handle this quick, huh?” Nate joked.

“Yeah, she’s in the bed. I’m on the couch.”

“Oh, you were being for real,” Nate posed. “She a virgin or something? All this self-control and shit.”

“I’m on her time. It’s that simple. Unlike you, I’m not ruled by my dick,” Cairo said with a pointed expression.

“You real in-tune with yourself. You cut that hair off, I’ll know something then.”

“You won’t know a muhfuckin’ thing. Go. I’ll see you tomorrow at the studio,” Cairo spoke. “Be on time, nigga.”

“You act like I’m rapping or something.”

“Never that, you just need to know how to shop this shit. Clubs, DJs, something,” Cairo responded.

“Oh yeah,” Nate buzzed. “She something special. Got you back in your bag.”

Cairo held her secret that was so fatally tied up in his own all he could do was nod. “Too special for me.”

The two parted ways. While Nate was dropping Sapphire her payment, Cairo stood in the manager’s office of Loco’s Tacos emptying the safe and deposit box. He’s already emptied the register. The way he saw it, ten fifty an hour wasn’t enough for Kamilla, so whatever they grossed belonged to her. When he was done he walked out, lit his blunt and rigged the wiring on the side of the building. While he inhaled the Azul Kush into his lungs, he silently counted down for the moment when it all went up in smoke.