Page 71 of Collateral Love
Zay squinted at me, jaw working.
“You saying we cut him loose completely?” he asked.
I nodded.
Dre’s breathing quickened.
“Yo, what?” he choked. “I did everything you said. You put me on, Kenya. This shit put food in my little sister’s mouth. On God, I ain’t?—”
My chest hurt, but my face stayed even.
“You don’t get punished,” I said. “You get redirected. You stay away from our routes. Period. You go back to being just another student. You get your degree.”
He stared at me as if I’d stripped him.
“You can’t just—” His voice cracked. “I’m useful, man.”
“That’s the problem,” I said softly. “You’re too useful. Every empire falls because it holds on to things past their safe window.”
He flinched as if I’d hit him.
Zayden pushed off the wall.
“Lemme talk to him,” he said.
“No,” I replied.
His eyes cut to mine, sharp.
We stared at each other, unblinking, while Dre fidgeted between us.
“I said I got him,” Zay repeated, low.
“And I said he’s out,” I shot back.
That was our first real standoff since we’d crossed the line.
He stepped closer, voice barely above a murmur.
“Kill him,” I whispered.
His jaw tightened.
“This ain’t you being smart,” he said. “This you being scared.”
I didn’t blink.
“Scared people survive,” I replied. “Cocky ones catch cases.”
The air between us went heavy.
Two days later, Dre had disappeared.
It wasn’t petty.
It wasn’t emotional.
It was math.
