Page 100 of Stay Dangerous

“Please,” I blurted, a lump in my gut forming by the second. “Your son has lied to me enough for a lifetime. It’s been a week.I know my parents are looking for me. School starts back right after the New Year. Clearly, the Birch Babies are into more than selling drugs on the corner. I don’t care about that. I just wanna go home.”

I wrapped my arms around my middle and looked toward the ceiling to keep the tears at bay. If I could, I would go back in time and stop myself from ever going to the party. From ever opening my window for Rico that first time.

“Your sister filed a police report, claiming you were both kidnapped, and you’re still missing. I told my contact at the department you were safe, but since it’s part of what’s been happening at the Birch, it’s safer to wait until that investigation is closed before you pop back up. What’s perplexing to me, however, is that your parents haven’t filed a missing person’s report, nor did they corroborate your sister’s claims.”

“What?” my eyes rounded. I’d been gone for over a week, no trace. Surely even Dad got his head out of his ass long enough to notice.

Clearly, it wasn’t the right thing to do to make noise. But sheesh…no onecared?

About either of us?

I hugged myself tighter as warring feelings too big for my body began to expand. My brain prickled. Fingernails dug into my biceps.

“Y’all good over there? They not hurting you, right?”

I jerked my head no, meeting his almost sympathetic gaze. “They’d have to care to hurt me, right? No, we’re good. So when does the other investigation close?”

“They finishing up the coroner’s report on Kilo after the holiday, but I heard it’s an open and shut case. Just waiting on paper work and shit. My boys rolled through the Birch like a hurricane, bodies on top of bodies. Once that’s done, my nephewwill take you home. But I need you to do something for me, cariña.”

I swallowed around the fear that bloomed. “W-what?”

“You can’t tellanyonewhere you’ve been. Not you parents or your sister. Not even my sons. Definitely not the police, if it comes down to it. Will you keep this secret for me?”

He rested his head on his fists as he leaned onto the table.

Confused, I said, “But doesn’t Tyree know?”

Pooh smiled. “My nephew knows better than to get in dick and pussy shit. And I know you and Rick are at odds at this moment, but hearing you’ve been ducked off in the Hundred Acre Wood will invite way more problems than I’m ready to deal with. Them niggas in them towers could never catch me slippin’, but they ain’t got shit on my progeny.”

I tilted my head, a smile growing on my face. “You’re scared of him?”

“You’re not?” he chuckled.

I shrugged. “I’m not scared of anything. Not really. In the moment, sure, but overall, I… don’t think I care enough.”

That sympathy that loved to flash in Pooh’s eyes appeared again. But he couldn’t say anything, since Pilar came back into the room bearing gifts.

“I’m so sorry about that. I had to make sure my nieces and nephews got my gifts, and they all wanted to thank me. Don’t think I left you out, Wynter Snow! The big one is from me.”

She pushed two gift bags into my hands and sat back, so I knew she wanted me to open them in front of her.

Smiling, I opened the Coach bag first, my eyes lighting up when I lifted out sneakers she had that I’d been eyeing.

“Now you have your own pair!” she squealed, barely staying in her seat.

I placed the shoes back in the bag and leaned over to hug her. “Thank you, seriously.”

“Of course. Merry Christmas, now open Pooh’s!”

Pilar placed her gift for me on the floor, clearing my lap. The other gift was a small and narrow black box. I took the top off, revealing a velvet box.

“Pilar’s a better gift giver than me, actually going out and buying shit. But she’s always telling me they don’t make good jewelry anymore, so I figured I could lace you with that.”

I opened the box and my eyes flew to Pooh. He couldn’t have been serious.

This was the second conversation we’d ever had in life.

Sure, the bracelet wasn’t new. It couldn’t have been. Slipping it over my fingers, I lifted it up, noting it wasn’t hollow at all, but solid. Eighteen karat, if I had to guess, though I couldn’t be sure, since it was white gold.