Page 79 of Kissed By the Trillest Thug 2

For a split second, I wasn’t standing outside Reemo’s house anymore. I was back at Bashar’s. Everything at this moment was oh so familiar. The smell of blood and the deep silence after it was over. I could still see Bashar lying on that floor every time I closed my eyes. I blinked, and then the body on the floor became Reemo. I blinked hard, forcing both memories away before unlocking my car. I snatched off my ski mask and tossed it to the back while starting the car at the same time. The engine roared to life, and once it did, I pulled away from the curb without looking in the rearview mirror.

My hands tightened around the steering wheel. One problem was gone. That should’ve made things easier. Instead, it felt like I’d just buried myself even deeper. I drove in silence while the blood started to dry against my clothes. One thought kept circling through my mind.How many more bodies before there wasn’t any coming back?I heard so many stories about how taking a life could change you. I think that shit changed me once I put Bashar down. I was different in ways that I couldn’t explain. More ruthless maybe and definitely more detached from my emotions.

The drive home felt longer than it actually was. Every red light seemed to last forever. Every car that pulled in behind me made me check the rearview mirror twice. By the time I turned onto my street, my shoulders had finally started to relax. I backed into my usual parking spot and killed the engine. For a moment, I just sat there. The silence inside the car was almost deafening. I looked down at the dried blood staining the front of my hoodie. There wasn’t any washing this tonight. I probably should get rid of the shit. Everything that I was thinking could be handled when the sun was up.

With a tired sigh, I climbed out and headed toward the apartment. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. Thetelevision was on. I frowned because Mama wasn’t supposed to be home yet.

“I thought you were working?”

She looked up from the couch.

“They let me leave early.”

She smiled at first, and then the smile disappeared when her eyes dropped to my hoodie.

She slowly stood.

“Giovani…”

I instinctively looked down.Damn.She really wasn’t supposed to be home. She wouldn’t have seen any of this.

“It ain’t mine,” I quickly spat out.

She didn’t move, and she didn’t speak. She just stared at the stains spread across the front of my sweatshirt.

“Mama?”

When she finally looked back up at me, there was no anger in her eyes. I could tell that she wasn’t disappointed. All I could read on her face was fear. The kind of fear only a mother could have. A lump formed in my throat.

“I can explain.”

She shook her head once.

“I don’t want to hear shit.”

I didn’t know what to say. My mother looked at me like she didn’t know me at all. And maybe she didn’t anymore. I was starting to think that I didn’t know myself.

Chapter 15

Gia

Giovani stood near the front door while I stared at the blood splattered across the front of his hoodie.

“Nothing happened.” His voice was quieter this time.

I searched his face, and I couldn’t tell if he was lying or not.

“I wanna believe you.”

He swallowed.

“I ain’t lying,” he said defensively.

“You sure about that?”

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

He looked away from me, and with one frustrated motion, he grabbed the bottom of his hoodie and pulled it over his head before tossing it onto the arm of the couch.