Page 124 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

“Set!”

“Get up, you mark ass nigga!”

I peek out, and when I see a clear shot, send it toward him.

The grunts alert me that Roe must have moved him out the way. I’m about to stand and take another when a barrage of bullets from an automatic rifle begin to impale the ceiling.

My ears ring long after Roe’s done, but I still stand and try to sheath my piece.

“Yeah, that was me. Evacuate the building and tell the captain it’s a drill. Yeah.” Roe pockets his phone before grilling both me and Set like we’re his kids.

“You muthafuckas have lost your ever loving minds, about to kill each other over pussy! Nigga, you’re fucking MARRIED!” Spittle flies out of his mouth as he punches the air, before turning to me.

“And nigga, clearly feelings are involved if you’re going against your Day One, but get your fuckin’ head out your ass! You niggas are a far cry away from the knuckleheads who was terrorizing their section, so act like it! And if this not solved by our second quarter meeting, it’s gonna be a lot of slow singing and flower bringing in the Birch. Now get the fuck out my building and don’t start shooting at each other until you’re back in the fucking projects.”

Roe is one of the few niggas in the city not affiliated that we wholeheartedly respect. Sometimes like a big brother, sometimes like a father. For him to have no kids, he has that disappointed look down pat, most likely from raising his siblings. Set and I both file out of the office and go to the elevator. We hear Roe’s office door slam shut, and seconds later, he’s yelling into his phone.

“Two words could end this shit,” Set mutters. The elevator chimes, and we climb in.

I push the button for the garage, while he pushes the button for the lobby. “Two words you never gon’ hear from me. I don’t regret what led us to where we’re at, and to be honest, I don’t believe you never had a clue about me and Snow.”

“You still don’t get it, but I’m not surprised. All the critical thinking skills went to Fred.”

“You don’t get to call him that and you’re tryna kill me. Ain’t how it works.”

Set shrugs, cracking his knuckles. “You ain’t the only brother of mine I shot at, just like you ain’t the only brother of mine that’s crossed me. And you’ll still be my brother if you don’t figure shit out before you in the dirt. How was Wyn’s show?”

I’m so blown by his change of subject that I answer honestly. “Fire. She did her shit.”

The elevator stops and the doors open. Set cuts his eyes to me before he smirks. “Yeah,” he says, walking off, “Slime said the same thing.”

I lean back on the wall and let the doors close. I scanned the whole fucking place during the concert and ain’t see him. But of course, the twenty minutes I was gone, talking to Roe… this fucking nigga.

My hands itch to call him. My feet itch to take me to his office and just put a bullet in him.

But as usual, one person stops me. I can almost feel his hand on my shoulder.

He’s just hurting, Rick. Let them both grieve the way they know how. All this is bringing up old feelings. It’ll all pass.

“Yeah,” I breathe, walking into the garage. “Prolly after one of them kills me.”

“This is nice, tío Ricky. Where’s your Monte Carlo?” Mars asks as he buckles his own seatbelt.

“In the shop.” I close him in and put his and Ju’s bags in the trunk of my rented x3. It’s more suitable for driving him around anyway, but I can’t lie and say I don’t miss my whip.

Bitch ass niggas.

Weaving through traffic, I get to Ju’s new place in no time at all, nodding to the guard as we pass through the gate to the underground parking structure.

Mars is excited as the elevators descend. True to my word, Ju’s apartment is fully set up, and they both go from room to room, inspecting it like I’m not me.

I’ve spent enough time around my brother’s kooky bm to know how she would like it set up. And when she rounds her strawberry couch with all thirty-two teeth showing, I stand and let her hug me.

“Thank you, meanie.”

“Aight. You’ve touched me enough.” I push her off me to break up the moment.

“I don’t know how Wyn deals with you,” she rolls her eyes playfully, but I’m stuck on the name.