Page 144 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

“Luney! Come shot up, nigga!”

Brina rolls her eyes at her husband, before walking to the guest room, leaving it only the niggas in the living area. Nut tries to snatch the shot out of Set’s hand, but he takes it, shaking his head before handing Nut the empty glass.

“You know you a fuckin’ lightweight,” Nut grits, but Set waves him off.

“One not gon’ knock me off my square. In fact, it’ll keep me cool enough so I ain’t gotta knock a nigga out. Luney face just healed.”

“You ain’t ever really been such a talker. You getting scary in yo old age?” I pull at my new chin hairs, watching his eyes flash and Nut try to keep him near.

“You know I lived a long life, on Baby!” Set grins, looking around. “So many memories in this crib. Maybe I am slowing down, but niggas can’t ever forget what the fuck I be on, ain’t that right, Luney?”

“Aight. I’m over this. Girls! Come on out here! I got some shit to say!” Shad stands from the couch and takes the tequila from Reem. Set and Reem bristle when he pours it down the drain, and we all gather around the island as Mace slides next to him.

“Man, look. It’s my birthday. I get that niggas been on bullshit, but now it’s affecting me. Ty refuses to come, and though I don’t blame him,” Shad grits, scowling at me, “it’s still weak that on top of mourning my niggas with every win, now I gotta think about the niggas breathing that are missing too. So for this one night, put all that fuckin’ animosity away, and turn up with me. Or else.”

“Or else what?!” Nut barks.

Shad shrugs. “I’ll kill myself. Shit, I’ll jump right now!”

“He’s not playing!” Mace yells over everyone yelling for him to shut the fuck up.

“That is a horrible joke, Shad,” Brina spits.

“Who says I’m joking?” Shad folds his arms. “This the one day it’s all about me. It’s my party, and I can die if I want to. And I swear to God, I look around and see anything other than my niggas being merry and celebrating more life, I’m naming you niggas in my note and slitting my wrist.”

“And if y’all stubborn niggas make me a single mother, I will make it my life’s mission to get new, better, richer niggas for all my homegirls. Starting with Brina.” Mace narrows her eyes at Set, who flips her off.

“Both y’all dramatic as fuck. But I ain’t mad at it. And I guess, for solidarity, we won’t drink while Sober Sally is around. But I got another sprinter for yo ass, because I need my medicine. Choc won’t let me smoke at home no more.”

“They’re outside already. Boys in one, girls in another. See y’all there!”

“Don’t go nowhere without security!” Set yells after them, and I catch Brina rolling her eyes at her husband again, right before Reem comes up to me.

“You good?” I ask, clamping my hand down on his shoulder.

He nods, but I don’t believe him until his eyes drag up to mine.

“I’m straight, brodie. Me and moms, we had a long ass talk, and we straight too. Better than straight. I get the secrecy and shit. It’s heavy as fuck, but you know, Love don’t let me do shit alone no more.”

My lips twitch. “You got a good one.”

“Yeah,” he breathes, following the others as we file out of the condo. “You know the feeling. But we can chop it up about that later.”

We dap each other up, and Nut turns and pulls me away, yelling about how I’m a simp ass nigga as we all get into the elevator.

Shad cuts his eyes to me, but Nut curves his forearm around his neck for old time’s sake, and I know we finna turn his young ass up for his birthday.

Nut holds out a shot glass for me and starts pouring up some reposado. Palace is filled to the brim with niggas, and Shad and Snow are about to perform any minute.

I’ve been separated from her since we all came in through the side. I didn’t really plan on drinking tonight, but when Set told Nut that Ty-Ty was coming, I figured a couple shots while Snow wasn’t around wouldn’t hurt.

I deserved the hits Ty-Ty got in last month, so I ate them. Now, though, I feel like the nigga is going too far. Anyone who isn’t saying fuck me, he’s saying fuck them. So as of now, he’s only speaking to Set and Haze, not even Reem.

Childish ass shit. Especially because Ty-Ty can’t function being alone nor cast out. He doesn’t come to his auntie Lala’s for dinner. He just out in the world, prolly popping percs and crying on strippers’ titties and shit.

And maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I should have took him to Belize with me when I first went. Had him involved with Mars from the very beginning. He a vault–he would hold Fredo’s secrets, if he already didn’t know. Maybe taking care of his little cousin could have saved him from years of wading in the bullshit he’s been wading in. It’s easy to think about that shit now that we’re at odds. How one decision could have changed everything.

I take another shot when I see Ty-Ty come in with an entourage of niggas I ain’t ever seen him be with. Then I blink my eyes, and recognize one of the niggas immediately.