Page 29 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

Until now. She’s everywhere now. With nowhere to go.

Nan’s right. Well almost. I’ve hurt her, and she’s hurt me, but I’m still not ready to speak.

The locked medicine cabinet is right there. It’s nothing to open it, and grab the small prescription bottle of Valium.

It’s been years since I’ve tried to take anything besides a tylenol. The Valium will have me floating for days, even if I break it in half, but I don’t think I can really have the conversation I wanna have without something to calm my nerves.

Pussy nigga.

I sigh, turning toward the medical cot, where Fredo is draped without a care in the world.

“You want me to kill her or not? I’m not understanding right now.”

Fredo sits up and interlocks his fingers. “That’s because you don’t know if you wanna kill her or not. You waiting to see what she says. Make a decision now. Regardless of the nitty gritty, commit to one outcome, then you won’t need no Valium.”

“I’m…” I shake my head and lean against the wall of the sterile room.

I talk a lot of shit. I know I do. And killing a bitch has never been an issue for me.

But can I really snuff out Snow?

Even if she tells me she fell in love with Set?

Is that the worst thing Snow can do to you?

“Of course,” I answer aloud without thinking. Snow loving anyone other than me feels… unimaginable.

But is it punishable by death?

I don’t answer for a long time. I try to imagine it. Truly. Them two, young and having their way with each other. Set has always kept his feelings close to his chest. But the fact of the matter is, they fucked around for years.

There had to be some type of feelings there.

Right?

Fuck. If this was any of my homies, I’d laugh at them.

I go to palm my forehead, but stop at the last second.

This fucking eye patch.

“No,” I answer lowly. “It’s not.”

I’d probably feel what’s left of my heart be torn to shreds at hearing the words, but I wouldn’t kill Snow if she admitted to catching feelings.

It’s still my L to take. I put her in that position. If I’d put my bros on game, he’d never have crossed that line.

It’s time to face the music.

Proud of you, Rick.

“Shut the fuck up.”

Snow’s in the same position when I get back to my room. She startles when I drag the chair from the wall to the side of the bed and take a seat. She’s all legs trying to get into a sitting position, and I wait patiently, until she’s sitting up and gaping at me.

Her eyes are glued to the eye patch.

I should have taken the Valium.