Page 69 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

“Maaaaan,” I wave my cousin off.

“That’s, like, what? Seventeen years–”

“Not even. That’s all you got from that?”

“Nope!” Ty hops up onto the sofa, pointing at me. “Not at all, but that’s the most important part! Damn! That shit really is in our genes, cuzzo! One look from your one and that’s all she wrote!” He grins as he does some dumb ass dance. “Aw man. You worse than Pooh Bear!” He cackles, dropping back to his ass as he folds over himself at my expense.

And words die in my mouth, because unfortunately, he’s right.

I’m way worse than Pooh.

“And then, and then! You let… the homie… take your bitch!” Ty-Ty gains a second wind laughing at me, pointing and kicking his feet in the air.

“Like… who does that?!” he guffaws. “You let that nigga swoop in and snatch her up! Oh man, he’s gonna kick yo ass! FUCK! I gotta be there.”

My face balls up so fast. That nigga can’t even ball up his fist. “Why you think that?”

“Because,” he breathes, gaining control of himself. “Y’all basically used him. Both of you. She knew what she was doing fucking with him, just like you knew what you were doing not, at the very least, telling him you fucked with her once upon a time. You know how Set is about loyalty–you’re the same way. If you’d fucked a girl I was in love with–”

“Why the fuck you keep saying that?!”

His eyes stretch at my outburst. “Bro… I thought we were being real with each other. Nigga, you’re downbad. Head gone. Nose wide open. Y’all got so much unfinished business; that shit was better than the last three book club picks! You got me ready to hit up Autumn myself and see where the fuck Wynter at.”

I avert my eyes, hoping he doesn’t catch on that I know exactly where my Snow is. Part of why I minced my words so heavily was I couldn’t slip out about Mars nor who has been doing most of the rearing for the better part of the year. It wasn’t the time nor place for that.

“When she turns up, you’ll get your bitch back, and then Set’s gonna kick yo ass before you start, I’on know, being a couple and shit. Damn… I gotta stop smoking. I should have known after the clinic shit.”

“Well then, why won’t Set be kicking yo ass right along with mine?” I snap.

Ty-Ty just shrugs. “I ain’t fuck Wyn. Shit, I mean, me and Reem had some convos about it, shooting the shit, but I’m telling you, my mind is blown, cuzzo. I never would have thought… I mean, y’all shit’s deep. And unfinished. I’d beat yo ass too.”

“And how is our shit so unfinished if she fucked my bro? Riddle me that, nigga.”

Ty-Ty rolls his eyes dramatically. “If you gon’ keep hiding behind that, you a loser, foreal. I mean, yeah, she’s flaw, but technically, it don’t matter. You had her first. And never like Set did. Trust me.”

I lean back on the couch. “The fuck does that mean?”

“They were never like that,” he yawns. “More like, I’on know. She was one of the homies. They was just homies that fucked. They would always poke fun at the other muthafuckas they were messing with, but even before Set met B, I thought they’d stopped fucking around. Shit…” he grins at me again, “she really only was all over the bro every time you popped back up in the city. Ha! Y’all fuckin’ crazy, I swear. But nah, if I were you, I would give up that weak ass excuse. And I say unfinished because, shit, let you tell it, you was only mad foreal because of misunderstandings and shit. You the one in the wrong, and you need to make it right, with everyone. Starting with me. You beat my ass, so I’ma beat yours one of these days–”

The automatic garage door opens and we both pop up, guns drawn. When we see it’s Mekhi Young and his cousin YC, we lower them, and drop back onto the couch.

“Love and Reem got out. We gon’ get them tomorrow. I’m sleeping on the plane.”

YC grunts as he follows Mekhi up the stairs.

Ty-Ty and I share a glance before hopping up ourselves.

“Wait! We ain’t sleeping out here alone!” Ty-Ty grits, rushing over to them with me right behind.

You feel lighter, huh, brodie?

I grin, shaking my head at the ghost in my head before I clamp a hand down on my cousin’s shoulder. He throws a grin behind him, and I know our talk will stay between us–not counting Reem.

Still, I do feel lighter.

And ready to finish some shit.

Wyn