That shit would just lead them to our front door. Ainât nobody got time for that shit. This is a personal matter and itâs going to stay that way.
Trigger and the girls remain hugged up in a corner. The second I make it over to their small huddle, the bitches break off their convo in midsentence.
âOh. Itâs like that now?â I grind my back teeth together.
Instead of answering, their gazes dart among themselves.
These punk bitches here. âFine. If you guys think that youâre better off tryna fight Lucifer on your own, have at it.â I toss two deuces and give these hos my back.
âWait,â Brika barks before I storm off.
Lynch looks up from his huddle of soldiers. He gives me a look, asking whether everything is cool with us.
Nodding, I let him know that I got this shit under control.
The girls surround me.
âLook, Shariffa,â Jaqorya starts. âWe donât mean no disrespect. Weâre a little freaked out. You understand that shit, right?â
I refuse to answer her ass.
They sneak looks at each other before Trigger gets to the point. âLook. You got a fuckinâ plan or what? If not, then I say we bounce our asses south of the border for a little while. We wait for this shit to blow over.â
âBlow over? What? You think that bitch is going to forget that we killed her brother? Does your dumb ass also believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, too?â
Trigger glares like she wants to smack the shit out of me.
âThen whatâs the plan?â Brika asks. âIâm down for whatever as long as we get the shit poppinâ soon. I ainât that bitch that likes sittinâ around and waitinâ. I say if that bitch wants to go at it then we bring the heat straight to her. I ainât scared of no bitch that pisses sittinâ down, you feel me?â
âI agree,â I say. âWe get to the bitch before she comes at us.â
âAnd how in the fuck are we going to do that?â Trigger asks.
I have no fuckinâ idea. âLeave that shit to me,â I say.
The girlsâ gazes shift around.
âWhat say you, Shacardi?â Trigger nudges her.
All eyes shift to her and her honey-blond pixie haircut. Most niggas sleep on her because sheâs petite and looks like she wouldnât harm a fly. Itâs how she beat a murder charge a few years back.
âWe donât have a choice,â she says. âItâs her or us, right?â
We nod.
âThen itâs settled,â Jaqorya says.
Lynch joins our circle. âYâall working or what?â
We peel apart to start scrubbing the place down. Lynch grabs my wrists. âI told you this shit was going to happen,â he hisses. âYou can never leave shit alone.â
âIââ
âYou better call my momma and tell her not to bring the boys until late tomorrow. Weâre going to be here all night.â He storms off, not waiting to hear my bullshit.
Aw, shit. Heâs going to be hot for a while. He didnât want the set to get on the Vice Lordsâ radarâand now Iâve dragged our asses right into the center of that muthafucka.
I pat my pockets and then remember I left my phone out in the car. Bolting to the door, I unlock it and rush outside. I donât realize how bad the stench was inside the tattoo shop until I suck in the nightâs air. After I scramble to get my cell phone out of our Range Rover, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Somebody is watching me.
I pop back out of vehicle and scan the area. I donât see shit, but I feel someoneâs eyes.
Itâs Lucifer. Itâs her. I know it. My gaze keeps darting aroundâuntil it lands on a black Escalade quite a distance down the road. I have to squint to make it out, but itâs her. I know it.
âShariffa!â Lynch snaps.
I jump.
âWhatâs taking you so long?â
âIâm cominâ,