Page 22 of Bullet

"Yeah, man. We're good. I don't want to live in any world without any of my brothers, a brother I helped raise at that," Armor responded, then nodded.

"Good, because I don't want to either," Bulley conveyed. He pulled Armor into a tight bro hug, and they clapped each other on the back.

They parted, and Bulley stepped to the side, allowing me to be seen again.

Armor walked up first. "Welcome to the family, Crystal. On behalf of my brothers and me, we apologize for all the drama in the past. Would it be cool if I gave you a hug?"

"Apology accepted. I appreciate it, and yes, you can have a hug." We leaned in to hug, but Bulley quickly interfered.

"Nigga, get yo' ass back. My fragrance is the only male scent my woman needs to inhale. Try again later." Bulley laughed, making all of us chuckle because he was so damn overprotective."

"Yo' ass ain't shit," Armor voiced through his laughter.

Bulley smirked and hunched his broad shoulders. He was the youngest, tallest, and biggest. It was as if he'd hit a growth spurt during our separation, and I wasn't mad at all. Two blanks were fired in the air, and it signaled to us that the race was about to start.

"Looks like you're up first, Armor? Who's the unlucky victim?" I quizzed, making them snicker.

"Your big brother, Black," he replied with a devilish grin.

I gave a low whistle. "I heard he's fast, but then again, that's what I heard."

"Well, you about to find out, lil sis. Come grab a front-row seat. I want you to see this," Armor invited.

Crome, Woady, and Bulley snickered together when he walked away. They apparently knew something I didn't. Bulley grabbed onto my hand and led me to the front of the crowd. I watched as both Black and Armor lined their bikes up at the line. Demetra, also known as Candy Apple, stood her thotty ass in front of them with a red scarf. She had been my arch-enemy since high school. That ho wanted everything I grew up with. Her bitch ass hated me, and the feeling was surely mutual. Our eyes connected, and she smirked at me. That bitch knew something I didn't. Bulley had better not have slept with her dirty ass.

Demetra raised the scarf in the air before quickly lowering it. My brother Black and Armor shot off. However, I was still focused on Demetra. My eyes followed her as she slowly yet sexily walked over to the crowd. When she stopped in front of my dad and placed her nasty mouth on him, I saw red, and I blacked the fuck out. Instead of him trying to make shit work with my mama, he was outside with her ho ass being a ho. They sloppily kissed, and he gripped her ass.

I raced away from Bulley and dashed across the road. Daddy's eyes widened as I ran up and snatched that bitch by long ass weave and to the ground. "Get up, ho! I want you to see this ass whoopin' coming!" I seethed, squaring up.

"Bring it, bitch!" she yelled after she jumped to her feet.

Demetra swung, but I caught her arm. I flipped her over my body and body-slammed her to the ground. That's from years of growing up with three big brothers. She smacked that pavement so damn hard that the crowd groaned for her. I know shethought it was over, but it wasn't. My combat boot stomped her face three good times before I was pulled off her.

"Crystal, what the fuck are you doing?" my dad shouted.

Bulley ran to my side with an ugly mug on his face. I stepped in front of him to prevent him from punching my dad. "No, what the fuck are you doing here with her?"

"That's none of your got damn business. What the hell are you doing out here? This ain't no place for you to be here. Oh, I see. You out here with this bum ass nigga again. As if making the first bastard wasn't enough, you tryin' to make a second one with his ass!" Daddy hollered.

Now, why did he have to go there? Bulley barely nudged me to the side before he uppercut my dad from his place, and he hit the ground. I jumped back and covered my mouth as all hell broke loose. My brothers ran over, and so did his. Marshawn hit Bulley, but it didn't faze him at all. He popped my second oldest brother, and he fell onto the ground next to my dad. Crome and Tyrese threw hands blow for blow.

Two motorcycles rolled up, and I looked up to see Armor and Black. They hopped off their bikes and ran over to us. Both of them worked hard to put space between their brothers. Bulley and his brothers stood side by side, and my brothers did the same after they helped my dad up. I was trapped in the middle again. My dad held his jaw as he aimed his gun at Bulley.

"I'm so tired of yo' punk ass. Ever since you came into my daughter's life, it's been one thing after the other. You've brainwashed her. You stole the Razzi account from me and the storefront bid next to your club. I hate yo' ass, Bulley." He turned and looked at me. "Crystal, you are a fuckin' Views. You get yo' ass over here and stand by your family!" he yelled with spit flying out of his mouth.

"Fuck you, old man. I'll stand by my brothers, but never with you again."

He chuckled. A deep chortle that mimicked a villain's laugh. His ass looked as if he had snapped. "You know, I knew you'd say that, and I'm tired of playing games with you. If you won't stand by your family, then you won't stand next to that nigga's either." My dad turned his gun on me.

"Daddy, no!" I gasped, and my eyes grew big. He fired his gun.

Everything moved in slow motion as heat filled my chest, and I fell down. Pain immediately coursed through my body, and it felt as if I couldn't breathe. I looked down at the blood on my hands, and I grew dizzy. My eyes connected with Bulley, and I watched as he removed his Ruger. He flung his wrist quickly and fired right at my dad before he raced to me. A loud thud hit the ground, and loud screams broke out, and more shots were fired, pulling me from the slow-motion moment I was in.

Bulley's deep voice filled my ears. "Hold on, baby. I got you. Just breathe and stay up. Dammit, Crystal! Open your eyes," Bulley yelled.

I couldn't keep my eyes open. They were too heavy. I smiled between falling in and out of consciousness as my body jostled around as if I was in a car. "Tell Little Clear I love her and you so much." My eyes rolled back, and everything went dark as Bulley screamed my name.

Two YearsLater