Page 26 of Cove City: Vol. I

I could tell whatever happened had Quinton bugging the fuck out. When we reached the kitchen, he pulled a blunt from behind his ear and lit it. I watched as the heat in the nigga rose. Ipinched the bridge of my nose while I waited for him to tell me what the fuck was going on. I’d much rather be upstairs with Tuesday going for round two than down here with him, but it was my cousin, and it was family over everyone, right?

He inhaled deeply. “Those Zoo niggas got to go,” he gritted.

My hand swiped down my face, and confusion rested in me. “Isn’t that the group you wanted to ride with?”

“Fuck them niggas!” he shouted again.

I slammed my hand on the counter this time, then pointed at him. “Nigga, I just told your bitch ass to keep it the fuck down. Next time I’m going to kick yo ass out.”

His eyes surveyed me. “You got a bitch in here?”

“She isn’t a bitch, nigga get some fucking class.”

“And you have that? Ha, yeah fucking right.”

I sometimes tried giving my cousin a pass because he didn’t receive the same home training as I did. He was left to fend for himself. My mother stepped in when she could, but she eventually gave up because Quinton was so lost and defiant. However, I never did. Although I had my shit going on I had always found ways to help him, so tonight was no different.

“I wasn’t going to say shit, but you know Sash, she not going to say nothing.”

My eyes widened as I nodded at him, “Fuck is you talking about?”

The reality is that Sasha and I were friends first, and if she needed me, even without asking, I would be there. It was the least I could do since a nigga had dropped the ball on our relationship. It reminded me of that night I wasn’t able to save her and that alone made a nigga sick.

Quinton stood and walked around the island standing in front of me, “That nigga hit her. I was going to rush his ass, but five niggas against one ain’t gone cut it.”

I could feel my mouth curling as anger rose in me. I don’t give a fuck how much shit she and I had been through I’d never raised my hands to her. I knew her past, and men had done that to her so many times, it was something I always wanted to protect her from. I began to think about that nigga Zeus. The nigga was triggered so easily it sounded like some shit he would do, and Sasha stayed protecting his bitch ass. I slammed my fist on the island as I nodded my head. As I had said many times before Zeus was a dead nigga walking.

I turned to leave the kitchen to get my shit. I wasn’t closing my eyes until I handled the situation, but my cousin stopped me. “Where you going?”

I spun his way. “Fuck you mean. I’m about to kill that nigga. Putting his muhfuckin hands on her. Fuck type shit he on.”

“I know but with these niggas we can’t be just out here moving. We’ve got to move smart. Look, they're having a block party soon, and I’ve got an idea. Hold off, we’re going to get those niggas.”

I didn’t care what he was talking about, but I would pay Sasha a visit because I couldn’t believe she was letting that nigga put the paws on her. Then that corny ass nigga Chevy didn’t have control over his animals. The issue that had merely simmered down was about to re-emerge. Quinton glanced at me oddly, “What nigga?”

“I don’t have anywhere to go. I was wondering if I could crash here for a few hours.”

I glanced up, thinking about Tuesday. Did I want him here while she was in my space? I looked at my cousin again, “Yeah, take the couch.”

It was something about leaving my family out to dry that didn’t sit right with me. We’d both walked out the kitchen and he headed toward the stairs, “Nigga where are you going?”

“I’m taking the extra bed—”

“Nah, you’re taking the couch, or you can leave. I said I had company. I—”

“Pierre?” Tuesday’s voice called out.

Quinton and I both glanced up at the top of the steps, and she stood there with the sheet wrapped around her.

“Oh, you fucking with the little interview bitch,” he laughed.

I grabbed him by his shirt swinging his ass into the wall, “I told yo dumb ass she’s not a bitch. Nigga you’re fam and all but I’m about to put you out.”

Quinton and I eyed each other, and for a split second, I thought I saw his eyes display hatred toward me as if I were to choose him over everybody. He nodded and threw his hands up. “I got it. The couch.”

I loosened my grip on him, letting him go. I headed toward the steps, but not before I took one last look at him as he disappeared into the living room. All I could think about was Sasha telling me something wasn’t right with Quinton, but what choice did I have when my cousin didn’t have anyone not even a place to lay his fucking head.

The crook of my neck ached as I had awakened from this nigga’s uncomfortable ass couch. Between smoking back-to-back blunts to go to sleep and thinking about how this nigga flexed on me last night had a nigga tight. When I brought up the Sasha situation, I could see in his eyes that he wanted revenge, and that alone made me feel like the plan I had in mind would work. That was until I saw Shorty from the barbershop standing at the top of the steps.

---