Page 53 of Kentrell

“Nigga, it’s bright ideas,” I cracked up, shaking my head.

“Nah… I said it right. White.” Wani paused, and I could hear the faint clink of a glass before he took a sip of whatever he was nursing.

I shifted over into the fast lane, eyes flicking between my mirrors.

“His ass done had these fancy-ass drinks at this other bar and now he think he can bring these niggas up to par,” Wani huffed, sucking his teeth like the whole thing personally offended him.

“That what you sippin’ on now?”

“Man, hell nah.” He snorted, taking another swig. “Ain’t no nigga we know ordering no damn mezcal and jalapeño syrup and shit.”

I shook my head, smirking to myself, easing deeper into the gas pedal.

“Gentrified tequila?” I laughed under my breath.

“Exactly,” he muttered, letting out a low chuckle. “The minute we start upscaling shit… doing what them folks do… they ass gon’ come over here in droves. And pretty soon the whole Lowend gon’ be took over.”

Wani had a point.

“The Velvet Room gotta stay how it is,” he went on. “That’s one of the last things keeping them muhfuckas out. Shit—we sell pussy and Patrón. Not Añejo and aesthetics.”

That took me out. We both cracked up, laughing for a good minute.

Then… just like that… silence again.

I kept driving. Letting him sit with whatever was sitting heavy on him. Already knowing he was on the verge of switching the conversation up.

“You ain’t never had no bitch?”

His voice came back on the line, and I heard the low pull and exhale—he was definitely facing a blunt now.

“Whatchu mean?” I frowned, waiting for him to clarify.

“Like… no shorty you was rocking with. Exclusive. On some ‘this my girl’ type shit.”

“Nah.” I shook my head like he could see me.

“Yeah… yo bean head ass woulda been brought her around. Caking and shit.”

I laughed with him, still shaking my head.

“Man… you ain’t never seen me onnat type of time with no bitch.”

“True. True.” His tone dropped low, like he was smiling behind the words. “But I know you, nigga. You and Kensei both need that one girl.”

“One girl for what?” I spit the words quick… and still… Zoe’s face pushed her way into my mind before I could block it.

“One girl you locked in with,” he said. “Somebody that make you act right. Make you soften up a lil bit.”

“Yo ass tweakin’.”

“Maybe…” He blew out a long breath, smoke curling through the speaker like I could smell it. “But I know. All it takes is one bitch to pop up… different… and yo ass gon’ take to her like glue.”

“You sound like yo mama.”

“I might do, bitch.” He laughed, voice loose, words slurring just enough to let me know the blunt was hitting. “But I know what I know.”

I stayed quiet.

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