Page 5 of River & Crown
"Honor, if Crown needs medication, then?—"
"Navy," Honor gritted, shutting her up.
"Chill on, Navy nigga," Wolfe spat toward Honor.
"Move with yo' high school crush having ass," Honor playfully pushed Wolfe, but I caught the sting Honor's words caused.
"I'ma speak to the doctor to see what you can have."
"Nigga, I just said?—"
"I'm doingthisfor you. While I'm speaking to the doctor, ole girl you was caking with is gon' come in. See if you can find out who the fuck hit you up."
"How she gon' know? Dre still might be mad 'bout us taking the corner store."
"It wasn't him. While you were in surgery, I met up with dude. He moved his whole operation. His people weren't over there when it happened."
"That's convenient as fuck, don't you think?"
"Shit, maybe, but I did my due diligence with Dre. Do yours with ole girl."
Honor nodded as I sucked my teeth. Navy gave me a quick kiss on the forehead, and Wolfe hit me with the GD salute. I attempted to hit that shit back but winced in pain when I went to salute my young nigga. Wolfe laughed it off, but it did nothing to mask the hurt in his eyes.
"Hey," Emily nervously sang out.
I watched her every move as she came into the room. Nothing about her seemed off, other than her still being coveredin my blood. The sight was a sore one. I winced, wishing she'd changed her clothes 'fore coming to see me.
"What you doing here?" I roughly asked.
"Oh... I... um... I wan... wanted to see if you were... uh okay." Emily's voice changed levels with each word she spoke, but her eyes stayed glued to mine.
I didn't know how to read her, but in my heart, I believed she wasn't the cause of this shit. "My brother thinks you set me up."
Her brows crinkled at my accusation, probably trying to figure out if I was joking or not. After a few seconds of silence, her brows shot upward in shock. Her lips bare of gloss parted, but her jaw clenched once the realization set in.
"Are you serious?"
"I'm not in the business of saying shit I'm unserious about."
"Wow! Here I am, scared out of my mind, thinking you might've died, and the first thing you ask iswhat you doing here,like me being here repulses you. Do I repulse you, Crown?"
"Em—"
"No, you had your chance to speak. You don't ask if I'm okay but tell me your brotherthinksI set you up when I don't even fucking know you. Tell me how I'ma set up a nigga who walked across the street to speak to me? You didn't see me touch my phone once, so tell me how I set you up?" Emotions I couldn't read laced her voice.
"Man, listen?—"
"No, you listen because I didn't ask for this, but since you think I fucked you over, let me get outta here." She turned to leave, and my pulse raced.
"Emily." Her hand grabbed the door handle, and my stomach churned.
"Emily!" I barked, irritating my dry ass throat. I coughed uncontrollably, jerking my body forward fucking my shoulder up even more.
"Ah, shit!"
"Cortez!" Emily wailed, rushing over to pat my back with her small hands. The pats didn't do much to soothe my cough, but it settled my pulse.
"You have to lie back and be careful with how you move your arm while it's in the sling."
