Page 189 of Invisible Bars

I shot him a confused look. “Nigga, I don’t know. Why?”

“Hold up.”

Chi rushed behind the counter, yanking open cabinets and drawers. He started snatching up every box of tea bags he could find. One by one, Chi tossed them into a big box like he’d just discovered tea was the new cocaine.

“What the hell you doing?” I asked, patience thinning.

He knew when we did missions like that, we were in and out—none of that extra shit he was on.

Chi didn’t answer until he slammed the box shut with a grin.

“Look, we ain’t about to go through all this shit for nothing. Now Glitchy can have every damn kind of tea she ever dreamed of.”

Chi gave the box a little shake, like he’d just secured gold bricks instead of ginger and hibiscus.

“Imported tea, nigga. Five-star service. Not to mention, I just saved you a hell of a lot of money. You know how much this fancy shit costs at Kroger? Don’t ever say I ain’t thoughtful.”

I gave him a flat look. “So you a thiefanda murderer now?”

“Anytime I stole something, it’s been for the greater good,” he shot back.

“Like Blu’s speakers?”

“Hell yeah! Besides, he had terrible taste—who the hell dies with Garth Brooks still hooked up to the aux? I did his ghostandthe block a favor by taking those muthafuckas. The nigga ain’t hearin’ no music where he went, anyway; might as well let me put ’em to use.”

I shook my head. “Yeah, well, come on. And stop calling Naji that Glitchy shit.”

Chi grinned wider. “Man, that’s how we bond! She twitches, I clown. She cusses, I laugh. That’s love right there.”

Chi was a fool—always had been. No matter how reckless he acted, I knew one thing for sure: when shit got heavy, he’d always have my back… and apparently Naji’s too.

After handing me the box, Chi moved to the shelves and booths, dousing everything in lighter fluid like it was a ritual.

“You ready?” he asked, the match already in his fingers.

I nodded. “Let it burn.”

Chi struck the match and tossed it.

The flames caught instantly, devouring the walls with a hiss and roar. Fire danced in the glass, wild and hungry, as we walked out slow.

We slid into the car as smoke rose behind us, curling into the sky like a signal no one would answer.

Alarms hadn’t gone off. Nobody saw us. Nobody dared.

Chi settled into the driver’s seat and exhaled slow, like he just dropped a weight he’d been carrying for years.

“You feel better?” he asked, looking over at me.

I stared straight ahead, blood on my knuckles drying like paint.

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I thought I would. But seeing Naji like that… broken like that. I can’t stop replaying it.”

Chi nodded, quiet for a second.

Then I turned to him. “Let me ask you something. I know Dess is my sister… but does her disability ever get to you? Like… the pressure of having to always defend her? Watch her every second? Fight off the dumbass comments, the looks?”

Chi didn’t answer right away. He leaned his head back against the seat, eyes fixed on the ceiling like the truth was written up there somewhere.