Page 124 of Perfect Rhythm

“Aye, Nyx,” Mecca called out just as we made it to the other side of the club. “Let me holler at you outside for a second.”

My eyes widened.I know damn well this fool ain’t talking to me.

“Nah, just keep it moving,” Shade stepped in without looking his way.

“Yo,” Mecca said, his voice loud enough to cut through the crowd. “You need to talk to your girl and tell her to quit fucking lying on me. I just went over there to talk. All that other shit she claimed happened, didn’t.”

I felt my insides start to boil.

There was no way he was serious. I heard the shit myself.

“Do not respond to him,” Shade whispered.

“But he’s lying.”

“I don’t care. Let him say what he wants.”

I took a deep breath and tried to focus on our destination.

“Damn, Shade. It’s like that?” Mecca continued. “I thought we were boys.”

We kept walking.

“Alright, cool,” he said, bitterness dripping from his tongue. “I see how it is. You don’t give a fuck about your boys now that you finally got that bitch on your arm, huh?”

Shade stopped mid-step, and like the universe knew what time it was, the music did too.

My stomach dropped.Fuck.

49

NYX

I felt Shade go still. Then I watched as he turned to face Mecca, his expression unreadable. “What the fuck did you just say?”

Mecca scanned the room, and for a split second, he looked like he was regretting what he’d said. But the damage was done. All eyes were on him.

He held his chin high. “I said, you don’t give a fuck about your boys now that you got that bitch on your arm.”

Shade nodded slowly, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips.

Before I could latch on to him tighter, he tore away from me and made a beeline for Mecca.

“Stop him,” I shouted at Trace.

But like always, their unspoken rule still applied. Trace followed behind Shade, making sure he stayed close enough for no one else to get to him.

Before Shade could get too close, Enzo’s guard slid in front of him, blocking the path.

Shade let out a dry laugh. “Oh, so we’re about to go through this shit again? You remember what happened the last time we had an exchange like this. Everybody almost got their fucking heads blown off.”

I glanced at Trace, my chest tightening. His hand rested low, fingers twitching near his gun like it was nothing to reach for it.

My eyes widened, fear bubbling up before I could swallow it.

“Shade, please...let’s just go,” I said softly.

“Nah. Not until he apologizes for calling you out your fucking name.”