Page 45

"With Emily, that's exactly who you became, and that scared you into keeping your feelings out of your situations. You didn't want to hurt anyone like you did Emily."

"What, you think I'll do the same to you?"

"No," she answered quickly and confidently. "I said what I said because I want you to know I see you, not as Crown but as Cortez. I understand now." She smiled, tugging at my braid.

"Do you?"

"Yup. You have the blood of generations in your veins.

With their strength comes their weaknesses.

Their greatness is yours. Their mistakes are your lessons to grow from, and grow you did.

You're not your father. You're better than him.

You've learned to keep your heart pure and your mind free.

I guess I get why they call you Crown. A crown doesn't have to be visible for men like you because you know your spirit is kingly. "

My breath caught, shallow and sharp like Four had punched the air out of my lungs with her words.

My gaze drifted past her, toward a distant memory that I hadn't thought about in years, because in a way, Emily was attached to it.

Going beyond the thoughts of my ex, a smile ghosted across my lips as my eyes welled, the tears too stubborn to fall.

Clenching my jaw, I looked away, trying to hold myself together.

There was no way Four could've known what she said was reminiscent of what my mother once told me.

I hadn't shared that with anyone other than Emily. Those words were sacred to me.

"Crown, say something," she whispered.

Pulling her closer, I grabbed my camera off the coffee table and snapped a few pictures of us. Each one capturing the tears glossing my eyes.

"Crown—" she simpered, confusion etched in her brows.

"You're not just mine, and I get that now. You're my other half, the resonance of my soul."

Those tears that were too stubborn to fall collided with Four's cheeks, mixing with her own tears. We both smiled, neither wanting to fuck up the moment.

"I thought I wanted love to complete me, the other half to my whole. Looking at you, sitting here crying with you, I can say you don't come close to being my other half, Four, you are me."

"I love you so much, Cortez."

"I love you more."

"See now why you gotta try to outdo me?" She laughed, then used her thumb to wipe my eyes. Letting her do it had me feeling like a bitch, but for her, I'd be that and whatever else.

"I can't believe you cried," she chaunted, pinching my cheeks.

"Man, keep it to yourself. This moment is ours," I said, kissing her forehead.

"Fine. Can you at least tell me what happened?"

"What you said about my spirit being kingly was something my mom said to me. It's why she called me Crown."

"Oh my god, really?"

"Yeah."

"I had no idea."

"I know that's what made it hit ten times harder."

"Wow, I?—"

Hard knocks on the door paused Four and had me reaching for the gun I kept under the coffee table.

"Crown, open this fucking door!" Wolfe yelled, still banging. I got up from the couch and walked over to the door, shaking my head.

"Nigga, what you doing here?"

"Fuck you mean what I'm doing here? You texted me about padlocks."

"That was hours ago." I laughed.

"Chosyn was on my ass 'bout us cutting our family day short. Are we locking up River's glasses or not?"

"Really, Wolfe?" River smacked, coming to stand next to me.

"Hell, yeah. I had to listen to Chosyn cry from the time I got home until I told her the padlocks were for Crown to lock up your glasses."

"She told you what happened?"

"No 'cause her ass knows better. Had she told me, this would have been a very different conversation.

I only know you did some shit 'cause she perked up about your glasses.

Next time you need ideas to keep River from seeing, holla at Chosyn.

Her ass told me to tell you the next time you piss her off she's super-gluing your eyelids closed and drawing eyes on them bitches.

She said your new name's gonna be Hellen Keller. "

I laughed hard as hell until Four jabbed her elbow into my rib.

"Don't fucking laugh at that crybaby."

Wolfe caught on and really looked at me. "Nigga, you been crying? River, the fuck you do to my brother? You gon' make me bury your ass forreal. First Chosyn, now Crown. Man, give me those fucking glasses!" Wolfe reached in snatching Four's glasses quick as fuck.

"Crown!" she bickered.

"Nigga, give her back her glasses. We straight."

"Nah, fuck that. You're good on her, but my heart isn't."

"I got more, don't trip," I told Four, kissing her forehead. "We good on the padlocks. Shit was a miss understanding."

"Nigga!" Wolfe scoffed. "Take these fucking locks. Fucking with her, she's gon' do some shit to piss you off again," he said, handing me about six bags filled with locks.

"Damn, I thought we were better than that." River frowned.

"You made Chosyn cry." He shrugged. "You're a terrorist until my heart says different. Aye, this y'all food ole boy is delivering."

Wolfe chucked his chin in the direction of the delivery guy getting off the elevator.

"Yeah."

"Cool, consider these glasses and those wings payment for my efforts in helping you, nigga."

Wolfe snatched the bag of food from dude and laughed as Four sucked her teeth. Nudging her back in the house, I kicked the door closed and dropped the bags of padlocks in front of it.

"I can't believe you let him run off with our food and my glasses." She pouted.

"Do you see all these locks? He earned it."

"Whatever. Now, what are we going to eat?"

Licking my lips, I grabbed Four and tossed her over my shoulder.

"Crown!" she yelped, giggling.

"I'm about to eat some pussy, you gon' swallow this dick, then I'ma find you some to eat like the great husband I am."

"But I didn't introduce you to River."

"That can wait. We cried enough for one night. The only tears I wanna see are the silky ones dripping from your pussy."