Page 53

River Ashland

" G irl, this is your party! You should be the one shaking ass!" The bartender smiled, handing me my sixth Nitro Rush of the night.

"Last time I danced, a man lost his life," I told her, then sipped from my glass.

The shocked expression on her face was short-lived and replaced with amusement.

"I remember that night. You should have known better than to give the deejay come fuck me eyes while dating Crown."

"I wasn't dating him. It was just casual sex."

"There's nothing casual about Crown. He fucks and once he's done with you, he moves on. How you showed out that night..." the bartender narrowed her eyes as if to get a better read on me. "...Crown must've pissed you off and you decided to one up him."

"Is this you speaking from experience or..." I let my sentence linger so she'll know it was wise for her to fill in the blanks versus me coming to my own conclusion.

"Oh, no!" She laughed loudly. "Crown isn't my type. I have an appetite for pussy. You're more my speed than Crown." She winked, eliciting a blush out of me. The bartender was cute and reminded me of Dess Dior with her chocolate complexion and slim physique.

"I've worked at The Vault since it opened almost four years ago. I naturally observe people, and Crown has been my favorite case study."

"Oh yeah, what else have you learned about my man ?" The heavy emphasis on Crown being mine wasn't necessary, but the amount of Don Julio rafting through me had me feeling possessive.

"He's changed since meeting you. Usually, when Crown comes in here, he's light-hearted and flirty. Since you, he's turned cold toward anyone who doesn't know him."

"You say it like it's a good thing."

"It's actually a great thing. Crown moves like a man who finally has something to lose.

No games, no mixed signals, just brief conversation or no conversation at all.

With men, he keeps it short all the while making it clear he'll do whatever it takes to make it home at night.

He's always had Honor and Wolfe by his side, but with you.

.. he has something more, something worth living for. "

It was bad enough I kept sneaking into the memory garage to see what everyone said about me, knowing I'll cry after every message, but hearing Destiny, a stranger, talk about how I've changed Crown for the better broke me down completely.

"Oh my god! I didn't mean to make you cry. Um, here... take this napkin."

Taking the napkin from Destiny, I laughed at her panicked tone. "Relax. Crown isn't even here."

"It's not him I'm worried about. It's her."

She nodded in the direction of Chosyn, who was coming from the dance floor after being dragged out there by Honey. Honey was having the time of her life while the twins racked up blue hundreds from niggas who bet on their races.

"What are y'all talking about?" Chosyn asked, grabbing the bottle of water Destiny had placed on the bar top for her.

"Destiny being scared of you," I joked.

"What? Destiny, you're scared of me?" Chosyn pouted.

"Scared... no. It's more so, I know what you'll do behind the people you love, so I try my best to stay clear."

"Sounds smart to me," Chosyn shrugged, then her focus zeroed in on me. "Why were you crying? Did Destiny do it?"

Just that fast, Chosyn's face twisted into a grimace.

"See what I mean?" Destiny snickered.

"Relax." I giggled. "Destiny just said something sweet about the change she noticed in Crown because of me."

"Awww! I wanna cry too. Say something sweet about Wolfe and me," Chosyn said, eyeing Destiny.

"I have nothing to say because I mind my business when it comes to Wolfe."

"Smart girl! Just for that, I'ma make sure you get a raise." Chosyn winked.

"Appreciate it."

Destiny sauntered away to help some of the other guests, and I finished my drink while Chosyn dug into me.

"Do you feel celebrated, River?"

"Of course."

"Just making sure. Crown really went all out for you, and I heard his gift is crazy."

"Gift? That man has been gifting me things since we went to brunch." I giggled. "What more could he get me?"

"I don't know because Wolfe wouldn't tell me, but I heard it's nice."

"I hope it's my car. I missed my baby and want to get back out there."

"Get back out where?"

"Racing."

"River—"

"Please don't start that it's too soon to race crap. If I can take dick, then I can race. A race is only a couple of minutes."

"And a couple of minutes almost took your life," she quipped.

"You can be such a bitch!" I snapped.

"I'll be that but I'ma honest bitch. Why do you even want to race? Racing is something you did because of Sincere. You're finally moving on, so shouldn't you put racing to bed?"

"I started racing for Sincere, but now I do it for me."

"I guess but maybe think about getting a new car."

"No! I love my G8."

"Fine, River. It's your birthday, so I'm not going to argue with you, but keeping that car is you still holding onto Sincere."

"It's not!"

"Okay." She shrugged.

"Speaking of Sincere and cars." I sighed, moving the conversation along. "Do you remember Rakim?"

"I think so. He used to hang with King and Sincere. He had an older brother named Dre, right?"

"Yeah, him."

"What about him?"

"He used to drive a Nissan GT-R. I was so in love with that damn car, I could point it out from anywhere."

"Okay, but what does this have to do with anything?"

"I've been seeing it lately."

"Seeing it where?"

"On a block by Leah's house. Driving by that night, we were at Wolfe's childhood home, parked outside the place where we went for brunch. I think I might've seen Rakim at my last race, too."

"Why are you just saying something?" She frowned.

"I didn't think it was more than a bunch of coincidences and I couldn’t remember why the car felt so familiar."

"That sound like stalking to me."

"Rakim and I have always been cool. Why would he stalk me? He left right after Sincere was buried."

"I don't know, but you might want to ask him."

"Huh?" I turned in the direction Chosyn was looking, and in a corner to the right of us, Rakim stood, eyes locked on me. Whipping my head back around, I motioned for Destiny to get me another drink.

"Still think it's a coincidence?" Chosyn asked with her focus lingering around the party.

"What do I do? Talk to him?"

"Do you have anything to say to him?"

"No, but Sincere's death day is coming up and maybe he?—"

"River," Chosyn smacked, then cut her eyes back in Rakim's direction. "No one just pops up for the hell of it. Choyce popped up and look how that played out. I killed my father to save the man I love.”

"I doubt he came to start trouble.”

"Okay, River," she groused, shaking her head.

"Why does it have to be all of that?"

"He's on his way over. Know that I'll kill him to protect you," she warned.

"Please relax," I said, and passed her the drink Destiny just finished making.

"Happy Birthday, Riv!" Sneaking up behind me as if I wasn't aware of his presence, Rakim spun the stool I was sitting on so I was facing him, then grabbed me in his arms. My eyes cut to Chosyn, who was mouthing numbers as she watched us.

"Umm, you can let her go. A hug that goes beyond ten seconds is reserved for friendly faces." Chosyn stood from her stool and smoothly pulled me out of Rakim's embrace.

He laughed, then wiped the corners of his mouth, but the flicker of anger that flashed in his eyes wasn't missed.

"Riv, tell your girl to chill. All these years later and Chosyn still gotta slick ass tongue. I would've thought my nigga King worked that outta you." He chuckled.

"Her name is River, for one. And King can't work shit outta me. He's dead. The only nigga I bite my tongue for is Wolfe Gravehart, my husband and the nigga who killed your boy ."

Rakim's jaw clenched. That simper in his tone moments before was gone.

"I ain't know you was a hoe like that. Maybe if I did, I might've tossed you some dick to keep you occupied and talking less."

"Rakim," I groaned, seeing him reach out to cup her chin. When Chosyn didn't move, Rakim brushed his thumb over her lips.

"Ah shit!" he hissed moving his hand to see blood bubbling from his thumb.

"Touch me again and I'm cutting your dick off just so I can keep you occupied and screaming more," Chosyn purred with that infamous blade resting between her plump lips.

"Bit—"

"Aht-aht! Didn't your momma teach you better than to raise your hand to a woman?" Honey snarled, jamming her gun into the back of his head.

"This who you running with now, Riv?" He tossed my way. "I thought we were family. Sincere is still your man even in death. I know my nigga turning in his grave with how you doing me right now."

"Nigga, Sincere was her nigga! She got a real?—"

"Chosyn!" I huffed, stopping her from telling my business. "Honey, let him go and I'll walk him out."

"What?" she and Chosyn spat.

"I'll be quick. I promise."

I gently pushed Rakim, giving him the okay to walk. We made it out of the Vault and out of the hotel without anyone paying us too much attention.

"Why you keep looking around like someone's watching you?" he asked and leaned against the same GT-R I've been seeing lately.

"They just might be. What are you doing here, Rakim?"

"Damn, family can't come to say happy birthday? Sincere's death turned you cold, Riv," he whistled.

"It hurt when he died." I shrugged.

"Yeah, I know. A few other people and I are putting something together for him in a few days. You should come. I know Ms. Selene would like to see you."

"I don't know." Sincere's mom was a great woman, but looking at her was like staring Sincere himself in the face. She looked so much like her son that it was crazy.

"Riv, Sincere was damn near your husband with how long y'all were together."

My stomach churned. "I'll... I'll think about it."

Feeling my phone vibrate in the pocket of my sweats, I pulled it out and looked at the screen. The text was from Navy in our group chat.

Navy: