Page 22 of Tangled Hearts

Days later

Hov’s eyes shot from side to side as he listened to his little homie, Cash, play his new song. If he was paying more attention, he’d be able to better critique him, but his mind was elsewhere.

“What you think?” Cash asked once the music stopped. He was always excited to let the people from his hood listen to his music. They believed in him even when he didn’t believe in his self.

“I’m gon’ be honest, I wasn’t even paying attention. My mind somewhere else,” Hov confessed.

Cash followed his eyes as they roamed down the street. “Everything good?” he asked, his hand on his waist. If Hov had beef, the hood had beef. That was how much they fucked with him.

“It ain't like that,” Hov said, looking at the handle of the Glock that rested on Cash’s hip. “You seen that nigga Nick ‘round here?”

“You talking about Knycole’s daddy?”

“Yea. That nigga supposed to be in rehab, but they said he left a few days ago.”

Cash bobbed his head. “Yea, that nigga ‘round the street under the tree. On my way over here, I seen his ass geeked outta his mind.”

Hov didn’t say anything else, making his way back to his car. He was pissed and smoke could be seen floating from his head. Nick had him fucked up. The tree Cash mentioned was only one street over, but Hov did the dash to get there. The sound of him slamming on breaks garnered everyone’s attention.

He jumped out the car like it was on fire.

“Nick!” he shouted.

His voice was deep and held authority. When he spoke, niggas listened.

The drug induced coma Nick was in, wore off quickly. He was no fool and already knew he wasn’t Hov’s favorite person. He also knew that he was a dead man for leaving rehab. That was the plan. They’d agreed he’d go get clean, and Hov would make sure Knycole was good.

His mighty stance made everyone cower with each step he took.

“The fuck we agree on? Huh, nigga? I’m keeping my end of the deal, but your dumb ass just can't do right.” He yanked Nick up by his lazy, dingy shirt that read I’m a bad bitch .

“The fuck you got on, man?” He wanted to laugh so bad, but his anger wouldn’t let him.

Nick covered his frail body. “I was doing right, but then they said I was good. Them people told me I wasn’t addicted anymore,” he lied.

“Shut your lying ass up. How you ain't addicted anymore, but you’re high right now? That don’t even make sense. Get in the damn car!” he yelled, tossing Nick like a dirty rag.

Nick jumped at the sound of his voice, scrambling to get to the car.

Hov followed behind him even more pissed off. He was itching to kill Nick but knew Knycole would be devastated. Nick was all she had, and no matter how he felt, he knew she’d be better if she at least had Nick.

“Your daughter be saving your ass, but this is the last chance I’m giving you. If you don’t get clean, I will put a bullet in your head and just tell her you’re missing. Do you understand me?”

Nick swallowed hard. “Yea, man.” He knew Hov was serious.

The ride back to the rehab facility was silent. Hov didn’t have anything to say to Nick, and Nick didn’t want to piss him off by saying something dumb. Truthfully, he wanted to get clean, but the allure of the high kept calling him.

They pulled up to the facility. “Don’t waste my money, Nick. I hate for my money to be wasted.”

Nick nodded, stepping out the car. He spun back around. “How is she?”

“Broken,” Hov replied, not caring about sugarcoating the truth. Nick needed to know that his daughter was hurting and needed her father. “It’s her birthday too nigga, make sure you call her and tell her happy birthday.”

With teary eyes, Nick gave one single nod before turning to walk in the building. With each step he took, more tears ran down his face. “I have to do this for her.” He chanted to himself.

Leaning back in the car, Hov kept his eyes trained on Nick until he disappeared into the building, even waited a few minutes more just be sure Nick didn’t try to pull a fast one.

Hov was exhausted but never let his facial expression show it. The streets were requiring more of him than he thought. Days were blurring into nights, and he didn’t know whether he was coming or going.

Since Rock had been locked up, Hov took it upon himself to still make sure Rocky was taken care of as well as providing for himself and looking out for Knycole.

His young life was transforming into adulthood at an even more rapid pace.

He was thankful for the money but yearning for the time he didn’t get to be a child.

He wanted to reverse all the bullshit he’d been through and maybe then he’d be content.

Not one to dwell too much on the scenario of what could’ve and should’ve happened, he pulled off, headed back to the one thing he could count on. The block .

After a slow and quiet ride, Hov pulled back onto the block, and in a matter of minutes, it was more alive than when he’d left. Without much that actually needed to be done, he decided to make a small shopping trip after he checked in on his workers.

Workers. It had a nice ass ring to it because that meant he could spend less time working and more time collecting money. The money was always the mission.

“Y’all good in here?” he asked once he stepped foot in the old house he was just sharing with his best friend.

In unison, everyone in the house nodded, or said some form of yes.

“Money good too?” he inquired, his eyes roaming the area while they all confirmed the money was, indeed, good.

It was a mess, and although it was a trap, he still wasn’t into having a junky place.

“A’ight, I’m out, but y’all niggas need to clean this shit up.

It wasn’t fucked up like this when y’all came, so get it back in order. ”

Some of the boys kissed their teeth but knew better than to say anything reckless to Hov.

He wasn’t a tyrant by a long shot, but his tolerance for the slightest disrespect was damn near nonexistent.

Instead of addressing it, he walked out the door the same way he came in.

After checking the time on his phone, he headed to the mall to do a little shopping.

It was the weekend, which meant he would probably fall through one of the hangout spots before calling it a night.

“Damn, I gotta damn near stalk the block to see you.” Briana twisted her neck with every word. She was still salty about Knycole answering his phone.

Shrugging his shoulders, he looked her up and down. “You know how it is. What’s up, though?”

She felt his eyes roaming her curvy body. “Trying to get some of your time. What you ’bout to do?”

“Head to the mall.”

“Can I ride, too? I just got paid and needed to get something for the night, anyway.”

Briana was as a good girl. She went to school, stayed out the streets and worked in order to afford the things her mother couldn’t.

He wasn’t looking forward to riding with a companion but wouldn’t mind the company. “Yea, come on, but don’t be on that stupid shit asking a bunch of questions.”

A big smile spread across her face. “Stop acting like you don’t like my company,” she said playfully, ass bouncing with each step she took.

“You cool,” he replied, not wanting to hurt her feelings. If he was being honest with himself, he didn’t feel anything for her. She was a neighborhood cutie, but that’s where the attraction stopped for him.

Briana wanted to say more—wanted to know if the attraction she felt for him was reciprocated.

Anytime she saw him, her stomach knotted up, and she always found a way to gain his attention.

For her, he was supposed to be her man, and they were supposed to be the “it couple” in the neighborhood.

Too bad he didn’t feel anything remotely close for her.

“So, what you going to the mall to ge?—”

“Hello?” Hov answered the phone, cutting her off immediately. “What’s up, nigga!” he answered joyfully, placing the call on speaker phone.

“You already know what it is. Still down here waiting to see what these pigs gonna give a nigga,” Rock responded, sounding just as happy as his best friend.

“I took the money down there to the lawyer. What he talking about?” Hov, kept his eyes on the road, forgetting who Briana was while she was eavesdropping.

Rock kissed his teeth. “That nigga ain't really saying much right now, talking about he’s working on it. His ass better hurry the fuck up and tell me something.”

“Straight facts. His ass talking about he can at least get the charges reduced, but I don’t know to what.”

“Nick really got me down here bad. You seen that nigga?” Rock asked, speaking in code.

Hov wasn’t one to tell a lie, no matter how hurtful the truth could be. “Yea, I talked to him. He’s getting clean and shit.”

“His ass better find God while on that journey ’cause that’ll be the only thing that can save him.” Rock gripped the phone tighter thinking of all the things he wanted to do to Nick for taking away his freedom.

“Aye, chill, Rock,” Hov warned.

“How’s Knycole? She still tripping about me not talking to her?” Rock asked, his heart hurting just as much as hers.

Hov’s hand gripped the steering wheel tighter, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Briana. “Yea, but she’ll be alright.”

Rock nodded, even though his boy couldn’t see him. “I talked to Rocky, and she told me you took some money over there. I really appreciate that shit. You solid as fuck.”

“Nigga, shut yo’ simp ass up. They my family too, and I’m gon’ always make sure they’re good. You just hold your head up and stay ten toes down.”

“You already know. Aye, tell Shakeisha to come see a nigga,” Rock got out before the phone hung up.

“That man crazy,” Hov mumbled to his self, forgetting Briana was in the car with him.

“And you too,” Briana said, her lips turned up high into the air.

“The fuck that face for?” he asked, only taking his eyes off the road for a few seconds.