MARIE ✔️

F I F T E E N

K A D E N

Without even meaning to, I slam the door shut and dig my car keys from my pocket.

I don't want to leave her like this, but I have to. I was so close. Too close. I can't get like that again.

I call Leo back and put the phone to my ear. He answers on the second ring.

"K.J? Man, we got something big down here. Lucien and his men pulled up. They don't have guns, but still. We think they planted a bomb or somethin."

I groan. "Are you fucking kidding me. A bomb? What are you? Seven?"

"Like I said, man. We don't know." I can hear the confusion in his voice. And Jesus Christ- bless this man's heart, he is definitely confused.

"They said they want to talk to you. And when we told them you weren't here- man, the assholes just won't leave. Hurry up."

"Fuck." I rub my hand down my face in annoyance. "Shit- okay. I'm on my way. Don't do nothing stupid like offer him a drink, or some shit." I teasingly say.

"Oh..." Leo trails off for a second before speaking again. "I might have already done that."

"Jesus- LEO!"

"I'm sorry! They were just sitting there in the heat- and you know my mama raised me right." I can imagine Leo with his hand on his hip, and an eyebrow raised.

"What did you give them to drink?"

"Nothing. They wouldn't drink anythin- which is really rude, ya know."

"Nah, I don't know. Because I've never offered drinks to someone I got in a knife fight with, you fucking idiot!"

"Oh."

"Just stay still and keep your gun at arms reach." I go to hang up, but put the phone back to my ear. "I didn't mean to call you an idiot... idiot."

***

When I pull up to the house, there's two black cars parked on the side of the street. There's no mistaking that the cars belong to Lucien. They're nice and polished, allowing me to see my reflection as I walk by.

I push the door open, the scent of weed filling my senses. When I walk into the kitchen, there's four guys sitting at the table. Lucien's guys.

P, Leo, Rhodes, and one of my other guys, Lon, surround the table. They have their hands on their guns, but they're not actually out.

No guns, huh?

Leo has a blunt out, and is passing it around. I guess he can't help himself for five fucking minutes.

You know what, I'm not even gonna blame this fool knowing damn well I'd do the same shit.

Everyone looks at me as I take a seat right across from Lucien. The room is dull, the only form of light being from outside with the curtains slightly open.

I sit back and slightly spread my legs. "What the fuck are you doing here." I tilt my head to the side and watch as Lucien's face twists into a sick smile.

He shrugs his shoulders and sighs. "I thought we could maybe forget about the other night, and discuss business."

I raise an eyebrow. "What kind of business?"

He laughs. "Our delivery guy got caught up in Texas. We wanted to discuss some plans that could possibly allow us to use your guy."

"Now why the fuck would I do that? You're not even supposed to be here. I thought we had an agreement that the south side was mine."

"We did. But you probably don't remember the time one of your guys chased mine, pointing a gun at all directions," He tilts his head to the side and smiles. I take a glance at P and see his body tense.

My head turns back to Lucien. "It was an accident."

"Accident or not, it doesn't matter no more. All we want is to share. We'll obviously pay for the troubles."

"You still only selling that cheap, shit crack?"

Lucien shrugs, "We might have moved onto the bigger stuff." He tilts his head. "Does that matter?"

I almost want to laugh at him, but I settle for playing with the ring on my index finger. "Nah."

"So we're good then? You give me a price, I'll see what I can do, and then you give me the info on your driver."

"No."

"The fuck do you mean no?"

"I mean, no."

"Come on, James. Me and your father never had this kind of trouble. He always shared."

"I guess it's a pity I'm not my pops, huh?"

Lucien clenches his jaw, and brings his hand up to rub the of his face. "This is what got your old man killed."

I laugh. "By not sharing?"

"No. By being a pain in the fucking ass." He stands up, his gold chain revealing itself from under his blue shirt. He zips up his vest, and folds his arms across his chest. "We'll come back in a few days. Check up on you." He shrugs.

"Lucien." I call out, before he could leave. He turns around, a hopeful look in his eyes. I chuckle, standing up and pulling the cold, metal gun from the waistband of my jeans. I tap the gun against the side of my head. "You ever pull some silly shit like that again, I'll come after you." I tap the gun against his forehead, causing him to slightly flinch.

Lucien stares into my eyes for a moment, before scoffing and walking away. His guys follow him as he makes his way to the door and out into the driveway.

I nod my head towards the door. P quickly adjust the locks and then plops down on the couch.

I turn to Leo, he's leaned back against the counter, finishing off the joint and then running it under water, before finally throwing it in the trash.

Rhodes wandered to the bathroom, and Lon probably went upstairs. He likes to hangout in the attic. Weird, I know.

"Leo, you down for a drink?" I call out without looking back at him.

Without looking at me, he nods his head. Leo pulls two bottles of beer from the fridge. He tosses one to me and I quickly catch it before it gets the chance to shatter against the floor.

"Hey," Leo says, getting my attention. I nod my head, motioning for him to continue. "You still messing with that girl that has the uh- the pink tips? Wait- was her hair purple?"

I chuckle. "Neither. Her hair was blue."

"Oh." He shakes his head laughing. "Well, you still with her?"

"I was never with her. I went over to give her some Molly, but right as I stepped in the door, she dragged me in and started rubbing up on me."

Leo chuckles. "Sounds nice."

"It's wasn't, trust me. The girl let out these high pitched moans that probably made my ears bleed. She tried to make porn star noises sound hot." I rub my hands over my face trying to forget that night cause what the fuck was I even thinking actually giving in to her?

"That is uh- well yea. That's doesn't sound nice."

"Exactly."

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