Lighter Shade of Brown (Urban Fiction) BWHM

Chapter 27

The pain that shot through Cleo's right side stunned the hell out of her, leaving her motionless for a couple seconds pinned to the ground under two heavy wrestling bodies. When awareness bitch slapped her back into the present, she wiggled herself free from the two tussling forms. Once on her feet, her bottom lip dropped. Why the hell was Ant dropping 'bo's on Taz?

"Bitch you been beggin' for me to fuck around and kill your ass," Ant growled, slamming his fist into Taz's mouth. "Ain't ya?" 

Taz grunted, and then knocked Ant off of him by smashing a forearm into his midsection. He jumped to his feet to square off. "Fucks your problem, nino?" He asked, before spitting blood on the ground. "Why you tryna play C's position?"

At that Ant lunged, and Taz fired on him, landing a punch to the nose. Ant stumbled dazed from the blow as Taz moved to drill his ass again.

"Taz," Cleo yelled, stumbling off of the concrete deck to grab him from behind. "Stop. Why you wanna go through this with him? Why today? Of all days!"

"Me," he spun on her, pushing her away.

She shook her head and tears crisscrossed down her cheek. "We were wrong. He just reacting."

"Man get the fuck outta here with that shit," he said, waving her words back at her. "You motherfuckin' wrong. I'm living. What about my nino, though? Think he still breathing?"

The blow from his words knocked fire from her ass. Damn. The truth was a bitch, who'd fucked her man and snatched her bread. It caused more damage than a gun when its aim was accurate. Just thinking about Pep stretched out on C's front lawn all pale and still damn near stopped her heart.

Hurt that Taz would take it there, she could only stare at him in disblief, feeling a little betrayed. What happened to the connection from earlier? Had it even been real or had she just been tripping? Some of the fury subsided from his features, while rage still burned hell fire bright in his eyes. Despite being thirty-eight he took a step towards her, his hand extended out in front of him for her to take. Before insanity had the chance to put her shit on wood, Ant rammed Taz from behind and they both collided into her, sending them all crashing to the concrete.

Rolling and firing, they tumbled face first into the grass, steady swinging as they went. Cleo attempted to separate herself from them as she dodged blows, but before she could wiggle her way out, a hand gripped her by the arm and yanked her clear of the fight. Disoriented from the swift change of positions she stumbled forward, but didn't fall, because of the arm holding her upright by the waist.

"You alright?" Putt yelled into her ear.

She nodded, her eyes wide and lasered focused on C's, who'd just slung Taz off of Ant. Putt released her to body block Taz as he moved to charge C's.

"Let his ass go, Putt," C's sneered, while pounding his chest with his fist. "It's right motherfuckin' here if he want it. Square off with me bitch."

This caused Taz to buck against Putt's hold. "Naw now, cut this out, folk," Putt yelled at C's over his shoulder. "Too much is goin' on around here for this. Damn. Is this how its really goin down? They get half of us, and then we finish off each other? Come on, folk. We better than them. Not like 'em."

"Tell yo' punk ass cousin that shit," C's snapped, jabbing a finger at Taz as foams of spittle gathered at the corners of his mouth. "He out here firin' on my hermano with my got damn girl caught up in the mix. I should put his ass on his back, on general motherfuckin principle, and you know that shit, Putt."  

Cleo took a couple steps back, giving C's five more feet. The last time she saw him that pissed, Ant was pinned to the front door like a welcome sign. Mess around and cross him and his meter jumped from zero to a hundred real quick. So what the hell would he do when he found out about her and Taz? He'd probably pop a few blood vessels. Right after he took their heads clean off of their shoulders. Man damn. Why in the world had she allowed herself to get caught up in Taz of all people? The one person who fucked with C's nerves the most. There'd be no coming back from this. Not for her. Not with him!