“Shio!”
Snapping out of the haze of adoration that Shya had me in, I snapped my head toward Bahati. She was deadass wrong for attacking Solana. This was the shit I didn’t have time for.
“This bitch needs to die! Kill this hoe before I do! As a matter of fact, get the fuck out of my way. We can’t stay here!”
Bahati inched forward, but I held my hand up. She paused but was still shooting daggers at Solana behind me.
“Your arm broke, you don’t have a phone, and you have my daughter.”No fucking money either.“You not going nowhere. Now, tell me what happened.”
“Yes, I am! I’m leaving! If I stay here, she will have me in jail, and she’s the one who had Shya, so I know it came from her.” Bahati pointed her fingers between Solana and Shya before trying to lunge forward again.
“Chill, you got the baby in your arms.”
“Fuck that! Look!” Shya opened her hand just as Bahati pointed to the baggie in her palm. “She keeps her hands balled up; it’s a comfort thing. Once she opened it, this fell out on the bed.”
Blood flooded my ears, each pulse causing my head to throb. My hands clenched into fists, my nails making crescent-shapedmarks into my palms. It wasn’t just anger that I was feeling because Solana was a fucking cokehead; it was the immediate surge of protectiveness I had for Shya. DNA test be damned, a three-year-old having access to drugs in my house was a fuck no. I felt my chest cave in as I struggled to find my next breath. Every muscle in my body had tightened as if I was ready to actually beat Solana’s ass. When I gained the courage to face Solana, she scoot back, having already seen what was in Shya’s hands.
Solana began shaking her head. “Shio, te prometo que eso no es mío. No me queda más. Tienes que creerme.(Shio, I promise you, that is not mine. I have no more left. You have to believe me.)”
“This bitch a fucking Mexican powder head. I’m ’bout to beat your ass, Columbiana!”
Bahati tried hopping over me, making the baby squeal.
“Aye, chill out!” I placed a hand on Bahati’s chest.
“Shio, do you realize had she ate this bullshit, I would be in jail?Wewould be in jail! I’m not about to have a CPS case because your bitch plays with her nose! This is what the fuck kind of bitches you like now? Cokeheads? You prance off with a druggie, but you nearly choke me to death for nothing?” Bahati screamed so loud that I was sure the house windows had shaken.
“Is she good?” I asked.
Bahati was still shouting threats.
“Aye!” I yelled. “Is she fuckin’ good?”
She nodded but kept her eyes on Solana as she mumbled under her breath.
“Aite, go to the back…. Now, Bahati!”
Bahati squinted her eyes, not moving. “Stay out of my way, bitch. It’s a wrap! Every time I see you, your ass is mine!” She then looked at me and snarled. “Handle your whore. Junky bitch.”
Once Bahati switched off and slammed the door, I turned to Solana. Grabbing her by her arm, I pulled her up from the floor and damn near dragged her to the garage since it was the closest exit from the kitchen. The summer heat hit us instantly, adding to the warmth already boiling in my blood. I stalked to the passenger side of my Mercedes.
“Shio…”
“Shut the fuck up, Solana. You worried about Uriah’s name being on the fucking mail, but my daughter could have overdosed due to your careless ass? Just get in the car and don’t say shit else.”
Shoving her into the passenger seat without hurting her, even though she deserved it, I looked to the sky to calm my anger. Once I was in the driver’s seat, I felt suffocated. Ten minutes of what I assumed would be normal for us—at least until I figured some shit out—had been shattered. Slamming my car door, I put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway.
“Where are we going?” she whispered, her fear slipping into her tone.
Phone in hand, I made a call and waited for an answer. When I heard, “Waddup, big cuz?” I sighed in relief. Sometimes, it was hard to catch the youngins in between their plays.
“Meet me at Jisei’s townhouse.”
I didn’t have any words for Solana. I wasn’t answering any of her fucking questions. There was nothing I could do for her. I wanted to kill her, but something inside me wouldn’t let it happen. When I was done with her, though, she was going to wish she was fucking dead.
Chapter 7
Calista Glee
