“I want the truth.”
“I’m telling you the truth!”
“Nah.” He pointed at me, his finger trembling. “You been lying since the beginning. You knew Paper was in it. You knew all this shit, but you kept playing dumb because you think you bigger than the program.”
“What program?”
His mouth twisted. “You really think I’m stupid.”
“No.” I looked at the sweat shining across his forehead and the uncontrollable movement of his jaw. “I think you’re high.”
The apartment went super silent. The air conditioner clicked on, followed by the low electrical hum of the refrigerator. Marvstopped moving and stared at me with narrowed eyes. “What did you say?”
I swallowed, wishing I could pull the words back without letting him see how afraid I was. “You don’t seem like yourself.”
He took one slow step closer. “You and Lev been talking about me?”
“No.” The lie came too quickly.
Marv saw it and his face changed. “I knew it.”
“There’s nothing to know.”
“That nigga think he can talk about me to some bitch?” His eyebrows rose as a smile spread across his face. It was worse than the anger because there was no humor in it. “Oh, you got a mouth now.”
“I’ve always had one.”
“Not with me.”
“I didn’t need one with you before because you weren’t standing in my house accusing me of things I didn’t do.”
He moved closer, I stepped back and his gaze dropped to my feet, noticing the movement, and his smile got wide. “You scared?”
“I’m uncomfortable.”
“Same shit.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“You ain’t used to nobody calling you out. You got Rome running around behind you, Paper moving for him, and Lev all in your face. Now you think you can play everybody.”
“I’m trying to divorce him.” My chest rose and fell as I stared at him, with fear and anger fighting for space inside me. “Marv you’re high. You’re standing here sweating, your nose is bleeding, and you’re talking about people watching you. You need help.”
His hand moved before my mind understood what was happening. Pain exploded across the left side of my face. Myhead snapped sideways, and my shoulder struck the wall near the kitchen hard enough to make the framed print above me shake. For a second, there was no sound except a high ringing inside my ear. The sharp taste of blood filled my mouth where my teeth cut the inside of my cheek. I pressed one hand against the wall to keep myself upright and turned slowly toward him.
Marv stared at me, breathing hard. For one brief second, the anger left his face. Shock replaced it, as though even he couldn’t believe what he had done. Then his features twisted again. “You shouldn’t have said that.”
I touched my mouth. When I pulled my fingers away, blood stained their tips. “You hit me.”
“You kept lying.” He stepped toward me. I pushed away from the wall. “You need to calm down,” he said.
“Get out!” I yelled. “Get the fuck out!”
I lunged toward the front door. Marv caught my upper arm and jerked me backward with so much force that my tote slid from my shoulder. It struck the floor and spilled open, sending my phone, makeup, lotion, and the hundred-dollar bill skidding across the tile.
“Let me go!”
“Stop acting crazy.”
