Page 147 of The Fire We Make

Ace glared at his brother. “Make that your last time calling her a bitch or talking about putting a bullet in her. She’s innocent until proven guilty and that’s how I expect you to treat her.”

“Pussy whipped,” Von said, disguised under a cough.

Senior spoke up then. “How’d she react when the shooting started?” he asked.

“She didn’t really react,” April answered. “The shooting started and the next thing I know, she has her gun out bussing back. No panic or hesitation. She just… moved.”

“Hm… And what about after?”

Jrue cut in then. “We didn’t get to talk to her. Once we made sure they were all down, she vanished.”

Ace dragged a hand over his mouth. He knew it didn’t look good. The old him would’ve already put her down. The secrets, lies, and coincidences would’ve been enough for him.

Joy had turned him into a version of himself that didn’t put the business over everything. She’d turned him into a version of himself that made allowances and gave concessions for the sake of personal pleasure. She’d woken something up in him he’d thought was dead rather than dormant.

“I’m going to talk to her,” Ace asserted.

“Ooh I wanna go!” April said.

“No.”

“Yes, we’re cool and she might trust me.”

Ace sighed.

“Well damn I wanna go too,” Aug said.

Ace began shaking his head. “Nah it’s not going like this. We can’t all go or we’ll spook her.”

“Awww Ace come on! We haven't all been on a sibling mission in forever!” April pleaded. “We’ll be chill. Right?” she turned her glare on her brothers.

They all halfheartedly mumbled in agreement.

Ace sighed. “Let me talk to her first then I’ll call you.”

This wasn’t just business. This was between him and Joy.

This was about proving to himself he hadn’t been so blinded by companionship that he’d been wrong about her.

“Is this girl gonna be a problem?” Pops’ voice cut through the room.

Ace looked up.

His grandfather leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled and eyes sharp despite the calm exterior.

“A hell of a coincidence,” he continued, “that y’all get ambushed like this… and suddenly your girl is a sniper.”

Before Ace could answer, Von spoke.

“Don’t ask him, Pops,” Von said around a mouthful of food. “He’s pussy whipped.”

“Watch your mouth in front of the ladies,” Pops snapped.

Von rolled his eyes. “Man I seen granny pull a nigga teeth out his head and April feel up on niggas to plant bugs on them but I gotta watch my mouth?”

“Yes,” Senior and Pops said in unison.

A few laughs broke the tension.