Page 31 of The Fire We Make

The sound of her phone’s vibration on the counter pulled her attention towards it.

Her brows knitted together as she watched the unknown number ring across her screen. She made no moves to answer it, instead letting the call go to voicemail.

She turned away from the device to wash her dishes and get ready to leave when the screen lit up with a text.

Unknown: Yo it’s Glock. Just wanted to let ya know I miss you and I’m thinking about you. Call me if you need anything. Love

Joy’s breath stuttered and her heart started to pound like it was attempting to jump out of her chest and through the screen to her best friend.

For a moment, she considered ignoring it. She hadn’t spoken to him since her exile. Though she’d gotten a new phone and number, his silence gave her time to wonder what he thought of her.

Her own shame had kept her from reaching out. Not until she was normal.

But on this day, when her confidence was shaky and her anxiety was high, she needed him. She needed a little piece of home. A reminder of the version of herself she was fighting to get back to.

Before she could change her mind, she dialed the number back, listening with a racing heart as the line trilled.

“What’s good, Princess?”

“Glock,” she breathed, the slow drawl of his voice transporting her home and wrapping her in comfort.

“Oh, so you do remember me?”

Joy smacked her lips, a smile already creeping its way onto her face. “Nigga stop playing.”

“Shii I wasn’t sure the way you dipped out and went ghost on a nigga. I had to beg Mel for your new number just to do a wellness check. It’s cool though, I won’t take it personal.”

Zyaire “Glock” Jefferson was like a brother to Joy. Together, they were plucked from childhood and trained to be the future ruthless leaders of the Cartel. They’d grown up together and built a bond that went deeper than blood. In the back of her head, she knew he wouldn’t judge her but Joy didn’t even recognize herself, how would her oldest friend react to this new, more pitiful version of her?

“Well my dad and Cleve threatened my life if they ever saw or heard from me again. I wasn’t sure if you…”

“Felt the same way.”

“Yeah,” Joy admitted.

“My loyalty is to you, Princess. Always. You know that.”

“I know it’s just… nothing I thought I knew seems to apply anymore,” she sighed.

“I understand. Shit is all fucked up. I won’t ask where you are but you straight?”

Joy shrugged as if he could see her. “Everything is everything. I’m safe. Nothing eventful.”

“That’s good,” he lowered his voice conspiratorially. “No episodes?” he asked after a stretch of silence.

Joy sighed. “Nah,” she lied. “Not yet anyway.” She chose to keep Perry to herself. She didn’t want to hear the disappointment in his voice when he realized that the distance hadn’t done her any good.

“Don’t talk like that.”

Joy ignored his chastising and opted to change the subject instead. “How is everything down there?”

“As good as they can be. Cleve hasn’t run this Cartel into the ground just yet. Your presence is definitely missed though.”

“Hm…”

“It’s been very clear that they never planned to let you have your place back. At least not Cleve. The way things are running, this was clearly his plan as soon as you got sent away.”

“God, I should’ve killed that nigga.”