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“Don’t put words in my mouth, Brandon,” I retorted, giving him back the energy he was giving me. “Anddon’tstart with the bullshit again. Do I need to remind you which one of us didn’t trust him in the first place?”
“Whatever.”
I sucked my teeth. “No, it’s notwhatever. You’re being weird right now and I want to know why! How did you even find out he was after your father in the first place?”
“He said it out his damn mouth!” Brandon countered. “Right in my damn face!”
“So you’ve seen him and talked to him?” I asked. “The Fallhappened way before he got here, why did he stick around? Was this whole thing some sort of mindfuck?”
“Hell yeah, as far as I’m concerned.”
“I don’t want to know aboutas far as you’re concerned,” I snapped. “I want you to tell me thefacts.”
“Thefactis ol’ boy is as good as gone if I run into him again, so if you give a shit about him, you better let him know. The only reason I didn’t take my ink back is because my mother begged me not to.”
My eyes damn near bugged out of my head. “Your mother?! What doesshehave to do with this?!”
“Just go home and get your shit, and get back to the clubhouse. I’m callingeverybodyback to this motherfucker. Full lockdown, no exemptions. We need to talk strategy.”
“Strategy for what?”
“Our recently uncovered enemy, the fuck?” he asked, with a tone that suggestedIwas the one being irrational. “You’re brainwashed if you think he didn’t have something to do withThe Fall, like he hasn’t been manipulating this shit the whole time. He orchestrated that shit, then played in our face like a motherfucker who steals your wallet and helps you look for it. I don’t even blame you for falling for it. They were all trained for this shit. Had us all fooled.”
I pushed out a deep sigh, trying to sort through the onslaught of new information he’d thrown at me.
Well.
Not eveninformation, honestly.
Mostly accusations.
But none of it was far-fetched.
“Give me like an hour,” I told him, as I pulled onto my street. “Alicia’s people already left, but I’ll send the scouts back and pack a bag. Then me and Keira will be on the way.”
“Okay,” Brandon said. “But listen to me, I know you had your little fling or whatever the hell, but this dude is the enemy. You’re not engaging him, he’s not your friend, there’s damn sure not any more lovey-dovey—”
“Hold up,” I interrupted. “I’ve been giving you room, cause you’re the president and all, but I need you to back up with the dictator shit with me.”
“Tati, don’t play with me right now.”
“Ain’t nobody playing with you, nigga,” I snapped. “I’m a grown ass woman and you’ll watch your tone.”
“You’re seriously arguing with me while I’m trying to protect you?Really?” he barked.
I shook my head. “This doesn’t feel like protection, Brandon, it feels likeprojection. I’ve got my own gut to trust.”
“So you don’t trust me now?”
“There’ssomethingyou’re not telling me!” I exclaimed. “And you’re so eager to paint Onyx as some villain in my mind instead of just being honest with me that it issketchy.”
“I’m sketchy now?”
“Your behavior is,” I told him, shrugging like he could actually see me. “We havenevertalked around the truth with each other; it’s always been TMI. But this ain’t that, so you’re not gonna sell me onI’m just trying to protect you.Nope. You’re manipulating me and you have to believe I’m stupid if you think I don’t see it.”
“Let me guess… you already talked to him, haven’t you?”
“Oh my God.I’m punching you in your fucking face,” I said, then snatched the phone from Keira to end the call.
