“And you’re sitting here telling me that this girl was before me and that you don’t mess with her no more, yet she’s willing to hit a lick for you? Make that make sense,” Aria stated.

“She getting compensated, baby girl, ain’t doing it for free, but it’s straight business, Ali. Ain’t no nothing with me and her. She just a pretty face. The type of face I need to pull this off.”

“Why can’t you just leave this shit alone? Maybe Nahvid was right. You’re not ready for this. I’m going to ruin my whole life fucking with you,” Aria stated.

He gripped her face. Her words had struck a nerve. “Your brother don’t know shit about me, Ali. You want that nigga to keep breathing, you might want to stop while you ahead.”

“You want to keep breathing, you might want to stop while you’re ahead,” Aria snapped back.

“You swear that D.C. nigga so tough,” Isa stated.

“And you swear he ain’t,” Aria replied. “You swear you the toughest nigga alive. Like it’s not a possibility that somebody can hurt you. Like you can’t be touched, Isa. We’re supposed to be getting married. You think I want a life of worrying about you? You think it’s cool to be a husband and take these types of risks every night? You’re going to die on these streets, and I’m going to be alone. If that happens, I’ll never be the same. It isn’t worth it. I want this forever, but forever can be over in a flash if you don’t get out.”

“If this play goes down smooth, I won’t have to do shit but spend this money and fuck my bitch for the rest of my life,” Isa replied. “This nigga Hak got it coming, yo. It’s fair play. All a part of the game.”

“Ain’t no manipulating some girl’s affection when you with me, Isa. I don’t play those types of games. You won’t be making promises, putting money in a bitch pocket, none of that. I don’t care if you not having sex with that girl. You won’t be fucking with these bitches mentally either. These hoes shouldn’t even have your number. So it’s not happening. That’s dead, or I’m gone,” Aria stated. “What if I told you I was going to do the same shit for a man I used to deal with?”

“You can’t tell me shit like that. Every nigga you used to deal with is dead,” Isa stated. “Niggas are memories already.”

Aria’s heart galloped because she knew Isa wasn’t playing. It both terrified and excited her. “Your ass is a hypocrite.”

“What am I’m supposed to do, Ali?” Isa asked.