“Y’all been fair, man. Y’all been more than fair,” Dario admitted.

“So why the uprising? Why the talk of takeovers and shit?” Isa asked. “See, talk like that is dangerous. When shit happens, when shit goes wrong, I immediately think it’s you behind it. You been talking greasy, my bitch go missing, and you see what happens? I think it’s you. Ya’ mouth done wrote a big check, homie. Better hope that bitch cash.”

“I swear to God, man, some nigga from D.C. made that move. I don’t want no problems. It was just me acting hard in front of my boys, man, talking shit,” Dario explained. “You know how it goes.”

“Yeah,” Isa scoffed. “Just kicking the shit. I know how that go.” He was calm, and Dario seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Isa’s mind was spinning as he thought of the out-of-town plates Dario spoke of.

It’s her fucking brother, Isa thought. Got to be.

Isa had looked Nahvid up after their first encounter. He knew Nahvid had to be the only nigga crazy enough to test him, because Dario was shaking in his boots.

“I just want to be square with you. We’re good, right?” Dario asked.

“Yeah, nigga, we good.” Isa pointed out the window. “Aye, you see that house over there?”

Dario’s eyes followed the direction of Isa’s finger. “Yeah, I see—”

Bang!

As soon as Dario’s eyes turned away, Isa pulled the trigger.

“For talking shit, nigga,” Isa sneered. He reached across Dario’s body to open the passenger door, and he pushed him out, leaving him in the middle of the empty street.

He didn’t care that Dario wasn’t behind it. He didn’t take threats lightly, and nobody was given a pass when it came to his respect.

“Fuck, man!” he shouted in frustration. He needed his girl back, and he needed her back soon or his ill temper was going to leave more bodies in his wake.

“Where are you taking me?” Aria shouted as the man pushed her through the empty warehouse. She resisted the entire way, refusing to walk, but she was overpowered. “Stop fucking touching me!”

Aria’s head throbbed. She could barely see straight she had hit her head so hard.

“Nobody’s going to hurt you. Just keep walking, please. Damn,” one of the men said in exasperation.

Aria’s feet stopped when the men opened a door that led down into the basement.

“I’m not going down there. I’m not, no,” she said, dragging her feet and attempting to turn around, fighting against the huge men who kept her trapped.

“Yo, this bitch is difficult,” the other man said.

“Yo’ mama’s a bitch,” Aria spat.