I don’t wait for her to reply before grabbing her wrist and dragging her out the party.
We’re in Northupton, in some neighborhood neither one of us could afford, and I didn’t drive in case I’d be drinking, but I’m getting her out of here, and maybe into a detox program.
The cool air kisses my face. Damn it was hot in there.
Wyn twists out of my grip, making me turn around. Her face is pinched, and she folds her arms as she stumbles, trying to switch her weight to her other foot.
“I’m not leaving with you. I got plans.”
“You drunk off your ass and you out yo rabid ass mind if you think I’m letting you leave with that nigga.”
Wyn snorts, and with that wicked gleam in her eye, I know she’s about to try to cut me down.
But for once, I’m ready for that shit. I’ll give it as good as I’ll take it.
She takes a step toward me, invading my space. “You think you’re so different from these other niggas, but you’re not. I see the way you look at me. You wanna taste just like everyone else, but you disguise it as wanting to save me. Poor Wynter. Something’s gotta be wrong because I like to party. And you’re just the man to fix it right?”
“You so used to niggas doing anything for that trash box of yours, you think a nigga that wants better for you wants to fuck. Get the fuck over yourself, Wynter. I’ve known you too long to let you go out like this.”
“Nigga you might be fooling yourself, but you ain’t fooling me. You trying to put on your cape and tell me I deserve better, then what? The better being you?” She gets in my face, as muchas her sky high stilettos let her, and points an equally sharp finger at me. “I already had the better Washington brother. So I’m good. Get rid of this lame ass crush you have on me, and stop trying to snatch up your brother’s sloppy seconds. Newsflash; you can dress like him, act like him, and even try to fuck the same bitches, but you’llneverbe Set.”
I snatch her finger out of my face, crushing it in my grip. “You’re a fucking waste of space. A ran through piece of pussy I wouldn’t even give to my lil homies. The coke and tequila really made your brain swiss cheese, or maybe them implants leaking into your bloodstream, but hear me when I tell you: I. Don’t. Want. You. And now? I don’t give a fuck about you. You wanna die? Go die then. Maybe your insurance money can go to Autumn, and you can finally say you did something positive for her. Go on. Go fuck that nigga, and OD while you’re at it. This time I won’t try to save you.”
I let go of her as tears pool in her lids, but her face is still in a stubborn scowl.
“I’ve never asked you to save me Shad.”
Cochise comes out of the party and calls Wynter’s name.
She turns her body toward him, while still glaring at me. “And I never will.”
Her whisper fades into the night before she’s walking away from me, sliding into Cochise’s waiting arms. He lifts his chin to me, walking behind another one of his labelmates. Wyn doesn’t look back as they walk down the street.
Fuck it. I pull out my phone and order a rideshare.
She said what she said. She doesn’t want me to save her? So I won’t.
Present
No one has spoken the whole plane ride. Just the sounds of the plane speeding through the air, and Autumn’s soft whimpers in the back of the cabin. She refused to be left behind, not after Turk couldn’t lie about how brutal the Mathers brothers truly are.
It doesn’t matter that we got in the air less than three hours after they grabbed her. Less than two after their own plane left the private airfield.
This shit is probably a recovery mission. Not a rescue mission.
Autumn and Wynter living together in Geyser City brought them closer. Wyn was always either on facetime playing her what she was working on, or dragging her to the studio on her off days. She was finally forgiving herself for all the fucked up shit she’s done to her sister.
Finally back making good music.
Still drank and dabbled, but there was a spark back in her, from being accepted back into the family. Coming around more. She even did the Tootsie Roll with Nut at his wedding.
We made amends like siblings do. She wouldn’t let me apologize, just like I wouldn’t let her apologize. She told me she forgave me while she was in rehab. I told her I forgave her right after she walked away from me.
And them niggas grabbed her up in broad daylight. In our city.
Cold part is, the way Mace described the whole shit, I know they were gunning for Brina. And of course, Sahara’s dumb ass is at the scene of the crime, afuckinggain.
I love Van, but the bitch is dead. One way or another.
