AHEAD OF THE GAME | BXB

XXI

I couldn't believe what Clutch had just told us. My heart dropped, and I felt a lump forming in my throat. I stumbled back and almost lost my balance, but Kyron caught me before I could fall.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, my voice barely audible.

"I'm sorry, man," Clutch said, his face full of sympathy. "I just found out myself. I came to tell you as soon as I could."

I couldn't comprehend what was happening. My mom, who I had just gotten back into a relationship with, was gone, just like that.

I should have cried. Shit, I wanted to cry—to show some type of emotion. But, all I could do was stare right ahead.

Me and my momma didn't have the best relationship, but she had still been my mother.

One emotion I was feeling was anger.

Kyron held me tightly, whispering words of comfort in my ear. "Are you good baby?"

I just nodded my head. I couldn't even speak. My throat felt like it was starting to close. I moved away from KyRon to sit down on our bed.

Clutch stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

I could see the pain in his eyes.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally calmed down enough to speak. "How did it happen?" I asked, my voice sounding hoarse.

The logical part of me knew exactly how it happened and who did it. I wasn't stupid, but I needed him to say it out of his mouth.

"They don't know yet," Clutch said. "The police are still investigating."

I felt numb, like I was in a daze. I couldn't believe that my mother was gone. The thought of never seeing her again just like my father was too much to deal with right now.

"We know who did it," I raised my voice a notch. "It was Cig. Who the fuck else would it have been?"

"I don't wanna be that type of person, but the real question is; what we finna do?"

Kyron looked over at me, like he was waiting for my opinion. I didn't know what to do. All I knew was that I was tired.

At this point, everything was starting to go downhill. We were losing this stupid ass war. Now, we had to do something.

We looked weak as hell.

"We going back to Chicago," KyRon said. "We done playing with this Nigga. Round up a few people and hit that nigga where he lay his head. Aim for his dome, nothing else."

"Clutch can you give me and Ky a minute please?" I asked him simply.

He nodded his head, turned, and left.

"Bae..." KyRon started to say, but I stopped him with the wave of my hand.

"I don't wanna talk about it," I told him hesitantly. "Just...make the preparations to go back to our city, please."

"Aight," he muttered, still staring at me with his beady eyes. It was like he could tell that I was hurting on the inside—like he knew my heart felt like it was being ripped out of my damn chest.

He leaned in and gave me a gentle kiss before he made his way into the bathroom.

I went out onto the balcony and gave the city one final look.

└──────┘
KyRon made sure we flew first class back to Chicago. I guess it was his way of trying to make me feel as comfortable as possible, but I wasn't really focused on being comfortable.