AHEAD OF THE GAME | BXB

XXXII

I could feel hands on me. Or, something touching me all over. It felt like a million tiny bugs were crawling over me.

I couldn't see, or hear for that matter, either.

My body was stiff and kind of cold.

Where was I, and what was happening to me?

It was as if I had been transported into a different world, surrounded by nothing but silence. Panic set in as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings.

Then, that's when I heard the faint whispers of someone around me.

"Shh," I heard someone mutter. "I think he's waking up now, baby girl."

My eyes strained to open, adjusting to the dim light that revealed two figures standing over me. Clutch was staring down at me with surprise, while Cameron just looked at me curiously like she didn't understand anything that was going on at the moment.

I gasped and tried to sit up, but the pain in my shoulder laid me right back down.

"Ow," I managed to scream as I gently rubbed my shoulder. "What the fuck?"

"Chill," Clutch whispered. "Nigga, you lucky as hell. I thought you was gone die."

I didn't respond.

Instead, I let the events of the night rush back to me. I started to remember close to everything. That nigga Ace. He betrayed us. Rodney, too, with his bitch ass.

"How long was I sleep for?" I asked.

"You been out for a minute," Clutch replied, glancing at Cameron, who was now attached to his leg. "I had to patch you up. It's been a few hours, but you lucky to be waking up at all."

"You did this?" I questioned, motioning to the bandages that were covering my thigh.

He shrugged. "I know a few things."

I stared at him for a moment. Then, I looked over at Cameron. She looked okay. From what I remember, she'd been all bloody from a few hours ago. I guessed Clutch changed her clothes for her.

"You should've left me," I told him softly. "The only thing I did was slow you down. What if you would've got caught, then what? I've always told you to run and take your share of the money with you if something like that were to happen."

"Aye, stop it," Clutch demanded. "You family. Why would I ever leave you behind? Plus, you think a nigga like Ky would let me live if he found out I left the love of his life to die? Get the fuck outta here with that shit, and don't ever say it again because I don't leave my people's behind. My love for y'all run too deep for that shit."

I didn't say anything. All I did was nod.

There was a small moment of silence between us before I finally decided to break it. "Is Rodney still alive?"

Clutch shook his head. "You shot his ass, remember?"

I nodded slowly, the memories sinking in. I struggled to sit up again, but after a few long seconds, I was able to push my body to sit straight. "What about Ace?"

Clutch's expression darkened. "We had to get outta the house before he could even get back. Mind you, the police would've been on the way. Everybody in that bitch was shooting at each other. A lot of em' died. It's only a few left."

"How many would you say?"

He sighed. "Not even enough to make a whole crew."

I wanted to cry. Everything that my baby had worked for was about to be gone because of two niggas.