𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐑

23'

KEONTAE

Driving to the police station from our spot on the hill, I glanced over at Diamond. She was still in my hoodie, which stopped just above her knees. I couldn't help but smile to myself, remembering how I'd just pleased her. The memory was fresh, and the look of contentment on her face made me feel like I was on top of the world.

"How you feelin'?" I asked, breaking the comfortable silence. She looked down at her feet, a shy smile playing on her lips.

"I'm good," she replied softly.

I nodded, keeping one hand on the wheel while the other reached out to squeeze her hand. Her fingers were warm against mine, a reminder of our connection. But the reality of our situation crashed back in when I remembered the call from Javo.

"What did Q ass do to get arrested?" I muttered, more to myself than to her. The thought of Q in trouble had my mind racing. He was always the wild card, and I hoped whatever he did wasn't too serious.

As we pulled up to the police station, I spotted Q and Javo sitting on the steps outside. Q had his head down while Javo spoke to him, his expression serious. I parked the truck and turned to Diamond.

"Stay here for a sec," I said, 

"I'm coming with you," she said firmly, and I admired her determination.

I walked around the truck and opened the door for Diamond, helping her out. We rushed over to Q and Javo. "Am I tweaking or is this nigga supposed to be in a cell?" I said, looking at Q, who looked up, his eyes tired but relieved.

Javo finally looked up at me, his expression stoic. "Whole time he only got detained for assault," he said, his voice flat and unemotional. "But I guess it was self-defense."

I raised an eyebrow, sensing that there was more to the story. "What happened, Q?" I asked, turning to my friend.

Q shrugged, his eyes avoiding mine. "Nothin' much," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Diamond's eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed in concern. "Q, what's goin' on? What did you do?" she pressed, her voice firm but gentle.

Q sighed, his shoulders sagging under the weight of the situation. "Ain't nothin' to tell," he repeated, his voice laced with a mixture of frustration and resignation.

Javo shook his head, clearly not buying it. "He got into a fight with some nigga. They were talking shit, and things got heated. That's all he would tell me.

After Javo explained what happened with Q, his eyes drifted to Diamond, noticing my hoodie draped over her. His gaze then fell on the marks on her neck, evidence of our intimate moment earlier. I could see the tension in his jaw as his protective instincts flared up, mixed with the simmering frustration he felt towards me and Diamond.

I knew he was mad—mad that we hadn't been upfront about what we had going on, mad because he wanted to protect Diamond, his cousin. And here she was, marked by me, complicating everything.