NOBODY

Chapter 10 // You Said You Was Ready

Reef's POV

The room felt heavy — like the air itself was thick with tension.
Reef shoved a hand through his braids, exhaling sharply as Hustle stood there, fists clenched at his sides.

"I'm about to handle this shit," Hustle muttered, voice low and tight.

"I'm rolling with you," Reef said immediately, stepping up, but LK put a hand on his chest, holding him back.

"Chill, bro," LK said. "You and me gotta stay here. The girls—they not good right now."

Reef looked over.
Danny was pacing by the window, heels clicking sharply against the hardwood, one hand running through her curls like she couldn't get her mind right. Aaliyah sat stiffly on the edge of the couch, arms crossed, face stormy.

Sajadaa was still locked in the room. No sound. No movement.

Hustle gave a hard nod. "I'll be back," he said, his voice full of something raw, something broken, before walking out, slamming the door behind him.

The moment the door clicked shut, Danny whirled around.

"THIS some bullshit," she snapped, voice cracking under the anger. "How the fuck—how the fuck he got some crazy bitch pulling up on us like that?!"

Reef moved toward her, hands up like he was approaching a wild animal.

"Baby, breathe," he said, soft but firm. "Ain't none of that your fault. Ain't none of this about you."

Danny glared at him like she wanted to believe it but couldn't yet.

"She's embarrassed Sajadaa on her day, bro," LK said quietly from behind him.

Reef nodded slowly and shifted closer to Danny, his voice dipping lower. "Look at me, D."

Her chest heaved as she stared at him, angry.

"You good," Reef said. "You safe. You with me. That bullshit? That's outside. Not in here. Not tonight."

Danny shook her head, biting her lip, voice barely above a whisper. " Safe? The fuck you mean. Nobody's worried about being safe. I would beat that bitch ass quick, I'm hurting for my best friend how you think she's feeling right now? and That bitch said she his girl, Reef. Loud, like she wanted her to know. Like—like Saj ain't mean shit to him. Then he's here in her face telling her he's here and that he loves her, then boom another bitch pops up. She's been thru too fucking much it's haven't even been a whole month yet and here comes more bullshit. "

Reef's stomach twisted. He hated seeing her like this — all fire and nowhere to burn.

He stepped forward and pulled her into his chest. For a second she resisted but then she broke, her arms clutching the front of his shirt.

"I hate my friend being hurt, she deserves happiness." she said into his chest, voice muffled.

" I get you, this bitch crystal is crazy, and hustle been trynna get rid of her since he came back into Jadaa's life " Reef murmured into her hair. 

Across the room, Aaliyah finally spoke, her voice flat. "If Hustle still got ties with that crazy bitch, Sajadaa needs to know everything. No lies."

"She gon' get the whole truth," LK said, standing now, his hands in his pockets but his posture tense. "Hustle know he can't walk back in here without giving her that."

Aaliyah scoffed. "He better. Cause if he doesn't? I'll tell her myself."

Reef looked at her — all that hurt wrapped up in a pretty package, sitting there vibrating with rage.