Page 32 of Gang of Roses: Kash

“Oh, don’t get quiet now.”

The sternness in his voice, the stone look he possessed, and the steam that radiated off his body let me know he was more than pissed. I gave a rough smile, and he didn’t move an inch. I gathered the files from Rebel and extended them in Declan’s direction. He refused to take them from me.

“We need this just as much as y’all do, D,” I finally spoke.

“Come on, bro’. As much as you and yo’ folk come across shit, you can let us have this one,” Dice added.

“Since when you felt the need to steal from me, Ma?” he asked looking directly at me.

I was speechless, I couldn’t lie.

“Baby, I wasn’t stealing. This set up is exactly up our alley. It can take us out the game and have us set for life,” I bargained.

Nodding, he stepped into my personal space saying, “I will die for y’all, and you know that, but stealing from me… This won’t be taken from me, Solenne. You think I cooked that shit up to help y’all? I’m on the same type of timing. This gon’ sit me and mine down for good. If y’all want in, I’ll remap shit, but this is mine. You hear me?”

“Aye D-Row, we ain’t even ‘bout to fight you on that. From the numbers you got jotted down on this paper, all I’m asking is to be put on. Write me in this muthafucka somewhere,” Rebel stated with a light chuckle.

“I got you sis. And I’ll do the same for everybody else but I’m not bullshitting, Sol. You not taking this from me. I became the bank manager for this dumbass job for this specific reason. I been had intel of a renovation coming and now it’s finally getting approved. I ain’t coming up off it,” he reiterated.

His gaze didn’t waver from my being once. Wherever I moved, so did he. He was deadass serious ‘bout this shit. I had to apologize and take what I could get.

“I’m sorry baby. I wasn’t so much as trying to steal it but when I saw the master plan, that shit was just too good to pass up on. Yes, me and the girls would like to be added to the script if you don’t mind. We need this just as much as you do.”

“What you need it for, huh? Everything I bring home, you got access to. What the fuck do you need it for?” he shouted.

I jumped once more as tears formed. This pregnancy made me overly emotional as well. Him yelling at me hurt my lil’ feelings. I couldn’t hold you.

“Aight D. Give her a break. She was just trying to look out for us the same way you look out for yours. If you gon’ let us be a part of this, then drop it, take her home and fuck her already. All that rah-rah shit is aggy as fuck,” Dice said waving him off with attitude. She played about a lot of shit but not her sisters.

“Yeah D, drop it, take me home, and fuck me. Wait, how you know where I was once again? How you know I had yo’ shit?” I questioned.

“I needed them plans so I went home to grab them. When I noticed both you and it was no longer there, I checked yo’ lo. And no, I’m not ‘bout to take yo’ ass home to do shit. Stop stealing from me,” he said snatching up the files and journal. He walked off and me and the girls surprisingly held our laughter back until he was gone.

“Bitchhhhhh!” Dice yelled as she threw her head back erupting with laughter.

“I ain’t never seen bro’ that mad. He was fuming,” Rebel chuckled shaking her head.

“He’ll be aight. He can never stay mad at us anyway,” I said rolling my eyes.

Dice and Rebel exchanged questionable looks before turning their attention back to me. I realized I slipped up and acknowledged my unborn.

“Shit. I spoke too much. Fine, since we’re all here, I might as well let it out. Declan knocked a bitch up, married me, and told me to sit my pretty ass down somewhere. Congrats to me!” I shouted in sarcasm.

The girl’s hands flew to their mouth as their eyes grew as big as saucers. They were just as shocked as I was when my husband let a bitch in on the secret. I wasn’t gon’ hide anything from them. They were my support system and believe it or not, they had my fuckin’ back. Hopefully, they would extend that love to my child.

“D-Row is a fool. He setting you down for real. I’m proud of you, sis’. I mean, you glowing right now so sit yo’ ass down. It seems like big bro’ ain’t fuckin’ around this time. Be a wife, a mother, and all that other good shit. The date on that paper was years out. We got time.”

I was surprised to hear her calm and cool with it all. Usually, she had no care in the world for the shit me and Dice had going on.

“I guess, I need to call more often then. Congrats baby boo,” Dice chimed in.

“Thanks, y’all. You hear that, Rose? You ‘bout to be an auntie. Who would’ve thought, right? God, I hate you’re not here to witness this shit.” I placed my hand on her tombstone and cried softly. She said I would be the first to find love, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t.

“Yeah, sis’ would’ve been more than happy for you. Don’t sweat it though. She gon’ make sure we get to where we need to be. She guiding this sisterhood fa sho’,” Rebel voiced. It was exactly what we needed to here. What I needed to hear.

“Aight, all this emotional shit is overwhelming as fuck. We going to drink for my girl birthday or what?” I inquired.

“Strictly virgin daiquiris for you, pregnant ass,” Dice threw at me.