Page 55 of Gang of Roses: Dice

“What the fuck you mean by that?” I yelled.

“Lower your damn voice.”

His voice was deadly, and my heart was beating faster than any heist I’ve ever pulled with Gang of Roses, but he never raised his voice.

“Nigga this my shit I…”

His big hands wrapped around my throat, killing the following words. He squeezed lightly, not enough to hurt me, not enough to truly choke me, but damn sure enough to get my attention and know who was in control, but I wouldn’t be Dice if I didn’t stand here in my birthday suit and lock eyes.

Under any other circumstance, this toxic shit would’ve had me flowing like a river.

“What was your plan for my casino, Ms. Dice?”

I yanked out of his grasp.

“You got me fucked up.”

“Oh yeah?” he said, stepping back and giving us both space. I was sure to reel in his anger. “First, I can’t find you, the girl I fucked silly all night. Secondly, I learned you had my child and kept him from me.” He shook his head. “And now, it looks like you’re a damn bank robber. Tell me, G-baby… does that sound about right?”

He folded his arms across his broad chest.

“I ain’t shit.”

I snapped.

“Girl…” He let out a slow breath. “Save the dummy shit.”

He angled his head again.

“I’m a lot of things, shawty, but dumb ain’t never been one.”

I had no more words. Hell, ain’t like he was going to let me get a word in anyway. I wasn’t slow enough to think this shit didn’t look mad crazy, and I damn sure wasn’t slow enough to see when I was facing another person who would kill you if he had to.

I knew of the casino owner, Ritz Monroe, not Radar.

I was about nine years younger than Ritz, from what I read while showing Revv pictures. It’s a shame we didn’t go over any of this that night, but I wasn’t propositioned to talk, plus we both looked well over twenty-one, so worrying about age wasn’t a problem. When I started committing robberies and petty crimes, I was in college. He was already a millionaire. Gang of Roses was my life, so I didn’t have a clue about the force behind the man, Radar.

“Ritz, them just my friends. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but that’s not me.”

He just watched me without blinking.

“I hate a liar, ma.”

“I’m not lying.”

I tried my best to straighten my nude body upright.

“Yeah, okay.” He nodded his head.

“Twice during this whole conversation, your eyes changed.” He studied me for another beat. “Not your face... your eyes. They went cold. Empty. Like somebody flipped a switch.”

My heart skipped.

“Most people would’ve missed it.” His voice stayed even. “I didn’t.”

His gaze never left mine.

“That told me something.”