Page 135 of Vega

Then he leaned in more.

“Prodigy,” I whispered.

He stopped immediately.

I put my hand between us, not against him, just in the space we were about to cross. “I can’t.”

He leaned back, sighing. “I know.”

“I don’t want to use you to feel less alone.”

“And I don’t want to use you to avoid what I still feel for Arielle.”

We stared out of our windows for a second, avoiding one another’s eyes and our hormones.

“I enjoy being around you,” he said. “I enjoy making you laugh. I enjoy that you don’t ask me to be anything other than what I am in the moment.”

“I enjoy you too,” I admitted.

“That’s why you were right to stop me.” His hand covered the top of mine for a brief second, before he let go. “Because I might’ve let that moment go further than it should’ve. I wouldn’t have meant to disrespect you…” His eyes held mine. “Or Kash. I don’t want to disrespect his memory. And I don’t want to disrespect you by forcing myself into this part of your life just because being near you makes me forget about mine for a few a little while.”

I nodded and turned my attention to the house in front of us. The windows reflected the sun, making the place look pretty from the outside, even though it still felt empty inside.

Prodigy reached for the door handle. “Come on. I’ll sit with you for a while.”

I should’ve said he didn’t have to, but instead, I opened my door. I was scared of needing him. But I was more scared of walking back into that house alone.

VEGARRO “VEGA” MORETTI

Legend, Saint, and Icon were in the back office of their warehouse when I walked in.

I set the duffel on the table, unzipped it, and stepped back so Saint could see the bundles of cash stacked inside. He didn’t count it in front of me. The Cartiers had stopped doing that once they learned we could be trusted. A money counter would confirm the amount later, but nobody in that room questioned whether every dollar was there.

“That’s everything we owe for the product Roman’s people burned when they hit South Holland.”

Icon’s eyes moved to the duffel, then back to me. “Y’all didn’t have to run this back this soon.”

Legend nodded in agreement. “Not after the hit y’all just took.”

Saint leaned back in his chair. “We knew Roman hit y’all. We weren’t pressing for this today.”

“I know. But we don’t like owing people,” I replied. “The Street Kings are good money-wise. Roman burned product, not our pockets. We’ll recover just fine.”

Legend gave me a short nod. “Respect.”

Saint leaned back in his chair. “Since you here, where y’all at with Roman?”

“Still looking for that nigga,” I replied with a scoff.

“We heard the war getting ugly,” Legend said. “Three bodies in Harvey. Two more in Dolton. One of Roman’s stash spots got lit up in Cicero. Bellamys lost a shooter in Chatham last night.”

“And Roman still alive,” I scoffed. “Bellamys got him under pressure, but they ain’t touched him yet either. They’ve hit people around him, spots connected to him, money routes, all that. But Roman himself is still breathing. That nigga is a roach that knows every crack in this city he can hide in.”

“And as long as he’s breathing, your girl ain’t safe,” Icon added.

“That’s why finding Roman is our priority. I need Jamir to find the location to lead me directly to Roman. I’m tired of shooting blind. Roman dies, and Sonnet gets to live without wondering when somebody is coming through a door for her.”

Icon sat back, grinning. “You attached.”