Rain “Rebel” Crawford #2
Dice folded her arms. “Hooka, we already got more money than we know what to do with. Robbing Ross gon’ set us up even more, but even if we didn’t hit another bank, our lives wouldn’t change.”
Kash squeezed my shoulder. “But it will change yours.”
Tears welled in my eyes again. “I can’t let y’all do that.”
Dice laughed. “You act like we asking permission.”
Kash chuckled. “This ain’t a vote.”
Dice pointed at me. “When we walk outta Ross, your cut getting bigger. End of discussion.”
I looked between the two of them, completely speechless.
Hearing that they wanted to give me the money felt good, but I could never take it from them.
They had risked their lives just like I had, and I didn’t deserve to walk away with everything.
From the very beginning, the plan had always been to hit Ross Savings & Loan together.
We all put our lives on the line, so we all deserved an equal share.
Kash smiled. “We’ve always been a team. If one of us wins, we all win.”
Dice nodded. “And your tech company is gonna happen. Sarah, don’t get to steal your future.”
She paused before adding with a shrug,
“If you want, I can put a hot one in Sarah’s chest.”
“Bitch!” Kash cackled. “You always wanna shoot somebody.”
“Girl, bye,” Dice shot back. “Says the bitch whose daddy was a kingpin.”
Despite everything, I couldn’t help but laugh. They had a way of making me smile even when my world was falling apart. I shook my head, wiping away the last of my tears.
“No. I wouldn’t dare take a single dollar from either one of y’all. I’ll be good once we finally hit Ross. But...” My voice softened. “The fact that y’all even offered... that means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
Kash smiled through her tears and reached for my hand. “Listen here, Rebel. Rose may be gone, but we’re your sisters too. She always told us that if anything ever happened to her, we were supposed to look after you. And you’re the baby of the group. That didn’t change just because Rose ain’t here.”
Dice nodded, her voice softer than usual. “Hooka, we made Rose that promise. We meant that shit. So whether you like it or not, you got two sisters standing right here.”
Fresh tears rolled down my face. “Y’all really mean that?”
Dice looked offended. “Girl, if you don’t stop asking stupid-ass questions and come here.”
I didn’t hesitate. Quickly, I wrapped my arms around both of them, pulling them into the tightest hug I could manage.
We stood there for a long moment, neither of us saying a word.
For the first time since finding out about Sarah, I didn’t feel like I was carrying the weight of the world by myself anymore.
We hugged it out, and I was just grateful to have them in my life. Money came and went, but loyalty like this? You couldn’t put a price on it.
I clapped my hands together. “Aight. Enough of the emotional shit. Let’s get this money.”
Kash slid the blueprints back across the table. “Now you’re talking.”
Before we could dive back into the plans, the deep rumble of motorcycle engines echoed outside the Airbnb.
Dice frowned. “The fuck is that?”
We made our way to the front window, and two riders stood beside our motorcycles.
Their faces were completely hidden behind black-tinted helmets.
Matching riding jackets hugged their bodies, while armored gloves, riding pants, and boots made it impossible to tell whether they were men or women.
One rider slowly ran a gloved hand across my bike before casually swinging a leg over it.
The other settled onto Kash’s motorcycle like it belonged to them.
Dice’s jaw tightened. “Nah...”
I blinked. “Are they trying to steal our bikes?”
Kash didn’t answer. She was already storming toward the front door. Then, she flung it open.
“AYE!”
Both riders turned their helmets toward us but never climbed off their bikes.
Dice stepped beside Kash and pulled her Glock from behind her back.
The warning shot exploded through the quiet neighborhood.
The bullet slammed into the pavement a few feet in front of them, sending chunks of concrete flying into the air.
The sound echoed down the street, instantly draining the neighborhood of what little peace it had left. Every muscle in my body tensed as I waited to see what they’d do next. One wrong move and bullets would be flying from every direction.
To my surprise, neither one flinched. Instead, they slowly lifted their hands in surrender.
“Easy,” one of them said, their voice muffled beneath the helmet. “We’re unarmed.”
The second rider nodded. “Damn... y’all always greet guests like this?”
Dice wasn’t impressed. “Guests don’t throw a leg over my muthafuckin’ bike.”
The first rider tilted their helmet toward the second. “I told you this was a bad idea.”
“Nah,” the other replied. “I think we’re making a great first impression.”
Kash folded her arms. “Y’all got three seconds to explain yourselves before my sister puts the next bullet in one of y’all.”
The two riders looked at each other.
One gave a small shrug. “Told you.”
The other chuckled beneath the helmet. “Worth it.”
I frowned. “Either y’all the dumbest thieves I’ve ever met, or y’all ain’t here to steal shit.”
Neither rider answered. They just stood there with their hands raised, completely calm, like they weren’t staring down the barrel of Dice’s gun.
“I know y’all ain’t stupid enough to think I’m playing,” Dice warned.
One rider shrugged. “We don’t.”
The other nodded. “You got good aim?”
Dice smirked. “You wanna see great aim?”
Without taking their eyes off us, the riders stepped away from the bikes. Kash and I spread out, boxing them in from both sides.
“There,” Kash said. “Nowhere left to go.”
One rider looked around before chuckling beneath the helmet. “Welp. I’d say we’re officially caught.”
The second rider laughed. “Looks like it.”
Dice raised her gun another inch. “Take the damn helmets off.”
The two riders exchanged a look before reaching up at the same time. Then the helmets came off. Long hair spilled over both of their shoulders.
My eyebrows shot up. “They women?”
The woman with the waist-length ginger locs adjusted the red bucket hat on her head and tucked her helmet under her arm, a cocky grin sitting behind her oversized shades.
Beside her, the shorter woman removed her helmet, letting silky jet-black hair fall down her back as she folded her arms. They both had rich brown skin, but while one was tall and curvy, the other was petite and athletic, barely five-three.
“Last time I checked,” Ginger Locs said, while her friend stayed quiet, her eyes moving over the three of us before settling on Dice.
Honestly, I couldn’t believe they tried to steal our bikes. Matter of fact, I couldn’t believe they had the audacity to touch our bikes, get caught, and still act like they weren’t the least bit worried.
My life just kept getting worse. First, Sarah stole every damn dollar I’d worked for. Now I had two random chicks trying to take our shit.
Kash folded her arms and looked the two women up and down. “Aight... what y’all names?”
“I’m Remi Frost,” the chick with the ginger locs said, jerking a thumb toward herself. “But everybody calls me Ryda.”
“Harli.” The other one pushed a few strands of silky hair out of her face. “Harli Jade Thomas
Dice paced in front of them, her Glock still in her hand. “Remi and Harli, y’all got about five seconds to tell me why y’all tried to take our shit before I start shooting kneecaps.”
Remi smiled wider. “I don’t think you’re gonna do that.”
Dice stopped pacing. “Oh? And why the fuck not?”