MORGAN
I rode back with Paige, Beans, and Kareem.
I had so many questions about what happened back there, but I decided not to ask them.
The three-hour ride was so quiet that I was screaming inside to say something.
When we pulled up to Lake Hill Manor, I became even more curious because they said someone had been shot, yet we weren’t at a hospital.
When Beans pulled into the drive along with Dio, Samara, Alyse, Peanut, and Streets, I became a little nervous. “Whose house is this?” I asked.
Paige glanced back at me and shrugged. Dio knocked on the door, and when it opened, I had to catch myself because the man on the other side of the door was breathtaking. Damn, he’s fine! I thought.
Everyone walked into the house, and the further I went inside, the finer they got. “Shat!” I spat.
Everyone looked back at me. I cleared my throat, “I almost tripped. I’m Morgan,” I muttered.
Samara grinned. “Morgan and Paige, this is my family,” she paused and started to point. “That’s Monfua, that’s Preach, Diamond, Foe, Zeus, who is Dio’s older brother, and this is my dad, Chevy.”
My eyes bounced on each one of them, and I must say, the men of the Zoo were fine as fuck. I looked at Kareem, who looked at me, “Are you a part of them, too?”
Everyone looked at me again. Kareem cleared his throat as Dio stepped in, “He’s not a part of the Zoo, but the nigga is an ally.”
I nodded, my eyes lowering in embarrassment. Sorry, I mouthed to Kareem.
“You cool. I’m not ashamed,” he whispered.
I stepped back, but Dio waved for me to come to the middle. “This is Papi’s ex, and she’s going to lead us right to them niggas.”
Chevy came forward, and I almost fell back as the smell of a king invaded my nose. “So, you’re the one who gave Alyse all the info?” his voice was so raspy and deep. “How many are in their crew total?”
“Umm, minus the four brothers, their sister rides as well, and the last I was around, three other guys.”
“Damn, little momma, just say it’s eight of them niggas,” Monfua said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. It’s eight.”
“How the fuck are they called Niggas That Ride when they got a bitch in their crew?” Diamond joked.
“She can ride a fucking bike. I saw her in action. Vanessa ain’t no joke.”
“Fuck you say?” Beans came forward.
Paige snatched his arm back, “She said her name is Vanessa. Why, do you know her or something?”
He turned to Paige, “I used to fuck with her. Keep the words used to in your mind and chill.”
“Says the man who tried to kill my best friend because he showed up at my door.”
Beans stepped closer toward her. He looked down at a short Paige, and to me it was as if he wanted to fuck her, but I could have been wrong. “I didn’t try,” he grumbled.
Chevy let out a loud sigh. “Now that we’ve got a taste of Finding Love in Lake Hill, let’s ride out.”
A woman gracefully descended the steps, her big hair and shea butter-brown skin shining beautifully, as she stepped into the circle with confidence. “You can’t race, but I also know you need to be there. You know the rules, come home to me,” she said to Chev as she gently touched his face.
He leaned down and kissed her with so much love it made me wonder what love like that felt like. Chevy looked at everyone. “Streets, you ride with me. Let’s get this shit done because I got some other shit to handle. Samara—”
She shook her head. “I’m going. I know you think you’re protecting me, but I need to see with my own eyes,” she said to him.
Chevy looked at Dio, “Don’t ride stupid with her on the back of that fucking bike. Zu, nigga, get Sasha, her ass racing today.”
They all started walking out the door. “Wait!” I yelled. “What about me!”
Beans turned toward me, Paige, and Kareem. “I’m going to stop by the crib and grab my bike. Piggy will drive and lead the way.”
The way they were showing up for each other was the one thing that Papi and his crew were missing. For them to be a crew of siblings, they were missing the biggest part they would need to take on the Zoo: the connection of family.