Page 129

I stared at him.

“What kind of bind?”

“I need to borrow some bread.”

That wasn’t what I expected.

“How much?”

He hesitated.

“Like four.”

“Four hundred?”

“Nah.”

He rubbed his beard.

“Four thousand.”

I blinked.

“Thousand?”

“Yeah.”

“Nigga.”

I stood up.

“I raise Carter mostly by my fucking self, and you asking me for four thousand dollars?”

“I give you money for Carter.”

“That’s your fucking child! You supposed to!”

“I know that.”

“Then what the fuck you need four thousand dollars for?”

Xay looked at me.

And didn’t answer.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Exactly.”

“I’m caught up in some shit right now,” he said. “I just need some help.”

“What shit?”

“Just some shit, Ave.”

I stared at him.

“That don’t tell me nothing.”