Wickman •Nardo Wick•

14•

"Whatchu mean," he asks, coming close to me.

"Who is Horace," I ask again, my confidence rising.

"Why? And where you heard that name from?"

"C-Chris was telling the police about somebody named Horace killing that man at my mama house," I finally explain. I want answers if I'm gonna be stuck here.

"That's why that fucking police officer was in the woods. Shit," he curses and helps me off the counter.

"Why you ain't tell me sooner," he asks, gently lifting my head with his finger. Oh, now you wanna be gentle?

"Because, I was scared. And I thought you knew about it," I respond, as his hands travel to my butt. He grips it, and just stares off into space for a few seconds.

"Youn gotta be scared of me. But imma let Tony and Reggie come take care of your head. I got something to do," he says, walking out of the room.

"But you ain't even answer my question," I mumble to myself. "Who is Horace?"

——————————//

"I shoulda never got it," Tony says after bandaging up my head.

"Nah, I asked for it T," I reassure him, and wrap my arms around him as he helps me off the counter. He looks down at me and I look up at him. For some reason, we both leaned in but a bang at the door interrupts us. I'm grateful it did.

"What y'all hoes doing in hurr," Reggie's stupid ass yells. Tony let's go of me and I walk away.

"Shut up nigga," I say, smacking him behind his head.

"I'm telling ya daddy," Reggie says, whining like a child. "Hey Siri call Wickman."

"Calling Wickman (Horace)," Siri repeats. My eyes go wide. Nardo is Horace? Where the hell does Nardo come from- oh shit. Bernard.

Ohhh, that makes so much sense.

But why doesn't he want anyone to know his real name?

Reggie quickly hangs up and lets out a small chuckle.

"You ain't shit," I say, pushing him.

"Fa someone who prolly got a concussion, you being very violent right now," Tony says, handing me some ice.

"Why would Chris wanna kill Nardo," I ask out of the blue. They look at each other and Reggie nods his head.

"Wick killed his dad, Diddy when he was 14. Wickman was 15."

"Why?"

"Nigga was a drug lord. Chris was getting raped and he ain't do nothing about it. One day Wick saw Chris tryna kill somebody, but he couldn't do it so Wickman did it. The man he was tryna kill-"

"Was Diddy," Tony finishes. I'm confused.

"If he was tryna kill his dad himself, why would he try to kill Nardo now?"

"For respect ."

"Huh?"

"Chris ain't get the credit. People started calling King a pussy cuz he couldn't pull the trigger."

"Wickman killed his own father, he wouldn't have a problem killing anybody else's."

Nardo did what? I knew he was dangerous but I would've never thought he would turn on his own blood like that. I thought that shit was against the streets? Guess not. Nobody would say anything anyway. Nardo is Nardo.

"What did his father do?"

"Wicks or King's?"

"Both."