Gun had a bad feeling gnawing at his gut all day. By the time he got home, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, he still couldn't shake the nauseating sensation creeping over him.
His mother greeted him with uncharacteristic excitement, "Oh my goodness, my son, welcome home!"
The warmth in her voice should have been comforting, but it only made him more suspicious. His eyes darted to Clarice, who was lounging on the couch, casually doing her nails. The pit in his stomach deepened.
"So this is what's been bugging me," he muttered, more to himself.
"Why the fuck are you here?" he drawled, sounding as indifferent as a cat to an empty food bowl.
"Uh, I live here," she replied without looking up.
"Yeah? Tell that to your client," he snapped.
Clarice bolted upright, her hand flying to cover his mouth. "Shut the fuck up, or I'll shut you up," she whispered fiercely.
His glare could've cut glass as he threw her hand off. "Thought you didn't give a damn."
She rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Just don't be a snitch, hoe."
Already done with her nonsense, his attention shifted to the dining table, now groaning under the weight of more food than they'd seen in weeks. "What's all this?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"It's dinner," his mother said airily, still bustling back and forth with more plates.
"Yeah, I can see that," he growled. "Only, we can't afford this much. What's going on?"
She turned, practically dancing in place. "We're celebrating! I discovered something new today, and it's going to pay off big time!"
Gun clenched his jaw, counting his breaths as he grabbed a piece of chicken and took a bite. It was good, really good. Maybe he was overthinking things.
Shaking his head, he retreated to his room, peeling off his shirt. His bad mood returned when he saw her sprawled out on his bed.
"The fuck? I thought you were supposed to die today," he said, his tone flat.
"Come lie down and let me ride your face," Letisha purred, her voice dripping with seduction.
Gun's expression remained cold as steel. "What happened to the damn loan?" he asked sharply, his tone cutting through the air.
She winced, her playful demeanor faltering. "Ugh, you're no fun," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
She sighed dramatically, her newly dyed red hair catching the dim light. "Well, I found a way out."
He frowned, crossing his arms. "A way out of the loan system?"
She nodded, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "Yep. Your girl's a genius. Wanna hear about it?" She leaned forward in a way that made it hard to focus on her words.
Before he could respond, a scream tore through the house, freezing him in place.
His mother's voice ripped through him like a lightning bolt.
"It's gone!" she wailed. "It's gone! Oh my God, it's all gone!"
Gun stormed into the living room in quick, heavy strides, his chest heaving. His mother was trembling, tears streaming down her face. He grabbed her shoulders, trying to steady her.
"Mom, what's gone?"
She looked at him, her eyes wide with despair.
"The money. It's all gone."
Gun's blood ran cold.