Crazy Summer by Cole Hart Read Free Book Online Page A

to outdo the other major players who so-called had Barton Village on lock.
    Danté always played the underdog. He never geared up in flashy clothes or jewelry, and a majority of everybody looked past him as far as money. No one called him weak or referred to him as a sucker or lame. He was just the quiet type who had a good eye for things.
    Twenty months ago, he and Rodney had started their petty robbery spree. They’d only hit one lick, and then with the second one, they got greedy and tried to rob two guys who kept driving around in a new BMW after a Glen Hills basketball game. The robbery turned into a shootout, leaving one guy dead and the other seriously wounded. Witnesses pointed out Rodney, but no one knew Danté was his co-defendant. When it was time for Rodney to go to court, Danté had already started his grind with the crack. The first four thousand he made he got Rodney a lawyer. Even though that move left him flat broke, it earned him a reputation in the hood of being a good nigga. And with that, the other players in his hood chipped in to help Rodney, who came out good with the manslaughter charge that resulted in him serving four years out of a ten-year sentence.
    When Danté opened the driver side door, the interior lights illuminated the hog and most of the dark garage. He sat on the leather seat with his feet still on the concrete. He turned the key switch backwards and pressed a button on his new car system. Eric B & Rakim thumped from the Kenwood twelve’s. The garage door rattled, and the car thumped so hard that the bass vibrated his entire body. He bobbed his head with a grin on his face. This was no more than motivation, a stepping stone that made the adrenaline rush through his body. He was lost in thought again, when Summer suddenly appeared next to him holding the cordless house phone.
    He looked up at her and asked, “Who is it?”
    She moved her lips and mouthed, Rodney.
    He took the phone without hesitation. “Wuzzup, my nigga?”
    “Same ol’ shit on my end,” Rodney said. “How everything goin’ on yo’ end?”
    “I’m holdin’ shit down here,” he responded with a smile. “You got da’ package and money?”
    “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Rodney shot back. “I heard you got a new ‘Lac, nigga. You must be touchin’ some major bread.”
    “I will be when you come home. And you know I gotcha, dawg.”
    There was a short pause.
    “Man, please don’t let anything happen to my lil’ sista,” Rodney told him.
    “You know she’s in good hands, man.”
    “And you know I believe you…”
    “And I believe I’ma set you straight when you touch.”
    “I’m feelin’ dat’ shit.” Rodney paused before asking, “Can you make a three-way fo’ me?”
    “What’s da’ number?”
    “Call my mama’s house.”
     Back inside the house, Summer had the twins dressed alike in denim Guess jeans and jackets and tiny Air Jordan’s. They each wore a fine gold chain with their names on them. She brushed their long, wavy hair toward the back and bunched it together in a ponytail. They were ready to go visit their grandmamma.
     
     
     

Chapter 9
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Danté pushed the Caddy like he’d been born behind the steering wheel. Summer played the passenger side like no other lady could. Even though she was pregnant, it didn’t stop her from sporting a bright red leather blazer, a white turtleneck, jeans, and leather riding boots the same color of her jacket. Her shoulder-length hair was wavy. She looked extremely good, with her thinly arched eyebrows and fluffed lashes. Not only was Danté showing off his new ride, he had the woman to go with it.
     The Caddy pulled up to the rear of a line of cars. The family was here today. Her aunt and two uncle’s cars were amongst the rest. Summer scanned the yard and the driveway for her brother’s car, but didn’t see it. She looked relieved because she didn’t want to see him anyway. Danté turned off the car and looked at