“You must’ve grown up in a different house from his sorry ass,” Farrah teased.
My traitorous ass sister smirked. “He really embarrassing.”
I shook my head as I stood and walked off to take the call. It was Saquin.
“Quin, you slipping! I went to see Mama Aline the other day. She said you missed your visit. You can’t be doing Granny like that, now,” I scolded as I walked into my office.
He was already breathing hard, scared for his life and his grandmother’s. Ms. Aline had grown on me. My Shorty OG would be here until the good Lord called her home. Saquin… well the jury was still out on that.
“I-I know you wanted one thing, but I think I got the other,” he said hurriedly.
“We’ll be there in ten,” I promised. “Seth?—”
He cut me off before I could finish what I was yelling. “Already got my keys and my gun. Where we going?” he asked as he joined me.
“Saquin’s. Then we moving on Black,” I said.
He smiled. “Thought you’d say that.”
By the time Ajani, Braeden, and Prime met us outside Saquin’s house, I had the address: a private back room inside a cigar loungeRamónused for meeting suppliers and discussing his money-laundering “consulting firm.” Black had run out of town but came back because business demanded it. He no doubt planned to be in and out. There’d be no out for his ass.
We walked in at the same time. The hostess froze when she saw us, like she knew instinctively that we were trouble. We kept moving.
“Looking for the private rooms,” I said.
She didn’t ask which one. Just swallowed hard and led us down the hall. When she opened the door,RamónBlack looked up and went pale.
Good.
He stood too fast from his seat in a plush, blue wingback, knocking his drink over. “Mekhi. Son. You didn’t call?—”
“Sit,” I said.
He sat.
“If you gentlemen would excuse us,” Seth said in his most cordial voice.
It didn’t hurt that they knew we had the gunpower to back up the request. They scurried out like roaches startled by light. Prime closed the door behind them, locking it.Ramónswallowed, adjusting his jacket, trying to regain his composure.
“There must be some misunderstanding?—”
“Same shit I said when I realized you were letting Trell use your organization like it’s a rental car,” I said, stepping closer to him. “Explain that to me.”
Ramón looked at me, then Seth, then the others. Fear crawled across his face.
“Mekhi… you don’t understand. It’s not simple.”
I smiled, crossed my arms over my chest. “So, make it simple.”
He hesitated long enough for my patience to evaporate.
I grabbed his collar and slammed him into the wall so hard the paintings rattled. The two men he had with him approached but stopped as Braeden cleared his throat.
Prime chuckled. “Let ‘em. You know how long it’s been since I got to be the muscle.”
“Talk,” I snapped atRamón.
His breath hitched. “I didn’t want to do this.”
