“Yeah,” he nodded once.
I shook my head slightly.
“Nah, I don’t think you do.”
That made him look at me. I turned just enough so he could see the seriousness on my face.
“That wasn’t no random lick. This was calculated.” I paused. “And them bricks?” I exhaled through my nose. “That ain’t just lost product, that’s lost money.”
Sha didn’t say anything right away. So, I said it for him.
“Tony’s not going to take this gently.”
Tony was our partner out in D.R. When I took over the Ruiz Cartel, it was highly recommended that I move to the Dominican Republic, just how my brother Ty had done before me, but that wasn’t my speed. So, Tony was the one out there with his feet on the ground, managing things from that side. The man wasbasically family to us, but even a line could be drawn in between family when money is involved. Sha shifted a little, then finally spoke.
“I already thought about that.”
“Oh yeah?”
He nodded while sitting up straighter now.
“I’ll cover it.”
I stared at him for a second.
“Cover it… how?”
“This is my mistake, so I’ll take the loss,” he said simply. “I’ll pay it off.”
Silence filled the car again. And I studied him this time. And I mean really studied him. This wasn’t just talk. he meant it.
“You sure you ready for that?” I asked with a quieter tone. “That ain’t no small number.”
“I’m good for it,” he replied without hesitation.
I knew without hesitation that I could cover the loss, and, being that he was in this game with me, he should have been able to, but I don’t check people’s pockets. I had businesses and a whole bunch of other shit that brought in money. All Sha had was the game. I leaned back slightly while letting his response sit. Truth was, this is exactly why I put him in position. But being in position comes with pressure. It comes with responsibilities, and one of the biggest ones is having all the solutions to problems.
“And after that? What are you going to do about who did it?” I asked.
On the day of the robbery, I was ten toes trying to assist with the get back, but Sha told me it was for him to handle. I told my boy years ago that I was taking a back seat to the streets, period, and he was letting me do just that. His jaw tightened just a little. I knew that he hated to be questioned. But whoever did this hit my business, and the feeling it gave me in the pit of my stomachis something that I could not deal with. The man in me was bothered by being touched so closely.
“I’m handling it,” he said.
Honestly, I didn’t doubt that he wouldn’t handle it. Still, I had to ask. I watched him for another second before giving him a slow nod.
“Aight,” I said. “That’s what I needed to hear.”
He glanced at me, staring at me directly in the eyes this time.
“I got it,” he said again, doubling down on reassuring me.
“I know,” I replied. “That’s why you’re in that seat.”
The tension eased just a little, but not enough to relax. I looked back out the windshield. My eyes narrowed slightly as my mind kept moving. Money could be replaced. Parts could be replaced. But respect? That was a different conversation. I know that I told him that I would let him handle things, but this shit felt too personal to me.
“Whenever you find the culprits put me on, I think I need to step outside to remind niggas exactly who I am.”
He gave me this unsure look, but, being that my tone was serious, he didn’t fight me on my decision.
