Remedy’s cheekbones rose as she nodded. “Yeah, my man did his big one.”
“And did!” the ladies agreed with her while clapping. That was enough to let me know that they hit it off. Remedy ended up getting pulled away from her husband by the ladies, and they all got to know her.
“She needs some damn homegirls. I don’t know how many times she dragged me to do girly shit with her,” Kross chuckled as he sent a wink in Remedy’s direction.
“My wife’s best friend, Taylor, lives out here. I’m sure they gone set some shit up with her. Good luck getting your lady off the phone. All they do is chit-chat, and spend fucking money.”
“I’m already knowing, dawg.” He shook his head while copping a seat next to me. We had a drink, catching a vibe in his spot. “I heard you got an issue on your hands.”
I scoffed at the thought of Silas. “Nigga ain’t no problem. More like an itch on my ass that I can’t reach. His pussy ass ducking all the smoke with me but keep sending his niggas at me.”
A laugh sounded from him as he stroked his beard. “From what I heard, you got his fucking crew dropping like flies out there in New York, which is why he’s down here trying to recruit niggas.”
“Sound ‘bout right. Tired of playing this little game with his weasel ass. When I catch him, I may just choke the life outta him with my bare hands.”
“Baby bro spoke highly of you, and I see how you moving up north. I’ll have my people put they ear out in the streets to get the drop on him. Once we have it, the Paper Chase Empire will slide with y’all. We family.” He extended his hand to me like a real nigga.
We shook hands, solidifying our ties. “We locked in. Whatever problem you may run across in New York, believe me, it’s handled as soon as you let me know.”
“I’ll remember that, fam. For tonight, you, your lady, and your crew enjoy y’all selves. Everything on the house.”
“‘Preciate it. I’m pretty sure my wife already extended the invite over to your wife.” We both glanced over at our wives, who were yapping up a storm and already laughing together likethey’d known each other for years. “She own Club Reign and hosting this big-ass event tomorrow tonight. Pull up. We’ll take care of you and the Paper Chase crew.”
“You sure? We roll deep, fam,” he laughed.
“We got y’all. You show love, so it’s only right for me to do the same. I’ll hit you and Zeke with the details.”
Kross and I dapped up again before he excused himself. He whispered something in his wife’s ear, and she assured him that she was fine kicking it with the ladies before he left the section alone to go tend to business around the bar.
“This shit a go?” Jersey walked over to me with a drink in hand, wanting to be brought up to speed.
I downed the rest of my drink before I nodded my head. “No doubt. Paper Chase Empire rocking behind us.”
“We ran that nigga Silas out of New York just so he could land in the palm of our hands again.”
I laughed at how I had Silas spiraling out of his fucking mind. The nigga couldn’t have anticipated my next move even if I slapped his stupid ass with it. He was moving out of fear ‘cause he knew I was closing in on him.
“I meant that shit when I said it was war. Silas and whoever fuck with him getting whacked.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
AHKEEM
Across the water,I spotted the yacht my guys, Jazzy’s homegirls, Remedy, and Kross were turning up on. They had music blasting while they danced and popped bottles. Jazzy and I were set up on a separate yacht with rose petals and champagne. Since returning from our honeymoon, we had kinda been on go, so I set up something nice for us just to enjoy each other’s company.
She was a little thrown off when I pulled her away from the gang, but once she saw what I had arranged for her, she was smiling ear to ear. We vibed out to her RnB playlist, which I snuck into her phone to share with myself while she was in the shower. My baby was a stickler for music, so I knew I had to set the scene perfectly with songs she loved.
With every step she took, her feet graced ruby red rose petals that I had scattered all over the yacht. The wind was blowing just right as she stood on the deck in her Pucci bathing suit looking at the blue waters we were sailing on.
“Pa, it’s so beautiful out here!” she squealed. “Come look!”
“I’m enjoying the view from right here. You’re just as—if not more—beautiful.” I took a drink of champagne straight out thebottle. With her face flushed red from the compliments, she looked over her shoulder at me.
She turned around and made her way to me. Her arms wrapped loosely around my neck before she sprouted up on her tippy toes to kiss my lips. “Thank you for this, Pa.”
“Anything for you.”
When I said that shit, I fucking meant it. I would go to the ends of the earth to make my baby smile. She was deserving of it all. Almost losing what we had scared the fuck out of me. I couldn’t imagine another day of waking up without her by my side. She was like the missing piece of the puzzle for me. In my life, Jazzlyn completed the full picture. She was truly the love of my life.
