Page 70 of Gang of Roses: Dice

Without another word, he turned and guided me down the hallway, his hand never leaving my ass as we disappeared behind the closed bedroom door.

It was gonna be a long night… I hoped he could handle these answers.

We’ll see.

Chapter 11

Ritz “Radar” Monroe

Four Months Later

Iwalked the property at High Stakes Monroe Casino in Las Vegas, taking everything in. This shit was finally coming together. Vegas really was the city that never slept. It was just as alive at three in the afternoon as it was at three in the morning.

Rows of brand-new slot machines stretched across the casino floor. Upstairs was where I kept all the high-stakes tables. Back in Magnolia, they were tucked off in the rear, but I figured I’d switch things up down here. A lot of people would probably think putting the money upstairs made it easier to get to, but that was exactly what I wanted them to think. I even left a dummy camera overlooking one of the exits. If a muthafucka got brave enough to try something, they were gonna find out real quick. I might’ve become a businessman, but Radar was still very much alive. A nigga would be picking out flowers if they mistook my success for softness.

“How you liking everything?” Toni asked.

“Whew...” I looked around the casino and shook my head. “If I’m keeping it a buck, this still feels like a dream.”

“You deserve it, Mr. Monroe.”

Mr. Monroe? Funny how four months with one woman could make a title I’d answered to for years feel like it belonged to her. The name I heard all day, which would leave me with a headache most days, now activated my body as if it were a command.

A tap on my shoulder brought me back.

“Did you hear me?” Toni laughed.

“My fault. What’d you say?”

“I said I’ve noticed a change in you since we started this project, and I have to admit... it looks good on you.”

A grin pulled at the corner of my lips.

“'Preciate you.”

“I still can't believe you have a son.”

I laughed.

“Shit... me either.”

On Revv’s second birthday, I let Magnolia Times Magazine break the story with a picture of my little family. Shit moved fast, but I didn’t give a fuck. The moment I switched up my routine, laid my mans back in his wet and juicy permanent home, and me and G-Baby finally had that much-needed conversation, it was a wrap. I was single. She was single. Revv deserved for us to give this thing a real chance, and that’s exactly what we did.

I couldn’t complain if I wanted to.

Anera called a couple of times and even popped up at the casino, thinking my answer had somehow changed. It hadn’t. I never led shawty on, and I damn sure wasn’t about to start. The second time she decided to pull up just so happened to be the same day G-Baby was waiting on me outside. Let’s just say Anera met Dice, and once G-Baby pulled that damn Glock, that slick shit Anera came with disappeared real quick. I ain’t heard from her since.

She got that ass fucked to next Tuesday with that toxic shit.

We continued to walk through the establishment, and I couldn’t be prouder of myself. Tonight we were kid-free, and G-Baby had something planned for my birthday. It was time for me to get back to Magnolia Valley, and quick, before this girl started tripping.

My phone started vibrating, and I already knew it was no one but my G-baby.

As soon as I answered, she started without so much as a hello.

“How long are you gonna be?” she asked.

This damn girl.