Page 10 of When a Soul Cries

“That’s what I pay them for.”

Her smile widened. “You’re a difficult man to get alone, Rome.”

“Roman,” I corrected. “And you didn’t hire me to be easy.”

My phone vibrated before she could say anything else. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen.

KAI

I declined the call.

He called again almost immediately.

Yasmine lifted an eyebrow. “Important?”

“Annoying.”

I answered.

“Somebody better be dead.”

“Nobody’s dead yet, but Sugga said you must be working on it.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means she told you to buy groceries, and her refrigerator is still empty. She said if she opens that motherfucker one more time and sees nothing but butter and baking soda, she’s burying both of us.”

“Why are you included?”

“Sugga believes in equal-opportunity discipline.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, fighting a smile. “Why can’t you go?”

“Because she asked for her dependable son.”

“Then why are you calling me? I thought that was you.”

“See, this is why I don’t help your ungrateful ass.”

“You haven’t helped me do anything.”

“I’m reminding you, ain’t I?”

“You’re getting on my nerves. That’s what you’re doing.”

“And yet, you answered.”

“Because you kept calling.”

“Persistence is one of my best qualities.”

“So is being unemployed in everybody else’s business.”

“I have a job.”

“What job?”

“Keeping this family together.”