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“It’s still early, but I just got a call. We need to talk. Shower and I’ll fix you some coffee while I wait for you down in my office.”
The urgency in his energy suddenly felt familiar. Being silly, I sat up in his bed and leaned forward, pretending to listen keenly, cupping my right ear.
“What’s up with you?”
“Listening out for an errant smoke detector or an angry parole officer.” I smiled widely and rubbed my eyes again. Jas knew my sense of humor by now. He should have also known I wouldn’t let him live that chaotic experience down. But we were so far from that dreadful April morning, it was easy to joke about it. “Remember that god-awful day?” A yawn started in my chest, shooting from my mouth as my arms pushed over my head in a deep stretch. When I opened my eyes, Jas was steeled over the bed, eyes locked into my naked breasts. “Oh, stop! I told you about this after letting you have your way with them all last night.” I rolled my eyes. “Once my period comes, they’ll look like normal again.” I’d hoped.
The muscles in his face loosened and a coolness in his mood stretched Jas’ forehead. “I’mma let you get dressed. Meet me downstairs.”
Winking, I snapped my fingers, forming a gun with my right hand. “Gotcha, Sin.”
Jas’ office was huge. Rich maple wood flooring, a paisley wool rug lay center the room. A patio was just off the room and the views were unfair. One side was of the manicured lawn and the other of the dancing lake. The room wasn’t packed with furniture, but full enough to be considered a functional office. Juggy was sitting on the corner of the desk, tapping into his cell while Jas was on the phone.
Jas’ heavy, loving eyes hit me and it felt as though I glided toward him. He pointed to one of the chairs in front of the desk. I swear, I could easily forget this man’s nefarious past simply by his lifestyle and posture. There were no dark spots around Jas’ eyes, hard scars on his face, or a tell-tale sway in his walk from sagged pants—unlike Juggy. I still found it hard to believe Jas was a gun-dealing murderer for hire. It was an alleged fact I didn’t like to give too much thought to,especially today. But now was the time.
Jas hung up the phone and issued Juggy a nod.
“You good on the coffee?” Juggy asked me.
I glanced down at the mug Jas was sure to select with my first initial. “Why, Jug? You gonna run out toBrown Baristasif I say no?”
With the most hilarious, yet endearing roll of the eyes, Juggy stood from the desk to leave. “You know I would, Shi-Shi.” His voice was spiritless and sad even.
That concerned me. There was too much brewing in the air onLake Sha’Ronthis morning. I tossed a questionable gaze to Jas. “Did he hear us last night…this morning?”
With a deadpan expression, Jas left his chair and rounded the desk, squatting against it in front of me. His eyes were toward the floor, Jas, too, appearing dejected. He wiped his face with both palms. “Look, Ashira,” he sighed. “I’m sorry. Iswear—” He took another breath and suddenly, I was worried. “Ain’t no other way to handle this but being straightforward. I know you say I hide shit and that, in turn, don’t make you feel respected. I get that, so I’m gonna just come with it. Especially in light of what went down with my pops last night.”
When he paused, I murmured, “Except you aren’t. You’re stalling and that shit annoys me, too.”
He pinched his beautiful lips with his thumb and finger, eyeing me from head to toe. “Ashira, back in February, Dan Lewinski and his team came toRizzo’s Custom Homesand pitched a merger.”
I nodded, knowing that bit of information. “You know he did the same withWitherspoon Homes. My father signed. I told you that a while ago.”
“Yeah.” He pulled in a deep breath through his nostrils. My love was struggling with something.
I reached over and clasped his hard abdomen with my free palm and clawed with coffin-shaped nails for comfort—mine and his. “Jas, I know you’re the CEO ofRizzo’s Custom Homes, but you don’t ever have to worry about competitor’s conflict between the two firms. For one; you and I are solid, and two; I’m practically out of the business. I haven’t been to the office in weeks. I’m living out my vacation days.” I winked.
And I haven’t been “vacationing” alone, apparently…
“Yeah, but it’s deeper than that. The only way I can break it down is by walking this out. When Lewinski was atRizzo’sgiving his pitch, he mentioned having a son, Danny. I ‘on’t know how, but almost right away, I knew who the kid was. We were in the county together—jail—when I was on trial. I helped him out with a gang fuckin’ with him, which allowed him to finish his time in that facility without harassment. Fast forward to February, when I learned about the connection, it clicked for me. I found Danny Lew, which is what I knew him as in the pen. We met up and I asked for him to pay out his debt.”
“From jail?” Jas nodded. “How many years ago was that favor?”
“Many, but for people in that life, those debts never expire.”
A faint, hopeless smile lifted on my face. “But you’re not in that life anymore, Jas,” my voice but a whisper.
“I’m not, but old dogs master old tricks. It wasinstinctive—”
“What did you do?” I demanded, my brain moving faster than Jas’ words.
Something smelled very wrong here.
Jas’ eyes fell again, lips twisted before he answered, “I asked him for a partnership.”
“How? Dan Lewinski would never allow an outside partnership to his legacy. He’s a fucking racist bastard, too. My father has stories of the good ol’ boys club for days, starring both Lewinski and Paulie Rizzo.”
Jas’ head nodded softly. “Danny Lew told me his pops would be retiring by the end of the year and he’d be taking over.”
