When Lew suggested his sister apply to work at one of the Mills’ many businesses, I thought it was a good idea until I found out she would be working at Skip’s nightclub. Although he and I had been done for some time, I still had love for him. I knew firsthand all of the things he would do to her body if given the chance. That alone fueled my dislike for her.
“Man, don’t start that bullshit today?” Lew yelled as he mugged the both of us. “Irene, do you have something for me or not? It shouldn’t take that long for you to find out about that nigga’s dope house if you’re fucking him.”
“She’s not.” I giggled lowly as I scrolled through my phone. I was tempted to text Skip and start some shit, but I didn’t want to test my luck. “My baby daddy is very picky about the women he sticks his dick in.” Glancing up, Irene was already shooting daggers my way. “She doesn’t fit the bill.”
“While I haven’t been able to get anything from Skip…” She rolled her eyes at me before giving her attention to her brother. “I was able to get some intel from Hutch before he was murdered.”
Lew’s jaw clenched at her words. Hutch and Lil’ Tim were some of his best soldiers he brought to the city to help take over Skip’s businesses. Between them and the young guys who died when they tried to rob him in his club about a year or so back, Lew was losing men left and right. His team was falling like flies, and time wasn’t on our side. If we were going to make a move, it needed to be now.
“He has two trap houses. One on the East and one on the West. The one on the Eastside is the weakest. Not to mention… he just put a new team out there. From what I heard, the guys that work for him don’t even know it. They answer to some nigga named Money. I’ve met him a few times, and he’s just as unfriendly as Skip.”
“Fuck that nigga!” Lew roared, causing us to jump in surprise. He had this wild look in his eyes, and I knew the drugs were about to kick in. “That nigga ain’t shit, and it’s time I let him know it’s a new sheriff in town, and I’m coming for everything he’s got! Irene, I want you to keep an eye on him. In the next couple of days, I’m going to make that nigga feel me. I plan on killing him and anybody in my way.” Turning to me, a twisted look spread across his face. “If you want your daughter, you better make plans to get her. When bullets get to flying, she’s not exempt from catching one.”
Watching him stomp through the house, I jumped once he slammed the front door, knocking it off the hinges. Lew was becoming more erratic and impatient. I hoped he would be able to come through for us soon because with the way he was acting and the track record his boys had with Skip, the odds weren’t in our favor.
I heard what he’d said about Gianna. A good mother wouldn’t have put her daughter in a position to be hurt. A good mother would get her child and head for hills to keep her out of harm’s way. Too bad I wasn’t a good mother. As my man said, we could always have another child. If Skip didn’t want me or to pay me for the child, fuck them and that little girl. He and his brat could die together.
The majorityof my time in Milly Grove has been spent with Skip, and I hated to see our time together come to an end. The reality of what was waiting for me back home was anxiously sitting in the back of my mind. Yet, I knew what was expected of me. Chandler had been blowing my phone up, so I knew there would be more bullshit to deal with once I arrived backin Florida. For now, I was continuing to ignore him and my conscience. I wasn’t back home yet.
“You want to be from the Grove so bad.” Jordan chuckled as he came from the back room. “You might as well pack up and move here.”
“If only…” I sighed as I continued to look over my outfit in the mirror. I thought I looked cute in my team jersey, denim shorts, and sneakers from Wild Kicks. My face was bare, and my locs were pulled into a messy bun. The Milly Grove Shooters basketball team had a home game tonight, and I told him I wanted to attend. He didn’t complain like Chandler would have. The only thing he asked was if I wanted to sit in the press box or get floor seats. “I don’t want my vacation to end.” Turning to face him, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I think I might miss you, best friend.”
Since the night he pulled me out of the lounge, we’ve been almost inseparable. The time he wasn’t spending with his daughter or at work was with me, and I loved it. While he and I haven’t had sex, he’s been working the hell out of me with his fingers. I wanted him to fuck me so badly, but he refused. He’s told me more than once that he wouldn’t fuck me knowing I was set to marry someone else. While I respected that, I couldn’t care less. My coochie was willing and ready.
“Is that right?” He chuckled, slapping my ass. “If you want an indefinite vacation, I can make it happen. All you have to do is say the word.”
Not giving me time to answer, he kissed my nose and took an incoming call from his daughter. I’ve yet to meet her, but he’s shown me pictures. Jordan couldn’t deny her if he wanted to. She was his twin through and through and was a gorgeous little girl. While I waited for him to finish his call, I had an incoming call of my own.
“Hello, Rosier,” I answered the call from my brother with a smile. While I was still pissed about the predicament he’d thrown me in, I could never stay mad at my brother forever. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“I’m saying, sis… do you still work for me or not? I mean, a direct deposit just hit your account a few days ago, but I don’t recall the last time you worked.” We shared a laugh because I’ve always done what I wanted to do at that job. “I was just calling to let you know I was in the city and was about to pull up on you. I’ll be there in about five minutes.”
Disconnecting the call, my heart damn near jumped out of my chest. I peered over to the other side of the room and watched Jordan as he talked on his phone. He was so handsome in his black and green jersey with the matching sneakers that were a replica of mine. His hat was pulled down low over his eyes, and the diamonds in his ears twinkled brighter than the stars in the sky. The tattoos on his arms and neck were so damn sexy that I wanted to lick all over them. As I gazed at him, I began to think about all the nasty shit I wanted him to do to me until the knock at the door reminded me why he had my attention in the first place.
“Oh shit!” I jolted as the knocking continued. “You have to hide!”
“The fuck you mean?” he asked as he stuffed his phone in his pocket and mugged me. “What the fuck are you talking about, Mi? This is my shit.”
Speed walking to the door, I stood on my tiptoes and looked out the peephole. Rosier and Dre were on the other side of the door with frowns on their faces.
Why the hell were they here?Rosier had hung up before I could protest his stopping by, and he didn’t even mention Dre.
“What I told you about answering doors, Mi?” Jordan grabbed my wrist and pulled me backward. “Watch out, baby. Go finish getting ready.”
With sweat forming over my brow, I took slow steps back as he opened the door. My brother and cousin looked from him to me before slapping his hand and coming inside.
“Well, what do we have here?” Dre trailed his eyes to me as he dug into his bag of Hot Cheetos. “Y’all look cute dressed alike and whatnot.” Rosier eyed me and had yet to say anything, but Dre was on a roll. “Y’all got a lil’ date or something?”
“Something like that.” Jordan closed the door behind them as they walked further into the beach house. “Y’all cool? If I knew y’all were coming to the city, I would have planned something for all of us. You can be a third and fourth wheel if you’d like. Either way, I’m taking Noemi out tonight.” Nodding toward me, he winked. “We gotta leave in thirty, baby girl.”
Giving him a small smile, I turned on my heels to head to the room but stopped. Glancing over my shoulder, Rosier and Dre’s eyes were still on me. Walking over, I hugged and kissed both of them on the cheek, saving Rosier for last.
“I just want to have a little fun before Doomsday, brother,” I whispered in his ear. “Don’t be mad at me.”
His face showed no emotion, and for a minute, I thought I’d fucked up until he gave me a small smirk. Kissing my forehead, he pulled me into his embrace. Feeling as if I could breathe again, I left the guys in the room to chat because they clearly weren’t here for me.
As I walked into the room, I could hear my vibrating phone on the dresser. Seeing that it was Chandler, I rolled my eyes before answering. “Chandler, what do you?—”
