“Don’t get it twisted; the neighbors know my damn name, too. She was trying to get even because I been wearing that ass out and winning. She’s very competitive, you see, and don’t like to lose.”
“Hold up! Are you telling me that y’all be in competition with one another on who gonna wear the other one out first?”
“Hell yeah! The shit be so fun because every time we step in the room, we are bringing our A game. Plus, whoever wins gets bragging rights for the week.”
I laughed out loud as I sat back in my seat. “Well, that’s one way to keep the bedroom entertaining. Y’all crazy, but it’s nice to see you happy with the one you been chasing all these years.”
Ayzo smiled as he glanced over his shoulder towards Denice’s office. “I’d gladly do it all over for her, too. Enough about us, though, what’s going on with you? I know that you are after blood for what happened back in Chicago, but is that it?”
I shrugged. “What else is there? I mean I got my new business going and once I get rid of all the muthafuckas that played in my face, then I’ll be happy.”
Ayzo hummed as he ran his thumb across his bottom lip. He stared into space for a few moments before he let out a sigh. “Look, I’ve seen my best friend literally go through that same song and dance. I know what happened to you and the Jaguars was the worst thing imaginable, but don’t surround your life around just revenge.”
I exaggerated a sigh as I stared up at the ceiling. “You sound like my father. He keeps reminding me to marry and produce an heir!”
“Uncle Chul-Moo is on to something. You’re not a spring chicken, you know.” Ayzo chuckled. “On a serious note, find at least a girlfriend within the Reapers. I know they have some nice looking women, not that I was looking.”
I laughed.
“Anyway, that should make the people down south happy for at least a year. Maybe extend that contract a little, too.”
I scoffed. “Akeno, I cannot walk around here and make believe that everything is peachy and try to find a wife when the person that fucked me over is still out there. Trust me, I understand the urgency, but I just can’t make that my main focus. Besides, I’ve seen some of the reaper woman and none of them piqued my interest.”
Ayzo nodded. “Alright. I’m going to leave you with this one reminder and leave it alone. Remember what Romans chapter twelve verses nineteen says. Leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written that vengeance is mine.”
I rubbed my chin as I stared down at the floor. I didn’t remember too many scriptures, but that one always stuck out to me. I chuckled under my breath. You would’ve thought I remembered more bible verses since I grew up with a black mom. She made sure to keep me in the church. Hell, Ayzo’s dad was the same way, but over the years, I’ve kept my distance. Not because I’ve lost my faith or didn’t believe, but it was just that I’ve done some terrible, unforgivable things throughout my life. I just felt that God was too disappointed in me to forgive me. Deep in my heart, I knew that wasn’t true because God was merciful and forgiving, but there was always that tiny voice in my head telling me I was unforgivable.
Ayzo cleared his throat. “What else have you found out?”
I inhaled, shaking away my thoughts. “Honestly, nothing new. Every person on my list has pointed their fingers to June and Jackie. I still want to find the other three before I go after them. What about for y’all?”
Ayzo nodded his head. “All quiet over here.” He swished his drink around in his cup before he stopped moving. “Well, except for this one thing, but I don’t think it’s nothing serious.”
I arched my eyebrows, waiting for him to keep talking.
“Well, Nick told me that his mom confided in him that T was trying to contact her a while back. He followed up on it, but the trail was cold. No one has seen or heard from T since he kidnapped us. Hell, even the police stopped looking up until last week. I can’t believe they found his body in a dumpster. I really thought he was behind all of this.”
I nodded my head. “I thought it was him, too.”
My laptop chimed, alerting me that I had a new email. I squinted my eyes at the email address because I had never seen it before. Then again, it wasn’t uncommon for customers to message me directly about housing opportunities with my company.
Dear Mr. Adalyn,
I am in desperate need of your help and normally wouldn’t stoop down to this level, but I am out of options. I have something of yours that could put you in a bad light if it fell into the wrong hands. If you are willing to listen to me, please text me.
I scratched my chin as the cover photo of the video sat at the bottom of the email. I didn’t need to press play because I knew exactly what it was. It may havebeen months ago, but I recognized the cover. Staring at the phone number, I contemplated on hunting them down and killing them for knowing too much.
I leaned back in the chair. “Shit!”
“What’s up?”
“You remember Dash?”
Ayzo thought for a second and then nodded.
“Well, he was one of the guys that came to my house a while back.”
“Bruh! You didn’t think to tell me that earlier? You know that bitch boy was the first one to jump ship when the Cobras came recruiting.”
