Page 18 of Macon

“I can handle it. I’m going to bring them all down. For you, Cindy, and Molly. You watch!” Dexter roars, chucking his beer across the room, shattering it.

I shake my head. He’s lost his fucking mind.

I raise my hands, shaking them, panicking. “Do not use them as an excuse. I don’t want anything to do with this. You’re going to get all of us killed.”

I knew he’d been partying more and staying out with sketchy people, but I thought it was something Steve needed him to do. I haven’t heard from Steve since I did what I was supposed to do. I finished my part and didn’t want anything to do with Steve or Dexter. That’s if Steve even knows what Dexter is up to.

I’ve stayed with Dexter out of obligation and concern for my first love, who I’ve been with, off and on, since I was a teenager. But I’m done.

“Fuck you! I’ve got shit to do,” he yells over his shoulder as he leaves my apartment, slamming the door behind him.

I sit down, pull out my phone, and look over all the text messages from last night. They all make sense now. Lee was asking if I knew about Ronny, not Dexter. I thought everyone was flipping out wondering if I knew about Dexter being there, but they wanted to see if I knew about Ronny working with Dexter.

Panicking, I send out a text to Vi and Lee.

Raydene: I’m sorry. I’m back home. NO! I had no idea about Ronny. Dex and I are fighting. I’ll be in touch.

I don’t want to say too much since I don’t know what’s happening. I knew he was getting into something bad. I’ve asked him several times to quit partying, but it’s always the same. He’s got it under control.

I know he can’t give up the lifestyle. He loves the attention that DJing brings. The parties, drugs, the clubs, and most of all, the women…he loves it all.

I found that out the hard way. He started cheating on me while I was DJing a few years back. Dexter said he’d stop, but the more he dove into drugs, the more he strayed. Everyone thinks we DJ together, but we don’t. I do it all. It’s all lies—a cover.

When I opened my contacts to call Steve, my phone suddenly rang, and it was Mac.

My heart drops, and I panic.

“Hello?” I answer softly.

“Ronny took my cousin and Doc. If you fucking know anything about this, you better fucking come clean now.” He seethes through the phone.

Chills race across my body as my heart explodes.

“What the fuck? How? When?” I yell.

“Did you fucking know?” Mac roars into the phone.

“Fuck no! Are you fucking kidding me? I hate that motherfucker!” I exclaim, pissed he would even think that.

“You better talk to your fucking boyfriend and find out what he knows,” Mac growls.

“He’s not here, but I’ll find out what he knows. I’ll come back,” I say, heading to my room to repack.

“Fucking find out,” he barks into the phone before hanging up.

My heart races.

Ronny took Lee and Ginger. Please, God, let them be okay.

My phone rings from a blocked number, and I answer immediately.

“Hello?” I rush out.

“Dey got her. Dese motherfuckers got our girl,” Vi says, breathing heavily into the phone.

Tears well up in my eyes.

“Did you know?” Vi asks.

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