Page 32 of Absolute Fulfillment
“Introduced anybody to my people. Given we’ve only known one another for a few years now, I still tend to keep that type of shit separate. But you, things have been different from the start.”
“Meaning? And technically, Reminisce showed up at my doorstep.”
“Yeah, because I stayed at your crib. My siblings have my location as I also have theirs. Rem more than anybody knows I don’t do that spend a night shit. I don’t sleep next to women, even after I fucked. I just don’t… Well, I didn’t. Then you made me be your friend and we did that pill—” I started but my phone ringing through the console interrupted my statement. The Caller ID told me it was the club.
When I answered, I could hear chaos. Then her voice came into the speaker. “Boss, we have a problem. Somebody was shotinside of the club. It seems as though it was possibly a robbery gone wrong. I was in the back doing payroll when they came and got me. The cops are here and th?—”
“I’m on my way. Pull up the cameras and have the footage ready when I get there.”
“Okay.”
I glanced over at Caya, about to tell her I’d take her home, but she spoke before I could.
“No, I am going with you.”
I shook my head. “I ain’t looking for no ride or die, Caya. Just be my peace, baby.”
She squeezed my index finger before she forced a chuckle. “Good thing I’m not offering to be one. I said I’m going with you, is that a problem?”
I gritted my teeth. “You hear what the fuck I’m dealing with and you wanna ask if it’s a problem for you to come with me.”
“Loud and clear, and I told you I was going with you. Now what the fu—” she started, but I turned the radio up. I wasn’t used to things like this because I knew I wasn’t going to drop her ass off now. She was going with me.
Caya
When we got to the club there were police cars everywhere. There was also yellow tape and a good amount of people standing by the door. I immediately felt bad for forcing him to bring me here, but then again it would have taken him longer to take me home and come back. It was more feasible for me to just come with.
He turned the car off, but before we exited, his hand tightened around my thigh, holding me in place. Then his free hand found my chin and he pulled me toward him. “You ain’t never had a reason to question shit when it came to me, even when we wasn’t fucking. So don’t start now, and that challenging shit, wrap it the fuck up within two to three business days, ’causethat ain’t even for us. I tell you something; it’s for your own good. You hear me?”
I nodded, my chin in his hand like it belonged there. Then he leaned forward and pecked my lips. When we finally exited the car, he grabbed my hand and led me toward the entrance. Now more than ever I was glad I wore designer sneakers instead of the heels meant for this outfit.
When we entered the club, he let my hand go and moved toward the police who were standing in front of a woman. She looked to be in distress, but when she saw Rennix she straightened up, or at least tried to.
I watched from a few feet away as he took control of the entire situation, speaking with the cops and employees, then shutting the place down. This man exuded power and arrogance. I didn’t know much about his business but I knew from the way he handled them and from the space we had been in tonight, he had no intention of cooperating with the cops. His brother was God. I had no street ties, but I did plenty of women’s hair who lusted over that man and knew quite a bit about him. So I was aware of him and who he was. What’s funny was I was never able to put a name to a face until tonight when, to my surprise, his face nearly mirrored Rennix’s. Honestly, the same could have been said for Kinga before he was my best friend’s man. The girls loved to talk about the men heavily known in the streets while I did their hair.
“Baby.” Rennix’s voice broke my thoughts.
I blinked a few times and looked at his hand he extended for me to take. I took it and he led me toward a hall. We entered his office a few seconds later, then he pointed to the sofa near the window.
I hugged myself because it was chilly in here. “Go ahead and make yourself comfortable since you wanted to be in here so bad.”
I nodded with a grin, watching him watch me. Then he unbuttoned the denim button up he was wearing and handed it to me.
“Put this on.”
I did as he asked and went to the couch, pulling my phone from my purse. At first I intended to busy myself but seeing him glare at the monitor in front of him had me on my feet in seconds. My hands found his shoulders, gripping and massaging them firmly. He partially leaned into my touch, but he was still so tense.
“Somebody opened the back door for them to get in,” he said after watching four masked men enter the back door from an angle. He then pointed to a camera marked number eighteen on the screen and spoke. “Same motherfucker who damaged this fucking camera. Been down since the day before. Fuck!”
“What does that mean?”
“Means whatever happened tonight was planned. It was an inside job.”
“Oh, I’m sor—” I started, as he caught one of my hands and pulled it to his lips.
He started to speak, but his door was busted open. In the doorway stood Juicy, the dancer whose hair I had done that one time.
“What the fuck is this? Bitch, are you ser?—”
