Page 26 of Desperate Measures
“Had to handle something first,” I replied, locking the car behind me. I got into his, and he lit his blunt. He raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. He never did.
“Bro, I gotta holla at you about something,” he said, passing the blunt after he’d just taken two pulls.
“What’s on your mind?”
“Venus.”
I laughed, taking a slow pull. “What else is new? You never really fucked with her anyway.”
“True. Only tolerated her ‘cause of you and Red. But she been moving funny for a minute now.”
“You know I don’t get involved in Crim’s life. If I did, y’all wouldn’t have even happened.”
He shrugged. “That was a loss you had to take. I was never letting Crimson go.”
“Shit, I feel you. Hope you feel the same about me and Zahara.”
“I don’t get in Zahara’s business. But before you go there, close that door…which brings this full circle. Venus is foul.”
“You lettin’ Crimson get in your head,”
“Crimson doesn’t even know half of what her homegirl did to her.”
“What she do, man?” I asked, my curiosity completely piqued.
He turned to me, eyes focused even in the dim light. “You remember when I told you to send Red that 15K?”
“Yeah. Venus and my moms set that up. Said it was handled.”
He shook his head slowly. “Nah, bro. It wasn’t. Crimson never saw a dime. I talked to Ruby-”
I straightened up. “Hold up. You spoke to my moms? For what, nigga? Why didn’t you come to me first?”
“Because these hoes got you blind. And the way you let Venus move around you? I have never seen anything like it. I couldn’t risk her feeding you lies and you just rolling with it.”
“What did my moms say?”
“She claimed she knew nothing about 15K. Said she had bills and you needed money on your books.”
“What?!”
“Word. So here’s what I think: Venus gave her a little cut and kept the rest for herself. That’s between y’all to figure out. But for me? It’s not even about the money anymore. It’s theprinciple. She played her friend, lied to you, and she’s still out here smiling like nothing happened.”
I stared at the lake, the water catching pieces of moonlight like it was trying to eavesdrop.
“That's it?” I asked.
He paused. “She set Crimson and Que up.”
I turned to him fast. “Man, fuck outta here. Venus ain’t do no shit like that.”
“On my father’s grave,” he said, steady. “She did. When Red finally told me Que was her baby daddy, she said Venus introduced them, practically pushed her into his arms.”
“Knowing we had beef with Que? You sure?”
“Positive. And all that pressure she put on you to keep Crim off your visitation list?”
“She didn’t pressure me-”
