Page 11 of Regancy & Savior
“Yeah.” I gritted. I knew when he called me, it was because of his shortcomings. Certain parts of my business pretty much ran itself, but when it came to those stupid ass workers like Zay, I always had to step in. Before he finished his sentence, I was already standing from my seat.
“He needs a fucking pink slip. Rest in peace to ya auntie and all, but some niggas were just born to be bums. Maybe he could pick up a paper route or something of that nature.”
I turned and looked in Taurus’s direction as he babbled. He had thrown five twenties on the table and was ready to go. He, as well as I, had grown tired of Zay’s incompetence. It was a never-ending thing with him and his inability to do his job. “A paperroute, Tau” I questioned as we exited the restaurant. It was as if he had just noticed.
“Hell yeah. A paper route because he ain’t good for shit else but that. Hell, who the fuck am I kidding? He may not even be good enough for that.”
The ride toward the lil’ joint Georgio’s was quick, and before I knew it, we were sitting in front of it.
“Why the fuck do you keep slipping your security?” Taurus asked the moment we pulled up to the restaurant.
I looked in the rearview mirror of his truck and shook my head as I watched the pissy ass security he insisted on paying pull up right behind us.
“If yeen noticed, I’m a grown ass man, dog, and I damn sure don’t need a?—”
“You tell me that dumb ass shit too much. Now, I promised Ariel that I’d have motherfuckers ready to catch a bullet for you around at all times. Now get off yo’ shit and let them niggas do their jobs, you fucking grouch.”
I shook my head. “Ariel ain’t running shit and?—”
“You know how many people wanna take your fucking head off? Let’s just be cool and make sure they don’t. That way, Mama Meg and Ariel’s ass don’t end up at my head. Remember that day you got shot?” he asked.
I chuckled, thinking back on how my mama and sister showed the fuck up and out when I got shot the day before Christmas. Ever since then, everyone had been on high alert, and I guess I understood that. “Then where the fuck is yo’ security?” I glanced over at him.
“Somewhere. I told them niggas to be present when shit goes down but gimme my space and make sure I don’t see their asses. I ain’t some lil’ bitch that needs to be protected. Now, let’s go in here and handle whatever the fuck your boy fucked up.”
He chuckled. “My boy? You meanyo’distant ass blood relative.”
“Don’t remind me.” I shook my head as we entered the restaurant. I didn’t stop at the hostess or any of that. I went straight to the back, where I was pretty sure all the fireworks were. I was right because the old man was standing his ground to Zay.
“What’s good, George?” I greeted with my lip curled. I had never had problems with him or his establishment. He paid his shit and kept it moving.
“Where I am from, if we agree on a percentage, then that is what we have. I know nothing about a higher tax.” His accent was strong, but I understood what he was saying.
I nodded my head, then glanced over at Zay.
“You went up on tax, Savior?” Taurus asked.
“Nah. Not that I know of. I was about to ask you the same shit.” My eyes remained on Zay because I was five seconds off of him.
“I heard that we were going up a?—”
Taurus ended his sentence for him with a left to the jaw. “Lemme find out you’re tryna take food out of my mouth, and on my mama, you’ll be a distant memory.” Taurus said what I was about to say, so there wasn’t shit that needed to be said from my side. I just hoped that Zay’s stupid ass wasn’t trying me like that, because if he was and I ever caught him, words would be minimal.
CHAPTER
THREE
LANE
I’d beenwith my fiancé for way too long to be out there taking the words of another man so serious. Dinner with Taurus was great to say the least, but I left that night with too much on my mind. He spoke as though he’d been there before and like he’d known me forever, when he’d only researched me. I guess that was a lot compared to my own fiancé, who only knew the things about me that he liked. Bash was a tax lawyer and hated that I chose the criminal branch. He believed it was too dangerous, whereas I was thrilled by it. I couldn’t see myself behind a desk, fighting for tax cuts and payouts. It wasn’t me, but it was the man that I agreed to marry.
“Lane, baby, where is your head?” My mother’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
I shook my head and looked at her. “Can I ask you something?” I sipped from the water in the glass in front of me.
She nodded. “Anything.”
“Do you miss it? The courtroom and?—”
