“Yeah.”
“Prime.” His voice was warm but businesslike. The way it always was when he wanted something. “How you doing, son?”
“I’m good. What’s up?”
“The parole hearing is Monday.”
My jaw tightened. I’d known it was coming, but hearing it out loud made it real.
“Aight. I’ll have Zahara and the boy there.”
“Good.” Rashid paused. “And Prime—don’t make any trouble for Meech. Whatever feelings you got about him, whatever history—leave it at the door. This is about getting him home.”
I wanted to argue. Wanted to tell Rashid that dragging Zahara to a prison to face her past wasn’t sitting right with me. That something about this whole situation felt off.
But I owed Rashid. Owed him everything.
“I said I’ll have them there,” I repeated. “I keep my word.”
“I know you do, son. That’s why I trust you.”
He hung up before I could say anything else.
I stood on the sidewalk, coffee getting cold in my hand, and tried to shake off the irritation crawling up my spine.
Monday.
Two days from now, I’d be walking Zahara into a parole hearing for a man I didn’t know, for reasons I didn’t fully understand, because Rashid asked me to.
And I had a bad feeling about all of it.
I was almost backto the penthouse when my phone buzzed again.
Justice.
Not a call this time. A text. With a link.
Justice:You see this shit???
I clicked the link. A Washington Post article loaded on my screen.
The headline made me stop walking.
“Vive Liquor Executive Dante Oldsman Exposed: Affair, Embezzlement, and Money Laundering Scheme Revealed”
I scrolled through the article, a smile spreading across my face.
It was all there. The photos of Dante with Christina Moore. The offshore accounts my guy had uncovered. The shell companies funneling money from his development firm to his mistress’s “consulting business.” Millions of dollars stolen from investors, hidden in the Caymans, now exposed for the whole world to see.
Vivica had moved fast. Must’ve taken everything I gave her and fed it straight to the press. She’d gone nuclear.
Destroyed him publicly. This would ensure that the divorce went smoothly.
Another text from Justice came through.
Justice:Casino permits approved this morning. Vivica’s office pushed them through first thing. We’re good to go.
Then another.
