Cabo chuckled and winked at her, catching her hand just before she moved out of range. After a kiss to her wrist, he let her go.
“Have a seat,” he then instructed East.
“Thank you for flying in to meet with me. I don’t trust discussing certain things over the phone. I would have come to you, but I had a lot going on tonight. It’s a big night for us here.” Cabo looked around his family’s restaurant that had recently reopened. It belonged to his father for years and was handed down to him. Cabo had spent six figures in renovations and preparing for the reopening taking place tonight.
“It’s straight, but what was so important?”
“A few things.” Cabo leaned back and raked his hand down his face before placing both in front of him and intertwining his fingers. “Navi.”
East chuckled in a cocky manner and shrugged. “She’s not my problem. She’s yours.”
“Understood. You want to tell me what the issue is? I have her version already.”
“You know the people that work for you. You already know what the issue is. I won’t fuck her and she’s in her feelings about it,” East stated coolly.
Cabo exhaled a short breath, nodding. “I won’t send her to you anymore.”
“I know you won’t,” East stated with confidence, looking Cabo right in his eyes. A slow smile surfaced because Cabo could only respect how cocky East was.
“Women complicate things. I try to be an equal opportunity employer. It generally works in my favor but women like Navi just don’t understand certain things…”
“Like?”
“Like the fact that there are men in the world who understand the value of keeping their dick in their pants. Especially where money and business are concerned.”
“Again, not my problem, yours.”
“Indeed. Now, this Detective Patterson…”
East’s jaw tightened at the thought. It took everything in him not to just roll up on Patterson and unload a full clip. That was the reckless thing to do. East was cautious and calculated. Every move he made had to make sense, which was why his sudden attraction and need for Joi frustrated him. Their connection didn’t make sense.
“That look is exactly why I wanted to talk to you.” Cabo chuckled, knowing East’s thoughts without actually hearing them. “What do you know about him?”
“I don’t know shit about him because I’m not in the streets like that anymore. I move differently now, which you know. In fact, the only thing I know is that he’s dirty as fuck and wants to get in my pockets. Ace pretty much confirmed it.”
“Ace?” Cabo shook his head and laughed at the name. He had very little respect for the man but chose to keep his thoughts to himself.
“Yeah. He hit me up a little before Patterson showed up at my place. Said he had eyes on him. I told him I would cancel his ass before I handed over a dime.”
“Which I don’t doubt, but it’s not a good move. There’s no perfect solution for a man like Patterson and you don’t want it coming back on you.Idon’t want it coming back on you.”
East smirked. “I’ve handled that type of situation more than enough times to feel confident that it won’t come back on me.”
Cabo chuckled, knowing with certainty East had. “I’m well aware, but my point is, I’ve done a little research. He’s in debt to some people who aren’t very forgiving about open tabs. That works in your favor. I would be willing to bet my life, if Patterson’s debt is paid in full, his grantor would have no issue handling him for you.”
“I’m not paying his debt and I can handle him on my own.”
“I’m not asking you to pay his debt. I would be more than willing to do it. Call it maintaining a stress-free workenvironment. If you have issues that prevent you from doing what you do, that creates a problem with my cash flow.”
East understood the logic behind Cabo’s offer but still wasn’t feeling it. He didn’t need anyone handling issues for him.
“Nah, I’ll take care of him my way.”
“East…” Cabo dragged his hand down his face, sitting up and leaning onto the table. “I get it. I know who you are and I know who you’ve been. It’s the reason I respect you so much. Things are different for you now. You spent years out there getting your hands dirty. You really didn’t have much to lose back then, but now you do. You said a year then you’re done, correct?”
“What does that have to do with anything?” East flexed his jaw but remained calm.
“It has everything to do with everything. One year and you’re done. As much as I hate it, because you’re one of the best I have, I respect your choice to move on. I also appreciate you grooming Chuck to fill that void when you’re officially done. Let me be frank, I’ve known you for years and not once have I seen an attachment. Navi has been flirting with you for years and not once have you demanded I cut her off. You’re changing and I like to think it has something to do with a certain person.”
