“Fine but don’t have me out here looking stupid.”
East chuckled and pulled her closer. When she bent in his direction, they shared a kiss. “That’s not even me, so you don’t have to worry. Another chick will never be a problem for us unless you allow her to be. That’s my word. Now, where you heading?”
Joi frowned at his question. She had planned on spending the rest of her day with him. “Home, I guess, if you’re busy.”
“I have a few things to take care of. I’ve been neglecting the fuck out of this paperwork. Then I have something I need to handle when I leave here. I won’t be long though.” East’s eyes discreetly surveyed Joi’s neck. The bruises were barely there anymore but it didn’t change the fact that Reg was going to see him.Today.
“Things like what? I can wait.”
“Joi, go home, or to my crib, and I’ma see you in a few hours.” East delivered a stern look, praying to escape an argument or more questions. When Joi relaxed and offered one last kiss instead of debating him, he relaxed too. Relationship shit was hard for a person who had to learn to take someone else’s feelings into account. That wasn’t something he was used to, but he was getting better at it. However, some shit just wasn’t gonna change, like him exposing every move he made. Joi would have to deal with it if they were going to stay in this. It was nonnegotiable.
25
Patterson walked over to the car parked across the street from his home. He nervously flipped open the snap that kept his gun secure and allowed his hand to rest there. The closer he got, the more anxious he became. The bruised ribs he experienced from the last encounter were still very much fresh and barely healed.
After stopping a few feet away, Patterson narrowed his eyes at the driver of the black SUV. He only grinned, getting out at the same time. He also wasn’t alone because an equally intimidating figure stepped out of the passenger side and rounded the front of the truck, stopping next to his partner. Muscle and Death, as they were dubbed, stood with snide grins creasing their lips while they waited to hear what Patterson had to say.
“Someone’s gonna call the cops on you. You can’t just sit out here looking like you’re about to rob someone. This neighborhood?—"
“You are the fucking cops, muthafucker. They gon’ call you?” Muscle questioned with a slick tone and grin that matched. His left brow hiked slightly because he was amused. So was Death, who snickered like a child.
“I’m a detective. Not a gotdamn cop.” Patterson was fighting for some type of respect that he knew he didn’t deserve. He had taken an oath but hadn’t upheld it. The dirty money he stole and bullied out of people was proof.
“You’re a dirty ass pig is what you are. One who owes my boss a lot of fucking money. Money you need to be paying up soon. How those ribs feeling today?” Death smirked, clasping his hand in front of his waist while he reminisced about the gut punches and body blows he and Muscle hand delivered to Patterson as a reminder that their boss was losing patience with him.
“Look, I’m gonna pay up. My time is not up yet?—"
“Oh, you’re definitely going to pay up, if not…” Muscle cracked his knuckles while Death made a gun motion with his fingers which he aimed at Patterson’s head. Patterson gritted his teeth and flexed his fingers over his gun. But Muscle’s voice and the back window of the SUV they were standing in front of easing down caused Patterson to rethink his plan. He noticed the barrel of a Draco positioned at the window aimed right at him.
“Be easy, muthafucker. Ford don’t miss.” Muscle and Death both smirked while Patterson’s jaw flexed. “Time’s running out. This is just a friendly reminder.” Muscle winked at Patterson before he opened the driver’s door. Death rounded the front again and eased into the passenger side.
“We’ll see you around,” was his last warning before both men were inside and pulling away.
Patterson released a breath, exhaling his frustration and fear. “I need this fucking money,” he mumbled under his breath just as he noticed Asako coming down the street. She whipped into his driveway and he made fast, long strides to reach the car, yanking it open before she stopped the engine. She glared at him, pulling away just enough to shut her car off before Patterson gripped her forearm to remove her from the vehicle.
“I hope you have good news for me,” he growled with an aggressive tone and angry stare. He was frustrated and at wits’ end. If she couldn’t get close to East to get the money he needed then he was as good as dead.
Asako sensed his desperation and normally would have cowered but she used it to her advantage. East showed no interest in her, but Patterson didn’t know that. She had watched the odd exchange with the two men who had been parked across the street from Patterson’s house and put it all together. They were pressuring him, which meant he was desperate.
“I do but I need assurance that you’re actually going to stick to your word. First, show me the gun. Once I know you really still have it, I’ll tell you what I know.”
Patterson frowned at her, surveying her face in an attempt to feel her out. After a few seconds passed Asako pulled away. “Fine, you don’t want to play nice then I’ll wait it out and let them kill you. Even if you have the gun, you can’t use it if they kill you first.”
Rage flooded his body in a matter of seconds, causing an over the top reaction. He pulled Asako’s toward his house with long, aggressive strides.
“I don’t know what the hell you think you saw or know but?—"
“What I know is those men aren’t your friends. Especially not if they pulled a gun on you. You’re into something and it’s not good. You need me, so now things have changed. You want to know what I know or not?”
Seething, Patterson considered his next move before he gave in. “Fine, but it better be good.”
“It’s more than good. Show me the gun and I’ll make your day.” She smiled confidently while her stomach was in knots. She didn’t have a plan and she also knew that there wouldn’t be one. East wasn’t biting and he wouldn’t. At this point she needed to really know what she was dealing with. If he had the gun andshowed her where it was, she could likely steal it and run. It was the only thing he had on her. There was a possibility of Patterson sending Vega after her but admitting her role in Vega getting locked up would mean admitting his role in it as well. Asako was sure Patterson wouldn’t take that risk. Or at least she hoped.
“Let’s go. I’ll show you but then you tell me how the hell you’re gonna get this money for me.”
Once inside, Patterson headed to his room, and when Asako followed, he stopped her at the door, slamming it in her face. He was desperate but not dumb. After removing the gun from the safe bolted to the floor in his closet, he left his room and joined her again.
“Here it is, now talk.”
