“So what’s the plan? We just roll up in there?”
East glanced at Vega, who was in the passenger seat of his car, before his eyes landed on his phone which vibrated with a text notification from his lap.
“The four of us leave for Miami tonight. Commercial flight. We can do first class, but it needs to be commercial, so it’s documented. You and I take the jet back to Atlanta later tonight. The manifest will only have his lawyer’s name listed. He’ll be with us. He’s meeting a client, which will also be documented, so there is a record of why the jet made the flight. We do what needs to be done then fly back. We stay in Miami for a few days then catch our return flight. I’m tired of fucking with his ass. It would be just as easy to walk up on him and empty a clip but I’m not trying to risk what comes with that. I’m sure you’re not either.” East immediately thought of Joi, his mother, and sister.Prison was never an option for him. In his younger days, he killed cautiously but even then it was risky.
“And his people?” Vega knew of Cabo but didn’t know him personally. The fact that East trusted him was a good thing, but Vega still had to consider the alternative. Even as discreet as they planned on being, others were involved. This lawyer he knew nothing about nor the flight crew.
“They make enough money to keep their mouths shut. We don’t exist to them, and if they consider the alternative, I’m sure the fear of losing their lives or their families will make the decision for them. Cabo is careful but more than anything he’s smart about who he keeps around him. We’re good.”
Vega processed it a moment longer before he nodded his approval then verbalized it. “Aight I’m in.”
East kept his expression neutral but extended a closed fist to Vega which he met. “Joi already reached out to Ny. She said she’s cool on the trip. I’ll let y’all work that out. There’s a flight tonight at six. We can catch that one.”
“Aight, I have to move a few things around but we’ll be there.” East offered Vega a nod before he climbed out of his car. When Vega was gone, East lifted his phone and read the text from his mother, hitting her right back to let her know he was on his way. In the process, Nae opened his passenger door and eased into the seat. She looked at him hesitantly before she dropped her eyes and sucked in a deep breath.
“I uhh…” When she lifted her eyes to him again to find his cold, threatening stare on her, she fumbled over her words. “I uhh…I’m pregnant.”
East’s entire face stoned over and his eyes narrowed into slits before he shook it off and laughed. “You’re a gotdamn trip. I know good and damn well you’re not about to say it’s mine because we both know better. I always strapped up, and eventhen, I only nutted in you with a condom on a few times because I don’t trust you.”
Nae’s face dropped from the statement but it wasn’t anything new. East wasn’t lying. “No, I’m not about to say it’s yours.” Her eyes rolled, but East missed it because his focus was on Joi pulling up behind him. He was praying Nae hurried this little interaction along but there was no way Joi wouldn’t see her in his car once she was out of hers.
“Then why the fuck you telling me about your personal shit?” He grilled her hard, causing Nae to suck her teeth. Her feelings were hurt but there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. Even she wasn’t sure why she was there telling him. Desperation and hope that he would react was all she could come up with. East had moved on and given another woman what Nae thought she deserved.
“It’s Numbers’ baby. I just didn’t want you to hear it from him. I felt I owed you at least the respect of telling you.”
East’s face split into a grin. He was amused as hell by her so-called reasoning. “You’re pregnant by my boy and thought you needed to tell me, personally. Why, Nae? What you do don’t have shit to do with me. We didn’t rock like that. I’m the one who put him on you in the first place. I don’t give a fuck what y’all have going on. He know? You told him yet?”
Nae rolled her eyes then looked out the window. She saw Joi approaching in the side mirror and felt slightly vindicated knowing her presence would potentially cause East problems. He deserved it in her opinion. As sad and pathetic as it was, the thought gave her joy.
“Yes, he knows. He told me to get rid of it.”
East chuckled, thinking about his boy. He knew for certain Numbers didn’t want kids, at least not now, he had said it a million times.
“Don’t be so happy.”
East smirked and looked up at Joi standing on the curb next to his car. The look on her face was deadly and he pushed out a short sigh before raking his hand down his face. “Look, let me get out first ’cause I can’t control what she’s gonna do to you if she gets to you before I get to her.”
“Fuck you and her. If she puts her hands on me, I’ll sue the shit out of both of y’all,” Nae gritted but didn’t move. East laughed arrogantly and got out. When he rounded his car and got to Joi, he pulled her behind him and yanked his car door open, waiting for Nae to get out, talking at the same time.
“I’ll explain but don’t touch her stupid ass because she’s pregnant and I’m not trying to let you have those types of legal problems.”
“Are you serious right now?” Joi tried to step around East, but he pushed her back, turning quick enough to pin her against the front passenger side of his car with his body.
“Yeah, I’m serious. You not gon’ put your hands on her because she’s pregnant and no, it’s not mine. Ain’t no fucking way so don’t even let that thought process. It’s Numbers’ baby, so she says, or whoever else is in her line up.”
“Bruh, fuck you. I’m not a hoe.”
Joi cut her eyes at Nae and smirked. “Could have fooled me.”
Nae took a step in their direction but East cut off the next one. “Bring your ass over here and I’ll let her go. What happens is on you.”
Nae and Joi had a stare down before Nae sucked her teeth and retreated, crossing the street to her job. Joi watched with fire in her eyes until East gripped her chin, forcing her eyes on him.
“She isn’t pregnant by me.”
“You sure?”
“A hundred fucking percent,” he said with confidence.
