“That’s exactly why Icanleave. Chuck can shut things down. It’s his job anyway. He doesn’t need me here.”
“They might.” Joi shot her eyes over to Malaysia, who was across the room watching them.
“But you’re not in your feelings, right?” East chuckled and leaned back in his chair, keeping his eyes on Joi. “Let me take you home.”
“No, thank you. I don’t want to join the SHTC.”
East laughed hard. “The fuck is the SHTC?”
“The Silly Hoe Thirst Crew you treat like servicing agents. Two members just left here and I’m not trying to be your third strike.”
“You’re wild for that shit. Who says you will?”
“I’m telling you I won’t.”
“Nah, you won’t, but only because you wouldn’t let me. I respect that shit even more than my so-called silly hoe crew.”
“Silly hoethirstcrew. Let’s not leave that out.”
“Why they gotta be thirsty, though?”
The look Joi gave him had East laughing again.
“But, real shit, I give women what they ask for to a certain degree. They’re very clear about what they want, and that’s cool, but I already know that’s not you.”
East wasn’t sure why he was admitting his thoughts out loud. Most women couldn’t even get acknowledgment from him, but here he was, trying to kick it with Joi, and not in a way that would end with him making her cum. He was just feeling her at that moment and wanted more of whatever that was.
Grinning, Joi blushed and shook her head. “You’re damn right I wouldn’t, but I’m still not leaving with you.”
“So, you just hopped in the car with Vega after your girl knew him for ten minutes, while I spent the entire night with you and can’t take you home?”
East waited for her to explain the logic in her decision-making process and she couldn’t. He was right, she and Ny had both been making some irresponsible decisions lately. If she were being honest, she felt comfortable with East and wasn’t ready for their time to end.
Contemplating her next move, Joi looked over at Nyelle, who seemed to be enjoying her time with Vega just as much as Joi had been with East.
“Okay, fine. Hold on.”
East offered a nod while she left to tell Nyelle she was leaving with him. He watched their interaction, which was a lot of smiling and staring at him before East handled his own situation by letting Chuck know he was heading out. He gave simple instructions about shutting things down as well as locking the money in the safe. By the time he was done, Joi was on her way to him.
“We can go.”
“You sure she’s not gonna put out an Amber Alert on you?”
“Boy, I’m grown.”
Indeed, you are!
East simply nodded in agreement, placed his hand on the small of Joi’s back, and allowed her to lead while he followed closely. Once they made it to his car, he opened the passenger side for her, but she placed her hand on it before getting in.
“How old is your kid?” She gave him a straight face while she waited.
If he had a toddler then that meant he still had a very active relationship with his baby mom and Joi wasn’t about the shits. Men and their baby moms meant issues. The kind Joi wasn’t beat for.
East flashed Joi a charming smile and eyed her carefully. “I don’t have a kid.”
Sucking her teeth aggressively, she cocked her head to the side and pointed to the back of his car where there was a pink flowered car seat positioned behind the passenger seat.
“Then who does that belong to?”
