“Detective Patterson. Remember that name, Mr. Joseph. You’re my personal priority now.”
“I look forward to it, but you better proceed with caution. I’m a problem you don’t want to have. Your best can’t touch mine.”
“Is that a threat, Mr. Joseph?”
“A promise.”
East gritted his teeth just before he entered his office and the door slammed behind him. He stood a few feet away, seething at the fact that after all this time, he was under investigation. East was smart, always had been careful and detail-oriented. It was how he survived his time, so it wasn’t likely they would find anything on him outside of his association with Ace. But still, being on the cop’s radar wasn’t a problem East welcomed.
A knock on the door came through just before it opened. Chuck eased in, closing them in right after. He witnessed the entire interaction and had questions.
“What the fuck was that?”
East looked over his shoulders at Chuck before he turned to face him, leaning against his desk and folding his arms across his chest.
“Some bullshit,” East mumbled before he lifted one hand, raked it down his face and over his head. “Ten fucking years. That’s how long I was out there and never once has my name been spoken in a way that sent any of them to me.”
“Why now? What you think it’s about?”
Chuck had his hands in all aspects of East’s business. They moved a little differently now. East didn’t do deals on streetcorners. He didn’t touch anything at all; he only orchestrated it. Pounds and keys in big numbers were what he moved and not that often.
Seeing a detective in the shop asking questions had Chuck concerned.
“Greed and timing.”
Chuck’s brows dipped in, and East shook his head, allowing it to drop back as he laughed lightly. It was all coincidental that he had been connected. Vega coming home meant the cops were watching him, and in turn, they were watching Ace. East knew it was possible that meant there would be eyes on him because of his presence that night, but damn if he didn’t limit the possibility. Now, here he was.
“Vega coming home means eyes on the entire team.”
“You aren’t part of that team no more. Not like that.”
“Doesn’t matter.Timing.I was there. I half expected it, but I took a chance. A bad one. To anyone on the outside, seeing me there meant something. I was the only one welcomed into Ace’s private space. He respects me, so he handles me on a different level than anyone else. I’m family in a sense. It didn’t take a genius to see the affiliation. That same respect just put me right in the middle of some bullshit.”
“So, what now?”
“No new requests unless approved by me. With anything.”
Chuck nodded. “We changing anything?”
“Not yet. If we need to, I’ll let you know.”
“Aight, boss.”
Chuck nodded and prepared to leave. He could sense East’s mood wasn’t the best and knew he wanted to be left alone. Chuck was cool with East, but it was more an employee/boss situation. East didn’t have friends. He moved independently, which everyone knew. Chuck and Numbers, however, were the closest to East, but he still never fully gave them access to him orhis inner workings. It was a form of protection for East to keep people at a distance.
When Chuck reached the door, just before he slipped out of it, East informed him of his plans for later.
“I’ma be out a little early today. Make sure things are handled here. Check in with Numbers about the deposits. Take ours over there and put them in their safe.”
“I got you.”
With no other instruction required, Chuck left East’s office, pulling the door closed behind him. East’s hand lifted and landed hard on the desk, fist clenched in frustration before he pulled his body from where he was positioned and stepped around it. Falling into his chair, his chin dipped right after as he massaged his temple.
This was damn sure not the time for something like this to happen. He had given himself a year to be completely done and now he had to decide if that timeline needed to change.
9
The knock on her door startled Joi, even though she was expecting East. Mostly because her nerves were all over the place after the time they spent together earlier that day, the anticipation of being around him again, and…
