“Pleasure to meet you, Dix.” Joi extended a hand, and he chuckled through a smile, exposing a dimple in his right cheek.
“We don’t talk like that around here, baby girl. That shit is too formal. I might have to check you for wires.” Vega spoke before Dix did. Joi hadn’t noticed him approaching.
“You know her?” Dix asked.
“Something like that. We’re associated by an associate.”
Joi narrowed her eyes at him. “An associate? So that’s all my girl is to you?”
“Oh shit, Vega. You set that up all wrong. I’ma let y’all handle that. Come on, Ri. Let them work this out while I teach you how to play pool.”
Ria followed right behind Dix while Vega smirked at Joi.
“Well, what the hell you grinning for? Explain or maybe you can’t while your other hoes are present.”
Vega’s smile stretched wider as Joi looked around. That’s when she noticed another familiar face staring right back at her with a deep scowl. She rolled her eyes at Nae and focused on Vega.
“I don’t have hoes. I have one woman I’m focused on and I’m sure you know who that is.We,as in you and I, are associated by her. That’s all I meant, baby girl. It’s not like you and I are cool, but we will be when I lock down your girl because apparently y’all are tight.”
“Very tight, so fuck with her and you deal with me.” Joi narrowed her eyes at Vega and he shook his head, taking a step closer, leaning toward her ear to speak privately.
“I want to fuck her, not fuck with her, and I also want to make it my mission to give her the world. I just have to wait until she’s willing to let me in, but it’s gonna happen. You don’t have to come for me. I’m not gonna hurt your Nyelle.”
When Vega stepped away, he winked at Joi, whose mouth dropped a little before she smiled. “You’re really feeling her.”
“Hell yeah. I want Nyelle and I’m gonna have her. Not on any bullshit either. Where’s she at anyway? Why didn’t you bring my baby with you?”
“She has Nick. You haven’t talked to her?”
“Not since this morning. I’m about to check in right now though. I’ll tell her I have my eye on you since you’re in my hood.” Vega smiled at Joi. It was true. This wasn’t the place for a woman like Joi to be hanging out unprotected. Not that he was worried, but just in case a muthafucker got ignorant, he would step up. She was affiliated with East in a way, but no one knew. Out of respect for East, in his absence, Vega would make sure Joi was good.
“Come on, Let’s get you a drink. What’s your poison?”
“Uhh, maybe something light. I don’t trust y’all up in here.” Vega chuckled and Joi thought about East warning her to be more careful.
“Good, you shouldn’t, but I have you, so it’s all good. You’re under my watch and Dix has your girl covered. I’m not trying to fuck shit up with Pretty Ny for letting anything happen to her girl.”
“Smart man.” Joi smiled at his confession.
To anyone who didn’t know the situation, the interaction with Vega and Joi looked intimate. That was exactly what Nae assumed, so she took pictures of the two of them, makingsure to get the ones that told a story. In her mind it was the perfect opportunity to get back in East’s good graces. He hadn’t entertained her in a minute and she knew it was because of Joi. Nae was hoping she had the perfect thing to get her back in his bed and was about to set things in motion.
“What’s up, Young G?”Ace greeted East first when he settled into the passenger seat of his car.
When East reached out and requested the two meet up, Ace didn’t hesitate. He gave him the code for a location the two were familiar with from past dealings. It was an abandoned lot on the South Side, a gated property that Ace owned. Nothing happened out there but private conversations when discretion was required. Both men parked their cars in the massive metal garages and the doors were lowered to cut off visibility.
“That’s what I’m here to find out.” Ace’s face tightened, sensing that there was an issue. He waited for East to explain. “You know a Detective Patterson?”
East was well aware that Ace knew him. He had already called in a favor from a shorty he occasionally dealt with who had access to police files. What she handed over to East was that Patterson was the one who handled Vega’s case.
“You know the answer. You’re like me, East. The only reason you’re asking is to see my reaction. The question is why do you want to know?”
“He came to see me. Tossing out shit about me being seen with you that night at Presidential. He’s watching Vega. He knew that he was at my card game. You know about that?”
“Yeah and no. I assumed he would be. I have eyes on him now just for that reason. I should have likely done it whenVega touched down, but I didn’t.” Ace gave East an apologetic look. His lapse in judgment could have avoided the conversation because Ace would have already known Patterson went to see East.
“I’ve been doing this too long to have heat now, Ace. What do I need to know so I can get my name off his list?”
East looked down at his phone, which vibrated with a message. Seeing Nae’s name, he ignored it.
