“At least some good came from all the fucking talking y’all do. A currency transaction report is done for over ten grand. Why didn’t you tell me about the detectives?”
“Who told you?” she countered instead of giving him an honest answer.
“Rocco. He spotted them well before they went in. He stepped inside Nu’s shop because he figured they’d make a move once he wasn’t patrolling, and they did.”
“Damn, so he’s not feeling my girl?”
“Focus, Larenn.”
“I am! I just—” She stopped and blew out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t get why you let me stress for days when you already talked to Tolliver.”
“I did it to prove a point,” he confessed as if it were as simple as that. Relic reached across the desk for a manilla folder and tapped it against his thigh. “You would’ve had this the next fucking day if you’d come to me.”
“I could’ve had it today, but you interfered!”
He pinched his nose bridge and huffed a breath at her missing the point. Relic knew certain shit only went over her head when she wanted it to.
“You know why you always feel used Kennedy? You know why this shit feels so one sided to you? It’s because I’m not afraid to use you when I see you’re better suited to handle shit, but you’ve convinced yourself that you can’t do the same. This could’ve been handled at the snap of my finger, but you chose to work harder and not smarter as if you don’t have a made nigga with unlimited reach at your disposal. You do know that I’m good for more than giving you dick, diamonds, and designer, right?”
Kennedy wished she could confirm his stance, but he had proven too many times why she struggled to come to him. He’d watched her spiral for damn near a week just to fuck with her head, but took no issue calling her out about a phone that grated his nerves. He had set her up, but then taken care of the bitch who’d robbed her with Lomar. The nigga had scarred hermentally and physically, but for the past few months, he’d tried everything to redeem himself for his sins. Relic was her nemesis, or her hero, depending on the circumstances, and Kennedy was never sure which side of him she’d summon.
“I know you’ve been let down. Your last nigga fucked your head up, and I’ve done my part as well,” he admitted as he moved beside her. She gazed up with soft eyes as his fingers combed through her real hair he was seeing for the first time. “If we’re partners, you have to let me pick up in places you lack. As your man, you should come to me for help when you need it.”
“I feel safer taking care of myself, Relic.”
“So, did I, but I’ve adjusted since meeting you. I trust you, Larenn, which is why I’m giving you this folder and hoping it doesn’t bite me in the ass later.”
He held it out, and Kennedy stared at the unknown in fear of what she’d see before she finally accepted it and sat it on her lap to flip open. Her heart dropped at the blown up picture of her at Jahleel’s game. She knew it was recent because she recalled her outfit. There were a few more of her doing miscellaneous tasks, and she was happy as hell that they’d spent their time since returning from their trip working. When Kennedy flipped to the last page, her bout of relief dissipated as she skimmed the information with haste. The pages ruffled as her hands trembled, and that nauseous sensation she hadn’t experienced in a while hit her like a fucking Mack truck. An ache started in her chest as Relic tapped a finger under her chin to make her look at him.
“They’re not trying to charge me for Lomar’s death,” she murmured, and he shook his head. “They want me to turn federal.”
“They do. For whatever reason, they think you know about my operation. One conversation with you, and they were convinced you could help them.”
“I didn’t tell them shit,” she stressed, and he smiled.
“I know, Larenn. If anything, you were too smart and cunning to them. I have spent almost every goddamn day with Aura since we came home, and they interrogated her once about her kidnapping before tossing her back like the small fish she is. Even they know she could never stand by my side.”
“You used her to throw them off my scent,” Kennedy deduced, and he nodded. She couldn’t decide whether she felt dumb or relieved by that. “I don’t get why they think I know anything. Hell, Savvy, or any of the girls should be who they’re looking at. Not me.”
Relic thought to tell her that adding her name onto his business card might’ve sent up the red flags. Transferring a portion of the salon to her name didn’t help matters. She visited his son more than anyone, including himself, and he knew for a fact that eyes were on Jahleel. Kennedy was on their radar because he’d moved her in his home to keep tabs on her sneaky ass, but each of those decisions equaled her being his woman more than a partner to outside eyes.
The Feds didn’t give a damn about family when they had a potential link connected directly to the big fish they had yearned to hook for years. Versus Relic bringing those details to her attention; he told her the one that mattered most.
“I think my house has an infestation. There’s someone in the inner circle giving up information.”
“So, that’s why you requested that info from Tolliver. Was the answer there?”
Relic sighed and rubbed his forehead. “No. Only one person who isn’t credible or worth the time to hunt them down. They’ll testify and embarrass themselves. The other name was redacted.”
Kennedy tried to keep her distrust from bleeding into her gaze. She couldn’t help but wonder if Relic was doing whathe accused her of—omitting details or withholding important information. The thought to tell him that she’d seen Mya crossed her mind and then left just as fast as it’d come. If she brought her up, it would backfire since Relic was too intuitive to let it go over his head. Kennedy took another route and hoped he’d give her something.
“Do I know the informant whose name was there?” she pried, studying his cool demeanor that didn’t change.
“You don’t know her, but you know her son. Pierre’s baby mother, Chalise.”
Kennedy screwed up her face before a dramatic gasp escaped her, and she slapped a hand over her mouth once the name clicked. The last person who’d crossed her mind was Paris’ mom.
“That one got me, too. She claims to have proof that I sent Pierre’s best friend to murder Jessica. She was fucking Jay behind my folk’s back, so there’s a chance his bitch ass was pillow talking.”
