“Wait, why is there a time frame?” Her eyes bounced from Abiza to Relic. “We didn’t discuss that.”
“It’s to make sure you don’t leave him or run off. It’s to give Jah a chance, even if you hate me.”
“I want his grandmother and sister to be able to visit him,” she blurted, watching his face morph to stone. “It’s one of the things I’d like to add. He’ll need family. If you don’t want yours to know where we live, at least let him have them. Do you really think Jahleel will just move and never see his sister or grandma?”
“That’s what a car is for, Kennedy.”
“I want her to be able to visit him as she pleases. Since you’re changing shit, so am I.”
Relic plucked his chin hairs before countering, “If she can visit, you have to take Jah to my mother’s house every other weekend, and you have to stay with him there.”
“Done.”
His face fell at her cooperation since he figured she’d put up a fight. Relic narrowed his eyes.
“You’re up to some bullshit, Kennedy.”
“Far from it. It’s called a compromise. You’re just not used to giving something to get what you want. You like a more forceful tactic.”
“What else?” he asked Abiza, glossing over her retort that was more spot on than he cared to admit.
“There was a previous contract that stated she will get full ownership of her salon once you’re arrested. I’d like to add that into this one as a soft reminder. Morrone, if you’d be so sweet to start that process for me, thank you.”
Morrone glowered at his wife and then cut a side eye at Relic, who laughed.
“She’s a shark like her husband. I respect it.”
“Thank you, Relic. At least someone does. Now, back to this contract. My only issue I have personally is the wait time to receive the money. Why?”
“Hold the hell up. What wait time?”
Kennedy snatched the contract out of Abiza’s hand to skim it until she spotted where Relic had added a month’s wait time before she could receive her million dollars. She knew bullshit when she saw it.
Relic was giving himself time to adjust to any possible hiccups. A month was more than enough time to deem her unsuited for the delicate task he’d bestowed on her. It was the perfect amount of time to have his fucking folks to put her on ice if he made that call.
“Take it out, or I’m not signing shit.” She smacked the contract onto the table as Relic rolled his neck with slits for eyes.
“What’s a month going to make or break, Kennedy?”
“You know exactly what it’ll change. Do you want me to trust you or not?”
She caught the minute slouch of his shoulders before he leaned forward, resting both forearms on the table and clasping his hands together.
“A week.”
“And I want some kind of protection. I have no damn idea what or how, but I want it, Relic. You know why.”
Relic glanced at Morrone, whose head was shaking in disagreement to whatever their exchanged look meant. He leaned toward Relic, and a whispering match commenced between them before Morrone conceded, sitting back with his sharp eyes going to his wife. Abiza lifted her shoulder like it wasn’t her fault.
“What just happened here?” Kennedy whispered in her attorney’s direction. Abiza shrugged again before she grabbed the paperwork her husband slid across the table.
“Oh, wow. So, he wants her to—”
“It’s protection,” Relic interjected, studying Kennedy as she leaned in to check the paperwork and blinked like it would disappear. “Flutter them fake ass lashes any harder and you’ll fly away.”
“Funny. Relic, I can’t do this. This isn’t me. Butch will murder me if he found out I ever did some shit like this.”
“You want protection or not? If you’re worried about my folks, the Feds, or even me, that’ll solve your problem. If that’s what it’ll take to prove I can protect you, then fuck it. There it is, but this stays between us unless you have no choice. A final resort.”
