“Marcus probably hacked the system,” I muttered, pulling out my phone to text Fontaine. “Let’s go.”
“Thanks, Richie. And sorry for all the fuss,” she smiled apologetically and walked out ahead of me.
I turned to him, giving him a hard look. “Next time you reach for your weapon, make sure you’re ready to shoot, ‘cause I don’t miss.” I rapped my knuckles on the desk and followed Monica out.
CHAPTER22
MONICA PIERCE
Jelani walkedin and handed Cash a phone. “The footage from the hospital was a dub, but we found her phone.”
I tried not to gawk. Cash’s place was something straight out of one of those fancy home decor magazines. If this was how he lived, I could only imagine what Jelani’s condo looked like.
Cash gave me a curious once-over as he closed the door. “What’s she doing here?”
“Your dumb ass brother refused to take me home ‘cause he thinks I’m finna call my new jumpoff,” I huffed, shooting Jelani a dirty look.
Cash raised a brow at him. Jelani shrugged. “She can stay up here while we’re in the basement.”
“Oh,hellno!” I snaked my head, jabbing a finger in his chest. “You dragged me out here, and I’m supposed to sit upstairs like a kid? You got me fucked up, Lani! I have a right to know what’s going on. Jasmine’smyfriend.” I glared, daring him to say something.
Besides, I didn’t even have anyone serious over earlier—just some old work I was debating putting back in rotation.
Cash shook his head and walked off.
“Can you chill?” Jelani whispered as we followed him downstairs.
I elbowed him. “Iamchill. But you not about to have me upstairs alone while you do god knows what.”
Cash led us through a maze of a basement. We passed his home gym, a small screening room, and a few other closed doors before stopping at one.
He turned to look at me, his brown eyes cold. “If anything you see tonight leaves this room, that’s your head.”
My stomach dropped. I glanced at Jelani, unsure how to respond.
“Money, she’s not gonna?—”
Cash held up his hand and cut him off.
“I don’t care about whatever you got going on with my brother, or that Jasmine’s your friend. It’s my job to protect this family at all costs.”
I swallowed hard and nodded slowly. “I hear you, Money. I get it.”
“Good,” he said, unlocking the door.
The room was bare. Clear tarp covered the floor, and a metal table and chair were in the center. The sharp, sterile scent of industrial cleaner hit me immediately. I felt like I was back at the hospital.
I forced myself to keep my face blank as I looked around. There was a man slumped in the chair with his hands chained to the table. His feet were tied to the chair legs.
A woman with platinum finger waves slid off a deep freezer in the corner. She was bad as hell in her black jumpsuit and heels. She looked a little too put together for whatever the hell was about to go down here.
She smirked as we walked in, looking me up and down. “Really, Jelani? You brought your girlfriend?”
I frowned and started to respond, but Jelani quickly grabbed my elbow and steered me to a folding chair.
“Sit here, Baby Doll,” he said in a low voice.
I resisted the urge to smack him and tell him to kiss my ass, but now wasn’t the time.
