He nodded his head like he was listening to my every word.
“You're right, and I’m going to do that starting today. So, pack your shit you have here, and I’m going to search high and low until I find you a spot that's just as safe as Hov and Ciara’s spot. But you don’t have to worry about being scared for too long anyway, we have plans in place to make sure y’all good and get the Quatar family off our backs.”
“Yeah, I hope so. Speaking of, Amir did reach out to check on the baby. He shows he is one of the only good dudes on that side.”
Crew’s eyes squinted, his jaw tightening like he was biting down on something he didn’t want to say. For a second, I wondered if I should’ve kept Amir reaching out to me to myself.The way Crew was looking at me was screaming that I should have. His jealousy and or envy was oozing from the glare in his eyes right now.
It did surprise me when I saw that he’d written me on Instagram early that morning.
Did the baby survive?
That was it. No extra words.
I stared at the message longer than I should have this morning, my thumb hovering over the screen while a hundred thoughts ran through my head. Part of me didn’t want to respond at all, but another part of me felt like I owed him more than silence after what he did for us.
I eventually wrote him back, telling him she was good, and I added athank youat the end. The second I sent it, something in my chest loosened.
It felt fulfilling as hell, like saying it to him, even through a screen, mattered. Crew didn’t have to understand what I felt was right, only I did because I was the one inches away from death while bringing a baby into the world, inside a prison.
“So, you've been keeping in contact with him?”
“Not like that, Crew, he just wrote and asked about the baby. I told you he was a decent dude. I’m sure he’s not trying to hurt us.”
“I didn’t say he was.” Crew rubbed his chin hairs, looking like he was in deep thought. I don’t know why, but his jealousy in this moment made me feel important.Plus, the look on his face was so sexy. Especially with his eyes squinted and jaw muscles tight.
“But P, since he is in contact with you, that might help us out.”
“Crew, I’m not doing another murder for fucking higher plot with you. No, sir.”
“First off, I didn’t get paid for taking out Efunny, so how the fuck was that a murder for hire? Excuse my language, baby girl.”
He looked down at Amira.
"Second of all, I’m trying to make it so that we can walk around New York and breathe again without any issues. Now we're going to get them one day, regardless, but if we can link up with him, it will be even easier. Shid, it would help him out too since I’m sure they're after his ass as well.”
“Crew, since when do you want to help anyone out that is not one of your boys?”
“Since it benefits me just as much as it benefits him. Write him back and tell him that I want to talk to him on some G shit. That’s all you have to do.”
All I knew was my conscience, and my guilt couldn’t handle dealing with what I dealt with after Ebony died. I was all about Crew being who he was, but being pulled into it scared me.
What if my karma came back on my daughter? What if I ended up in jail for setting up some shit?
“What’s your plan with Amir?” I asked.
“Listen, the thing about the Qatar family is that they are secure. Just as secure as me, probably more, because shit, they found me. We’ve been trying to find their address through the medical system, but even that might not show up because we don’t know where the fuck they really live, or if they’re just using a dummy address. So if we can get him on board to help us find them, then we can take their asses out and not have to worry about shit anymore. And then you can go back to doing whatever you want around this bitch.”
“I already do what I want.”
“Stop, Pretty P. You couldn’t even go outside without bitches on your ass. So with that being said, write that nigga and tell him I want to talk.”
“I don’t know, Crew. I hate to be involved in anything that could end up with me in prison. I have a daughter now.”
Crew sat the baby down on the bed before grabbing my wrist and giving me his full attention.
“Listen, I need you to be in my corner just how you want me to be in yours. I’m sure if Hov told Ciara to do something, she wouldn’t ask any questions. I hear you on that appreciation shit. Hell, as much as I hate to admit it, I appreciate the nigga too. But think of who your loyalty should lie with the most. That’s unless you fuckin that nigga too.”
I rolled my eyes because he sounded crazy. I could see from the way his jaws clenched that I had concerned him because I didn’t respond.
