“That’s fair,” Dane agreed.
A couple of hours later…
“Damn.” Danilo whistled, peering into the bag Inari handed him.
“That’s half a million,” she rounded up for him, leaning against her black and white Mercedes SL Maybach roadster.
Arms tucked across her chest, legs crossed in front of her, she watched Danilo grin and lick his lips.
“I also put some in a trust for Dane when he’s twenty-five and Ayla too. The rest I put in other stocks and investment properties. I’m building a private collection, which I will use to stock my own auction house in the near future,” she explained.
Danilo was impressed. He always knew Inari had some grit and hustle in her, but he had no idea she could boss up the way she had. She was smart enough not to be flashy. Keeping their family home and renovating it was perfect. Her car was probably the most expensive thing she’d ever purchased, and she only pushed the Mercedes when she felt like flossing. Her Lexus truck was her everyday ride. She’d earned it all as far as she was concerned and refused to feel bad about it.
“I appreciate it, Nari. Real talk. I know you mad at me and resent me for getting jammed up, but you holding it down lets me know I did right by choosing you to have my son.”
With a blank stare, Inari scoffed and pushed herself off the car. It was some backhanded shit if she’d ever heard any. She’d spent years without Danilo, and that put a lot into perspective for her. It was both a blessing and a curse. She’d never say she regretted Dane, but having him so young forced her to grow up. Danilo going to jail put her in a position of adulthood that she had to roll with and figure out without any real guidance. Mira only loved what she could do for her, which was make money.
“I talked to Mira.” Danilo’s voice broke into her thoughts, and he picked his head up to look her in the eye.
“Oh, yeah? How’s she doing?”
“She’s good. I talked to her about putting me on.”
“You just got out of jail, D. Really?” she tested, a frown carved into her face. “How does this work exactly? Dane agreed to see you and give you a chance, by the way. I told him I would give you his number, so you two could figure that out, but if all you’re doing is setting him up for further disappointment, don’t even fucking bother.”
“Whoa.” He reached for her arm when she turned to pull her driver’s door open, making her face him. “I ain’t that same nineteen-year-old out here, Nari. I did my time, and I didn’t waste it while I was in there either. I ain’t stupid.”
“Sounds pretty fucking dumb to me. I just gave you half a million dollars. You mean to tell me you can’t find something else to do?”
“Not something that pays this fucking good.” He aimed a finger at the bag.
“It won’t be what you’re used to, but so what, Danilo? Is that all that really matters to you? What about our son? He barely knows you?—”
“Yeah, and you didn’t exactly help keep us in touch over the years,” he mumbled.
“You’re not about to put that shit on me!” Inari spat. “I was still a fucking kid! I couldn’t risk coming to see you and people asking me questions. I did everything I could to keep me, Dane, and Ayla out of the fucking system!”
“I know.” Danilo sighed. “I ain’t dissing you.”
“It sounds like you’re trying to lay blame at my feet. Make that shit make sense. It wasn’t just Mira putting money on your books, contrary to what you believe, and when you did call, Italked to you. Might not have been no jailhouse romance like you wanted, but what the fuck did you expect?”
“You right, aight. I don’t want to keep going back and forth about it either. Can I have my son’s phone number, please?”
“Give me your phone.” She held her hand out, and he placed his device in her palm. “Don’t do anything to get yourself removed from his life again, D.” Inari typed Dane’s number in his contacts and saved it before peering up at him. “I mean anything. I don’t want you so much as jaywalking when he’s around. It’s bad enough he went out and got this damn tattoo without telling me.”
“Oh shit, his first tatt? You know I was sixteen when I got mine.”
“Yeah, I’m aware,” she grumbled. “I let his ass have it, too.”
Danilo chuckled and shook his head.
“What did he get?”
“My name,” Inari told him.
“That’s what’s up.” He bobbed his head. “From what I know, he’s a good kid, though, Nari. You ain’t gotta worry about him turning out like me. Unlike my situation, he got a good mama. You kept him from the streets because you already knew they would eat him up. Can’t be mad at that.”
“Whatever you’re doing out here, be careful. The game has changed. So have the players.”
