I smirked. “The extra is a restocking fee. This bullshit is an inconvenience, so I need compensation for that.”
He would pay. My business was important to him, but right now, his didn’t mean shit to me.
Chavez gritted his teeth but stepped away from his desk. He walked over to the corner of the room and opened the safe, then pulled out a duffle bag and returned to us.
“This is half a million. It should be more than enough to compensate for your inconvenience. I sincerely apologize and will find out what the problem is. Your next shipment will be right. I give you my word.”
I took the bag, unzipped it, and glanced inside, doing a quick scan to make sure the money was right.
“I don’t think there will be another shipment. You fuck me once and that will be your last time.”
“Had I known…”
“That’s the problem. As a businessman, you should always know.”
I glanced at Trooper and we turned to leave. Chavez wasn’t gonna do shit. At this point he was losing money. I meant more to him alive. He would be in touch, begging for my business again. No one he dealt with moved as much product as me.
“You know he’s about to be blowing you up as soon as he gets his ass off his shoulders,” Trooper said with a smirk.
“Yeah, but I ain’t fucking with him like that. I meant what I said. No second chances.”
“Shit, who you telling? I already know.”
I tossed the cash in my trunk and Trooper and I both got in.
“So what’s up with you? You good?” I questioned as I pulled off.
“I’m straight. Shit, you know me.”
“Yeah, muthafucker, I do, which is why I know your ass ain’t straight. You still haven’t talked to her?”
Trooper chuckled then fired up. “Nah, not yet. I been watching her, though. She got me on some creep shit. I be parked outside her spot waiting to see her come and go. Fuck type of shit is that?”
“You need to talk to her, Troop.”
“And say what? Yo, I’m sorry I let you walk out when you needed me the most.”
“Hell yeah. That’s a start. Shit, you fucked up and need to own up to it. I’m tired of talking about your dumb ass every day. It gets to the point where I feel the conversation coming so I bend Maddie over something and fuck the shit outta her so she won’t bring it up. Maddie is fucking pissed with you and Sophie is hurt, bruh.”
“At least you getting pussy out the deal.”
I laughed and he let his head fall back.
“I’m a grown ass man running from my responsibilities, Los. That’s weak as fuck.”
“Yeah, it is, and if you know that, fix it.”
“I can’t change who I am,” Trooper said honestly.
“And you can’t change what you’ve done. That baby ain’t got shit to do with the demons you’re fighting, Troop. Just talk to her, explain it to her. She might not like it, but she’ll have to respect it. I know you don’t think you got it in you, but look at how much you’ve changed already. Sophie had your ass blocking numbers and cussing hoes out just for looking at you the wrong way.”
Trooper laughed and so did I.
“The thing is, I don’t know if I even want that. Things with Sophie were cool. Shit was nice, I wouldn’t even lie, but a kid? I don’t even know if I want that type of life. Never mind that I don’t know if I can do it.”
“You care about her, right? I’m not even talking about love, just care about her.”
“Hell yeah, I do. Why the fuck you think I be sitting outside her spot just to see her face.”
