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He reached over and grabbed the inside of my thigh.

“Everything will be all yours when we get rid of Caine, and then we're taking all that shit up a notch. Starting with knocking that chicken spot down on Washington Avenue and putting one of the biggest strip clubs known to man on that property and the lot next to it. The Dragon’s Den is going to be the number one tourist spot in Texas. Just watch and see.”

I rolled my eyes as he daydreamed.

The reason for him helping me own the Essex empire by killing Caine was so I could sell everything to Dragon, and he could do things like build this dream strip club he’s been talking about for a while now. I wish me dealing with Caine would’ve never even hit his ears, but my father was running his mouth over the phone one day, and Dragon has been on it ever since.

I don’t even want to think about not having Caine around. Despite all the bullshit our relationship comes with, I still love that man. No one has ever fucked me like him, nor do I want anyone else to. I love him.

"Dragon, what if Toya doesn’t have a boy? That shit is not guaranteed, and everything is riding on that one thing. I don’t think you realize we are on borrowed time with this shit.”

Dragon put his arm behind the passenger headrest.

"You acting as if we can't just find a little boy and switch the babies out once she gives birth if it is a girl. I don’t know why y’all haven’t thought about that shit anyway. It’s not like he will be caught in the hospital or doctors’ appointments with a pregnant girl that’s not his wife, and paperwork can be forged just like pregnancies. He doesn't have to know what she has.”

I looked at him, eyebrows knitted.

"What does that even mean? A baby that doesn’t look like Caine will draw suspicions. You know that Essex DNA is strong."

"It’s strong, but who can tell what a person will look like as a baby? I’m sure by the time the little mutha fucka is older, Victor Essex will be in the ground somewhere, and so will his grandson. So trust me, lace her up, and I’ll find you both a baby boy to hand Caine and get paid if need be."

I didn't respond because this man seemed to have his mind made up.

Dragon had that calm look on his face that always made me nervous because it usually meant he'd already thought through whatever he was saying long before he decided to let it leave his lips. My father always talked about how strong minded and self-centered he was. I’m still positive my father took that charge for him and got those ten years because of something Dragon did. Maybe it was to repay him for something he was holding over my daddy's head too.

"Why you not talking now, Butterfly?” he looked over to the passenger seat.

“I don’t know, I’m just trying to see how we will make all of this work without getting caught. It’s getting too messy if you ask me.”

He laughed and reached into the ashtray to grab the backwoods sitting in the cupholder.

"Butterfly, remember. I may not be as connected on the legal side of things as the Essex family, but I got my ways. I run Houston too, just underground. But"

He lit the blunt and took a puff.

“It’s time for me to come up from the sewers now. The ball is in your court to be rich with or without a man. You just got to take it, dribble it, and shoot the three.”

I sat there quietly, staring at him while I tried to figure out what the hell that meant.

Sometimes I just wanted to tell Caine about the situation, but Caine was big on trust, and I know once that is gone, I would never get it back.

Chapter 6

Duke

“You up next, what you got? Duke?”

It wasn’t until one of the niggas at the poker table called my name that I snapped out of thinking about ol girl I saw in the South Hill apartments the other day when I went to charge up that nigga Michael. She was pretty as shit. Way too pretty to be walking around that dirty ass apartment complex full of bums surrounding her. I dealt with bum niggas over there for revenge purposes only. I don’t mix in with niggas like that. I will piss on a nigga who don’t have a pot to piss in. I never in my life had sympathy for the broke because there are too many ways to make money out here.

“Man, I’m out.”

I threw my cards down, making Weisel happily open his arms, and slid the red chips towards his chest.

“That’s what the fuck I’m talking about. I love you, boy, but I love your money more.” Weisel cracked jokes about winning this round, and I let him gloat because out of all the niggas here, I fucked with him the most. Me and Weisel go back to 5th grade, stealing out of corner stores and shit when we didn’t have to.

I pushed myself back from the table and walked into the kitchen to grab a water from the fridge. When I opened it and leaned inside, I saw there was only one left, and I made a mental note to have one of the very many bitches I’m dropping dick off in to come and restock the fridge.

I opened the water and didn’t stop gulping that shit until the bottle was cracking. That's when the back door connected to the kitchen opened, and Caine walked in. I could tell by the look on this nigga face he was about to call himself getting on my ass about something or another.