Chapter 33
CASH “MONEY” BANKS
THREE WEEKS LATER…
Jelani rubbed the back of his neck and looked around the room at our top lieutenants. The vibe was more relaxed than the last time I called them to meet at the farmhouse.
He turned his back on the others who were talking amongst themselves. “You’re sure about this?” he asked.
I clapped his back. “Yeah. I told you, this shit is all you. I’m done running point—it’s your time to shine, bruh.”
It was official. I was stepping down as head of the crew to focus on our commercial real estate business that we’d built to clean our money.
This wasn’t a random decision; I’d been thinking about this move for over a year.
Before Jasmine came into the picture, I’d been ready to lean into the legit side of things.
She’d just made the choice easier. And I wasn’t leaving the game entirely—washing money was still illegal.
Slim and Fontaine would help Jelani run things, and if shit went left, I would be right there.
“This nigga really about to play house,” Slim chuckled.
I shrugged. “A nigga not trying to be forty and still knocking heads together. Gotta work smarter, not harder,” I looked at my brother again. “Plus, Lani loves this shit—he’ll be good.”
Fontaine stayed quiet, which had become his new normal since Nairobi ghosted us in New York.
He’d never said outright that they were dealing with each other, so no one was sure how to approach it.
I was sure he was using his free time to track her down, but the question was, would he go after her when he found her?
“Just don’t act brand new when we need to get shit poppin’,” Jelani said.
“Never that,” I dapped him up.
The room cleared out, and I stayed back, lost in thought. Some of the local crews might try to test Jelani now that I was stepping down, but I wasn’t too worried. My brother was a menace, and he’d show them real quick that he could hold his own.
I welcomed the cool breeze as I walked to my car. I pulled out my phone and dialed Jasmine.
“Hey,” she answered.
“What’s your sexy ass doing?”
She laughed. “I just got in from work. About to take a shower, why?”
“I’m picking you up. I should be there in thirty minutes,” I said, unlocking my door.
“Is this like a dressy thing, or…?”
“Be comfortable.”
“Okay…” she dragged the word out clearly, waiting for me to explain.
“I’ll see you soon.” I hung up before she could press me further.
Traffic was light, so I made the thirty-minute drive in about twenty. I tapped the wheel, glancing at the entrance as a small wave of nervousness hit me.
Outside.
Five minutes later, she was stepping out in a pair of jeans and an oversized sweatshirt.
“Is that mine?” I asked as she got in.
“Maybe,” she gave me a quick kiss before putting on her seatbelt.
“Oh? So we stealing clothes now?” I joked as I started the car.
“They look good on me!”
”Everything looks good on you,” I said, glancing at her.
She rolled her eyes, but I caught the smile she fought back.
“Alright, so where are we going?” she asked, shifting in her seat.
“You’ll see.”
“Cash…”
“Baby, just relax.” I turned up the volume on the radio.
She sighed and leaned back in the seat.
The drive was quiet, save for the R&B music playing softly, filling the car. It wasn’t long before I pulled into an underground parking garage beneath a high-rise building. Jasmine sat up, looking around.
“Where are we?” she asked curiously.
I parked in the assigned parking spot and cut the engine. “I’ll show you.”
She followed me toward a private elevator—I could feel her curiosity growing with each step. I tapped the fob to call it, sliding my arm around her waist once we were inside.
Silence stretched as the elevator climbed. Not awkward, but expectant. I cleared my throat and adjusted my stance, trying to shake off the nerves. This was a big step. Bigger than anything I’d ever done before.
When the elevator dinged, I placed my hand on the small of her back and guided her forward.
Jasmine glanced at me, her brows raised, before turning her attention to the sleek hallway in front of us.
The walls were lined with art, leading to a single door at the end of the hall.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I stepped ahead of her and tapped the fob against the lock.
The door clicked, and I pushed it open wide.
The penthouse stretched out in front of us.
Recessed lights cast a soft glow over the hardwood floors and bounced off the tall windows that stretched along the living room.
From the thirtieth floor, we had the perfect view of the Atlanta skyline.
The faint scent of fresh paint and cleaning products still lingered in the air.
Jasmine walked in, her mouth slightly open as she took it in. “Baby, what is this?”
“It’s ours.”
She spun around to face me. “Ours?”
I nodded. “I bought it for us. I want you to move in with me.”
She pressed her palms against one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. “This view is… wow,” she said quietly.
I watched her. I knew this was a lot and hoped she wasn’t overwhelmed.
“It’s a big step. But your stubborn ass not quitting the hospital any time soon, and my house is too far. So… this is home if you want it to be.”
She turned around, her eyes shimmering with tears.
Work was the only thing that would send her back to New York—whether we were together or not.
She knew I’d take care of her, but she loved being a nurse.
So I made a few calls, lined a few pockets, and made sure Southside General gave her a full-time position.
It was less chaotic than Peachtree, and she’d be working with Monica again.
“You really not trying to sleep in my queen-sized bed, huh?” she teased.
I smiled wickedly. “Nah. I want you bringing yo’ ass home to me, so I can wear you out on the California king, or up against the window.”
Her mouth dropped open as she smacked my arm. “I can’t stand you.” She shook her head. “I guess since I got that new position, I can hang down here with you a little longer.”
“Forever,” I corrected her. “I wanna show you something.”
I took her hand and led her down the hallway to the master bedroom.
The penthouse had three bedrooms and two full bathrooms, spacious enough for us to start this new chapter.
What she didn’t know was that I hadn’t just bought the penthouse—I’d also purchased a stake in the building.
I wasn’t just thinking about right now. I was laying the foundation for our future.
I pointed to a door on the far side of the room. “Go look in the closet.”
She let go of my hand and walked over. “Baby, what the fuck?” she exclaimed as she stepped inside.
The walk-in closet was massive, easily the size of her living room. It had custom-built shelves and recessed lighting. Half of it was empty, but I’d gone ahead and filled the other half with brand new clothes, shoes, and bags—all things I knew she’d love.
“I wanted to make sure you’d feel at home here. I know you’ve got your own spot, but this is really for us.”
She glanced between me and the closet a few times. Before I could say anything else, she grinned, ran over to me, and jumped into my arms. The impact sent me to the floor with a grunt. Her laughter rang in my ears.
“I guess you like it?” I asked. She straddled me and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I love it!” She covered my face in kisses. “But Cash, who does this? That closet is damn near bigger than my apartment!”
I chuckled. “You know my audio gotta match my visual, shorty. I told you from the jump I wasn’t coming off you. It wasn’t enough for you to hear it—I needed you to see it.”
“I don’t even know what to say,” she said.
I slid my hands up to rest on her thighs.“There’s one more thing,” I said. “I made it official—I’m stepping down from heading the crew. Jelani’s gonna run everything now.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “So you’re retired?”
“Not quite,” I laughed. “I’m getting more involved with our commercial real estate company. It’s not completely legal, but it’s more about making deals and less about running up on niggas.”
A thoughtful look crossed her face. “Are you sure this is what you want to do? And not just because of me? I don’t want you stepping away from something you built and then regretting it later.”
“What happened to ‘I don’t date dope boys’?” I teased.
“I recall someone swearing up and down they were a businessman,” she shot back playfully.
“Mhm,” I grinned, brushing my thumb along her leg. “But to answer your questions, this ain’t only about you. I’ve been thinking about it for a minute—way before we met. The shit in New York just made me move up the deadline, but this was always the plan.”
She studied me for a moment, her hand drifting up to stroke my beard. “I love you,” she said softly.
“What?” I’d whispered those words to her when I thought she was sleeping back at the safe house, but hearing her say them now?
She leaned down to kiss me. “I love you, Cash Maurice Banks,” she repeated. When she sat back up, a coy smile tugged at her lips. “And I know you’re unhinged ass loves me too.”
“Yeah, I love you, sweetheart. Real bad.”
I pulled her down into another kiss, this time it was slow and deep. She moaned softly, her body pressing into mine.
She pulled back and licked her lips. “Mm. Let me show you how much I appreciate this penthouse you just bought us,” she giggled, sliding back so she could unbutton my jeans.