Chapter 2 #2
“Zo, are you thirsty? You’ve been out here in the sun just standing and watching me give out orders.” She giggled as she put her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun and see me better.
“I’m good,” I told her.
She didn’t even respond; she just went into the house and came back out with two glass bottles of water, handing one to me and one to Jax.
“Take it, you’re sweating like crazy. And your hair doesn’t make it better.” She said, turning on her heels as if her word was law and she didn’t want to give me the chance to hand it back.
I twisted the top, listening for the seal to crack, and drank from it, still waiting for them to get done.
Remy and Jax stood off to the side, talking while the movers worked.
I couldn’t hear what their conversation was about, but I could hear her laugh every now and then.
I just stood posted, gun in hand, and scanning the estate property for any sign of danger.
After another hour or so, Jax let me know he was ready to go, and I held the door open for Remy while he got in on the other side. Then I started the drive to the new estate where they would be staying.
The ride was quiet for the most part, then Remy asked if we could turn on the radio, and I did.
She sat quietly in the back seat, singing song after song.
She actually sounded good, but she knew every song that came on word for word.
Like music was her thing. I fought the urge to shake my head at her as I drove back to the south side of New York.
When we finally made it, I parked and opened the door for her.
She stepped out and looked around at the structure of the mansion.
Then she stood to the side waiting for Jaxon to let her in, which he did.
She walked into the house, looking around.
Just as Jax was about to step in behind her, I stopped him after I caught a glimpse of his face.
That nigga didn’t look good at all, almost like he was sick.
“Yo, you good bro?” I asked as I waited for his response.
“Hell nah, I’m not good. I’m at a house with a woman who ain’t KD, and I miss my fucking girl. Matter fact, call your people and ask them what she's doing,” he said, easing my concern but making me laugh all at the same time.
I nodded and turned to go back to the truck to find the schedule and see who I had assigned for Kenn’s detail today. Once I found out who was on call, I clicked his contact.
“Yo, what’s up with Kennedy?” I asked as soon as the phone connected.
“Nothing right now, I’m outside of her office. She’s working late today.” He responded.
I glanced at the clock, knowing that Kennedy normally runs out of the office as soon as it closes.
“And no movement in or out? She’s normally off by now…” My words trailed off when something caught my eye, and I turned toward the front door. Jaxon had come out and was walking toward the truck. I rolled down the window.
He stood at the window, didn’t speak, and just listened to the conversation I was having with the detail. I hadn’t paid any attention to that nigga, but now that he was beside me, up close, I could see the stress all over his face. This shit with the elites had been taking a toll on him.
I had never been the type to let anybody tell me what to do, but after being sworn into the Mafia, I realized this was a different ballgame.
You didn’t have a choice. Everybody went through it in one way or another.
We all had to fuck around and find out. It was just that right now, it was Jax’s turn.
Once I hung up with the detail, he paced back and forth on the pavement.
“I’m going to go over and make sure she’s good,” he said once he stopped.
“Nah, J, they’re watching you. I’ll go over there and make sure she’s aight,” I offered just to ease his mind.
“I don’t give a fuck,” He snapped, making me chuckle and shake my head.
He walked back inside, and it wasn’t long before he reappeared with a set of car keys. “I’m going to KD’s office, go inside with Remy and the movers. I don’t want to leave her inside with those niggas.” He said as I nodded and stepped out.
Then he went toward the smallest car, and I had to fight to keep my composure.
This nigga stuffed himself in the littlest shit in the driveway just so they didn’t know what he was in.
Kennedy had my guy fucked up; he was all in with her.
I had been her detail for the last three years, and I spent a lot of time with her.
She became the little sister that I didn’t expect, but she was cool as hell.
They really loved each other, so I know she was just as fucked up as he was.
I shut off the engine and walked through the house to take a seat inside until the movers had brought all the boxes off the moving truck.
I walked in and looked around. I didn’t hear any noise, only the sounds of shoes scuffing the floors and boxes dropping upstairs.
“Where are you from, Zo?” I heard a voice breaking the silence.
I turned toward Remy, and I couldn’t help but take in how pretty she was again.
She looked like she was fresh out of the shower and about to get in bed.
She wore a long, tan dress that looked painted on, a scarf, and some furry house slippers.
In her hand was a glass of white wine as she leaned against the counter and waited for me to respond.
She had to catch the way my eyes slowly swept her body. Because before I could answer, she blushed, tucking her lip between her teeth and looking away.
“Why?” I shot back.
It wasn’t my intention to snap at her, but I had been trying to steer clear of her fine ass, and she was making it hard.
“Because you don’t sound like anyone here. You don’t have the New Yorker accent that everyone I’ve encountered has. That’s all.” She smiled as she sipped from the wine flute, but her tone never changed. Almost like she knew I was avoiding her, but she didn’t give a damn.
I didn’t answer; I just pulled out my phone and started scrolling through it, checking the locations of all the other niggas on the crew. After less than a second of waiting there, she took the hint and turned to walk off. I watched her walk off and groaned at the way her ass shook in that dress.
I ain’t gone lie, I had always been on some chill shit.
My focus was always money, not pussy. For me, fucking was a form of stress relief.
I saw beautiful women every day, but they were just another pretty face in the crowd.
In all my years of living, I had never seen a woman who made me want to chase her.
Until yesterday. Remy damn near had me out of my body, but until I figured out what was on Jax’s mind, I would keep my distance.
Jax was a solid nigga, I know that he had never played with him and Kennedy’s relationship.
But I also knew that these were Mafia ties, and if he couldn’t find a way to end this shit, Remy would be his wife.
Regardless of whether it was a contract or not, one thing you could never do is play with a nigga’s wife.
So, I would respect that. J was my right hand.
His mama prays for me. His family is my family.
I was sworn in; it was death before dishonor.
And I had to live that, even if Remy’s fine ass made me think otherwise.
***
These last couple of weeks, being Remy’s detail had been quiet.
After I ignored her question in the kitchen, she stopped trying to have a conversation with me.
We only greeted each other and spoke when she texted me the address she needed to go to and her pick-up time.
I can’t say I liked it better that way because whatever it was about her drew me in more and more day by day.
“Good morning, Mr. Richardson, I didn’t sleep with you last night, regrettably.” The receptionist at the JMF Headquarters front desk said. Shit made me laugh as I threw my head in her direction and kept walking.
She had been trying to fuck me since Trouble hired her. I had been so focused on what I was about to do that I hadn’t even realized that I walked through the lobby and didn’t speak to her. But my mind was on something else completely.
I walked down the hallway to Jax’s office and tapped the door twice before walking inside. He was sitting in his chair listening to recordings and writing down shit on a notepad. When he saw me standing in the doorway, he turned it off and put the pen down.
“What’s up, Zo? Everything good with KD?” He asked before I could even close the door.
“Yeah, she’s good,” I said as I shook his hand and then sat down in front of him.
“Look, I've got enough on my plate. If you’re about to resign, I’ll double your pay. I can’t trust anyone underneath you to take your spot.” He jumped the gun, and I could see the stress all over his face again.
“Nigga, chill. I ain’t resigning, but yeah.
Double that.” I laughed as he took a deep breath, sat back into the chair, and waited for me to tell him what I wanted to talk to him about.
As we got closer to the wedding, he became more stressed.
I had stepped in and taken on some of his duties because he just wasn’t there mentally.
His focus was on Kenn, and I could understand that.
I shook my head at him as he waited for me to start talking.
“How do you feel about Remy?” I asked him straight up, I didn’t sugarcoat it, and didn’t try to lead into the conversation. I got right down to business.
He smirked at me and leaned forward.
“What do you mean, Zo?” He asked, feigning ignorance. Wanting me to say it.
“I don’t know your business, J. I don’t know what you do in your spare time. But I know she’s set to be your wife. How you feel about her?” I doubled down.
He chuckled. “Remy is a good girl. Smart as fuck and she’s genuine.
I couldn’t have picked a better person to go through this shit with, other than her.
That’s my sidekick. We like Marley and Mike.
But KD? Her crazy ass is my heartbeat. I’ve seen how you look at Rem.
I’ve just been wondering how long it was going to take you to make a move.
I respect that you’re asking me my intentions first, though. I didn’t think you would.”
“You know me better than that.” I interrupted.
“I do. And you know me well enough to know that I don’t see anything but KD. She’d beat your ass if she knew you were here questioning me about another woman.” He laughed as he picked up his pen and the recorder. “Do what you want, that’s all you.” He finished.
I nodded, slid back the chair, stood, and frowned as he pressed play on the recorder; it was in another language. I shook my head because you never know what these niggas have up their sleeves.
“Ay, Zo?” He stopped me right as I grabbed the handle.
“What’s good?” I asked.
“I can tell it’s something between you and Remy. But as my nigga, I’m asking you not to take it there with her if you're not going to be serious about her. Rem is looking out for me. So I gotta make sure I send that back her way. Don’t fuck her over.”
I nodded, pulled the door open, and walked out.
That nigga had just changed the game. I didn’t know Remy well enough to say whether I was going to be serious about her, but just the fact that I wanted to get to know her made me think it was worth exploring.
I had talked to many women, but when they were gone, they were out of sight and out of mind.
Remy had a different effect; I couldn’t get her ass off my mind, even when I knew she shouldn’t be there.
Almost like she could sense the conversation about her, she sent me a message.
Remy: Hello, Zo. I know it’s short notice. But I need to go to a couple of places. The spa and the grocery store, please.
Me: Aight, I’ll be there in 30 minutes.
Remy: Is it okay if I drive and you follow me? I want to feel regular today.
Me: No.
Remy: Ugh, worth a shot. Thanks.
I got in the black truck and started the drive to the south side.
On the way there, Jax’s words kept replaying in my head.
Don’t approach her if I am not going to take her seriously.
When I made up my mind to come talk to him, I had also made up my mind to pursue her.
But now, this just gives me another reason to fall back for now.
I couldn’t say for sure that I was going to be all in with her because I didn’t know her.
But I had come to the conclusion that whatever my gut told me, that would be my next move.