Chapter 23
“Geo, I got the room all set up,” Trey announced, coming into the dining room with Mig. He looked at Sailor and grinned at her. “You got high-end taste,” he told her.
Sailor blushed, looking over at Geo. “You got everything on the list?” she asked Trey, shocked.
“Yeah, everything. I subbed in a few things, but you and I both know you didn’t need the brand names you listed. What I brought is just as good and will work. It’s all the same caliber.”
She nodded, unable to look at Geo. She’d been sure it would take at least a week to get everything together.
“Also upgraded your shitty ass laptop,” Trey told her, sitting down at the table across from them. “You had that old thing Frankensteined to hell!”
“Yeah,” she agreed, pushing her eggs around her plate.
“Eat, Rue,” Geo admonished lightly.
“I don't feel well, Geo,” she told him.
“Head? Mig, get her something for a headache.”
“My tummy too… and I ache. I feel like I did when I had the flu last November.”
“It’s just stress,” he promised. “Eat ‘n we’ll go sit down, get you relaxed. You be good ‘n I’ll make them fools use their mouths to get you off. That’ll relax you,” he chuckled .
Sailor was horrified, looking up at Davon and Justin.
Davon looked pissed, but Justin looked excited.
“I don't really…”
“I was fuckin’ with you,” Geo laughed. “Bet it would, though, relax you. Get you off and watch you pass out.”
“I’d do it! Gladly,” Justin spoke up quickly.
Davon elbowed him hard.
“I bet you would,” Geo snorted, his jovial look switching to a calculated one as he looked over both boys. “Finish eatin’, Rue. We ‘bout to go talk.”
“I…”
“As much as you can,” he told her, his tone brooking no argument.
Sailor ate a few bites, though she felt like she might throw it all up soon. It all sat heavily in her stomach like a rock getting bigger and heavier.
When she set her fork down, he scowled at all the food still on her plate, then opened his mouth to speak.
Davon spoke over him. “She’s never eaten much, ever. She’s not used to eating a lot, she’s got a small stomach. Her appetite can’t change overnight, especially if she’s feeling bad, not to mention she’s sharing that space with a baby the size of a pear. She needs smaller meals more often, not to gorge on fewer meals.”
Geo snorted but said nothing as he stood up, then pulled Rue up by her arm. She went with him quietly, looking over her shoulder at Davon. What the hell was going on?
Geo led her to an office that was bright, open, and full of everything she needed with three extra computers, including a new laptop.
“This is your setup,” Geo told her, gesturing. “You need anything else, Trey’s number is on tha’ phone there. You don't use tha’ phone to call no one but me, him, Mig, or the numbers programmed into it. It’s patched into mine, I get an alert when you use it, so don't fuck around.”
Sailor nodded, moving around the room to look at everything.
“How long till you finish what you said you could do?” Geo demanded, sounding irritated now.
“Umm… I’m not sure. I have to write it and test it before I implement it. Maybe two days? Then it’ll be easier to write them after that, each one will be easier.”
“That sound right?” Geo demanded loudly.
Trey stepped in, his eyes shining. “Nah, man, it don't. Your girl might be smart, but last guy I had tryna do som’in like this? Took him a week to write what he needed.”
Sailor looked at Trey then, her face red. “Then he was bilking you in some way. I’ve been doing this a while, and if I say I can do it in a couple days, then how about you wait and see if I can before you try to call me a liar? Just because YOU’RE an idiot and you got played doesn’t mean I’m the one lying, asshat.”
Trey puffed up, his face going dark, but Geo chuckled. “Watch the tone, Rue. She don't mean nothin’, Trey, she just got like, hormones ‘n shit. How long since you tried som’in’ like this?” he asked Trey.
“It’s been a fuckin’ while, but that don't mean I don't know what…”
“You’re on a watchlist now?” Sailor laughed derisively. “Yeah, whoever you had fucked you over good. I’m not stupid, and things have changed a lot, old man. You have no idea what I’m doing or how. You might know your tools, but I know the trade.”
“Bitch, you BEST…”
“Aye!” Geo snarled, turning to square up to Trey. “I done warned you once.”
“You need to warn HER! I don't let no bitch talk to me that way!”
“Rue, tell’m you’re sorry.”
“I’m not sorry,” she scowled at Trey. “He called me a liar. Tell him to apologize.”
Davon chuckled from the hallway.
“Rue, you need to say sorry to him,” Geo smirked, moving closer and gripping her neck firmly but not hurting her.
“Not till he does!”
Davon giggled audibly, then the sound quickly receded away from the room as he hurried away.
“How ‘bout you do it, or I let that fool do like he wants?” Geo asked, still looking amused.
“You won’t let him touch me, I belong to you,” she told him, still pissed. “He called me a liar, Geo! You want me to apologize? Fine. Sorry that you SUCK and that you don't know SHIT anymore. Sorry you got fucked over, and you think you know shit based on how someone fucked you over, and you were too stupid to see it!”
Davon burst out laughing from down the hall.
“I swear to fuckin’ god, I will…” Trey started, moving closer.
“You’ll fucking what?” Geo demanded.
“I think you need to cool off,” Mig called from the doorway. “How ‘bout you step out here for a while.”
Trey snorted. “Nah. Nah, FUCK this disrespectful bullshit! Man, how long we been workin’ together, Geo?”
“A good long while, man. Long enough that you should know I ain’t gonna call down no one for speakin’ the truth. If she’s right, you got played, brah, and that ain’t her fault. How about we wait, see if she delivers? She does? You get on your fuckin knees, man. She don't? I put ‘r on ‘r knees.”
“And she spits out some bullshit that don't work?”
“We’ll know fuckin’ quick, won’t we? She won’t, I got the two people in the world she gives a shit about. She’ll fuckin’ do what I tell’r, and she’ll do it right. She knows what’ll happen if she don't.”
Trey snorted, shaking his head. “Fine. Fine, that bitch turns over in two days, I’ll come back with a fuckin’ apology gift for her. She don't, though? I want her to lick my fuckin’ feet.”
Sailor blanched. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Bitch, we’ll fuckin’ see, won’t we? I got a long fuckin’ memory! Won’t be long till you drop that fuckin’ brat ‘n he drops you. Guess who gon’ be there when he does? We’ll see how long you run that gash then!”
Geo’s face went blank as he looked at Trey, then back at Mig.
Mig moved immediately, ducking back in the hallway as Geo quickly and smoothly pulled his gun out and leveled it at Trey, then pulled the trigger.
Sailor screamed, dropping to her knees and covering her head, squeezing her eyes shut.
“Bitch. Call my kid a brat?” Geo asked, his voice dead calm. “Who the fucks gon’ be there, bitch?” he asked.
There was no answer.
“Get this mess out of here!” Geo yelled, then turned and picked Sailor up off the floor as she trembled. “Keep them eyes shut, Rue,” he told her, moving like stepping over something large.
She was sobbing hysterically, shaking her head as her whole body trembled. “Please, please, please, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry!”
“Shhh, hush,” he whispered soothingly, sitting with her and pulling a blanket around her. “Call in Marcos! Call Dmitri too, tell him I need to talk to Big Z, then call Jay. You… what the fuck is your name, fool?”
“Justin.”
“Justin, go get her a drink. Calm down, Rue, don't you make yourself sick again! I mean it, I ain’t dealin’ with that shit!”
Sailor only shook her head, still in shock and disbelief as she clung to him.
“I think you fuck with her emotions just so she’s forced to you like that,” Davon stated, sounding pissed.
“Boy, check your fuckin’ self! There’s a line between truths and you spittin’ venom.”
“Yeah, aight, that’s opinion,” Davon agreed, still angry.
“You need ta step back down, boy? Go back ta runnin’?”
“You do what you feel you need to, man,” Davon told him with a shrug like he didn’t care .
Geo snorted, then leaned back on the couch to pull her closer to lay on him. “Rue, you need to settle down ‘n breathe for me, you hear me? I need to beat your ass for not listenin’?”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it, I didn’t! I shouldn’t have…”
“HUSH!” Geo yelled down at her, making her flinch and whimper but go quiet.
“Here,” Justin called softly.
“Sit up here ’n drink this,” Geo demanded in irritation, sitting her up to hold a glass to her lips.
She was forced to drink, but she grimaced and turned away.
“She gave me this too?” Justin spoke up. “Said it would calm her down?”
“Take this,” Geo demanded, pressing a pill to her lips. “Swallow it, Rue.”
She swallowed it, shaking her head again but not daring to say no. He was upset and irritated, he might go off on her.
“Now relax some, lay down here and relax. I got you. Just chill.”
Sailor cried silently, holding on to him and wishing she could just get away.
Moments later, she began going numb, her mind fogging as she went still, then passed out.