Chapter 8
“Aye, let me tell you this before I get too fucked up to remember,” Lorenzo said, easing his way back onto the black leather couch in the VIP section.
When he’d excused himself earlier, Caden took the time to check a few emails. It wasn’t that he wasn’t enjoying himself at the lounge, but he would have preferred to be at home. His clubbing days were over, but he wouldn’t dare not show up to celebrate Lorenzo’s birthday.
Most people didn’t suspect Lorenzo worked for Caden in The Syndicate, because they’d grown up together. They lived in the same hood until Caden left for college. During their youth, they sold drugs to make money. While Caden used his money to pay for college, Lorenzo splurged with his.
Eventually, Caden opened his pharmacies and used them to clean his money, but Lorenzo had other plans.
Everything he made, he spent, either on himself, his family, or women.
His logic was he only had one life to live, and it could be taken at any time, so there was no point in him saving his money.
As much as they were together, and as close as they were, the differences between the duo were distinct.
Most people would have never believed Caden was the brain behind the multi-million dollar drug organization that Lorenzo was the face of.
“Wassup?” Caden asked, pouring himself another glass of tequila. He refused to touch the Hennessy since it appeared he was going home alone that night.
“Dru, the bartender, is looking for work. That’s Tina’s daughter. I don’t know all the details, but I know she’s a good girl. She works two jobs to help take care of her sister.”
“Wait.” Caden chuckled and turned slightly to the left to face Lorenzo, as if his ear needed to get closer to hear what he was saying. “Tina is the one that just asked for a loan, right?”
“Right,” Lorenzo confirmed with a smile.
“And now her daughter is asking for work?”
“Correct.”
“What the hell they got going on?”
“I don’t kn—”
“Hol’ up. You said her daughter’s name is Dru?”
Dru was too uncommon of a name for a woman for Caden to believe it was anyone but his Dru from the grocery store. And if it was her, that changed everything.
“Yep.”
“Pretty brown-skinned woman with freckles and locs?”
“You know her?”
“Met her at the grocery store earlier.”
“That’s her. She’s down there now, but she can’t really talk because it’s so busy.”
“Then we’ll wait until the crowd dies down. I’m not leaving until I talk to her.”
Closing Time
Dru nervously made her way toward them as they sat on the leather couch.
Well, Caden sat. Lorenzo leaned. He was drunk but in enough of his right mind to stay behind while Caden talked to Dru.
After their conversation was over, Lorenzo thought Caden was going to take him to a bar on the beach.
What he didn’t know was that Caden planned to tell Ian to take his ass straight the fuck home.
“We meet again,” Caden said as he stood, to which Dru smiled softly.
“Hi.”
“How are you, beautiful?”
Instead of responding, Dru shrugged and avoided his eyes.
Caden didn’t think it was possible, but she looked more beautiful then than she did earlier at the grocery store.
The formfitting black crop top and high-waisted shorts accentuated her shape, making his eyes bounce from her breasts to her waist to her hips.
It was taking everything in him not to take her by the wrist and turn her so he could have a full 360 view.
Regardless of how nice her body was, his eyes couldn’t help but return to her beautiful face.
“Lorenzo said you’re looking for work,” Caden continued, motioning for her to sit in the chair that was to the left of the couch.
“Well, yes, but I’m not sure why he’d tell you. I was hoping to make some deliveries for him to make some quick money.”
“How quick? And how much do you need?”
Dru looked at Lorenzo, not replying until he nodded and silently assured her that it was okay.
“I need ninety thousand dollars in less than thirty days.”
Lorenzo grumbled, sitting upright. “What have you gotten yourself into, little one?”
Her head shook as she pushed back her tears.
“It’s not me. Well, I guess it’s my fault.
” With a sigh, she covered her face as her elbows rested on her thighs.
“I made a deal with someone that I shouldn’t have.
I trusted him to handle something for me, and he did, but now he’s asking for an amount we didn’t agree on. ”
“Has he threatened you?” Caden asked, leaning forward and pulling her hands down by her wrists.
“Yes,” she whispered, blinking back tears.
“Who is it?”
Sniffling, she caught a tear before it could slide down her cheek. “Galloway.”
Caden and Lorenzo looked at each other. They were more familiar with Galloway than either desired to be.
Galloway’s legal business was security, but in The Syndicate, he employed hitmen.
Not too many respected him because of the rumors about him being into human trafficking.
And it wasn’t just for sex. Galloway was rumored to sell body parts, do kidnapping heists, sell people at mafia auctions, and for employment contracts in exchange for a percentage of their profit.
The last time Caden and Galloway crossed paths, it was because Galloway had allegedly kidnapped his cousin.
The only reason Caden allowed him to continue breathing was because his cousin had been returned, and there was no proof Galloway was behind it.
Had Galloway not been made aware that Shantae was related to Caden, there was no telling what would have happened to her.
“I need you to start from the beginning,” Caden demanded, “and don’t leave anything out.”
Again, her eyes shifted to Lorenzo, as if he was a safety buffer that she wasn’t willing to cross unless she absolutely had to.
“It’s cool, little one. Being honest . . .” Lorenzo and Caden locked eyes.
“You can tell her,” Caden granted quicker than usual. He never wanted people to know who he was in The Syndicate, but there was something about Dru. Something that told him she’d find out, eventually, before she became his wife. If she needed to know now, to allow him to help her, so be it.
“I work under Caden in The Syndicate. Anything you tell me, I’ll tell him. Anything I offer you will come from him. You can trust him, and you’re just as safe with him as you are with me.”
Her head slowly turned in Caden’s direction. “You’re in The Syndicate?” she confirmed, voice light and low.
“Yes,” Caden admitted. “I have a chain of pharmacies as well, but yes. I’m a part of The Syndicate.”
“Then you . . . my mother . . . she makes runs for you.”
“She’s a supplier too,” Lorenzo shared.
“What?” Dru laughed as her head shook in disbelief. “That can’t be possible. Or she’s not a very good one. As hard as I work to take care of my sister and pay our rent, she better not be out here selling drugs and not using that money in our home.”
“You pay y’all rent?” Lorenzo confirmed while Caden watched the interaction between them silently. “Because she just asked for a loan saying she was behind on her rent.”
“That was a lie,” Dru shared quickly. “I don’t know what she’s doing with the money, but it’s certainly not paying the rent, or any bills for that matter. I pay the rent, and her not having or using her money for the light bill and groceries is why I’m in this fucking position now!”
Caden felt the warmth of her anger radiating off her. With his hand gently covering her knee, he urged her to focus on him and calm down. To breathe. It wasn’t until she’d looked at him long enough to pull in three breaths that he said, “Tell me what happened.”
“She invited this man, Quenton, to the house while I was at work. Apparently, she asked him for money to pay the light bill and to buy some food, and he asked for, or she offered, my little sister in exchange.” A hiss escaped her as her shoulders slouched.
“She’s six-fucking-teen, and that wasn’t the first time my mama let a man rape her for some goddamn money.
” Her breath came out shaky as she wiped her tears.
“Anyway, I saw him coming out of her room when I got home.
I tried to fight him, but he choked me out.
“Vontae, an old friend from high school, connected me to Galloway. I told him I wanted Quenton gone and that I only had ten K. He said that was low and that he usually didn’t take a job for less than a hundred thousand, but for Vontae, and because of the situation, he would handle it.
” Dru paused and composed herself, straightening her spine with dry eyes.
“Three days later, Quenton was dead, and Galloway is demanding ninety thousand dollars. He says he doesn’t recall agreeing to accept ten, and if I don’t pay the balance in a month, he’s going to kill me or sell me and my sister.
And apparently, he’s already looked into my family because he knew shit about Dreya that—”
Her mouth snapped shut and chest heaved. Caden didn’t know if she was about to pass out or have a panic attack. Short, rapid breaths came out of her as her face twisted into a scowl. When she gripped the chair, he stood and kneeled in front of her.
“Dru,” he said quietly, gripping her knees to stop her legs from shaking.
“Look at me and breathe.” Her eyes lowered to his as she struggled to breathe.
Her heart was pounding so fast, her necklace was bouncing against her chest. “Hey . . .” Caden put his hand on her chest, tugging his bottom lip between his teeth.
Her heart was pounding hard and fast, and other than try to get her calm, he didn’t know what the fuck to do.
“Breathe, Dru. I got you. I promise that nigga ain’t gon’ do shit to either one of you. Breathe for me, beautiful.”
Her hand covered his, and she used his fingers to rub firm circles against her chest. Her heart. That seemed to help. Eyes closed, she pulled in deep breaths. Caden looked back at Lorenzo, asking with his eyes if he’d seen this before, and Lorenzo shrugged and shook his head, seemingly sobered up.
“Sorry,” she muttered, releasing his hand when her heart finally slowed down.
“You have nothing to apologize for.” Caden’s hand lifted and cupped her cheek. She sniffled softly and released a vocal breath. “I’m going to help you, aight?”
Squeezing her eyes shut, she nodded. “A part of me wants to not trust you, or anyone else after how things played out with Galloway, but after what I saw you do and give today at the grocery store . . .” Her eyes opened and connected with his. “I believe you’re worthy of my trust and sincere.”
“Good.” Caden returned to his seat. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you make deliveries for me. You’re too good for that. Plus, you already have a lot on your plate.”
“But I—”
Caden lifted his hand, silencing her. “I’m going to pay the debt, and you won’t owe me a dime in return.
Your mother will. This is all her fault anyway.
There’s no reason you should be working as hard as you are to take care of your sister and her.
I don’t know what she’s doing with the money she makes under me, but clearly not what a grown adult with responsibilities should be doing.
That ends now. I’ma take that weight off your shoulders and put it where it belongs—on hers. ”
“Good luck with that,” Dru muttered with a small smile. “Thank you both. I’m sorry to crash your birthday night with my bullshit, Zo.”
“It’s all good, Dru. I know we don’t know each other well, but I’ve always admired you. I see your hustle and love for your sister, and I respect it.”
“You can admire her all you want, but let that be it,” Caden warned. “She’s off-limits to you and anybody else in this bitch.”
Lorenzo chuckled as he stood. “Come on, nigga. You supposed to be taking me to the next destination, not threatening me over somebody you just met.”
“You heard what I said,” was Caden’s response as he stood. His eyes lowered to Dru who innocently looked between both men. “Do you have a ride home?”
“Oh. Um, yes. I drove.”
“We’ll trail you home before I drop this man off.”
“Drop me off?” Lorenzo replied. “I’m sober now.”
“Mhm.” Caden muttered, eyes lowering down Dru’s frame as she stood and walked past them. She gave Caden’s hand a gentle squeeze before she tugged Lorenzo down by his wrist and placed a kiss on his cheek.
“Thank you,” she whispered before leaving the VIP section, and before Caden could stop himself, he punched Lorenzo in the stomach so hard he gagged.
“Nigga! The fuck you mad at me for!”
“She more grateful to you than me. I’on like that shit.”
“Maybe because I linked her with you. Take it up with her. You damn near made me throw up my liquor. I’m telling ya mama on you at my birthday brunch tomorrow. You gon’ pay for that shit.”
Caden’s head shook as he laughed and headed down the stairs.
That was a given. His mother threw them both birthday brunches every year.
Lorenzo was just as much her son as Caden and Niko were.
As soon as Lorenzo snitched tomorrow, Candace was going to come to his defense.
That was fine. Getting yelled at by his mother was a fair exchange if he got to release his territorial frustration.
What Caden was experiencing for Dru was foreign, and he’d need to get a handle on it soon.