29. Givens #3
“And this shit is coming with a price,” Nine said as he opened his laptop. His fingers flew over the keyboard, and he shook his head. “My wife pissed, her cousins pissed, and her grandparents pissed. Which means my house is fucked up. I don’t like my house being fucked up.”
“I just need the truth,” I said as I stuffed my hands in my pocket. “I don’t remember shit from that night after a certain time, but I know I didn’t fuck Shai. Whatever the price tag is, I’ll have it in your account by the end of today.”
“Nigga, it ain't about the money,” he said, shaking his head. “I could have everything out of your account before I walked out of this house if I wanted to.”
I looked over at Pyrite, lifted my brow in question, and he nodded. “The nigga ain’t lying,” Pyrite said with a laugh. “I bet you his wife already hacked your shit and is trying to figure out which offshore account to put your shit into.”
Nine chuckled lowly and nodded. “Cross ain’t nothing nice.”
“I don’t doubt it,” I said, shaking my head.
“I should warn you if I see something I don’t like, it ain't gonna be Cross you gotta worry about. Her showing up at your house was just a warning about what would happen.”
“I respect you cuz you my woman's people but don’t threaten me like I’m a bitch,” I said as I adjusted my shorts. “I’m a grown-ass man just like you are.”
“Nah, we not alike,” he replied. “Because ain’t no way I’d ever let another bitch play in my wife or seed’s face like Shai has been doing you. That bitch been on some bullshit from the moment you stepped to Mercy.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, stepping to him.
“That shit at Javien’s party was Shai,” he answered with a laugh. “I finally got a chance to look at the pictures after Cross scrubbed them from the net and figured out they were sent from Shai’s IP. It looks like she’s been selling your information for years.”
“This bitch,” I said, shaking my head.
“And she’s been fucking around with Javien for a long ass time, too,” he said, then grunted. He looked over at Pyrite and shook his head. “She’s involved with that video shit he be doing.”
“Give her name to St. Thomas,” Pyrite said with a shrug, then he turned to me. “You ain’t gonna have to worry about her in a few.”
“Who is St. Thomas?” I asked, and they exchanged a look. “Listen, I don’t give a fuck about her, but she is Faylin’s mama.”
“Mercy is Faylin’s mama,” Nine interjected. “Don’t play on my cousin's top like that.”
“Right,” Pyrite agreed. “And don’t worry about it cuz you ain't on his radar. If you were, this conversation would be going differently.”
“Alright, this is what you here to see,” Nine said, then picked up the remote from the desk and turned on the TV across from Pyrite's desk. He tapped a few buttons on the laptop, and then the TV mirrored his screen. “I’ma speed the shit up, but tell me if something looks off.” He pressed play, then doubled the speed.
The video started with me checking in; we watched as I went to my room, then come back out a few hours later.
I knew I’d done a few press releases and meet and greets.
I returned to the hotel, and I left again two hours later. This time, I was going to the club.
“Shit looks normal to me,” I said, shaking my head.
“Keep going,” Pyrite instructed, and Nine hit play again.
He doubled the speed, and for a few minutes, my floor was empty.
The next person to come off the elevator was me and Shai.
I was obviously drunk, and she wasn’t. She helped me into the room, and then the elevator opened again.
This time, a woman came to my door, and I stepped closer to the TV.
“Aint this some shit,” I said as I watched her knock on the door and hand Shai something before getting back on the elevator.
“You know her?” Pyrite asked.
“That’s the waitress from the club,” I nodded. “She was trying to get fucked, but Infinite and I wasn’t having it. She was desperate as fuck.”
“You sure?” Pyrite questioned, and I nodded. “Alright.” He picked up his phone and made a call. “Yetti, pick up Melissa and bring her here.” He paused and nodded. “Yeah, she ain't got a choice.” He hung up and turned back to the TV. “Keep going, Nine.”
He started the video again, and we watched as nothing happened outside my room until Shai stormed out of the room the following day.
She got on the elevator, and Nine switched the camera feed to follow her.
Shai got off on the second floor and walked to a room.
She knocked, and Melissa opened the door for her.
A few seconds later, Javien came to the same door and opened it with a keycard.
“I’m going to kill that nigga,” I said with a humorless laugh.
“He’s sitting in the ICU right now,” Pyrite said, and I looked at him confused. “You ain’t seen the news, have you?”
“Nah,” I denied. “What happened?”
“A DeCorte got mad,” Nine laughed. The TV switched to the news, and I watched as a reporter talked about a shooting that happened after the East Side Tournament ended. Javien and Shai were the only ones injured.
“Your wife did this?” I asked Nine.
“Nah,” he laughed. “Your woman did that.”
“Fuck!” I sighed and shook my head.
Pyrite laughed, “I told you she wasn’t what you thought she was.”