Chapter 19
MONEY
I sat in my office long after Solei left the club, drinking whiskey and replaying that moment all those years ago. I couldn’t believe we ended up like this. I was to blame, and I could admit that, but goddamn, what the fuck would it take to get my family back?
This fucking engagement to Darius was her last-ditch attempt to convince herself she could have a normal life. A safe life. A life that didn’t involve loving a man who’d built an empire on blood and ambition. Solei was just as toxic as I was. Just as addicted to the chaotic love we had.
“Yeah.” I finished my drink.
“I’m coming up.” Five minutes later, he walked into my office and shook his head. “I heard Solei was here.”
“Yeah.”
“You get her back?”
Placing the glass down onto my desk, I shook my head. “She’s still runnin’ so I’m gon’ do what I gotta do. Set everything up.”
Check sat down and took a swig from the bottle. “You know this is crazy? She’s engaged, man.”
“She told me she still loves me. She still wants this. I refuse to see past that.”
“Maybe she’s runnin’ for a good reason.”
I looked at him sharply.“The fuck that supposed to mean?”
“Nigga, you know damn well you weren’t exactly husband of the year when you were together.”
“I’ve changed.”
“Have you?” Check gestured around the office. “You’re still runnin’ the same operations, just with a cleaner front. You’re still makin’ the same moves. The only difference is you’re better at hidin’ it now.”
“I haven’t fucked no other bitches, though.”
“True.”
“I’m out the game, bro.”
“Nah, you’re out the streets. You haven’t left the game alone completely. You probably never will.”
I didn’t have an argument for that because he was right. I’d tried to go legitimate, tried to build something clean, but there were always ties and obligations. “I fuckin’ love her,” I said quietly.
“I know you do, but she needs more than that.”
“I’m fuckin’ tryin’.”
“I hear you.” Check sighed and stood up. “I’ll set everything up. Just... be careful, bro. You’re playin’ with fire, and Solei’s the one who’s gonna get burned if you fuck up again.”
After he left, I pulled out my burner phone and pulled up the message thread with Solei. I typed out another one.
I hit send and leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. I knew what I had to do. It was time to put shit in motion.