Chapter 16 #2
“Hey, let her go. What the hell are you doing? I’m calling the cops.” The woman’s ice blue eyes darted over to Reg while she already had a call-in process.
It wasn’t until he heard her saying EastSide Ink and rattling off the block that they were on that Reg acknowledged her presence.
Fuck, the bitch called 911. Reg wasn’t interested in that type of attention.
He had three unregistered guns, one on his person and two in the car.
All three would surely have his fingerprints.
Not only that, the person calling was a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman who had her focus on him while he was physically assaulting Joi. I’m not about to take that chance.
Reg let her go and threw his hands up.
“Ay, be easy. We’re just having a disagreement.” He slowly backed away while Joi doubled over, trying to catch her breath.
“That wasn’t a disagreement, asshole. You physically assaulted this woman. The cops will be on their way soon.”
“Reg, you better come on before that white chick gets your stupid ass locked up. You really about to let her put time on your name,” Tasha yelled from the car where she was waiting.
She had witnessed the entire thing, and had the woman not called the police, she wouldn’t have stopped the assault. Joi got what she deserved as far as Tasha was concerned, and she wasn’t about to let Reg do a bid and leave her alone to raise the baby she was carrying.
“You’re not leaving,” Blue Eyes yelled, causing Reg to send his gaze to Joi once more before he smirked and hurried to his car.
There wasn’t a chance in hell he was about to hang around and set himself up for some bullshit. He left without a second thought.
A few blocks over, Patterson sat in his car, running through the list of warrants present for the young man sitting in the back seat of his car, cuffed and scowling at him.
It only took a minute for his attention to be pulled away when he heard the dispatch looking for a unit to check on an assault at EastSide Ink.
It was late, so his eyes briefly squinted before a smile spread across his face.
He assumed the universe had aligned and was sending him an opportunity.
Asako was tucked away at his house, but he hadn’t yet been able to get her next to East, so this would provide him with an opportunity to accomplish that without her.
“Dispatch. This is Detective Patterson. I’m two blocks away.”
Right after he accepted, Patterson got out and hurried to the back of his car then yanked the door open. “Today’s your lucky day, asshole. You get a pass.”
“What?”
“I said you get a pass,” Patterson gritted, annoyed by the attitude he was receiving.
These little muthafuckers do not respect authority.
The young thug looked around uncomfortably.
He knew who Patterson was and was well aware of his track record for using situations like the one he was currently in to his advantage.
The fact that he was caught pushing product and had a list of warrants a mile long was a guarantee Patterson was going to play let’s make a deal, but here he was, offering him an out.
“Get the fuck out of my car,” Patterson growled when the young man didn’t move.
With hesitation, he scooted to the door where Patterson grabbed his shirt and helped him the rest of the way.
“Turn around.”
Following instructions, the young man did as he was told and waited while Patterson uncuffed him.
“What’s the catch?” he asked as he massaged his wrists.
“There isn’t one. At least not today. Now get the fuck out of here before I change my mind.
The young thug hiked his sagging jeans and scowled at Patterson a moment longer before he jogged off, not asking any more questions. Patterson slammed the door and hopped in his car, eager to see if he had a better opportunity waiting for him. I got your ass, Mr. Joseph.
Unaware of what was going on outside of his shop, East carried the last crate of product through the back door, annoyed at the timing. His mind was already on Joi, assuming she had made the drive to her apartment where he planned to be as soon as he finished up with his current situation.
“That’s the last of it.” Navi’s eyes were affixed to East as he placed the fourth crate down then wiped his hands on his jeans.
She waited while East used a crowbar to pry the top open, lifting the lid and placing both on the table next to the crate before lifting one of the sealed packages.
After weighing it in his hand, he lifted the knife from the table and cut into the plastic like he had done for one package out of each of the other crates to examine the contents.
“We good?” Navi’s tone was seductive as she questioned East to be sure he was satisfied with her delivery.
Once he placed the package back into the crate, pleased with the contents, he offered her a nod.
Navi looked forward to her deliveries with East. It was something she thought about constantly, even if he never once entertained any of her advances.
East, unlike most of the other men she delivered to, was all about business.
Navi prided herself in being a beautiful woman with the type of body men couldn’t deny.
However, East didn’t treat her any different than the other men who worked for Cabo and delivered to him. It made her desire him even more.
With a fluid motion, East lifted the backpack that held the payment for the product Navi delivered and handed it over to her. “Tell Cabo that this shit doesn’t need to happen again. If he can’t meet my schedule, then I can’t fuck with him. I need things to work on my terms.”
“Understood. It was a one-time thing. The shipment was late. It was out of our control, but I’ll be sure to deliver the message to the boss man.”
With a straight face and no emotions attached, East spoke. “Not my fucking problem. This was an inconvenience. Make sure he knows it’s a first and last.”
Nodding, Navi pulled the bag over her shoulder, not bothering to offer East more of an explanation. She had dealt with him enough to know it didn’t matter. All business with your sexy ass.
“Give me a minute to lock up and we can head out the front.”
Navi agreed because the vehicle that arrived with the product only stayed in place long enough for East to recover his shipment.
After the last crate was removed, Jose drove away, and Navi would leave in the brand-new Benz she had just purchased thanks to her involvement with deliveries like the one she just completed.
The system was set in place to protect both the buyer and seller.
No one stayed with the product for long.
Navi watched East move around, locking and bolting the door then handling a few more things. She smiled to herself, thinking how much she would love to get her hands on him, literally. Damn, this man is too fine for his own good and that damn dick print is telling a story of its own.
“Aight, let's go,” he tossed out and started moving toward the door that separated the back warehouse from his shop.
As always, he expected her to follow his lead. A habit and a facet of his personality that women loved. East was a natural leader and not many minded following his lead.
“What’s your deal?” Navi questioned, causing East to slow briefly and offer a glance over his shoulder.
“My deal?”
“Yeah, your deal. Not to be arrogant or anything but look at me.”
Feeling Navi pause her movement, East stopped and turned to face her with a scowl etched across his face.
He didn’t have time nor was he in the mood for her to throw pussy at him.
East knew Navi was attracted and would gladly give it up.
She had made it known on several occasions, but he didn’t shit where he ate.
Navi worked for his supplier, which meant East wouldn’t touch her. Not even for just a one-time thing.
East’s eyes swept her body, taking her in.
The tight jean bodysuit, which rose so high on the sides that he could see the bare skin of her hips, and her erect nipples, which pushed against the thin cotton fabric, were a nice visual.
However, his scowl didn’t change. “Your body is tight as hell. I’m sure you have no issues attracting and keeping men, but I’m not interested in fucking anyone connected to my money or who has the potential to affect my ability to make it.
That’s my deal and all you need to know about me. ”
“Is that the only thing or do you have someone? A man like you has to have women throwing themselves at you, East. I mean, shit, I just did. I’m not opposed to a career change.
Cabo can replace me if needed.” She flashed him a perfect smile, exposing fluffed cheeks, slanted eyes, and a pair of straight, white teeth.
“Don’t worry about what women will or won’t do for me. You’re not in that number, Navi. It’s late and I have shit to do.” East turned and started toward the door again, leaving Navi to either follow or further fuck up his mood.
She chose to follow, which he appreciated because he was ready for her to leave.
The two made their way through the shop and East was on alert the second he heard voices outside the shop.
It was too late for anyone to be that close to his property.
Placing his hand under his shirt, he glanced over his shoulder, tossing out “hold up” while he moved to the door.
Looking into the street, East moved with long strides, concern taking over when he recognized one of the faces.
“Shawty…” When Joi turned to face him with her hand gently gripping her neck, tears immediately formed in her eyes.
East could tell something was off from the disoriented look on her face.
Not to mention the woman standing protectively by her side, whose narrowed gaze was on him as if he were the reason behind whatever had gone on.
When Joi dropped her eyes, his moved to the set of blue eyes on the face next to Joi’s for answers. “She was attacked. I called the cops and the guy left.”