Chapter 17 #2
“Because you don’t have anyone else to call, Joi!
” Ava snapped at her. She loved her niece with all her heart, but Joi didn’t have the best taste in men.
She never seemed to settle on those who were worthy of even half of her time.
Ava glanced over her shoulder at her boyfriend, who was now fully awake with a scowl on his face.
She knew it was more from the fact that they both had been awakened from a deep sleep after a night of partying and great sex.
Cabo understood Ava’s relationship with Joi.
Her niece was more like a daughter since she had been in her care since just after her twelfth birthday.
“So, this East person, is he into anything I need to be concerned about?”
Ava noticed the look of recognition that flashed across Cabo’s face at the mention of the name East. She could already sense things getting even more complicated. As to not have to repeat herself if Cabo needed details about the matter, she removed the phone from her ear and placed it on speaker.
“No, not that I know of. He owns a barbershop and a tattoo parlor. That’s not why he was arrested. The cop was just being an ass. He thought that East assaulted me…”
“Hold the fuck up. This man put his hands on you, Joi?”
“No! Absolutely not!” Joi almost yelled, leaving no room for debate.
“It wasn’t him, it was Reg, but when I told the detective it wasn’t East, he said I could be answering under duress and he was taking him in anyway.
He arrested East and took him away in cuffs.
He didn’t believe me when I said it wasn’t him so I think he might need an attorney. Can you help me with that?”
Ava looked back at Cabo who was now watching her intensely. The grimace etched on his face was a clear sign that he knew whoever this East person was.
“When did this happen?” Cabo spoke before Ava could.
Joi had been around him enough to recognize his voice, so she answered without hesitation. “About thirty minutes ago.”
“We’ll be on the jet within the hour. I’ll send someone until I can get there. Well never mind. Let me call Pavia. He can fly out with us.”
“Okay, what should I do?”
“Go home,” Cabo stated bluntly before he walked, grabbing his phone from the dresser to make the call to assure his jet would be ready for a flight. Joi considered his statement and shut her eyes briefly. Had she done that when East asked, he wouldn’t be locked up right now.
“Sweetheart, are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, this is my fault.”
“How?”
“It just is. I didn’t listen.”
“Joi, is there anything else you need to tell me?”
“No, not like that. Not anything that matters. I just didn’t trust him when I should have.”
“It happens, don’t worry too much. Just go home. I’ll be there soon and don’t worry. If it can be fixed, I can guarantee Cabo will get it handled. You’ll have to trust me on that.”
“I do,” Joi whispered lowly. She had all the faith in the world when it came to her aunt.
She had never let Joi down and she knew who Ava’s boyfriend was and what he was capable of.
It was the only thing that relieved the restricted feeling that resided in her chest since the moment East and Patterson left his shop.
“Good. I love you and I’ll see you soon.”
“Love you too.”
Ava ended the call just as Cabo ended his. She stood from the bed, inhaling a short breath, feeling the exhaustion in her body before she addressed him.
“He’s one of yours?”
Cabo nodded but didn’t respond verbally.
“Should I be concerned? Is he good enough for my baby?”
That pushed a smile from Cabo which caused Ava to narrow her eyes at him. “That depends, am I good enough for you?”
“This is not about you.”
Cabo’s smile stretched a little wider. “Technically it is. East could be me. He just chooses not to be. He’s content with his life. He doesn’t want the stress that comes with who I am, but make no mistake, if it’s what he wanted, he would have it.”
Ava understood exactly what that meant and she worried.
Her situation with Cabo came with a lot of factors.
His life complicated hers. Although he had multiple homes all over, they constantly traveled, she was always under his watchful eye because of who he was.
Her safety was a priority, so he made sure she was never too far.
The spoils attached to him were what most couldn’t even imagine in their wildest dreams, but sometimes she found herself wanting simplicity.
She would never have that with Cabo. Ava didn’t want that for Joi.
Dealing with a low level, wannabe drug dealer like Reg didn’t really pose a threat to Joi.
Ava assumed her niece would eventually outgrow the phase.
She very well couldn’t force her hand considering her life.
Hearing that she was now involved with a man who mirrored the potential of the one she loved was cause for alarm.
Loving a man like Cabo came with a lot, and if East was anything like him, she didn’t want that for Joi.
Ava was anxious to get home to figure out what was going on.
It had been a few months since she had seen or talked to Joi outside of checking in with a quick call or text.
Apparently it was time to do a face-to-face.
“You okay?” Cabo knew his lady. He could see the tension in her expression and body.
“For now, yes, but what you said didn’t help.”
Cabo chuckled and joined Ava, pulling her into his body. She couldn’t help but relax against his solid frame. The man was her safe space and she loved him with everything that she was. It was the reason she accepted the good and bad that made up who he was.
“East is a good man. I’ve known him for years and never once have I had to question anything about him.
If your niece is with him, under his protection with her life and her heart, then she’s in a good place.
Now let’s go so I can figure out who’s fucking with my people and what I need to do to ensure it ends here. ”
After planting a kiss to her temple, he released her from his hold and the two began the process of getting ready to fly out. Cabo was hoping for an easy resolution as he had a full week but would do whatever necessary to ensure East was good.
“I can sit here all night if that’s what it takes.”
East didn’t say a word. He knew the drill.
He half expected Patterson to skip the formalities and not actually book him.
So when he was brought in, fingerprinted, and placed in front of the camera for mug shots, East knew this was about to be a little more complicated than he expected.
For the first time in his life, his name was officially in the system.
It was possible his name came up in conversation with detectives and cops over the years but they could never make anything stick.
He was careful and smart. He learned a lot from Ace, then Cabo when he began buying from him, and what wasn’t taught or provided by them East learned on his own.
He was a natural when it came to his hustle.
Not all men were built to handle certain roles, but East was born for his.
It was his natural state of being to be a leader, to be successful and do it in a way that had others trying to mimic his actions.
It was another reason East’s blood was boiling now.
Never once had he slipped up until Joi. Fucking Joi.
This situation was the reason he didn’t want to let anyone in. Women complicated shit. His complication landed him in handcuffs and now in a precinct at close to four in the morning with his trigger finger experiencing spasms each time Patterson addressed him.
“Still nothing?” Patterson was growing annoyed. East hadn’t said a word to him or spoken at all since they left his shop. He thought for sure that he would play tough, but he felt certain he could at least get him to entertain a conversation.
East lifted his eyes to Patterson with the darkest look reflecting from them. It caused Patterson to falter slightly which East caught and Patterson prayed he didn’t.
“That woman is a walking billboard that’s gonna cost you at least a year. I have the power to make that stick. Are you really going to be that stupid and not even entertain a conversation with me? I’m trying to help you out here, son—"
“I’m not your gotdamn son and I’m not entertaining shit you have to say.
You want something I’m never going to give you.
Your stupid ass already showed your hand.
I didn’t touch her. She admitted to that.
You can either let me go now or wait for her to get with a lawyer who will sue this entire fucking department for holding me when you didn’t have a reason. You make that call.”
Patterson’s face burned with anger, turning red. “You aren’t as smart as you think you are, I—"
Both men looked to the door when it opened. East straight ahead and Patterson over his shoulder. Seconds later they had a visual of a man in a dark gray suit followed by a lieutenant. “This man is here for Mr. Joseph. You need to step out while he has a minute with his client.”
Patterson’s face flushed red again. He wasn’t sure how Joi procured a lawyer so fast and at this hour but here he was. East didn’t say a word. He had no idea who the man was or why he was there, but he could only assume Joi had reached out to someone.
“You must be one of them ambulance chasers.” Patterson looked him up and down, knowing for sure that he wasn’t. The clothes he wore were expensive and so was the watch on his wrist.