Chapter 23 #3
“Yeah, good to see you too,” he offered in an attempt at being civil, but East was annoyed and ready to speak with Cabo so he could get back to Atlanta in time to see Joi later.
He was grateful for her girls’ night because it allowed him to make the two-hour flight to Miami without a million questions about where he was going and why.
Questions East wouldn’t answer, but he did, however, want to be back in time to close the night out with her.
Even if it just meant having her in his bed while they slept. Damn, who the fuck am I?
He had heard plenty of times how one woman, the right woman, could cause a man to switch up his entire life.
The concept had been foreign to East until he experienced Joi.
He found himself craving everything about her, even the things that annoyed the hell out of him.
That had East questioning why he wanted her in his life.
His attraction to Joi was something he couldn’t explain in simple terms, but one he couldn’t escape.
Life was funny like that because East wasn’t the type to need anyone.
He had always been a loner, but he found himself needing Joi.
East almost smiled at the thought, but his current situation prevented it.
“Sweetheart, give us a minute to talk then we can start our dinner. You can wait in my office or at—"
“The bar,” Ava stated quickly. She wanted to be close to her man knowing the crowd here tonight, women who wanted to get close to Cabo. As faithful as he was, she was no fool.
A cocky smirk inched across his face as he nodded without debate, but before Ava left, she had a few words for East.
“Eastland.” She paused until she had his attention, noticing the grimace from her addressing him by his full name.
She didn’t care. Ava did what she wanted.
“My niece is precious to me but you have made it clear she’s precious to you also.
” Ava offered a slick smile before her eyes landed on Cabo who gave her his full attention.
She was his love and he was always drawn to her.
“Cabo seems to think you’re good for Joi.
He assured me that I can trust her with you, and as much as I don’t like who you are, I believe in him so I’m okay with Joi being with you.
Be good to her. That’s all I ask. She’s all I have and I don’t take that lightly.
” With a soft smile, she waited for East to respond.
“She’s good with me. That shit that went down was out of my control, but trust, it won’t happen again. That’s my word.”
“Good enough.” Ava smiled softly before she glanced at Cabo. “I’ll leave you two to discuss your business.”
Cabo chuckled and winked at her, catching her hand just before she moved out of range. After a kiss to her wrist, he let her go.
“Have a seat,” he then instructed East.
“Thank you for flying in to meet with me. I don’t trust discussing certain things over the phone.
I would have come to you, but I had a lot going on tonight.
It’s a big night for us here.” Cabo looked around his family’s restaurant that had recently reopened.
It belonged to his father for years and was handed down to him.
Cabo had spent six figures in renovations and preparing for the reopening taking place tonight.
“It’s straight, but what was so important?”
“A few things.” Cabo leaned back and raked his hand down his face before placing both in front of him and intertwining his fingers. “Navi.”
East chuckled in a cocky manner and shrugged. “She’s not my problem. She’s yours.”
“Understood. You want to tell me what the issue is? I have her version already.”
“You know the people that work for you. You already know what the issue is. I won’t fuck her and she’s in her feelings about it,” East stated coolly.
Cabo exhaled a short breath, nodding. “I won’t send her to you anymore.”
“I know you won’t,” East stated with confidence, looking Cabo right in his eyes. A slow smile surfaced because Cabo could only respect how cocky East was.
“Women complicate things. I try to be an equal opportunity employer. It generally works in my favor but women like Navi just don’t understand certain things…”
“Like?”
“Like the fact that there are men in the world who understand the value of keeping their dick in their pants. Especially where money and business are concerned.”
“Again, not my problem, yours.”
“Indeed. Now, this Detective Patterson…”
East’s jaw tightened at the thought. It took everything in him not to just roll up on Patterson and unload a full clip.
That was the reckless thing to do. East was cautious and calculated.
Every move he made had to make sense, which was why his sudden attraction and need for Joi frustrated him. Their connection didn’t make sense.
“That look is exactly why I wanted to talk to you.” Cabo chuckled, knowing East’s thoughts without actually hearing them. “What do you know about him?”
“I don’t know shit about him because I’m not in the streets like that anymore. I move differently now, which you know. In fact, the only thing I know is that he’s dirty as fuck and wants to get in my pockets. Ace pretty much confirmed it.”
“Ace?” Cabo shook his head and laughed at the name. He had very little respect for the man but chose to keep his thoughts to himself.
“Yeah. He hit me up a little before Patterson showed up at my place. Said he had eyes on him. I told him I would cancel his ass before I handed over a dime.”
“Which I don’t doubt, but it’s not a good move. There’s no perfect solution for a man like Patterson and you don’t want it coming back on you. I don’t want it coming back on you.”
East smirked. “I’ve handled that type of situation more than enough times to feel confident that it won’t come back on me.”
Cabo chuckled, knowing with certainty East had.
“I’m well aware, but my point is, I’ve done a little research.
He’s in debt to some people who aren’t very forgiving about open tabs.
That works in your favor. I would be willing to bet my life, if Patterson’s debt is paid in full, his grantor would have no issue handling him for you. ”
“I’m not paying his debt and I can handle him on my own.”
“I’m not asking you to pay his debt. I would be more than willing to do it. Call it maintaining a stress-free work environment. If you have issues that prevent you from doing what you do, that creates a problem with my cash flow.”
East understood the logic behind Cabo’s offer but still wasn’t feeling it. He didn’t need anyone handling issues for him.
“Nah, I’ll take care of him my way.”
“East…” Cabo dragged his hand down his face, sitting up and leaning onto the table.
“I get it. I know who you are and I know who you’ve been.
It’s the reason I respect you so much. Things are different for you now.
You spent years out there getting your hands dirty.
You really didn’t have much to lose back then, but now you do.
You said a year then you’re done, correct? ”
“What does that have to do with anything?” East flexed his jaw but remained calm.
“It has everything to do with everything. One year and you’re done.
As much as I hate it, because you’re one of the best I have, I respect your choice to move on.
I also appreciate you grooming Chuck to fill that void when you’re officially done.
Let me be frank, I’ve known you for years and not once have I seen an attachment.
Navi has been flirting with you for years and not once have you demanded I cut her off.
You’re changing and I like to think it has something to do with a certain person. ”
East chuckled and shook his head. “Nah, I decided on being out after a year long before I met her.”
“True but you can’t deny that she’s the reason why you don’t want Navi doing your deliveries. She’s nice to look at, I’m a man, so I get it, but all of a sudden you’re putting your foot down. You’re telling me to cut her off.”
“I don’t shit where I sleep.”
“I’m not asking you to, but you’ve employed control all these years. Why is now any different?” Cabo questioned with a stern look. East just stared at him for a minute then laughed, lifting a hand to move it over his hair. He chose to move past the question.
“That’s not the point. I’m careful so handling Patterson is not an issue.”
“And Joi’s ex?”
“I’m not gonna kill him. I’m gonna beat his ass but I’m not gonna kill him.”
“Okay but the fact still remains, you’re moving different.
You have more to lose. Let me handle Patterson my way and get rid of the issue so there’s no risk on your end.
As careful as you are, there’s always room for a fuck up,” Cabo warned, which had East considering the possibility.
No matter how dirty he was, Patterson was still a detective.
Killing a cop was risky. It wasn’t just Joi he had to consider.
His mother and sister were factors too. The crazy thing was East putting Joi in the equation without hesitation.
“Let me think about it. I’m not really feeling that shit when I know I can easily get it done. I trust myself. I don’t know these people you’re talking about.”
“Again, I don’t doubt that you can. Just pay an old man some consideration.” Cabo leaned back and smirked before getting serious again. “If it goes wrong, Ava will have my ass and I’m not trying to fuck up my peace when there’s an easy solution that keeps both of our hands clean.”
East chuckled and looked over at the bar. Ava was chatting away with the woman behind it while nursing the drink in her hand. It wasn’t until then that East noticed how much she and Joi resembled each other.
“Let me think about it. It’s just not how I move.”
Cabo wanted it handled and he wanted it handled in a way that would exclude both of them.
As much faith as he had in East, neither of them needed the additional attention nor did they need even the slightest chance of being tied to killing a cop.
However, none of it mattered. Cabo knew East and he was going to do whatever the hell he wanted.
“Get back to me soon so I will know how to proceed.”
“He’s got it coming but I don’t move until I’m ready to move. I’ll let you know when I decide,” was East’s answer. It was a nice way of saying exactly what Cabo already knew. East was going to handle it his way.
“Good enough. Are you heading back tonight?”
“Yeah, I need to get back. I have a little something I need to check on.” Thoughts of Joi filled East’s head. He wasn’t aware of the slight smile that surfaced, but it wasn’t missed by Cabo who chuckled.
“A little something or someone?”
When East’s attention was given to Cabo again, it was East who was amused. He moved his hand down his face before gripping the back of his neck while shaking his head at the same time. “Someone.”
A broad smile spread across Cabo’s face while East’s expression was more along the lines of mild frustration. His feelings for Joi annoyed him because there wasn’t much he could do to control them.
“A woman like that will be your greatest conquest or your most memorable downfall. As long as you understand her power and position in your life, you’ll be fine.
” After a moment of reflection considering his own situation, Cabo continued, “At least let me feed you. This place…” Cabo’s expression grew serious as his eyes moved around the building, admiring the full house, “it’s a legacy.
My legacy. They’ve done my grandparents and parents well.
The food tastes just like it did when they had their hands in it. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”
East felt his stomach turning in the moment. He could smell the delicious cuisine that surrounded them or passed by on the trays as servers moved about, but he was on a tight schedule. “If I can get it to-go, then that works.”
Nodding, Cabo signaled for one of his staff to come get the order, understanding East was ready to get home.
He himself had been in that same place a million times before with Ava so Cabo respected East’s position.
A man who understood life was about more than money and power was a man who would always have it, because he would never let it control him.
The control of a man belonged to the woman who loved and protected his sanity, and apparently Joi was becoming that for East, whether he realized it or not.