Chapter 25 #2
Vega lifted his hand and smoothed his waves. It was fucked up that he had to be here, but he felt it necessary. “I heard you got locked up.”
East’s expression grew hard which Vega noticed so he further explained. “Ace told me. He had a few of his guys following Patterson. They were watching him that night.”
“Ace’s guys were watching Patterson the night he arrested me?” East asked for clarity.
“Yeah, they didn’t do shit. When I checked Ace about it, he hit me with some bullshit about you not wanting a connection to him.”
“I don’t.”
“I get that, but they could have dropped his ass in a matter of seconds, and no one would have ever known. There was no need for you to end up in the system. I wasn’t really feeling the fact that Ace didn’t handle things the right way.”
East shrugged. “I respect Ace with a lot of things. He has always been fair and he taught me a lot about the business. But I’m sure you know more than anyone, your brother is a pussy.
He should have never been in the position he holds.
Life worked out that way, and he did what he could, but some shit is just not in him.
I can’t be mad because he is who he is.”
Vega was a little thrown but totally agreed. He didn’t expect East to be so real about his feelings on Ace, but then again, East never bit his tongue about anything. “I just don’t like how that went down. I would have never handled it the way he did.”
East smirked and shrugged. “You aren’t him.
Nobody’s perfect. You don’t follow the rules, you do a lot of dumb shit.
” East paused, rethinking it. He really had no idea who Vega was as a man now, he only knew what he experienced or heard from others in the past, which wasn’t much.
“Or rather use to. But you’ve always been true to who you are. No one can knock you for that.”
Vega chuckled, smoothing his waves again. “Yeah, I did a lot of dumb shit. I’m trying to get right. Bitches and money cost me three years of my life. I’m not giving that up to anyone else. That’s my word.”
“I feel you. I appreciate you coming to me, but Ace knows me. He did right. I don’t need a damn thing from anybody.”
Vega nodded and checked the time. He needed to be on his way to Nyelle’s house for dinner.
“Shit, me either. I’ve always worked for my own and created my own, regardless of who my family is.”
“Then that’s all that matters.” East was well aware that Vega was on a mission to figure things out for himself.
He also knew Ace was on his way out, even if the word hadn’t officially gone out as of yet.
If Vega chose to step in place, then things would run a lot differently.
Doing three years on the inside had changed Vega for the better as far as East could tell.
“So when you planning another card night? That shit was kinda dope even though I can’t play worth a damn and Ny was the only reason I came out good.” Vega couldn’t hide his smile thinking about that night nor did he want to.
East laughed at the thought. “At least you came out good. Joi had me all fucked up in the game, but soon. I just need to keep things low for a minute.”
The men shared a look of understanding about what that meant before Vega stood. “Fuck that money. We both know you have it in excess. You got the girl, so I’d call that a win. I’m damn sure claiming mine.”
“Shit, me too. Never thought that would be me but I’m rocking with it.”
“Trust, I’m right there with you but I’m damn sure not complaining. I’ll holla at you though.”
Vega left East’s office just in time to run into Numbers who was walking out of his. It wasn’t until that moment that it clicked for Numbers how he knew the Asian beauty who had been at the shop not too long ago.
“What’s good Vega? I heard you were home, but I haven’t seen you yet.” Numbers extended a hand to Vega which he accepted. The two men shared a brotherly hug before Vega addressed him.
“Yeah, I’ve been home for a little minute, but things have changed.
I’m trying to be on my grown man shit. So the only club I’m spending money with is the one I just purchased.
” Vega smirked, causing Numbers to laugh.
The two were a lot more familiar than East and Vega since they had shared plenty of nights passing bottles and blunts in VIP with women who were passed around just as frequently.
“That’s what up. But what club you got? You know I’ma fall through and support.”
“I picked up Micah’s old spot from him. I’m renovating but we should reopen next month.”
“Word, then yeah, I’ll be up in there. I didn’t know he was selling?”
“He didn’t either.”
Numbers laughed at what was implied but he knew Vega well enough to know that whatever he wanted he was taking. “Damn it’s like that? You just hoed him up out of his place.”
Vega flashed a smile and shrugged. “I offered him a good deal and he graciously accepted.”
“Yeah. I know what that means, you hoed his ass. But check it though, you remember shorty you used to kick it with? Fine ass Asian chick. She used to have blue hair.”
Vega’s face tightened at the thought of Blaze. Everything in him knew she was the reason he ended up doing time, but he couldn’t find her to prove it.
“Yeah, what about her?”
“She was in here today. She looks a little different, but it was her.”
“Getting ink?”
“Nah, she pulled up on East. She’s been pushing up on him pretty hard, but East is all faithful and shit now. That’s cool though because I just want to fuck her. I bet that pussy is bomb as fuck.”
Vega was already moving so he ignored the last of what Numbers said. When he made it the short distance back down the hall toward East’s office and stepped inside, East looked up with a frown on his face because of the scowl on Vega’s.
“You know that chick Blaze?”
“Blaze?” East repeated, looking back and forth between Vega and Numbers. He knew good and damn well Vega wasn’t confronting him about a woman.
“Yeah, shorty that was here earlier. The Asian chick.”
“I don’t know her like that. I gave her a cut a few weeks ago and she’s been on my dick.”
“You know how to find her?”
“I just said no. I don’t know anything about her,” East stated, annoyed.
“I need to find her. She just fucking disappeared.”
“Damn pussy must really be A1,” Numbers mumbled through a smile.
“Yeah it was, but not good enough to stop me from canceling her ass. The bitch set me up. She’s the reason I got knocked. Don’t you have cameras in here?”
“Yeah we do. Come on. I’ll show you.”
Numbers crossed the hall to his office with East and Vega behind him. He pulled up the footage from a few hours before and pointed to the scene in the lobby. Vega watched Blaze all over East, knowing without a doubt it was her. She looked a little different, but it was definitely her.
“Isn’t this some shit?” he gritted, shaking his head. “You sure you don’t know how to find her?”
“Nah, I didn’t have a reason to. But if she shows up again, I’ll let you know,” East clarified.
“Aight, bet. She’s gonna have to see me. I’m out though.”
East offered Vega a nod before he left, leaving East with Numbers.
“I guess you know why shorty was so pressed to get with you. She’s a problem. You really about to hand her over?”
East shrugged. “Whatever they have to work out is on them, but that man lost three years behind her. If she set him up, she needs to be held accountable for that shit. The streets don’t have love for opportunists and it seems like she was down for the setup.”
“Shit, I agree,” Numbers said before shaking his head. “But are you going to let me hit that once before you hand her over?”
East shook his head at his boy who was grinning but dead serious. There was no point in trying to reason with him, so he just left the office. He had problems of his own to deal with.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Nyelle had been staring across her kitchen for the past few minutes watching Vega who seemed to be deep in thought about something.
She assumed it was the fact that he had agreed to have dinner with her and Nick.
Maybe he’s second guessing his decision.
A man like him is too damn fine and in demand to be playing stepdaddy.
“Okay with what?” Vega snapped out of his thoughts about Blaze with a tight expression on his face only to find Nyelle wearing a concerned one.
“This, me and Nick.”
Vega’s eyes moved across the room and landed on Nick who was stretched out on his stomach, attention affixed on his iPad on the sofa. After watching him for a brief moment, his focus landed on Nyelle again. “Yeah, I’m good, why you ask?”
“I don’t know. You’ve been weird since you got here. Kinda quiet.”
Vega knew exactly what the issue was but refused to discuss it with Nyelle.
He couldn’t shake the fact that the woman who played a role in him doing time was out in the world just fucking chillin’ like she didn’t pull some shady shit that cost him in a major way.
Vega did, however, release the thought as much as he could before crossing the kitchen to the stove where Nyelle was.
He kept his eyes on her the entire time because the burgundy, strapless, cotton one piece she wore had been challenging his willpower since he got there.
The way her ass and breasts moved freely, there was no way she wore anything under it.
When Vega was close enough, he removed the dish towel from her hands and pulled her by the waist until her body made contact with his.
Nyelle moaned slightly from the feel of him against her stomach.
She had been trying her best to keep things platonic while they figured out what they were doing but she was fighting a losing battle.
“I just have a lot on my mind. It’s not about you or him.
” Vega’s eyes shot past Nyelle to Nick before he had them on her again.
“I’m in this as long as you trust me to be.
I like little dude. He bucked on me the second I stepped in here.
” Vega chuckled at his introduction to Nick when he arrived.
Nick stepped right in front of his mother, arms folded, glaring at Vega before he asked if he had a gun.
After Vega admitted he didn’t, which was the truth since he elected to show up unstrapped, Nick quickly demanded that Vega be nice to his mother because she was nice to everyone or Vega would have to deal with him.
As embarrassed as Nyelle was, she was proud to know she was raising a son who would grow up to be a man who would protect the women in his life. Vega also admired and respected it as well.
“Are you sure?”
Vega’s brows lifted slightly before a scowl stretched across his handsome face. “Why the fuck you doubting me all of a sudden?”
“I’m not. I just…” Nyelle paused and shook her head. “I just really want this with you, and if you don’t, tell me now so that I can…”
Vega stopped her words with a kiss that made Nyelle’s knees weak. When he allowed her to come up for air, she grinned, briefly biting down on her lip to hide the smile he created.
“Nah, don’t hide that shit. Let me see how I make you feel,” Vega teased the second he noticed her blushing.
“I’m not.”
“You are but it’s cool. We have plenty of time for me to see that pretty smile of yours, but listen, we’re not going to keep going back and forth about this.
I told you from day one I wanted you. Wanting you means having some sort of role in his life.
You have to define that, and when you do, let me know what I need to do and it’s done.
For now, he’s just my little homie and you can tell him we’re friends if that makes you feel better.
I’m not trying to replace his bitch ass daddy. ”
Nyelle narrowed her eyes at Vega who only chuckled.
“Shit, I’m not. That’s my word because we both know there is no comparison.
But, what I will tell you is that I’ll be good to both of you.
That’s my word. Now hook this food up and I’m going to chill with Nick.
My damn stomach is doing backflips because you got it smelling good in here.
” Vega winked at Nyelle before his hand landed palm flat on her ass, in a way that caused her to jump.
“Don’t do that.” Nyelle’s face balled up, causing Vega to chuckle.
“Aight, bet. I’ll ease up for now but when shorty is down for the count, you’re gonna be begging me to slap that ass while I’m tapping your lungs with a vengeance.”
He walked off as Nyelle’s mouth dropped open, her nipples hardened, and her panties drenched.
Instead of sipping the wine she poured herself, Nyelle lifted the bottle of Hennessy Vega was working on instead.
After removing the top, she turned it up and allowed the smooth warm liquor to fill her mouth then flow down her throat.
It was extreme, but she needed it in order to survive the night without locking themselves in her room and allowing Vega to prove his point before dinner was served.