Chapter 33
“Ican’t believe this is our last day. I do not want to catch the flight home.
” Joi pouted slightly, looking out at the water that surrounded them.
The past two days had been a blur, but one she remembered every second of.
Miami brought out a different side of East. He was more relaxed, less intense, and happy.
“I can’t believe you convinced me to be out here on this death trap.”
Joi glanced over her shoulder and grinned at the scowl on East’s face despite the fact that his eyes were closed.
That morning, when she mentioned them spending the day on Cabo’s yacht, East was the only one who objected.
His reasoning was to the point and simple.
I don’t fuck with boats or water. It took some persuasion on Joi’s part, but she got him to agree.
Persuasion that involved the stiffness Joi now felt in her jaw, but it worked in her favor because East didn’t hesitate to reciprocate before blessing her in a way that left a lingering feel of his presence hours later.
East, Joi, Vega, and Nyelle had spent most of the day sitting on the ocean, enjoying the benefits of privilege from meals on demand to the most expensive liquor money could buy.
Nick was supposed to be with them but backed out at the last minute for the chance to go to a water park with Ava and Cabo, who had the same reaction East had when he was included in Ava’s plans.
Whatever guilt trip she placed on him worked because they left with Nick while the four of them left for the yacht.
It was the first time in the past few days that the four had been together other than late night dinners and drinks on the beach because Nyelle and Vega stayed true to their word and spent time with Nick.
Most of it at the pool on the second level of Cabo’s massive home, but Nick was simple and didn’t ask for much.
“It’s not that bad and it looks like you’re enjoying it.”
“If he’s not, I am. How the fuck I live to be damn near thirty and never experience shit like this?”
East smirked, releasing a muffled laugh. “Because your hood ass doesn’t know a damn thing about anything other than hood shit and this isn’t hood shit.”
Vega chuckled, nodding to agree. “Aight, you can get that but it’s about to be a part of my résumé. As soon as we touch down, I’m looking at properties and yachts. How much you think one like this runs?”
“How the fuck am I supposed to know?” East peeled his eyes open and frowned at Vega who only shrugged.
“It doesn’t fucking matter, my pockets are deep enough.”
East shook his head, grinning. This Vega reminded him of the one he knew before the bid.
“Are you really going to buy a house and yacht here?”
“Shit, yeah. Work hard, play harder, Pretty Ny. I’ve put enough time in. I think I deserve to relax for a minute. You might have to quit that job though.” He winked at her and she balled her face up, biting into her lip to give herself time to react in a more controlled manner.
“Calm those crazy ass thoughts I see you processing. I understand your need to be independent and have your own, but I also want you available to me and our son.”
“Your son?” Joi, who was trying not to be nosy, repeated with raised brows.
“East, pay attention to your girl so she won’t be over here in grown folks’ business.”
East only chuckled and gripped Joi’s thigh but he didn’t insert himself in the conversation.
“If you’re over there talking about our son, that insinuates my girl needs to be telling me something. It is my business, grown or not.”
Nyelle rolled her eyes and shoved Vega in the shoulder. “I’m not pregnant, hoe. He’s talking about Nick.”
“Oh, well then, carry on.” Joi shrugged with a grin. She was about to get up, but East held her in place.
“Nah, hold up. Give me a minute, unless you want them all in our grown folks business.” Joi grinned harder, knowing and feeling exactly why he didn’t want her to move.
The thin trunks he wore didn’t do much to camouflage the hardness that rested beneath her.
Turning her body so her back was no longer to East, Joi took him in.
His eyes were still closed but she saw the smile forming.
“You really aren’t helping the situation moving your ass on me like that, and if I remember correctly, you were damn near in tears a few hours ago, begging me to take it easy on you. ”
Joi sucked her teeth hard before leaning toward East and brushing her lips across his, prompting East’s hands to attach to Joi’s waist. His eyes opened right after.
“Keep it up,” he warned. Joi knew better and decided to let it go, admiring his handsome features when his eyes closed again.
His face had tanned from the sun, giving the appearance of red undertones with his brown skin and his exposed chest displayed slightly defined contours littered with various creations.
Most were dark hues while a few had color, like the red heart next to his mother and sister’s names.
Joi couldn’t resist tracing a few with the tip of her nail, causing a one-sided smile to appear on his lips again.
“You’re hardhead, shawty. Keep touching me like that.”
“Aight Joi, you’re already limping. Don’t think I didn’t notice,” Nyelle shot back just to mess with her girl. Joi didn’t bother looking her way, she only lifted a hand in the air, shooting Nyelle a bird.
“This wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Nah, not really. It’s just weird as hell to be out here like this.”
“I figured you would be used to it. Aren’t you and Cabo close?” Joi’s question was deeper than it appeared on the surface. East’s connection to Cabo said a lot.
“Not like that. We’re cool but it’s business. We don’t hang out and shit. That’s not how this works. Most people get the real confused with what they see on TV. Muthafuckers handing off keys then partying side by side for the world to see.”
“Oh.” Joi nodded but kept her eyes on East. He pushed out a sigh then opened the floodgates to get it over with.
“Ask me what you want to ask me, shawty.” The stern look that followed his words had Joi second guessing, but this was her life too, so she wanted to know what she was dealing with.
“You have the barbershop, your tattoo parlor, and then this…” A connection to a man who traffics more drugs than most countries can process to keep up with.
She waited while East processed the statement. He trusted Joi, was going to be with her, but the reason he survived so long was because he kept shit to himself. The less people knew about how you moved, the less likely you were to have issues because of them.
“It’s not going to affect you or us. I would never let you be close to me if I thought it would. I’m also gonna be done with this soon. I’m just trying to work a few things out.”
“Money?”
East smirked, tossing that around in his head. This could be the what are you worth question or it could just be Joi sincerely trying to feel out what she was dealing with.
“Yes and no. I have money. I’m just not out here trying to buy yachts and shit like Vega.”
“Fuck you, East. There isn’t a damn thing wrong with living good.
” Both men laughed before East focused on Joi again.
“When I’m done, I want to be completely done and never in the position where I have to go back.
I’m likely there now but I want to be sure.
I could probably buy one of these and not think twice when I told them to run that shit, but for now I’m just chilling.
I’m simple, shawty. What most people need to feel relevant, I don’t. ”
“What do you need?” Joi was quick to ask. East’s face remained neutral while he answered.
“For a long time I didn’t think I needed a damn thing other than my family, but a little annoying, bad ass shawty who wouldn’t give me any play the first time I met her changed that.
Now I need everything she has to offer. If I can have her, then I’m straight for life.
” East winked at Joi before closing his eyes again.
He was so far out of his lane that it caused him to laugh.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“Nah, I’m laughing at myself. You got me out here all fucked up in the game but I’m with it.”
You and me both.
Joi blushed, unable to contain her smile. It was still hard to accept this was her life, that East was her life, but no matter what, she was just as much with it as he was, and she didn’t see that changing anytime soon.
“Mommy, do I have to go to school tomorrow?” Nick’s little pout had Nyelle’s heart breaking because she was about to crush his little soul, but she had to go to work which meant Nick was damn sure going to his pre-K class.
“Tomorrow is Monday, Nicolas. Yes, you have to go.”
“But I don’t want to,” followed right after her response.
“Sorry, baby. You have to go to school if you want to be smart like me.”
“Hmph,” Nick pouted, locking his little arms across his chest, causing Nyelle to roll her eyes and Vega to laugh as he removed the last of their luggage from his car.
Vega kept his thoughts to himself because the subject of school was a nonnegotiable topic.
Nyelle had already made that clear when he tossed out the idea of Nick missing school to take future trips together.
“Watch that attitude, Nick,” Vega warned, causing Nick to lighten up but still pout.
“Sorry.”
By the time the three of them reached her condo, Nick was smiling again. It was just after dark and he decided to play nice so he didn’t have to go right to bed.
“Can I play my game for a little while?”
No was about to roll off her tongue but Vega’s voice cut her off. “Thirty minutes. That’s all you get.”
Nyelle cut her eyes at Vega who seemed unbothered. Nick waited for Nyelle to confirm, and when she nodded in approval, he took off down the hall to his room.
“He needs to be in the bath getting ready for bed.”