Page 22 of Smoke

“I don’t have a reason to lie to you, Devin.”

He eyed me skeptically. “Let me get your number.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“In case you need me, you can call me. Even if you don’t need me… call me.”

My eyes widened. He chuckled as he held out his phone to me. I swallowed hard as I took it and handed him mine. After the exchange, he slipped his phone back into his pocket.

“On the real though. If you need me to handle something for you, don’t be afraid to call me.”

I knew by that he meant Patrick. I would jump at the chance to have that man out of my life, but I couldn’t just solicit help from this strange man, no matter who his family was.

“I’ll remember that,” I said.

“Good. I’ll see you at our next session.”

“Okay.”

He left me and headed back toward his family while I went to reclaim my seat.

“Mommy, is that your boyfriend?” Korri asked.

“No, baby. I told you, he’s my teacher.”

“Oh, yeah. Can I play a little longer, then we can go eat?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

“Okay!”

She hopped down and ran back to the playground. Once again, I felt my father’s eyes on me.

“What is it, Daddy?”

“You like that man, don’t you?”

I sighed. “He’s been really nice to me. Like this past weekend, he had a cop sitting outside my house so I could get some proper sleep. The day I did his sister in-law’s wedding makeup, he made sure I got home safe and checked the house to make sure I was alone. Again, he’s been nice, but I know I can’t pursue anything there.”

“You know that family, right? You’ve heard things?”

“I have. It’s taking everything in me not to ask him to help with Patrick. I can’t have that on my mental.”

My father looked as though he would have been okay with that, but he would never come out and say it. The way Patrick was moving was foul, but did I have it in me to put a hit out on him? That just wasn’t in my character. I didn’t want him to turn me into someone I didn’t recognize, but something had to give. If it was me, my babies, and my family or him… the choice was clear.

“It’sa pleasure doing business with you, gentlemen.”

I extended my hand and shook theirs before leaving the warehouse floor and heading back to my office. My team would handle loading the shipment of various weapons into the back of the vans. I’d secured a million-dollar deal with an overseas company. The payment had cleared, and they’d come to collect.

Back in my office, I adjusted the inventory on my computer, lit a blunt, and poured myself a glass of whiskey to celebrate. As I sat there, a call came through on my phone. I picked it up to see Peach calling. She was right on time. There was nothing like celebrating a win with some deep throat and some wet ass pussy.

Sitting back in my chair, I answered.

“Wassup?”

“Hey, baby,” she said, sounding all seductive and shit. “What are you doing?”

“Handling some business.”

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