Page 127 of The Promise

I scoffed, “Say word.”

“Word,” Sadik gave confidently. “Corny ass British accent and all.”

“Ain’t this some shit. Haris wants in on the supply chain industry?” It was the line of work Sadik centered his empire around. “I guess it would make sense for a man who doesn’t live in America to want to control goods coming in and out of the country.”

“Yeah. I’m sure the idiot thinks it’s that simple.”

I shook my head, pacing the hardwood floors. My skull was strained, neck and chest were tight.

I took a deep breath. “Everything’s simple for a desperate man.”

“What do you want me to do with this?”

I tried massaging my scalp. “Put him on ice.” I needed more time to figure out who, exactly, Haris Elba was and what he wanted from me. “I gotta figure out some things first.”

“Got you. Always.”

“Later.”

“Yo, Sin,” Man called as I grabbed my other phone from the table. He was on his laptop. “The Bangercoming out of retirement for that young bitch. She vexed my girl!” He laughed. I leaned over his shoulder and read the headline saying Tori McNabb’s people officially scheduled a fight with Jenn ‘the Bull’ Davies. “All this ‘causeThe Bangersaid she ain’t know shortie. Now, shortie ‘bout to get her ass ran through.”

“Damn.” That’s all I had. Tori McNabb had been retired for about five years. “I guess sometimes you gotta come out of retirement to let ‘em know.”

My phone rang, upping my irritation even more. But this had been the case for the past three days down here inDella.

We flew Juggy down to Ashira’s family the same day we arrived from Europe. Jug could hardly walk into the house. It was painful having to damn near carry him into the room Rose had set up already. She went to work on him right away.

“Hello?” I rubbed the tension in the back of my head.

“Hey,” Josie responded oddly.

“Hey.”

“Any updates?”

I hated to tell her. “Nah. Not yet.”

“Are you sure she knows what she’s doing down there?”

“I really don’t know.” That was my honest answer.

I had to explain to Josie why I was only in Jersey for about three hours before flying back out on Thursday. Telling my man’s business wasn’t my thing, but shit had been so haywire with Josie knowing I’d fucked Ashira. I felt like I owed her honesty from here on out. How honest and how long I’d have to explain myself was what I didn’t know. I didn’t want to stop being friends with her, but didn’t want to marry her, either.

My feelings were all over the place. I wanted Ashira more than any other woman in the world, but her circle didn’t fit in my square. And I damn sure didn’t trust her enough to dead whatever I had going on with Josie. But I knew I couldn’t have both their bodies. I couldn’t do that to the mother of my child. Shit. I didn’t want that for myself. I wanted a permanent partner, and neither woman was a prospect.

Shit…

I pinched the bridge of my nose. There was tension there, too. When I opened my eyes, Ashira was in the doorway of the room they called the library. It was across from the room Jug was in, so I set up shop in there to work and take calls. She was expressionless, clean-faced, and with not-so-fresh vacation braids. But she was beautiful. Even with exhaustion darkening the area around her eyes, I felt determination exuding from her.

“Is he, at least, doing better?” Josie asked, forcing me to turn away from Ashira’s deep gaze.

I rubbed my forehead, exhaling, “Ummmm… Yeah. A bit.”

Ashira was able to email Jug’s medical records to her cousin, Diana, who was able to share them with Rose to prepare her on our way down to South Carolina. The first day we were here, shit blew my mind, and I was sure Juggy’s, too. Rose and her crew had a room sterilized, then fumy from candles and mists. The concoction didn’t smell great, either. It was strong as hell and supposedly good for clearing the lungs. It damn sure opened mine up. Within an hour, they had cleaned Jug’s body from head to toe, some shit he was too weak to protest, and I didn’t even know because I was busy bringing our luggage in then getting Chivon settled.

When I made it back to Jug, Rose and six other women surrounded the hospital-like bed he lay in and were praying. It was weird because the only hint I had of them praying was hearing the names Jehovah and Rapha. Other than that, there were strange chanting and body jerks. Between the sight of my man being down—helpless—in the bed, the chanting, the mists shooting from different areas of the room, and the scent, I was stunned into place. Ashira and Betty pulled me out of the room.

“How?” Josie asked.

---