I dabbed my watery eyes with the back of my hand. “Sorry, wrong pipe,” I muttered after I’d gotten my composure.
Swiss and Farrah . . . What the fuck? Well, damn, who wasn’t Swiss fucking?
I almost punched the seat in front of me. This shit was more than I was ready to face or process right now.
“So, Novie, back to my question. Do I trust an outside source to come in and pick up where Swiss left off, or do I give you that position?”
Okay, this was definitely way too much for me to process. I’d just killed a man and the daughter of my best friend’s girlfriend. Those two deaths hanging over my head were making my stomach reel. By now, Heather and Shandy had been contacted, and I still had them to deal with. How do I apologize for accidentally killing someone’s child? How could I make that up to someone? All I really wanted to do was crawl into a hole and never crawl back out.
“Farrah, can I have some time to think. It’s just that all of this was kind of traumatic. I just need to get my bearings.”
“Sure. As bad as Genesis wants the title for himself, I’m giving you forty-eight hours to come to grips with reality. You’ve taken out my two best guys. If you don’t take this offer I can’t say that I will have much further use for you.” The lines around Farrah’s lips wrinkled as she pursed her lips together. It made it look like she had a little pink-sour asshole poking out of her face.
I nodded my understanding.
It was pretty clear that my only option was to accept her offer or she’d renege on one of my get out of jail free cards. I’d never been good at ultimatums. The last time I was faced with one, I tried to kill myself. But this time, the thought of being in charge, running things, hell, even running Genesis, didn’t seem as bad as it sounded.
The car rolled to a stop in front of an Enterprise Car Rental.
“We have an account here. Genesis has already set you up with a car,” she stated.
Half an hour later, I was leaving the rental office in a compact blue Prius. This had to be Genesis’s way of punishing me for Swiss’s death. It still felt too soon for me to go home and face the aftermath that I knew was waiting so I called the devil himself.
“How many times had I told you to stay away from that nigga?” Genesis growled in the phone without saying hello.
“Now you don’t have to worry about that ever again, Genesis. It’s been handled permanently!” My voice broke.
I’d been holding in guilt on top of resentment on top of anger at myself. Saying the words out loud made me feel the impact of what had happened. Swiss’s sons would have to grow up without a father, and Heather would have to go on without her baby girl. I pulled over to the side of the road. None of this felt right. Why did God let me live over and over again?
“Where are you at, Novie?” Genesis asked.
“Somewhere near Enterprise,” I sniffled into the phone. “I pulled over.”
“Well, stay there. I’m coming to get you. We can go get your mind off of things.”
* * *
An hour later, Genesis and I were going shot for shot at a brewery not far from where I lived. Genesis had gotten us a cozy corner table away from the crowded bar so we could talk. Even though I didn’t have any kind of an appetite, I ordered steak fries since he insisted I put something in my stomach with all the alcohol. The waitress brought out my fries, hovering over Genesis for a moment or two longer than necessary to make sure he was good. When she finally left, I turned to him, juggling a bite of the piping hot fried potato between my teeth and my tongue.
“Why did you lie to me? You let me think you were running everything,” I asked once I finished wrestling with my food.
He didn’t even look shocked or caught off guard by my question. Genesis stopped twirling the toothpick that he’d been tossing from side to side in his mouth. He laid it neatly on the side of his napkin.
“If you know what’s what, then I’m guessing Farrah has already spoken to you,” he said.
“Yes, and she wants me to take Swiss’s place.”
Genesis scooped up his shot glass. “Let’s take another shot, and then I’ll tell you everything.”
Tequila burned its way down my throat and chest. I almost gagged the shot back up. It reminded me of why I hated it in the first place. It was Genesis’s choice, so I didn’t complain when he ordered it, but boy, my head and stomach were surely gonna complain in the morning.
“I didn’t lie. I never said I ran anything. You assumed that part. I’ve worked with Farrah for a good number of years. I was only twenty-five and fresh out of law school. She was my first client, and I lost her case because I was inexperienced. When she got out and wanted to start over, I helped her because I owed her one, and I saw her vision.”
“What? Let me find out the wealth consultant was on her Martha Stewart back in the day,” I blurted out in shock.
“Yeah, and she brought your boy Swiss in a couple of years ago. He made shit happen, and he did it fast. Got territory covered, mapped out who we could deal with, who we could work for, and . . .” Genesis pointed in my direction. “He figured out who could be useful to us.”
“Useful?” I gawked at Genesis. “Useful, like how? This was all a bullshit fluke. If that shit hadn’t went down with Javion—”
“Novie, if it wasn’t the shit that went down with Javion that made you cross our paths, it would’ve been something else. Swiss’s mind had been made up about pulling you in way before you ever knew what you were being pulled into.”
And just like that, what little appetite I had was gone. I threw a half-eaten fry back into the basket, rubbing my fingers together to dust off the salt.
“No. Genesis, I’m telling you that you must have misunderstood something somewhere. Swiss was—”
“Novie, Farrah wants to tap into the medicinal marijuana industry. Swiss insisted that he knew a woman who could do more than all of our efforts combined. Said he had intimate knowledge of you.” Genesis scowled saying the words intimate knowledge like they left a bitter taste in his mouth. “Swiss had guys watching you and your apartment for . . . I don’t know . . . a year, maybe longer. You even got a few phones he had preloaded with spyware. He knew where you went, who you saw, and what you were doing. Javion was originally one of the guys gathering info on you. He didn’t know why he was doing it, but he fucked up when he crossed the line and used what he knew to get in your panties.”
Genesis stopped to tell the waitress who’d wandered back over we were good. I too declined her offer for water and another shot. I was still in shock. This was all way too much to process in one day. Javion had been watching me? Now it all made sense, why he knew so much about me and how he seemed to remember it all so effortlessly.
“I know this sounds crazy, and it’s probably too much to tell you considering what you’ve been through, but you deserve to know the truth.”
“Did Swiss tell Javion to shove the broom up the daughter’s ass too, or was that all Javion?”
Genesis shrugged. “Either way it goes, if you hadn’t left your prints on the front door, Swiss was going to plant them when he went back to slit Beau and his daughter’s throats.”
“Would he have let me go to prison if I told you no when you approached me that day?”
The grim look on Genesis’s face made my stomach turn.
“I had enough cash on me to buy the entire Eastern shore if that’s what was needed to get you out. I was told to take the money to a field and burn all of it if you declined.”
I slumped back in the hard wooden chair with my mind whirring. I ran from Swiss and the drug game, just to get sucked back into it all over again. There was no way I could work for Farrah. Too many people had already died because of me, and I wasn’t about to get any deeper into this shit than I already had.
Genesis touched my hand across the table. “That’s why I kept telling you to stay away from him.”
“So that’s the reason why you were doing things for him? You were h
is errand boy? Hell, the champagne and Hennessey we’d drunk were—”
“They were items he requested. You can’t find Hennessey White in the States, but I know a guy. The same goes for the de Brignac. For a hood-ass nigga, Swiss had good taste. Look at his choice in booze, to cars . . . women.”
I ignored his little suggestion at the end. There were still too many unanswered questions, and my heart was still too heavy for me to get distracted that easily. “So what happens if I tell Farrah that my answer is no? Do you turn into the bad attorney and go out planting seeds all across town to get me locked back up?”
“Turning Farrah down isn’t an option, Novie. I’ll protect you for as long as I can, but you know a lot of damaging details. She won’t trust you not to talk. Bottom line, you need to choose between working with us . . . or disappearing. Forever.”
NOVIE
Chapter 61
The Only Thing Stronger
Than Another’s Love
Is Another’s Hate
I tripped over something as I walked in the front door of my apartment. Something was always out of place, or laid down and forgotten about. The extra key to the Prius Genesis rented for me clanged loudly onto the coffee table in the living room. Hearing them clank onto the table brought fresh tears to my eyes. Hennessey probably stood at the window by the front door, popped the trunk, and then ran to get in, dropping my keys into the dish by the front door. I didn’t even know to look or listen for her in there.
It was almost three a.m. Genesis and I drank until the bar stopped serving liquor. Both of us had an early morning to get ready for, so he’d dropped me off horny and drunk. I left him the valet key so he could have someone drop off my rental. I was really hoping he’d take me to his place and fuck the sadness out of me.
I regained my balance while trying to focus my blurry, spinning vision on whatever was lying on the floor trying to kill me. Suddenly, the corner lamp came on with a loud click. I jumped so hard it’s a wonder I didn’t get scared sober. I whirled in the direction of the light, blinking against the bright light.
“I didn’t sign up for this bullshit, Novie.”
Shandy was sitting on the couch balancing a vodka bottle on her thigh.
“Hey, Shan,” I whispered.
She stood up almost nose to nose with me, forcing me to look into her eyes flashing with pain and fury. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, giving her more of an angry teenager look versus a grown woman.
“Nah, Novie, don’t ‘hey’ me. I told you to leave well enough alone. I told your ass not to get mixed up with my brother again.”
She slammed the bottle down on the wooden coffee table, like a judge slamming a gavel. “You didn’t listen, and Denise doesn’t have anything because of you. Heather can’t stand the sight of her. My brother and Hennessey are gone. I’m tired of living my life as Novie’s crutch. You have to go. Tonight.”
A confused frown creased my forehead.
“Go? Are you putting me out?” I sputtered. “Where am I supposed to go, Shandy? Girl, you know I don’t have anywhere or anyone else.”
“There are mad shelters out there. Pick one! You can sleep under the little desk in your office for all I care. I’m done giving a fuck about you!” Shandy stomped her foot. She flung the vodka bottle at the wall behind me. It left a big gaping hole before hitting the floor and rolling. “I had to call and explain to my momma that her son is dead because of you. She won’t even take my calls anymore. I know my momma wasn’t shit, but she and Swiss were all the family I had, Novie. You’ve still got all your family and your side nigga. Just go. Somebody will feel sorry for you and try to take care of you like I did.”
My drunken mind jumped from plan to plan, explanations to lies, to the absolute truth behind her words.
“Shan, you don’t mean that shit. You can’t even afford the lease on this place by yourself—”
“Since when has someone else’s ability to do or not do been a concern to you?” she hissed at me.
My eyes dropped to the points of my silver studded pumps. I was doing my best to hide the anger building up inside me. I’d lost. I’d been hurt in all this too, and she was putting me out on the street like I wasn’t shit. After everything we’d been through, this is how she was treating me?
“Shandy, I am so very, very sorry about—”
Her hand flew up, cutting me off.
“Do you lie to fool you? Because you ain’t fooling me. Sorry, yes—yes, you are a sorry excuse for a woman, but you ain’t contrite.” Her voice was shaky and low, but her words were acidic. “I moved, I started over. I didn’t have to, Novie. I really gave up everything to help you.”
She circled around me, stopping just behind my right shoulder.
“And you couldn’t give up one thing for me. Your selfish ass just couldn’t leave my brother alone, and now he’s dead because of you! I fucking hate you, and I hope you get everything you deserve!” Her argument ended with her screaming in my ear.
She stepped back in front of me with her hands clenched into tight fists. Tears ran down her splotchy red cheeks. Everything she’d said was true, but I couldn’t admit that to her, and I couldn’t be stuck out on the streets either. She brushed past me, toward the dark bedroom.
This wasn’t the plan. I was so mad I could barely breathe. My breath was ragged and choppy. I should’ve died in that crash, nobody else but me. Genesis should’ve let me go to prison and serve time as punishment. I didn’t deserve to be out. But it’s not like I did it on purpose. Shan couldn’t stand Swiss, and she barely like Hennessey, and knew it. Her anger was inexcusable.
I marched toward the door where my things were sitting in sloppily organized little piles. She didn’t even have the decency to let me get my stuff together myself. I snatched up as much as I could carry in one trip. One of Genesis’s flunkies had gotten my car to the apartment in one piece. If I put my shit in the rental I wouldn’t have to deal with her neighbors staring at me.
It was quiet outside as I rushed to get my things in the car as fast as I could. Three trips later, I was down to my last few items. I’d just finished putting my suitcase and laundry basket in the backseat, and all I had left was my favorite perfume and a few toiletries. I was almost at the car when the toe of my pump caught a crack in the pavement. My eyes went wide, and it was either going to be the perfume or me, so I let that shit go. The black bottle hit the ground, shattering to pieces. I teetered, reaching for anything to catch me and getting nothing. Before I could brace myself, I flopped forward, hitting the ground hard as hell.
White-hot pain seared through my chin. My right wrist felt like it was broken or sprained. I sat up slowly, trying to see if anything else was hurt. It felt like water was soaking through the front of my turtleneck. Great, I fell in sewer water. I’ll probably grow a third nipple now.
I’d barely gotten my shaky, wobbly legs to hold my weight when I noticed the red stain on the front of my sweater. Blood was dripping from a big open gash in my chin. I pulled out my cell and dialed 9-1-1.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?” the operator asked in calm, mechanical voice.
“Yes, ma’am. I, um, I need some help. I’m bleeding really bad.”
The throbbing in my chin fell in sync with my heart. Every throb sent blood dripping and pain shooting through my face.
“Ma’am, where are you and what happened?” the operator asked.
My voice was shaky and breathy. “I just . . . um.”
My mind went blank. Maybe the fall knocked something loose. I probably had a concussion. I stared at the thin white clouds that my breath made in the air. Each one disappeared like the thoughts in my head.
“I got in a fight with my roommate.” The words spilled out before I could stop them. Once they hit the air, I knew it was too late to take them back.
“She hit me. I fell, cut my chin.” My voice was shaky from the cold and from the pain in my chin, but it made me sound scared and desperate.
“What’s the address, ma’am? I have officers and an ambulance on the way.”
I gave the operator my address and moved to sit on the stoop in front of our unit. Back home, I might have bled to death before help showed up. Shit, I’d just started arguing with myself over whether the red and blue lights flashing in front of me were real because they got to me so fast. An EMT rushed toward me with three police officers trailing not far behind. I was moved into the back of the ambulance, where I told them the same thing I told the operator. The officers gave each other a look before going toward the apartment.
The third officer stood just outside the ambulance. “Ma’am, one of your neighbors had called in a noise complaint not more than ten minutes ago. They heard some yelling and whatnot. One of you is gonna have to leave here tonight. Just say the word, and we can press charges, file a protective order, do whatever we need so you’re safe.”
On the outside I was dazed and frazzled, but inside, I smiled.
I nodded to the officer. “Yes, I want to press charges. She’ll probably try to kill me since I called you. I don’t feel safe.”
The officer hoisted his pants up, giving me a stern nod. I could hear Shandy’s voice as they dragged her outside toward a car. She sounded furious. The EMTs gave me a shot of something to dull the pain. The world moved in slow motion after that, and I tuned everything out and drifted to sleep.
NOVIE
Chapter 62
When Love Is a Hustle
After the night I had, it’s a wonder I woke up at all. I was in the emergency room, two hours late for work. The cut in my chin wasn’t as bad as it looked. I didn’t even need stitches. It was just a meaty spot, and according to the EMT, I was a gusher.
Genesis left me the longest, most drawn out voice mail.
“Sorry for getting you drunk and being the bearer of sour news. They won’t be checking for you in the office today. I know what the deal is, so you’ve got the next two weeks off with pay if your answer is yes. Just make sure you call before your forty-eight hours is up; there’s a lot of work to get done. A lot to fill you in on. I’ll be in a consultation all morning, so don’t call me unless it’s an emergency. Talk to you later.”
Baby Momma Saga, Part 2 Page 38