Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94686 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94686 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“Get. Out.” Chase stood. “You want to be here when they arrive? Fine. Stand outside. You want to kill them. Good. Wait in line. There’s a long one forming and I’m in front—”
“You don’t have it in you to kill those girls,” Benny countered. “Neither does Troy. Sure you’ve both killed, but in situations where they call for someone to do it.”
“But you’ve had tons of practice in killing for fun, right?” Chase formed his lips into an angry line.
Benny’s gaze shifted to deadly. His pupils sort of spread out and took over his whole eye. I checked everyone’s faces. As usual no one noticed it but me. No one ever saw murder between eyelids like me. Benny tossed him that signature smile. “Yes. I’ve killed for fun. I would never call it practice when I’m enjoying myself.”
Jazz shook and held herself. She transformed into a little bony girl with pigtails right before my eyes.
See, Jazz. Benny has never been a hero. I told you that motherfucker was the villain.
“So Jasmine wants to stay, and you want her to leave.” Benny turned to me. “I’ve been listening to the whole affair. What do you think, Troy?”
“About what, man?”
“Should Jasmine go off to be guarded by Sherman or stay here with me?” Benny asked.
“You mean with me,” Chase corrected.
“This isn’t your decision, little boy.” Benny continued to watch me. “This is Troy’s.”
Jazz walked over to Chase right as he headed for Benny. What Chase would’ve done when he got there was beyond me. Either way, it was good that Jazz kept him where he stood.
Probably get his ass beat. Benny is no Gabe. There won’t be any tumbling between you too. Shit. That’s why I’m sitting in my seat.
“Jazz should stay,” I said.
Benny’s smile left his face, which in his world was actually a sign that he was pleased. “And why’s that?”
“Because that’s what she wants.”
“And if there’s one thing about your sister.” He turned her way and beamed. “She’s smarter than us all.”
Chase practically snarled. “Doesn’t matter. I need her safe.”
“I’m here. She’ll never be safer.”
“I’m assigning her brother Sherman to her,” Chase countered.
“I heard. One thing you need to understand about Sherman. He was born in the wrong time. Thank you,” Benny said as Ada handed him a glass of orange juice. “Sherman should’ve been raised during the times of gladiators. Have you seen Sherman? Must be as big as any of the ancient killers back in the day. Beyond sports, men of his build don’t have many options in this time. Then you add his color and the fact that being raised in his community was already stifling, you now have the recipe for a modern murderer.”
“None of this convinces me that I should change my plan,” Chase said.
Jazz let go of him. “It doesn’t matter, baby. I’m staying.”
A hardened mask covered Chase’s face. I could tell tons of things hung on the tip of his tongue, but for Jazz he’d keep quiet if it meant having her in his life. Here, I’d thought Chase was open, but now I realized he was severely pussy-whipped.
Poor guy. I wonder if Jazz knows how much she’s got him sprung.
“Plus, Sherman is as dumb as rocks when it comes to anything outside of street life,” Benny said. “You ask him to keep Jasmine safe. His idea would most likely be to lock her in a closet for days without food and stand in front of it. He’s like that. Protecting Jasmine in a way that hurts her more. He means well, but—”
“I’ve heard enough.” Chase must’ve accepted defeat on that topic as well as Benny’s intrusion in his home. Maybe he would’ve fought it more if those three chicks weren’t on their way to the house. Perhaps, he saw the benefit of having Benny on our side and near Jazz. Either way, Benny’s presence gave me hope that the solution would be near. If there was one thing about Benny, he solved problems. Granted, others shed tears each time he did, but it was worth it to keep Jazz alive.
Benny’s phone rang before he or Chase could begin an argument that would surely come. Placing it to his ear, he listened without even saying hello. A half a minute passed. “Good job.” Benny put his phone up and twisted in his chair, his face targeting the cooks. “Ada, looks like our three honorable guests will be here in less than two minutes. You may want to make some more of those yummy biscuits.”
Chapter 22
CHASE
Benny claimed they would be here in two minutes. But half an hour passed before the limo pulled up to the front.
I’d been waiting there for them with closed fists and the taste of murder on my tongue. My hands itched to wring all of their necks. My foot yearned to connect with each of their bottoms. I didn’t hit women, but the moment that bullet greeted Jasmine’s arms, I’d been reconsidering domestic abuse. These women whom’ I’d loved one by one, in my way. Now, I despised them—every inch, every cell, every breath that entered their darkening lungs. I hated them. Dawn, Wendy, and Lucy kept me from Jasmine, forced me to live with her in fear instead of simply taking all the money I offered them and moving on. They came for money, but they would’ve shown up regardless. One or all of them hadn’t finished bringing blood and death to my life.