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“I guarantee that you continue to make four hundred thousand.”

“What if I say no?” This nigga.

“You already did, and you see where that got you.” He sat back looking defeated. I saw the exact moment I knew I had him.

“First payment due in thirty days.”

“Aight.”

“Aight what?”

“I’ll pay the fucking tax.” I gave Key the okay, and when his phone rang this time, he picked up on the first ring.

“It’s back? All of it? What you mean it’s not all there?” He looked at me and hung up. “How much did you take?”

“Enough.” This nigga’s jaw was jumping. He was pissed.

“Enough for what?”

“The audit.”

“But I didn’t ask you to audit shit.” I shrugged.

“You didn’t have to, you needed one. That fee was for me showing you everything wrong with your shit. The monthly payment is for me ensuring nobody takes advantage of it. We’ll be in touch with the drop off location and time.” See, the money disappearing wasn’t the threat. The fact that I could have left it gone was. I knew too much and had never stepped one foot inside his organization, and there was no way for him to know how much more I knew. That was the point. I didn’t need a nigga scared of what I said I could do. The fear came from me proving that I could.

“Hold up. Who the fuck-…” I ended the call and the screen went black. Key started shutting everything down.

“You couldn’t let him finish his question?”

“For what? It doesn’t matter who I am. At the end of the day-…”

“Everybody pays Tax,” we said in unison. Laughing, we headed out to Key’s car. It took us an hour and a half to make it back to the city, so he pulled over in a gas station.

“Damn, nigga. You couldn’t fill up before we went to the meeting? You got me out here exposed with these baby dollhouse ass windows.”

“I had enough gas until you needed to go over yonder for a video call. Plus, nigga you Anton don’t nobody know yo ass.”

“Fuck you.” He got out and pumped gas as I watched some fine ass chick walk out. I had no idea how she had her hair because it was pulled up in a bonnet, but that only made her face stand out more. She had a deep honey complexion, big round eyes, and perfectly arched eyebrows. I had no idea why girls wore big ass windshield wipers on their eyes, especially when she was already pretty. I let my eyes trail down her body. She wasn’t walking sexy, but with her curves, she didn’t need to. Shorty had to be about five six and weighed about one seventy. Her face turned up as she started saying something, so I let my window down to eavesdrop.

“Nigga, why the fuck are you sitting in the car like a passenger princess. Get your dumb ass out and pump the gas.” When she got close enough, I could see she wore braces. That made my dick jump. I was a sucka for that shit. Some goofy ass nigga climbed out the car looking dumbfounded.

“I ain’t know,” this mufucka said.

“How the fuck you ain’t know? You think I paid for the gas to stare at it?” Oh, she was a feisty one.

“Nigga, you nosy as fuck.” Turning, I saw Key staring at me causing me to laugh.

“You know shorty?” In Key’s line of work, he tried to make it his business to know everybody.

“Bubbles? Yeah, she from off Hamlin. She not your speed though.”

“What you mean?”

“Did you not hear how she was just talking to her nigga? Plus, she from a family of scammers.” I heard the information, but for some reason, I still found myself staring at her. Key got back in the car, and I could feel him looking at me.

“What nigga?”

“That hoe bat shit crazy.” When I didn’t respond, he continued. “You want a mufucka that talk to you like that lil nigga?”