Rellie’s feistiness was normally a huge turn-on for him, but not in his grief-stricken state. Suef rose from his chair and stood toe to toe with her. He stared down into her eyes for about thirty seconds without speaking. Of course Rellie, who never met a fight that she backed down from, matched his stare. When he finally spoke, he told her, “Since you got all the fucking answers on how to get at these hos … you in charge for now. So let’s see what the fuck you can do that I can’t.”

“Fuck putting money on their heads. I’m going to show you how to get immediate results.” Rellie turned and left the room. Hurrying out of the front door and then down the stairs, she made it out of the building just in time to catch up to Trenton and Abdul. “Yo,” she called out just as they were approaching their truck. “Hold up a minute.”

“What is it, Rellie?” Abdul asked.

“Look, we gon’ do this shit my way.”

Trenton cut her off. “What you mean, your way?” he questioned saltily. He didn’t care too much for her anyhow, and he damn sure hated when she gave them orders. To him, she was a money-grubber and Trenton couldn’t understand why Suef couldn’t see that.

Trenton’s dislike for Rellie was proudly reciprocated by her. Being the sociopath she was, she knew how to put all emotions to the side and take care of business. “Look, Trenton, I know for your own ignorant reasons, you don’t care for me. Not for nothing, I can’t stand you either, but I’m out here for Suef.”

“Y’all cut that bickering,” Abdul said, ready to get into the car and out of the cold, “Rellie, say what you gotta say.”

“Suef has agreed to try things my way for a while. So fuck that putting-money-on-their-heads shit. Kane’s people gon’ be hard to get next to, but go to whoever Arnessa is close to and torture them muhfuckas until they tell you where she is … or better yet, kill ’em. That will bring that bitch out.” With an evil smirk, Rellie turned walked back toward the building.

Trenton looked at Abdul and said, “Man, I swear that bitch got ice in her veins.”

Chapter 16

Oh my God! Who is this?” Kennedy rolled over as she awoke and grabbed the phone off her night-stand. She was extremely tired from being up all night cutting coke. Without looking at the caller ID she answered groggily, “Hello?”

“I know you still not asleep at one in the afternoon.”

Kennedy instantly recognized her aunt Karen’s voice. “No, Auntie, I was just laying down for a minute.”

“Laying down, my ass. I been calling you for the last hour. Get out of that bed and get up here. Your baby needs you.”

Kennedy sat straight up. “What happened? Is Jordan okay?”