“Janae, I really don’t want to do that.”

“Fine, you don’t have to.” Janae plucked the phone from her hand and walked back to the bathroom. Liza was going to be sick. How could Dorsey even stand to look at her after today? She took and took. She waited for Janae, who padded back from the bathroom with a suspicious look in her eye.

“What?”

“It’ll be in my account in two minutes.” Liza’s stomach dropped. Maurice’s plan had better work. “Liza, he didn’t even pause. Oh, you have a whole bunch of explaining to do. That was not booty call concern.”

They picked up the conversation with Maurice and an increasingly impatient WIC.

“Nah, I’m still not seeing it, bro.”

“What is wrong with the internet here? Should we go down to the lobby? I think the Wi-Fi may be stronger down there.”

“Nah, I have a room full of curious potential investors, and I should really get back. Hit me up when your money is right, though.”

“Look!” Maurice almost screamed. “Th-there it is, a hundred grand, just like I said. Right in your account.”

“It looks like maybe we can do business. Tell me, do you want to play it safe with this money? If I put you on the advance plan, we’re talking triple, quadruple the returns.”

He’s such a slimeball. Liza looked at Janae’s face, forehead wrinkled in concentration. She was tapping furiously on her laptop. “Janae, can you actually do it? Can you take all of our money out?”

Janae didn’t answer, too focused on the numbers on the screen.

“I want to decide with my sister. Where is she again?” they heard Maurice ask.

“Oh, she’s out with the women. Let’s get you out with the VIP investors. She is quite the little entrepreneur. Her online campaigns have already netted me about three hundred K in three days! She’s a little moneymaker. And also, a daughter of Zion,” WIC rushed to say. “She’ll make someone an excellent Proverbs 31 wife.”

Liza heard some muffled sounds.

“Where is LeDeya?” Maurice was more insistent now.

“Why don’t you let her finish her little campaign for the day, and you can see her when she’s done?” WIC said. Liza tensed. She could see WIC smile. He thinks he’s won. “I know what you’re doing, and it will not work, my brother. She’s going to make the money she said she can make. And then she’s totally free to go.” Then the world turned sideways.

“No!” Liza cried.

Maurice had presumably tried to lunge toward WIC and throw a punch. But WIC was too strong, and despite the shaking of the phone, she could see that he had overpowered her brother.

“Reece!” Janae looked up from the laptop.

“No, you keep typing. Get all of our money! I’ll go get Maurice.”

MISTER