Not if it’s really fucked and he thinks you’d lose your shit and go vigilante. It would be just like him to try to bring me in to diffuse the situation. And all this guessing shit was just making me more agitated. Better to wait and see before I make myself nuts before I get there.
***
Chapter 17
Creed
Law and his crew were practically waiting for us at the gate when we got there later that afternoon. I took in the whole place at a glance and didn’t see anything that would give me any idea as to what the fuck was going on
Law, Brand, Clay, Kyle and their cousin looked relaxed and laid back. I relaxed a little then but not much. These men were all hard-asses each in their own right, I wouldn’t put it past them to be holding shit close to the vest.
“What’s up brother?” We exchanged our usual hugs all around before Law turned to Jessie. I felt my hackles rise and had to remind myself that Law had his own woman and he was standing at least ten feet from mine.
He must’ve felt my energy in the air because the ass grinned at me before reaching out for her hand. I couldn’t hold back the growl that escaped but was quick enough to play that shit off before the others caught on. I’m so fucked.
“And you must be Jessie, pleased to meet you finally.” As he said it I realized I’d never introduced them in all the years we’d been friends and they had lived so close. He’d known where she was of course, because I’d told him, but I never wanted anyone around her, not even my most trusted friend. “Fuck!”
“Problem?” Law looked at me after my outburst as I looked at her. I felt like an asshole, it was so clear, what the fuck had I been thinking? “Nah, just something I have to take care of. Come here babygirl.”
She came over to my side and I realized she was a little nervous being around all these strange men. I kissed her temple and left my arm around her as I pulled my phone and walked a little ways away. I looked down at her and kept my eyes on hers as I made the call.
“Jason, I need you to do me a solid. Cut Deidre a check for ten grand for me.” I hung up and made the second call which was easier than I thought it would be.
I’d been looking at this shit all-wrong. My first allegiance will always be to her and making sure she’s happy. This shit wasn’t ever going to make her happy and it was shit thinking to believe it ever could. “Deidre, yeah it’s me, listen Jason will be there in a few with something for you.
I want you to take that and go back to your parents’. It’s enough to get you started somewhere. We’ll be gone for a few days, but I’m gonna need you to be gone when we get back.”
I heard her silent tears on the other line and felt my heart hurt for the wife of my friend, the girl I’d known for so long. But it was the one on my arm that mattered most.
She hung up the phone without a word and I guess that was the end of our acquaintance. Even though I hadn’t seen her in a long time and we’d parted on such bad terms last time and not too hot ones this go round, there was still that connection. I guess we could call that the first casualty of my love for my babygirl.
“Better?” She gave me a half smile and a sweet kiss before we returned to the others. I knew some shit was up when Law broke off his conversation with my crew upon my return and my boys were looking like they were ready to pounce on some shit.
“Creed I thought since your woman knows Illyana we’d let them get reacquainted while we take care of some things.” He looked towards his place, the main house on the spread. The one he’d inherited after his parents and his little sister had been slaughtered not too long ago, leaving just him his younger brother and the cousin who had grown up with them.
It was then I saw the women all congregated on the porch watching the goings-on. One of them broke away at Law’s signal and headed towards us until the men whistled and the others followed.
I almost laughed at the way the women fell in line because I remember these boys complaining about the shit their women put them through and how hardheaded and opinionated they were. Except for Brandon whose relationship was relatively new.
“This is my wife Dana Sue, Dana this is my buddy Creed and his girl Jessie.” The introductions were made and the women took her off with them. It didn’t escape my notice that these guys weren’t too thrilled about their women being around strange men either, friend or no friend.