Jada sat in the chair next to Simone. “I’ve had better days,” she said and without giving her any detail or mentioning that she was the one who actually pulled the trigger, Jada told her about Carmen.
“But enough about that,” Jada smiled. “What’s going on up here?”
“Business has been good.”
When the house phone rang, Simone excused herself and got up to answer it. “Jada West’s room,” Jada heard Simone say as she got up and looked out the window. Even though Carmen wasn’t under arrest, that could change. If it came to that, she knew what she had to do.
“Victor is on his way up,” Simone said to shake Jada out of her thoughts.
“Perhaps I should change into something more appropriate to receive the gentleman,” Jada said. “Make yourself comfortable.”
“I was surprised when you said you were here,” Simone said as Jada headed toward the bedroom. “Especially after the last time you and your buddy were here.”
“Believe me, nobody was more surprised than me when Caprice said that they were anxious to have me back,” Jada said and closed the door.
When she reemerged in the living room, Jada was dressed in a Carolina Herrera leaf-embroidered flocked velvet dress and Jimmy Choo pumps. Victor, who had been waiting on a sofa, stood up to greet her.
“How are you Jada?” Victor asked and gave Jada a polite hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Victor used to be Black’s bodyguard, but after the night that Jada and Shy almost got themselves killed, Black assigned Victor to protect Jada and his bodyguard, Napoleon became Shy’s bodyguard. When Jada returned to Nassau, Victor took over her gambling operations.
“I’m fine. Have a seat,” Jada said. “Can I get either of you a cocktail?” When Victor and Simone both raised their glasses, Jada went to the bar. “So, what’s going on, Victor?”
“I’m sure that Simone told you about Flip.”
“What about Flip?” Jada asked.
“I was getting to that,” Simone said softly.
“What were you just getting to, Simone?”
“Flip called me one night and said that he was shorthanded and needed to borrow some ladies for a private party. Since it was a slow night, I allowed six of the ladies to go and now he says he’s keeping them.”
“Is he really?” Jada asked as she came to sit down.
“When Simone called and said that you were here, I was on my way to have a talk with Flip and explain the illogic i
n that decision,” Victor said.
“No, Victor,” Jada said. “This seems to be more a matter that I need to discuss with Jackie personally. Ask Mr. Nesmith if he could be here at ten to accompany me, please.”
“Consider it done,” Simone promised.
Later that evening, dressed in an intricately embroidered Antonio Berardi dress and Jimmy Choo Lang 100 strappy patent leather sandals, Jada and Mr. Nesmith were about to leave for Conversations to meet with Jackie about Flip, when Fantasy came out of the other bedroom.
Fantasy used to be a dancer at Shooters, a gentlemen’s club that Treach took over after Cynt was murdered and Black separated the gambling from the dancers. But Fantasy always believed that she was destined for something greater than shaking her ass. When Rain was cleaning house, Fantasy played a big part in taking down Keith Gerald, as well as Luke Franken and his crew.
After that, Black thought that he could use her in other ways. He sent her to Mercedes, who totally transformed her from a ghetto shake dancer, to a lady that was ready for the second phase of her training, which was with Jada. When Jada thought that she was ready, she’ll move on to the final phase of her training, but she wasn’t there yet.
Not even close, Jada thought.
Since Jada had planned on being in Paris with Carmen, Jada told Fantasy that in her absence, she would like for her to move around freely throughout the family. “I want you to be seen and recognized.”
When Fantasy asked if she had an objective, Jada told Fantasy that it was to observe. And that was exactly what she was doing. Fantasy had been making her rounds and checking out all the spots that The Family ran. Making her considerable presence known throughout The Family as Jada requested. Now, every place she went, Fantasy quickly became what everybody was talking about. And when she left, she left them anxious for her to come back.
“Good evening, Jada,” Fantasy said as she drifted into the kitchen to get something to drink.
“I didn’t even know that you were here,” Jada said.