Page 134

"And then for Ru and Kay to be co-signing her on this is fucking wild." A laugh full of bitterness and turmoil poured into Britain's ears as she continued to let him vent. "They went against everything I stand for, and that shit ain't cool."

Priest was so conflicted when it came to who deserved the most heat. J'Ru and Kaymen knew him better than that to even let the thought of allowing Jazzy in the business to even grace their minds. He felt like so many things were happening around him and he had no ability to intervene. The thought of his little sister moving dirty money was something he couldn't stomach, yet it was happening anyway.

Another sigh drifted out of Britain as she rotated herself around to peer up at Priest. She eyed him as he took another pull from his joint before exhaling a stream of smoke. She reached up and rested her hands on his shoulders, which alleviated the tense feeling that weighed upon them.

"P, she's an adult. She makes her own decisions for her life,” Britain let out.

The crazed look that Priest's face contorted into let her know that he didn't like anything she was saying, but it was the truth. At this point in time, he needed to stop viewing Jazzy as the childhe raised and view her as an adult. No one was to blame for her falling into the life he forbade her from living, not him, not J'Ru nor Kaymen.

Priest couldn't believe what was coming out of Britain's mouth right now. After sitting around the dinner table amongst everyone who went against everything he stood for, he at least thought his woman would back him more than anyone else. Priest grabbed Britain's arms so he could shake her hands from resting on his shoulders.

"You're bugging," he harshly scoffed. "You can miss me with all that shit. That’s my fucking baby sister."

"I understand that, P, but no one is responsible for her anymore. She's an adult. No one forced her hand to do any of this."

Britain was sure this was the last thing he wanted to hear, but if she couldn't be openly honest with him, who would? Priest liked to be responsible for everything and everyone. At some point, he needed to let go and take a step back. She understood that the business Jazzy was indulging in was something he wanted to keep her far away from, but she had made her decision as an adult. Priest needed to hold Jazzlyn accountable for her decision, not himself or anyone else.

"Answer me this: did you figure everything out by the time you were twenty?" He tilted his head to the side as his dark orbs peered down at her.

"No,” Britain responded. "But every fuck up I made, I took full accountability for it. I didn't have anyone else to take accountability for me."

Priest took a deep inhale of his joint before allowing the smoke to escape his nostrils. "Well, I'll always be that person for my little sister. We don't got nobody but each other when it comes to family."

"And I get that, P. No one can ever change your dynamic with your little sister because of the things you guys went through together. What I'm saying is you can't allow her actions and choices to fall on you or anyone else. Kay and Ru care for Jazzy almost as much as you do, but they understand that she is growing to be her own person who can make her own decisions about how she wants to live. What she does and doesn't do with her life at this point cannot be blamed on you," Britain preached to him in hopes of having him view the situation in a different light instead of blaming himself for Jazzlyn's decision.

Priest eyed Britain through his dim, hooded eyes. His face was screwed up as if Britain had just insulted him, but deep within him, he knew his fiancée was right. He ran his hand down his face before hanging his head low.

"So, what I'm supposed to do? Let my little sister fuck up her life, despite me knowing what all this shit can lead to?"

Britain shook her head. Priest had the right to step in and try to guide Jazzy and prevent her from falling into the temptations of fast money as he had. However, what she couldn't stand for was him being blinded by the fact that he only saw Jazzy as his innocent younger sister and blaming himself and anyone else who was around for her actions. "P, I'm sure you can figure something out. Just hold her accountable as well," Britain said to him.

"Easier said than done," he mumbled with a shake of his head.

Britain agreed with a nod of her head. She made her way back over to him, this time wrapping her arms around his torso. "You're going to have to figure it out, though, and quickly." Her tone was urgent, but her demeanor was calm, which confused Priest.

His thick brow hiked up as he peered down at her. "Why you say that,Gioia?"

A deep sigh exhaled out of Britain as she craned her head up so her soft feline-like eyes were locked with his. "There's something I need to tell you," she let out hesitantly.

She could feel Priest's chest tense up. He was preparing himself for more bad news since the night had already gone bad. "Don't tell me you knew about this shit before I did,” Priest said and shook his head, already conjuring up the worst assumption he could. "‘Cause if you did, that's fucked up, Brit." His face screwed up into a scowl as his jaws clenched.

"No, Priest, I just found out when J'Ru blew up her spot at the dinner table," she clarified, which prompted Priest’s jaws to unclench and his face to soften. "But I do want to let you know that the accountant that Jazzy is working with… I know her.”

"Know her how? Through passing?" he asked, hoping for more details.

Britain dropped her arms from around Priest's torso. She was uncertain how he would take what she had to tell him. He was already on edge after the dinner table dispute, and she didn't want to push him even further. However, Britain knew if she sat on this information longer than she should, it could possibly lead to something bad for Priest, and she didn't want that. She needed to be open and honest with him so he would be prepared if things did go left.

"Avery is the wife of my ex, Cameron. I don't want to think the worse, but anything and anyone who’s too close to Cameron can't be trusted."

A chuckle full of festering bitterness eased out of Priest as he shook his head at what Britain assumed was disbelief. "Hold up. What you telling me right now? You think this Cameron nigga behind all this? He tryna fuck with my money or something?" Priest folded his arms across his chest as his brows bumped together.

Britain herself was unsure of what she was even telling Priest, which prompted her to shake her head in response to him. "I don't know, P, but I just feel like I have to let you know about the connection. It's just all so weird," she huffed out in frustration as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Priest stood before Britain, his mind running at a mile a minute. "So, I should dead this shit before it even goes too far," he thought out loud. "From what is sounds like, that Avery shorty already got her hands on my money. You think she's playing Jazzy?"

"If she was, what would be the motive? I doubt they could make the connection that this all falls back on you," she said to Priest.

Priest's hand reached into his pocket, extracting his phone. "I'm not about to waste no time figuring this shit out," Priest scoffed as he tapped away on the screen of his device. "‘Preciate you telling me,Gioia.I'm gonna handle it," he asserted before craning down to place a kiss on her lips.