Page 105 of Into the Blue

Hardly think Redd counts.

Steph interlaces her fingers, nodding her head when I finally finish relaying all the details I can. "So… You took her to La Récolte, but I had to meet you at the hole-in-the-wall barbecue place? Is this why I find these choice pieces of property for you? So I can get the scraps?"

I tilt my head at her attitude. "I was cravin' barbecue."

She rolls her head, cracking her neck. “Wow, you really took my not letting her get away to heart then.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I said that, it was in a… I don’t know, I thought you were about getting off and getting gone. What happened to that?”

I glare at her. “She’s not like that.”

“She’s a dancer at Off Topz, I highly doubt she’snot like that.”

“Aye, watch yo’ mouth.” She raises an eyebrow. “I’m not gonna lie and say I don’t care about her still. Fuck. I hate it but I do. She’s clearly more than a dancer at my club. She’s not even a dancer at my club. She’s a fuckin’ boss.”

“And now you can’t respect her anymore?”

“What are you talkin’ about?”

“When she was a dancer, your employee, under your control—you liked how she was strong and fierce and about her money.” Steph sums up everything I thought about Racquelle to accurately for my liking. I did like all those things about her. It made her stand out in my eyes.

“Yea, so?”

Her eyes narrow as she continues to explain. “Now, she’s all those things but she’s a competitor. Not just any competition—the winning side of the competition.”

“Steph—”

“Nah. Nope.” She puts a hand up. “You said your piece and now I’m gonna say mine. If you lost, then admit that. If she were a man, you’d give her props and move on. But because you slept with her, ‘claimed’ her, you’re pissed that she bested you?”

“I’m pissed that she lied to my face for months! Why is no one understandin’ that?”

“Because it’s dumb and so are you!”

“The fuck, Steph?”

“Don’t what the fuck me. I know what you’re like. You fucking like this girl. And I'd say more than like with how you're acting like you don't have any GD sense." She looks up at the ceiling, as if in prayer. "Am I doomed to make all Dupont men accept the loves of their lives? Please tell me that isnot my curse." She completes her prayer with her fingers dragging across her chest in a cross pattern.

Looking back to me, she says, "She’s the only one I’ve ever seen you talk about this long and I’m sure you did not make it easy for her to go. If she’s smart, and she clearly is, she did what she had to.

“If she lied, then it was for a reason. Forgive her or don’t. But to let your business fail because you’re too proud is dumb as hell. And if you could see that then you’re missing the whole point of business. The money. So are you really ‘bout it or not?”

“Nothin’ is more important than the money,” I murmur. “I don’t enjoy how myfriendsare gangin’ up on me.”

“Oh yea?” She laughs at me. “How is he?”

My look is bland when I say, “Incarcerated.”

Steph crosses her legs, sitting back in her pantsuit. “Okay, smart ass. You know what I mean. It’s a big deal.”

“Well he was gettin’ on my ass earlier so I’d say he’s doin’ as well as could be expected.”

She looks out of her window in thought for a moment. The pensive nature of her look out the window makes me think that I’ve missed more than I thought while I was caught up chasing Racquelle’s tricks. Steph continues to look out the window when she says, “That’s good, I guess.”

“He did have one thing to request.” Now to the point of why I truly came here. Which was not to get my ass handed to me by yet another high-power woman. “He wants you to write to him.”

She finally breaks her stare from out the window, turning wide eyes on me. “Me?” She leans forward, putting her elbows on the table with her head on a fist. “What am I supposed to write to him?”