Page 44 of Contract With A G

For a few seconds, I thought about that number. How I was already doing what I could to get that ten grand paid every month now she’s just halfway doubled that amount.

“I know this is a hard time for you, Mr. Essex, and we, as a palliative care team, will always make sure you have all the information you need on other options. We can discuss the option of removing her life supporting measures and allowing her a peaceful transition if her body cannot function without them.”

She said that like it was just another item on the list, an easy option, but it was no option for me. I’m not giving up on my daughter. No amount of money was going to scare me into doing that.

“Mr. Essex, are you there?”

I cleared my throat.

“Yeah, I’m here. I’m going to speak with my family and come up with the money for her care for the next year. Can I get back with you?”

“Sure, take your time. The renewal will be due in sixty days. We just wanted to give you a heads up to prepare for everything.”

“Appreciate you.”

“Talk to you soon.” I hung up the phone.

The blunt was no longer serving a purpose, so I chunked it across the concrete and took a deep breath, arms crossed over my head.

Pops just flashed out because of a Rolex, but he had no idea how small that shit is compared to your only child’s life. Maybe I should take some advice from Pops and have a son to come up financially for my Peaches, if nothing else. I can’t depend on anyone to care about Mirical the way I do, and owning his companies and inheriting wealth might be a matter of life or death for my daughter.

Now it's either build an empire or watch my empire fall. Let me use the numbers in my phone wisely and save my daughter’s life.

Chapter 15

Latoya

Later that day

Duke text me about going out, and I wanted to say no, but I was honestly afraid to because of his reputation. Caine had told me not to tell a soul about our agreement, so I couldn’t use him as an excuse. I'm sure Duke wouldn't care about any other excuse I had, so all I can do is go and hopefully be dropped back off at home in one piece.

When I got home from work, I changed Grandma Hatti’s bedpan, made her something to eat, and then went straight into my closet. I thumbed through the clothes I had for an outfit to wear. I didn’t have many, but they were all hung up neatly on hangers in my four by four closet. After searching for a minute or two, I ran across my birthday dress that I got myself five years ago from Forever 21. It may have been cheap for some, but it was expensive for me, so I took care of it like it was Givenchy. Duke hadn’t said where he wanted to go. He just texted me that we were going out tonight and to be ready at 7:00.

After I got dressed, I didn’t know what to do besides sit on my bed and wait for him to pull up. The television was playing one of my favorite movies, Friday, and for the first time watching it in a while, I wasn’t laughing. My stomach hurt too much from nerves, so I didn’t find anything funny.

I sat on the edge of the bed, raking my fingers through the ends of my hair as I watched the clock on my phone inch closer to the 7:00 pickup time.

As soon as the clock struck 6:58, I heard the loud hum of an engine in the distance, and I knew immediately it was him.

I jumped to my feet, made one last trip to the mirror to check myself, then grabbed my purse and headed toward my grandmother’s bedroom. I saw her lying in bed, fast asleep, the television light flashing across her face. I didn’t want to disturb her, so I slipped quietly away from the doorway stepping carefully in my pumps.

When I got to the front door, I took a deep breath before twisting the knob. The second I opened it, I nearly jumped out of my shoes at the sight of the tall figure standing in the doorway.

Duke was standing there in a navy-blue silk shirt, half-buttoned at the top, with a thick gold chain draped across his bare chest. From a quick glance, I could see that he had on cream-colored slacks with navy-blue shoes. There was a gold watch hugging his wrist, which complimented the chain around his neck.

“Oh, Duke. You scared me.”

He let out a deep, hearty laugh.

“There you go with that scared shit. I came to the door because you didn’t need to be walking to my truck alone. Come on. Let’s ride.”

Duke walked away, and I closed the door and locked it before following behind him. I took quick steps to catch up to him. His long strides were making way more progress than me in these heels.

“Wait, how did you know which apartment I was in?” My curiosity couldn’t help but ask.

He didn’t respond and pointed over to Wilma Lancaster, my neighbor who never left her patio chair.

“Glad he wasn’t coming to kill me,” I whispered under my breath.