Page 59 of All Out of Love

“Why?” Grayson asked Vinnie.

Because that’s your father’s playground, and just in case I need evidence, I knew I would find it there.” Then he behaved as if he was thinking out loud. “I wonder if my mother knew how many women you have at that lake house every single week.”

“Why you!” Seb lunged for Vinnie, but Grayson grabbed him and pulled him back.

“Don’t pull him back,” said Vinnie. “Let him come for me. Bring him to his ass-whopping. I’d love to do it.”

“Okay that’s enough,” Grayson said.

But Seb was still looking at Vinnie. “Grayson showed up that night too. You gonna show the film of him showing up?”

“Yeah, well, no. My cameras, you see, conveniently stopped working by the time Gray showed up. They didn’t work at all by the time my guys showed up.”

“How about that? They worked just for me,” said Seb.

“Just for your ass,” said Vinnie. “So I suggest you think long and hard about all that film of you and your little ladies, and all that dope you loved to give to them and to yourself, before you speak at that press conference later today.”

Seb stared at Vinnie with pure hate in his eyes. Then he looked at Grayson. “You two deserve each other,” he said angrily. And then he left.

Vinnie smiled. “Emily Preston can consider herself endorsed,” he said, and Toya was so happy that she rushed over to Vinnie and gave him a hug. And it was such a heartfelt hug that it knocked Vinnie backwards until he fell, with her in his arms, down into a chair.

He looked at Toya. “Damn girl. All you had to do was ask. I’m not like Gray. I give it up for free.”

They all laughed. Even Grayson. But he quickly hurried over and pulled Toya off of Vincent.

“Anybody hungry?” Toya asked. “I’ll be happy to cook something.”

“Like hell you will,” said Vinnie. “Your boyfriend has a chef up in this bitch. Didn’t you know that? He stays downstairs with the rest of his household staff. But his ass gets paid to cook. His ass gonna cook,” Vinnie said and Grayson agreed.

But it wasn’t two hours later, as they sat at the table and ate a very good homecooked meal, Vinnie received the call he’d been waiting for. Then he looked at Grayson. “We got him.”

“Got who?”

“The other bastard that tried to take Meesha out: Carlo Berrin. The one that got away. Eddie Hudgens’ car flipped. But Carlo got away. But he couldn’t get away from me.”

Grayson got up quickly. Everybody else did too. “Where is he? Take me to him!”

“He’s at one of my . . .” Vinnie started to say safe houses. But he caught himself. Grayson would understand, but he wasn’t sure if Toya would. “He’s at one of my properties. Let’s put it that way,” he said instead.

That was all Grayson needed to know. He hurried into his bedroom, pulled out the loaded Glock he kept in his nightstand drawer, and hurried back up front. But when Toya began following the men toward the exit, Vinnie made it clear. “She ain’t going. No way, no how. Where we’re going ain’t no place for no dames.”

Grayson knew it too. He turned to Toya. “It could get dicey, babe. You’ll have to sit this one out.”

Toya would have liked to get a firsthand account of why it all happened, but she fully understood. “You just be careful.”

That was what Grayson loved about her. She stood her ground, but ceded it to him when it was necessary. “I will.” He kissed her. “I won’t be long.”

As they all began hurrying for the exit, Toya smiled at Vinnie. “Don’t worry, Vincent. Gracie will protect you.”

Pauly laughed out loud and gave Toya a fist bump. “You’re alright!” he said.

Vinnie smiled too. “So Gracie will protect me, will he?”

“Let’s just go!” Grayson was perturbed because he knew Vincent was never going to let him live down that ridiculous nickname. He glanced over at Toya. “I’m going to get you for that,” he said. Which made her laugh.

But then he looked at her again. “Be good while I’m gone. You hear me?”

She knew it was his expression of public affection without showing it so blatantly. “Yes sir.”