Page 11 of Vega

I understood that part. My life worked because I kept it honest. Women came and went without complication. I treated them well, made sure they enjoyed themselves, and never had them questioning whether I respected them. What I did not do was promise commitment. No girlfriend title. No discussions about forever. No pretending I was one good woman away from suddenly wanting marriage, matching pajamas, and shared locations.

I enjoyed my life exactly as it was. A woman catching feelings after I had clearly explained my intentions was unfortunate, but it did not make me responsible for creating a future I never offered. But Prodigy clearly wanted more from Arielle that he wasn’t willing to admit. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be pouting about her being gone.

“That’s how it should be,” I said. “Tell them the truth from the beginning. What happens after that is on them.”

Knox turned toward me. “That sounds good until she stops answering your calls.”

I looked at him. “Who stopped answering mine?”

He grinned around his cigar. “Nobody yet. But the day one does, your ass will be looking just like Prodigy, staring into a drink and pretending you don’t care.”

“That’ll never happen.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

Prodigy pointed at me. “That’s what I said.”

“Your mistake was acting like you hadn’t fallen for Arielle too.”

Knox laughed. “There it is.”

Prodigy’s eyes narrowed. “There what is?”

“You caught feelings too. That’s why you’re mad she ghosted you.”

“I’m mad because it’s disrespectful.”

“Bullshit,” Wise chuckled. “If you didn’t care, you would’ve replaced her already.”

Prodigy threw back the rest of his drink.

Legend walked up before anybody could press him further.

I pointed my cigar at him. “How’s your psych patient?”

“Don’t talk about my wife, nigga.” Legend gave me the middle finger, and the room started cracking up.

Aria had been released from the psychiatric hospital earlier that day after becoming convinced she was pregnant. Aria had become so overwhelmed and enraged by the thought of being pregnant for a sixth time that she went to the mental hospital and put a gun to her head. They admitted her on a three-day psychiatric hold, but come to find out, the pregnancy test was wrong.

“What made her sick in the first place?” I asked. “What made her think she was pregnant?”

“Some stomach virus,” Legend answered as he claimed an empty chair.

Saint approached before I could respond and held his phone out to Legend.

As Legend watched the screen, I leaned over far enough to see a news clip playing. Police stood along an empty lot while a reporter discussed a body that had been recovered from a burning vehicle.

The banner beneath the video displayed Harold Langford’s name.

I looked from the phone to Saint and Legend.

Saint shrugged. “Had to tie up loose ends.” Saint took his phone back.

Legend stared at him for another second before shaking his head. “You could’ve told me and Icon you were going to do that.”

Saint grinned. “And ruin the surprise?” Then he dropped into a chair and reached for the bottle.