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“What did you say?”

“What?”

“Who did you say you’ll call back?”

“West. Why?”

“Who is West?”

“Weston Reed. You should be familiar with the name since the man got his money invested in everything in the city.”

“Everything like what?”

The only reason I was asking is that he had my child with him, and that name had come up years ago.

“Shit…everything from real estate, transportation, to private investments. Old nigga been moving money since before we were grown.”

“And you know him how?”

“Averie, I just said the man invests. I know him through business. What, you auditing a nigga or something? We bring deals to each other that can make us more money.”

“Oh, okay,” I said.

“You probably heard Rah mention him before if that’s what you're wondering.”

“He knew Rah?”

“I’m sure at some point they did business together. West had money tied into a lot of things back then. Shit, Rah ran the most lucrative business in the city; I’m sure West wanted to be a part of something with his name on it.”

There was noise in the background before Q spoke to somebody else. I tried my best to listen to what he was saying, but he had put the phone down.

“Hold up, baby. I gotta handle this. We’ll be home in about thirty.”

“Okay.”

We hung up, and all I could do was stare at my phone. Rah talked about enough business around me that some names probably stuck without me remembering where they came from. I wasn’t about to sit here investigating my boyfriend because he knew another rich black man in the same city. I tossed the phone aside, letting it leave my mind. Half an hour later, Q and Kaiden walked through the door arguing again. Kaiden dropped his football bag by the door.

“Coach said I did good,” Kaiden told him.

“I said you did good, too. Good don’t mean perfect.”

“Go shower,” I told him.

Q walked over and wrapped his arms around me.

“Did you miss me?”

“You were only gone for a few hours,” I told him.

“Well, I missed you. Do you and the kids want to come to my place tonight?”

“I told you I’m not bringing my kids over there. We both agreed on that.”

“I was just trying. Are you okay?” Q asked.

“I’m fine.” I walked away to sit on the sofa.

“Is this about earlier? If so, business is business. Every time something suspicious comes up to you, you bring Rah’s name in it. Did our money cross a few times? Yes.”