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“They just bein’ real sneaky and shit. Holdin’ side meetings and shit.”

My pops looked at me. “Y’all can wait outside. I need to speak to my son in private.”

We waited until they were all out.

“I can look into the west side,” I told him. “That’s my territory.”

“I need security beefed up on the compound. I don’t want a muthafucka to even be able to turn on our road.”

“Got it.”

“Royal Flush…”

“Man, since this shit happened to Rah, Grif ain’t lettin’ shit slide through that door. He’s more protective of Kyenna than he was over Rah.”

“Okay, good, good.”

“I got two vehicles on Kyenna whenever she moves. I don’t care if it’s just to get her hair done.”

“Good. I can’t have anything happen to her. She is the only one with the recipe to Royal Flush,” Pops said.

“While I got you here. Kyenna had two inspectors pop up on her at Flush.”

“And?”

“She handled it. By the time she was done, they were apologizing to her. Said something about proper paperwork. She had the permits ready and the deed with her name on it.”

“I love her,” my pops said. “That’s why I don’t want anyone gettin’ in her way. She can do this shit in her sleep.”

I was listening to him brag on Kyenna, but my attention was on my phone and the text that had just come through.

Dispatch: Truck twenty-two went off grid on Old Swamp Road.

“Put a pin in this conversation. I need to go and handle something real quick,” I told my Pops.

“Everything good?”

“Nothin’ I can’t handle,” I said, sending a text while walking out.

When I got in my truck, I dialed a number and pulled off. I wasn’t far from the location. I made sure to vet my drivers, but every now and then one would slide through.

“What you need, Shameek?”

“I need the drone in the air. I’ll send you the coordinates. I’m not far from there, but I need the drone to know what the fuck I’m goin’ into.”

“Send the coordinates.”

I got to the first light and sent the location. We had one drop-off in that area that we used. For the truck location and the trackers to just go off on the truck wasn’t something that just happens. You had to physically do it. I had trackers placed on at least two pallets on every truck. We moved too much weight for a pussy nigga to ever think they got one up on me. By the time I got to the location, the truck was nowhere in sight for at least the three miles I rode. My phone dinged, letting me know the pallet had been activated. I then sent the updated coordinates to my tech guy. It was too much shit going on, and for someone to steal from me wasn’t something I was in the mood for. I thought I had made myself clear during their orientation of the repercussions of fucking with me. My tech guy called a few minutes later after I had pulled over and waited for my next move.

“They’re about five miles away. Looks like they are unloading truck twenty-two and loading another box truck.”

“Stay up high. I don’t want to alarm them. Let me know when the unmarked box truck pulls off and what direction they goin’ in.”

While we were talking, Nikki called, and I ignored her call. She called again. I clicked over.

“Nikki, I got some shit goin’ on right now, and I can’t be on the phone wit’ you. This shit needs my full attention.”

“Will I see you tonight? You owe me.”