The Will(166)

“Come.” Jake heard Josie order and his eyes went from his girl to his woman to see she was thankfully no longer in Amond’s arms but had her hand in his and was guiding him their way.

His eyes were lifted to take in Lavender House and his mouth was moving, “Jesus, beautiful, I’m gettin’ it now why you’d wanna stay. This crib is tight.”

She grinned at him before she stopped him in front of his audience and threw out her hand.

“This is my posse,” she stated, words that, if anything else was happening at that moment, would make Jake smile.

He didn’t smile.

“Conner, Jake’s oldest.” She pointed to him and Conner stuck a hand out that Amond took and shook. “Amber, Jake’s daughter.” She motioned to Amber and his daughter clapped once before she stuck her hand out and Amond grinned at her and took it. “The Taylors, Amber’s personal posse, boy Taylor and girl Taylor,” Josie went on and Amond was obviously holding back laughter as he shook their hands in turn. “Ethan, Jake’s youngest,” she continued.

Amond spoke to Eath, saying, “Yo, little man,” as he stuck out his hand.

Ethan grabbed it and whispered, “Awesome.”

“And last, Jake,” Josie finished, her smiling eyes coming to him.

Jake looked from her to Amond to see the man had his gaze on Jake.

“Holy shit,” Amond said when Jake caught his eyes.

Even with this bizarre remark, Jake moved through the Taylors and extended a hand, muttering, “Pleasure.”

Amond took his hand and told him something he knew but was shocked as shit the rap star knew it.

“You’re The Truck.”

“Whoa! Dad! He knows you!” Ethan cried.

“Yep,” Jake answered Amond.

Amond let his hand go and turned to Josie. “Josephine, girl, you didn’t tell me your fighter was The Truck.” Before she could say anything, he looked back at Jake. “Caught your fight in Vegas against De Matteo. You f*cked him up. Judges were jacked. He could barely stand and you were still dancing.”

Jake remembered that but he didn’t share with Amond that he was moving so he wouldn’t pass out.

“Fight fan?” Jake asked.

“Fu…hell yeah,” he answered.

“We’re even then seein’ as your music’s the shit,” Jake replied.

Amond grinned, the diamonds in his ears twinkling in the sun, his teeth so white, Jake was almost blinded.

“Everyone inside,” Josie ordered and he looked to her to see her grinning big, pleased Jake had passed preliminary inspection or pleased her friend was there. Or both.

It was Jake who was pleased when she moved to him, clasped hold of his arm in one hand, pressing to his side, and she turned back to Amond to extend a hand, noting, “I’m sorry, Amond. Circumstances have changed. We have a full house. But it’s a big house so we have your room covered. Though, I’m not sure where your crew is going to stay.”

“They got rooms in town,” Amond noted and Jake looked to the lane to see that his “crew” was already rolling out, leaving an Escalade behind for the boss. Jake looked back at the man when he went on, “I can stay there if you’re full.”

But Amond was watching her closely, probably wondering why the house was full.

“The kids would be disappointed if they didn’t get to brag at school that Dee-Amond was hanging with them tonight,” Josie told him the truth.

Amond looked from her to Jake, back to her and murmured, “Can’t disappoint the kids.”

“Absolutely not,” Josie agreed, dragging Jake in after latching on to Amond’s hand and doing the same with him.

Jake detached to close the door but Josie kept dragging Amond toward the kitchen, saying, “Let’s get you a drink before I start dinner.”

Before she disappeared into the kitchen, she threw a smile over her shoulder at Jake.

This meant Amond threw a look over his shoulder at Jake.

He was not smiling.

Then they disappeared.

Jake sighed, locked the door and followed them.

*

His cell on his desk at the club rang. Jake looked from the booze inventory to the phone and took the call.

“Yo,” he greeted.

“You are not gonna believe this shit, but f*ckin’ Dee-Amond just walked in the door and asked to see you,” one of his bouncers said in his ear.

Not unexpected.

But still unwanted.

Earlier, drinks had gone well.

Dinner had gone well.

After the kids went to bed and they were sitting around talking, Jake eventually saying he had to get to the club had gone okay, but only okay because he wasn’t big on leaving Josie with Amond.

This was because it was clear Josie thought the world of Amond in a way he could accept but Amond thought the world of Josie in a way he didn’t like all that much.

He had no idea how what was about to go down would go.

Since the man got there, conversation had been surface. Josie led it, Jake followed. He thought at first it was because the kids were around, excited and what was hanging over her head was not something she wanted to get into when they were there.

But even after the Taylors took off and the kids had called it a night, Josie kept it surface. She wasn’t nervous. She didn’t give the vibe she was trying to hide something. And in the end, Jake took it as her wanting to enjoy her time with her friend and not have that shit f*ck it up.