• 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 •

• 49 •

eneaj

"I'm glad you told her," I said quietly, watching Jadyn shake in the kitchen, tears still running down her face. Her eyes were locked on the door, like Val might come back, guns blazing, at any moment.

And she might.

Because oddly, in that moment, I realized how much I loved my girlfriend. And how much she loved me.

Sometimes words just don't capture the feeling whole. Sometimes actions got to do it for you.

Right now, Jadyn looked like a scared child in adult clothes, in her black tee and grey sweats. "If you hadn't...I would've had to tell her about your confession at the hotel eventually. And it might've been more worse for you if I had been the one to tell her about it," I added softly. I hoped that could soothe her. Take some of the fear out of her eyes too, I hoped.

"Jadyn. Go change your clothes."

Jadyn stood in the kitchen, staring at the door, clothes dripping, as she held her arms tight to her body.

"Jadyn. Go change now," Pey directed again.

After a sigh, Peytyn went over to her, leading her to the back as I closed my eyes and tried to dream myself up a new reality.

About an hour later, Valerie still gone of course, Pey's phone rang. It was Milli, telling us that she had found Yenvy's Bentley, but she was nowhere around.

"At least that's something," Pey stated, making lunch for me and Jadyn in the kitchen. Jadyn hadn't come out from the back yet. I had stayed up here. I think it was the best for the both of us.

"Val had an idea to set up a trap to lure them to us. One of us act like a random and say we wanna have somebody knocked off, then catch them that way when they agree because of the cash."

"What- I mean, that could work. But I personally prefer hunting for Yenvy and her nice friends. I like to catch my prey," Milli said happily. I could already imagine her wild hair as she drove around in my Mustang, her eyes wild and lit up with excitement, tan cheeks maybe even rosy because of the rush. I mean, that was Milli for you.

"Uhh," Pey didn't know how to respond to that, glancing back at her phone on the counter as whatever song Milli had on in the background blared out of it.

"Who would be luring them anyways?" Milli asked.

"Val was thinkin' about doin' it. And you know Eneaj is outta the question...because no," Pey stated.

"Well then it'll just have to be me," Milli said casually. "Where am I luring them to?"

"Wait, wait. This is Val's plan and I don't even know. She's not even here right now," Pey said quickly.

"Wait. Why? I thought she was released early today?" Milli asked. "What happened?" An awkward look crossed Pey's face, "We can, uh, talk about that later. Call Val up for further instructions. That's the best idea I can give you."

"Ight. Y'all stay safe."

"Shit you!" I called out, "Burn them bitches alive for me, Milli."

"A milli, a milli," Milli sung, hanging up.

Pey laughed as Milli hung up. "That girl sumin else."

"You really think Val's plan'll work?" I asked Peytyn.

"Well, it'll have to. Or it'll cost Milli her life," Pey simply said, flipping a sandwich on the skillet. "You want yours grilled too? Or regular?" she asked.

"Grilled," I answered, frowning as I thought about this dangerous predicament Milli would be in.

Valerie showed back up to the apartment a little while after that conversation, coming in on the phone with Milli. She kicked her shoes off like usual as I finished up the rest of my sandwich and Pey sat on the other end of the couch, watching some poorly done vampire movie with wolves.

"Whoaa, whoaa," Pey said loudly as Val headed for the back, still on the phone with Milli, telling her how to...do what?

What the hell?

"Chill, chill. I'm just gettin' sumin from the back," Val said impatiently as Pey stood in her way. Pey gave Val a sheepish look, "Jadyn's back there, man."

Val closed her eyes, breathing in and out, Milli's loud mouth still going at it on the phone. "Peytyn Peters, please let me by."

"You gettin' like Eneaj, callin' out the government names," Pey laughed nervously.

"Babe, just let her get whatever she needs to get from the back for you," I told Val.

"Peytyn," Val repeated, a warning in her tone.

"I could subdue you real quick, Val. You know who's the stronger one." Pey was probably half Val's height, but she made that up in muscle and body build. "I'm tryna play nice, but we're all family here, and I don't want you hurtin' Jadyn."

Val nodded slowly and Pey went to sit back down on the couch, resuming her movie.

Val went to the back, still on the phone, and Pey hopped up, following after her. I weakly attempted to hold Pey back, telling her to see what would happen first. Maybe Val wasn't going back there to jump on Jadyn. Maybe she wasn't.

"...okay. Yenvy accepted the deal. She agreed to the text I sent her from the burner phone," I could hear Milli saying over the phone. Valerie handed me her cell, walking into the room.

Me and Pey watched from the doorway as Val walked over to Jadyn in the bed, asleep. She leaned down and softly hugged her, snuggling her face against her.

"...I'm walking up to the house. It look like a lil trap house or some shit...."

Val closed her eyes, my heart melting a little bit.

"...I'm puttin' you in my back pocket. I got my gun and shit out now..."

"Alright, that's enough. I don't want you stranglin' her in her sleep," Pey said nervously.

"...GET DOWN BITCH!"

"That's for tonight," Val smiled, but I could tell she didn't mean it.

"...I got the bitch, Val! I got Yenvy! She's dead!"

"Hand me my phone, please," Val stretched out her hand, walking towards me. "Milli on there screamin' and shit."

"...Val? Did you hear me? I got- OH SHIT!"

"Milli?" Val said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Jadyn shifted in her sleep, but the sound of bullets in the background on the phone seemed to wake her up.

We all crowded around the phone.

"Milli?" Val repeated, her voice getting shaky.

"OMilli, now's not the time for games, man," Jadyn said into the phone, breathing quickly.

"...Milli's dead, bitch!"

The call ended and Val stared down at her phone.

"Val...no, no. We gotta get out there. We gotta check her location. We need to get to Milli now," Pey said quickly.

It was like they were in combat mode or something, they all rushed out the room, getting things and throwing on clothes. Nobody was speaking, but it was organized chaos. I stood there in the middle of it, not knowing what I should do. If I could come.

What they were going to do.