At 17, Candyce's small worldview is maginifed when her big brother, Ace, invites her into his world as punishment. Ace may have been an overbearing big brother at home, but in the streets he was feared and respected as a young drug dealer, proving h...
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Chapter 26
Now that the club is closed, there's not much to do but wallow in self-pity. I was so close to having it all together, only for Angel to snatch the rug out from under me. Once again, I'm back at the starting point, with no idea of how to pull my weight in the family, other than to drive Simon further into the dope game.
It's not like I have much of a choice. Most of the girls have been quiet since I gave them their first and last checks. Nobody has even bothered to entertain the idea of coming back to the club once the investigation is over. I don't know what I'll do when I'm able to step back inside. There's already so many changes I have to make and I just got shit started.
I sigh in my bed, counting the last few stacks of cash I have. The night got cut short, meaning the money I had for bills was not enough. With the four stacks of fifties in my bed, I have enough to either make good on my deal with Marcus, or pay the bills. It's honestly a lose-lose situation no matter what I choose. Marcus made it clear that if he didn't get paid then he would take his cut out of our mortgage. So, if I don't pay him, we'll have heat and light on for a house we can't even live in.
Once again, Simon flashes in my mind like the light at the end of this long, exhausting tunnel. Clearly, I couldn't be trusted to get the family out of debt. Maybe I should lean on Simon a little more.
Then again, that's not what he signed up for. That's not what I signed him up for. He forced my hand cause there was no other way for him to pay Caesar back without selling drugs. But is it really worth the risk of putting him in a worse situation than he was in before? Right now, Simon only sold a few days out of the week, when Calvin could spare time away from being a corner boy. If I asked Simon to carry the load, then he'd be alone most of the time, operating the trap and watching his own back. He barely had his anger under wraps when we were all there so I can't imagine what would happen if he was alone. Simon would have caught ten bodies and none of us would even know or be able to tell.
Now that I don't have the club to keep me occupied, I could stay at the trap and watch him since I don't trust Calvin and the three stooges to do it. But, I doubt Simon would feel comfortable having me there. I didn't do a good job of keeping my composure last time.
Maybe I could go back to selling in nightclubs? The idea dies as soon as it settles on my brain. I know both Caesar and Simon would have a fit if they saw me on the frontlines again, especially after what happened with Connor.
"So that settles it," I huff.
Simon has to step into the shoes Ace once filled, that I tripped and stumbled into. Hopefully he does a better job at being the man of the house than I did.
