Murderville Page 0,61

Detroit,” A’shai said.

“That’s a shame. I could have shown you a good time. Taken you to see some of the beauty that the West Coast has to offer,” Samad said, referring to some of the finest strip clubs in the city.

A’shai smirked and shook his head. “I doubt anything could top what I’ve already seen out here. The ball was a good time. You shelled out a nice amount for one of those girls,” A’shai said throwing out the bait to get more information. “Was she worth it?”

Samad smiled mischievously and replied, “Let’s just say she’s still around and I usually bore of the same pussy after only a few weeks. It’s been what? Five months now? That should answer your question.”

A’shai’s stomach turned and he began to rub the scar on the side of his face in irritation. He was tight at the thought of Samad and Liberty’s intimacy.

“Yo, where shorty at now? I don’t want to be discussing business while prying ears are around,” A’shai said, trying to get Samad to reveal Liberty’s whereabouts.

“She’s out with my driver, running errands. I know that you and your father value your privacy so I sent her away for a few hours,” Samad replied.

Normally A’shai would have had it no other way, but this time it worked to his disadvantage.

“I like to know my associates. I hope to have a lasting friendship with you and your father. You should consider extending your trip by a couple days. We could discuss some big business. I see the future. I see past your father’s reign,” Samad said. He knew that he was on the border of being disrespectful, but he had to test the line. He had seen a spark in A’shai during their initial meeting and knew that there was no reason to deal with Baron on the long term. Samad could put A’shai over his own operation, which would cut him in on some of that Midwest profit.

A’shai wanted to slap the taste out of Samad’s mouth. A’shai peeped the subtle disrespect that Samad threw at him. He was trying to divide and conquer, A’shai was no fool, he knew that Samad was an opportunist who wanted a piece of the pie. A’shai wasn’t about to let Samad eat off his plate. There was nothing that Samad could offer A’shai that would make him turn on Baron. A’shai was itching to speak up and put Samad in his place, but he knew that entertaining the thought would buy him more time to wait for Liberty. Even though he would never cut Baron out, he leaned forward as if he were interested and replied, “We should talk. Maybe I will extend my trip by a day or two.”

Samad nodded and smiled as if he had just baited a prize winning catch. “Good. Let’s have a drink.”

Not fully trusting Samad, A’shai let the glass of fine brandy sit in front of him untouched as Samad fully indulged in his own. Everything that Samad was proposing went in one ear and out of the other as A’shai impatiently waited for Liberty to arrive back home. She was whom he had come for . . . everything else that Samad was speaking about was irrelevant, and he was beginning to rub A’shai the wrong way. All money wasn’t good money in A’shai’s eyes and Samad as a connect might not have been the best idea.

When A’shai heard the front door open his heart nearly stopped.

“Samad?” Liberty called out in search for him. Her voice was unfamiliar and as A’shai awaited her appearance he sucked in air, forgetting to let it back out as his chest swelled anxiously.

“I’m in the sitting room,” Samad called out. He took a sip of his brandy and turned towards A’shai. “Let me show you what $500,000 buys you,” Samad bragged.

When Liberty walked into the room she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. He couldn’t see her through the fabric of the burqa, but she saw him clearly. The man before her looked like an older version of A’shai. His presence took her off guard. She had no clue that Samad was affiliated with her childhood friend. It had been so long that Liberty figured it to be too much of a coincidence. This can’t be him, she thought as she looked at Samad’s business associate, examining him from head to toe. Her hands shook as Samad embraced her, groping her and kissing her sloppily. She put her head