Smoke and Mirrors (DE)

6. He's home

Dre shook a bottle of Belair before popping the cork and placing his thumb over the opening of the bottle, spraying the bubbly champagne all over their section. " BELAIR BOYZ!" He exclaimed as Joseph tried to shield himself from the champagne shower.

" Yo ass tweakin boa!" Tre shouted over the loud music. " You finna get that shit on my sneaks,"

" Fuck them sneakers nigga! We rich, I'll buy you a shoe store!" Dre said, pouring the Belair into his own mouth. Dre was ecstatic to have Joseph home. He'd gotten released over a week ago and had been laying low getting his life together, purchasing a new home and car, getting his finances in order.

Joseph commended Dre for finally stepping up to the plate. This was Dre's first time really having to manage everything alone— the business, the club, Joseph's real estate property and supplying the new drug trade that he established through the jail system.

After having some business discussions upon Joseph's release, Joseph and Dre made the decision to completely rule out their business and only run their drugs through the jail system with the help of Rico. Rico had a lot of knowledge and experience that Joseph and Dre could benefit from and Joseph trusted Rico, he looked up to him and wanted to be able to continue keeping in contacting and looking out for him. Rico had made a bigger impact on Joseph's life in the past four years than he knew, helping to forge him into the powerful man he was today and Joseph would forever respect him for it.

Rico was what Joseph longed for Max to be his whole life but Max only treated Joseph as a puppet, trying to break him down every chance he got because he didn't want Joseph to over power him. Max saw Joseph's capabilities as a young boy, he'd always been different and new if he ever reached his full potential he'd be a threat. This was the life Joseph was built for, to hold the power and control— it practically ran in his blood. Joseph had now grown into that roll with the help of Rico and was richer than he'd ever been before— running with the likes of Freeway Rick Ross and Frank Lucas. Now it was time to reestablish his authority over the streets, he was home.

" Don't move, stay just like that this is perfect!" Destiny exclaimed snapping photos of Grace in the bathroom. Grace had to use the restroom as all the tequila they'd been drinking was running through her like the tomb raider and Destiny offered to accompany her. " I love these!" She exclaimed, handing Grace her phone back to look at the pictures herself.