G.A.B.O.S. (Original Version)

Chapter XXVI

"Count that shit one more time. Those numbers sound crazy. There's no way I made such a small amount when all of my top earners were getting back to back calls yesterday, Val. Something's not adding up," December complained, approaching Val from behind as she leaned over her dresser. He grabbed her waist and gently pushed himself up against her. "I usually make thirty grand on a bad day. If you're telling me I only made twenty grand yesterday, something is very, very wrong."

Val shook her head, but began thumbing through the bills again anyway. "I don't know what to tell you, Daddy. I've counted it twice already." She was quiet for several minutes before sitting the money down again. "Twenty thousand, five hundred. You can count it yourself, but the number won't change."

"That doesn't make any fucking sense, Val. I bet that bitch Caramel is playing with my money again. I'ma fuck her up when she gets back, man."

"December, Caramel's not messing with your money."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"So you know who is?"

"I may have borrowed a few thousand dollars."

December took a step back, prompting Val to turn in his direction. That wasn't the first time she'd attempted to take the fall for someone else. It took him four times of beating her senseless to realize that she had never been the one to come between him and his money and was instead just looking out for other women. "Aye, I'on know why you think you're helping them other hoes by lying to me, but I'm getting real sick of you doing that shit. You know I'm not gon' hit you, 'cause you didn't do anything wrong, Val. Why do you keep trying to get your ass beat over something you're not doing?"

Val walked over to her bed and sat down. "You're missing a minimum of ten grand. I can pay you back over time."

"Or you can tell me who hasn't been giving you all of their money. You know, Val. I put you in charge of that. That's why you only have to lay down every now and then instead of on a daily basis. Who's stealing from me?"

December waited for her to answer his question, and he exhaled loudly when she didn't after nearly thirty seconds. Anyone else would have happily offered up the information by then, but Val had long since shown that she was willing to take the heat for any girl in the house.

"Alright, then. Just show me yesterday's call log, and I'll see for my-"

Val jumped off of her bed and ran over to her dresser before December could grab the sheet of paper off of it. "I told you I'll pay you back, December. You're gonna get your money."

"Valerie, give me the paper. Now." He attempted to take the sheet, but she moved it away from him, so he opted to grab onto her shirt. He pushed her into the wall and stared down at her. "Give me the fucking paper."

After holding his gaze for a few seconds, Val raised her hands, both of which were empty. He looked down at the floor, where the paper that she'd ripped into several pieces was strewn about.

Calmly, December released Val and stepped away from her. "I really don't want to put my hands on you, Valerie, but you keep testing me. The other girls wouldn't look out for you like this if the roles were reversed. You know that, right?"

Val nodded.

"Alright. I know what I'ma do. I'ma beat everybody's ass one at a time since you wanna be difficult. Everybody's getting fucked up over one person. Is that what you want? I'm not going to hit you, Valerie, but I'm not going to let people think it's okay to steal from me."

Val thought for a moment. She was trying to save one person from being manhandled, and allowing everyone to suffer that fate would do all but help her cause. "If I tell you who it is, can I talk to her before you do anything? If she does it again, I won't intervene at all. I promise."