Layla ( A Dark Beauty Novel) {Urban}

C H A P T E R 25: Split Besties.

Monday

5:00 p.m.

Aug, 8th, 2013

    After the blowup that Darien had a couple nights ago, the atmosphere within the apartment felt different. It seemed as if Darien didn’t give a fuck anymore; I mean he never did before, but now it’s worse. To know that Joey pulled that shit, and executed it perfectly really pissed De’ off.  The amount of money and narcotics that Joey’s men stole, couldn’t measure to the ultimate price; Josiah.

   It’s been less than an hour since we’ve laid Josiah to rest, and the hurt that rested between Darien’s eyes, showed me that he was ready to dead this beef. “Can you handle?” he asked from behind his desk.

“Didn’t I say yes De’?” I asked him as I tried to mask my irritation. “Just make sure they know.” I told him, referring to my ex best friends.

“Whatever.” Diamond mumbled.

“Chica betta’ shut her damn mouth.” Angel warned.

“Or what?” I dared.

   Angel stood up and began to walk over to me. We were now face to face and the arguing was increasing. One of Darien’s body guards were now in front of us, trying to hold us back.

“If y’all don’t shut the fuck up!” Darien yelled. “I don’t give a fuck about what happened between y’all outside these doors, pay attention.” he demanded. “Layla?”

“Yeah,” I answered with an attitude.

“Dead the attitude, get your head in the game, all of you,” he told us. “Now is about business, we have no time for fuckups.” He continued. “Since y’all all wanna’ be Miss. Big, bad, and tough, y’all gotta set that shit aside, and become the besties y’all was a month ago.”

“I’m not working with them.” I told him matter-factly.

“You have no choice, what I say goes.” he told me.

“No, I can do this on my own.” I told him.

“Same here.” Diamond and Angel both concurred.

“Non-sense, you all sound dumb, no one can handle this shit alone, not even I.” he admitted. “Don’t do it for me, do it for Josiah y’all, we need to dead this shit, it’s been going on for too long.”

       The room fell silent for a long moment. I blew my breath and gave in. “Alright for Josiah.”

“Fine, I’ll be downstairs with Dominick if y’all need me.” Angel agreed and then walked out the room.

     After she left the room, Darien went on to give everybody else there directions and parts that they played within his well, calculated plan.

    The longer I sat next to Darien, the more the eyes of his the money counters kept looking at me. I stood up and headed for the door. All I needed was to know my part, the rest I wasn’t really too concern with.

    I walked toward the door, but stood next to the wall. Her eyes never left the spot Darien was at. She listened intensely as he spoke. I knew who she was. The red-head beauty was his mistress. She was drop dead gorgeous and that right there made me feel insecure, and no matter how much the nagging feeling inside of me wanted to ask, I knew my heart couldn’t take the answer.

   I left the room, and went down the hall, and down the club stairs. I stopped in my tracks and blew my breath as I noticed Diamond and Angel sitting at the island chairs. I moved behind the bar, reached up, and grabbed a bottle of Absolute Vodka. I grabbed a cup, sat it down on the island, and poured myself a shot. I took noticed of their empty cups and held the bottle up. They shook their heads yes, and I filled their cups.