“No, no, no… don’t go soft now. You was real loud five minutes ago. Talking about this, your spot, your building, your people. Where all that energy at now?”
Dino wiped some blood from his mouth, shaking. “I—I didn’t know she didn’t know! Marcos ain’t tell me shit! I swear, Domino, if I knew, I would’ve never said shit! You know I don’t move reckless like that!”
I stared at him, jaw tight.
On some real shit, I wasn’t even beating his ass for that. Nah, I was beating his ass because he looked at Ajori like she was some cute lil’ runner he could bag.
I shoved him back. “But what pissed me off the most? You flirting.”
His eyes went wide. “What? I wasn’t—”
I grabbed his chin and forced his eyes to mine. “You did! But a little FYI… you don’t flirt with any of my girls… especially her.”
Confusion flickered across Dino’s bloody face, but he knew better than to question me.
I didn’t explain it, didn’t need to, and damn sure wouldn’t.
“Ajori’s off-limits… a hundred miles off-limits. You don’t speak to her unless she speaks first. You don’t look at her too long. Nigga, don’t even breathein her direction unless it’s necessary.”
I leaned in, letting my shadow swallow his.
“And let’s get something straight. My mules and the people we supply? They don’t mix… ever. That shit breeds jealousy, sloppy ties, and split loyalty,” I explained to him in the same way I did to Alejandro.
I tapped his forehead.
“If you fuck around with a mule, and something happens to her,” I tapped my own chest, “it lands on me.And if one of my mules starts thinking her protection comes from some street clown instead of from me, that breaks the chain. Andwhen chains break in my world, people start disappearing. Understand?”
I tightened my grip.
“No more warnings, Dino. Next time, we’re done… completely. No more product… no more supply… no more business.”
I didn’t even need to threaten him physically after that. See, Dino needed us. Without our product, he’d crumble in a month… if that. So cutting him off would kill his operation faster than any bullet could. So yeah, I knew he’d abide by my new rules.
“Aight, Domino. I hear you!”
I punched him again, but that time, in his mouth.
I crouched down in front of him, brass knuckles still on. “You open your mouth where it doesn’t belong, and I break what you use to open it. Simple math.”
Dino looked up from the floor, glaring at me with the kind of expression a man makes right before swinging on somebody he knows he can’t beat.
I stood, dusted off my knuckles, and reset my sleeves.
“Good talk,” I said, stepping over him. “Clean yourself up. And put some ice on your face… or your ego… whichever one hurts more.”
I reached the door, grabbed the knob, then paused. “And Dino? If I have to come back out here concerningAjori,I’ll break more than your face.”
He growled under his breath, and I could hear it.
Good… that meant the lesson landed.
I didn’t wait for another response. I walked out, letting the door swing shut behind me.
Once outside, the adrenaline started settling, and the truth crept in.
I’d just defended a girl who didn’t even know I was defending her.
A girl who wasn’t mine… yet.
A girl who had no idea she was changing the way I moved.
I scoffed at myself.
Yeah… she definitely had to end up being my girl… or at least give me some pussy one damn time, because clearly I was already acting territorial over her ass.