Free A Commitment to Love, Book 3 by Kenya Wright Page B

well he couldn’t just let me starve with his kids inside of me, so he spent his years taking care of two households.”
    Sophia took another gulp. “If I didn’t have this glass in my hand, I would’ve clapped. He’s full of it.”
    “There’s another story?”
    “Doesn’t matter. You need to worry about your story, and whether it ends a chapter or three too soon. Jasmine is my daughter, but she’s stupid. All that money he spent at Harvard. It was wasted.” She rolled her eyes. “Book smarts don’t punk street smarts. And everybody, rich or poor, got to walk these streets. Isn’t that right, sweetie? You’re walking those streets right now, looking for your lady. So I ask you, what’s the solution?”
    “Kill him.”
    “And who can help?”
    “You.”
    “Good.” She strolled over to me and clicked my glass with hers. “To killing the bastard once and for all.”
    She finished the glass with that same odd elegance. Now I figured out how Jasmine had beguiled me so much. She was a younger and more luxurious model of her mother. Sophia may have thought Jasmine was stupid, but that wasn’t the case.
    I may need Sophia’s help, or I may not. This could just be a play for something else, more money, whatever. She loved Benny. I’m sure of that. Why would she help kill him? For her daughter maybe? That made sense. Was she scared of him? I can’t picture her being scared.
    Sophia possessed this addictive merging of grace and toughness. There was no denying she’d had a rough life. Although her skin and complexion were clear and appeared silky to the touch, her eyes and expression said ‘Don’t fuck with me.’
    I remembered the first time meeting her. Jasmine had raced away from me, and I was trying to do anything I could to get her back. I got in touch with Sophia, took her and those seven grandkids out of the South End ghetto, and moved them into the suburbs. I placed the children in private school, hired a nurse to help Sophia with her disabled grandchild, and made sure a cleaning lady came three times a week.
    Later Sophia called and asked for a car. I purchased one. Then she requested a driver. Once Jasmine and I reunited, Sophia suggested I open up college funds for all of her grandchildren.
    “Just a suggestion,” Sophia had said, but her eyes held an edge as if she’d crush my world if I didn’t oblige.
    I never told Jasmine any of that. She hated that I paid her own bills. There would be no way Jasmine would love me clearing her family’s debt. Finally, after a few more of Sophia’s uneasy visits at my corporate office, I simply opened up an account that offered her a reasonable yearly allowance.
    “Mmmmhmm. This Louie is good.” Sophia returned to the bar to get more. “Come on, Chase. You should take a glass for the road.”
    “What?”
    “Field trip time.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “We’re going to Benny’s garden, sweetie.”
    “His garden?”
    “Benny likes to study things. He’s got this apartment that we all call the Penthouse. It’s in the tower. Do you know anything about the tower?”
    “No.”
    She chuckled to herself. “Then this should be fun.”
    “I’m not interested in having fun. All I want to do is find Jasmine.”
    “Focus.”
    “Focus?”
    “Yes, focus. And when you find her, what are you going to do? Beg her to come back? Benny will shoot you in the center of your forehead before you even mutter ‘I.’ Focus. I know you’re used to being in charge, but it’s time to follow. Jasmine is safe. Benny won’t hurt her. He’s got both of my babies now.”
    “Troy?”
    “Yes. I don’t know where they are, but he’s trying to play daddy. Let him have his family time in these last days, because when we come for Benny, we need to do it quick and fast. This isn’t a movie. If you get that man in front of you and you’re holding gun, shoot it. There’s no need for discussion. You carry out a monologue and your intestines will be wrapped around your