Page 77 of Lemon Drop

His smile faded. Damn. I’d walked us right into that one. I took a bite of fish, pretending sudden fascination with my plate.

“Apple.”

“Hmm?”

“We ain’t gotta talk about it all tonight.”

I looked at him. “But we do eventually.”

“Yeah.”

For a moment, I watched the wind play with the edge of the canopy. “That’s the part that still scares me,” I finally admitted.

“Your job?”

“My career,” I corrected.

He frowned. “Explain.”

I sighed. “There’s a difference.”

“I know there is.”

I set down my fork. “Masters Capital isn’t just a paycheck to me, Saadiq. You know that. I’ve spent six years learning from you, building relationships, and earning my reputation. You know I’ve always planned to move into asset management myself eventually. And this thing with you can’t become the reason I lose any of that.”

“It won’t.” The certainty in his voice made me study him.

“You can’t know that.”

“Yes, I can.”

“How?”

“Because I’m not asking you to give up shit.”

I blinked. Saadiq leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

“Topaz, I knew when I hired you that you weren’t gon’ be my assistant forever. Hell, half the reason I put you in meetings you technically ain’t need to be in is because I wanted you learning the business.”

“I know.”

“You think I spent six years teaching you how to make money, introducing you to people, letting you work deals with me just so I could turn around and fuck your career up because I finally got you?”

I stared at him. “I mean.. when you put it like that…”

“How else would I put it?”

“I don’t know.”

“If you stay at Masters Capital, we figure out what needs to change. Maybe you don't report directly to me anymore or maybe your role changes. Maybe it’s time for that anyway.”

That possibility surprised me.

“And if you decide you ready to go do your own thing,” he continued, “I’ma help you.”

I raised a brow. “Help me?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”