5. The Comedienne
Chapter five
The Comedienne
Emily
Holding Lemonisha, Max entered the room. Casual, yet stylish, he wore a lavender linen shirt with the top unbuttoned. The outfit was complete with beige pants and leather shoes. A brimmed hat slanted to the side.
Instead of smiling my way, he scowled. “Alright, Em. Stop being a diva.”
“What the fuck?” I handed Emilio to Kaz and rose. “How am I being a diva?”
“We should have been off this jet hours ago.” Max checked his watch. “I need you to get off your Lauryn Hill vibe and get back to boss status.”
Kaz stood with Emilio. “Lauryn Hill vibe?”
“Lauryn Hill is one of our favorite singers, and unfortunately she’s known for showing up three to four hours late to her concerts.”
Max gestured for us to leave the bedroom. “Come on. We don’t have time for a music lesson.”
Kaz glared. “Calm down. Do not rush my mouse.”
“Man, I’m trying to get this first meet with Delphine over with.” Max frowned. “I wasn’t even going to come, but Baba kept insisting the whole flight that I should be there.”
“Alright, man.” I nodded. “Let’s go then.”
I headed out of the bedroom.
Out in the narrow hallway, Max handed Lemonisha to one of the men from Harlem Crew. “Take her to my suite and give her a light mist of water while you play Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World .”
The man gave him an odd look but nodded.
“Start the song first. Then, mist.”
The man nodded again.
Max marched off.
I inhaled Lemonisha’s sweet scent as I strolled by her.
Without turning around, Max barked, “Don’t even think about it, Em.”
“Boy, I’m not taking any lemons.”
Not yet.
I checked over my shoulder.
Far behind us, Kaz whispered Russian to Emilio, and Tisha’s huge hand protectively held Paolo’s small one as they all journeyed forward.
Meanwhile, Baba lagged behind them with a worried expression.
I placed my view back to the front.
All our men had left the plane, except for Lemon. She remained positioned by the exit with her guns holstered.
My heart ached for Blue. It would be so weird not having her around.
Everything will be fine. Lemon will be just as good.
Walking in that direction, I checked Lemon out.
This will be fun.
Surely, Lemon would stand out in any crowd she found herself in, not only due to her impressive height, but also her striking presence. She easily cleared six feet yet, moved with an edgy grace. Today, her hair was a bold shade of bright blonde, cropped short in a pixie cut that highlighted her striking features.
I got to her. “Nice to see you with us in New Orleans, Lemon.”
She hit me with a smile. “Always a pleasure, Emily.
“Yeah. Yeah.” Max strolled by us and left the plane. “Let’s get to the scary lady before I decide to run and hide.”
“Would you chill out? I’m already nervous.” I followed him and stepped out of the plane and into the hot and humid air of Louisiana.
Jesus.
Within seconds, sweat beaded on my forehead.
I grabbed the railing, walked down the stairs, and nervously scanned the area. “Where’s Boris?”
“He’s on night duty, so I sent him to the hotel with Harlem, Valentina, and the rest to get some sleep.”
“Cool.”
Hurrying down, Max snorted. “Punk ass.”
“What?”
He hit the bottom of the stairs. “You’re scared to talk to Boris? Aren’t you?”
I dabbed at the sweat on my forehead. “I’m not fucking excited about it.”
“Just talk to him, Em. Dude worships you. Boris may have fucked up bad, but he repented with me for sure in Africa. Now he needs some reassurance that you and he are good.”
“I’ll do my best.” I got to the bottom of the stairs and waited for Kaz to leave the plane and catch up with us.
Lemon positioned herself a few feet in front of us and had her guns out, telling me she would not be playing at all with her new position.
Kaz is right. I did need a new number two. Already Lemon is better than Giorgio. If he had been here, he would have been solely gazing at Blue.
I scanned the area.
Waiting for us were several sleek black SUVs with tons of Brotherhood in black suits standing guard.
Shit is about to get real.
I couldn’t shake off the unease that settled in my stomach. Today was not the day I wanted to face my fears, but it was necessary for the sake of getting my mental health together.
Then, I spotted the Comedienne.
Rafael looked more like Jean-Pierre’s brother than his cousin. However, Rafael didn’t have the Butcher’s smooth finesse. Instead, he was all hard lines and angles in his designer blue suit.
Even from far away, I could clearly see the small scar on his right cheek, just below his eye.
Around twenty armed men stood behind him, and they were all draped in high-end clothes and diamonds.
You got to like the French’s style. They are always donning the best.
Max nodded in Rafael’s direction. “This dude is a bit much. Last time I was with him in New Orleans, I wanted to shoot his ass.”
“I can see that. He was a lot when he was helping J.P. kidnap me in Paris.”
“To keep New Orleans peaceful, we need to make sure the Lion and Rafael aren’t in each other’s space too much.”
“Facts.”
Max looked at me. “You told Kazimir to dial down the big dick energy this trip?”
“I talked to him.”
“But, do you think you got through to him?”
“Kaz can be a brute roaring out threats. But underneath his tough exterior, he’s a sweet and tender guy.”
“Man, what the fuck are you talking about?” Max held his hands out. “I watched dude set a man’s dick on fire and smile the whole time. King David isn’t here, and as far as I know, David is the only person on this earth that knows how to navigate the vast and jagged landscape of the lion’s ego.”
“Hey.” I frowned. “I can navigate Kaz’s ego.”
“Em, you’re the reason why he’s bombing shit and flame-torching dicks. You can’t navigate shit.”
“I have my moments when I get through to him.”
“Yeah, but now with Valentina being here. . .I think we need to keep the wicked wonder twins separated. That’s why when we landed, I told her that Kazimir wanted her at the hotel to secure shit.”
I shook my head. “Max, if Valentina finds out that you lied, she will—”
“Look, man. Kaz stay bombing shit. Meanwhile, Valentina talking about big pussy energy before we even get on the plane to leave Moscow. I’m not going to let them have us battling voodoo curses and shit.”
“Don’t stress. I’ll talk to Valentina about keeping down their antics.”
“You need to do more than that.”
“Meaning?”
“You need to double pussy whip that motherfucker in New Orleans.”
I parted my lips. “O-kay.”
“Next time you bounce on it, twist your body from side to side like a snake or one of those sexy Jamaican chicks in the dancehall. You smell me?”
I blinked.
“Good head fucks us up too. Lots of saliva with the blow job, Em. And don’t neglect the other parts.” He pointed at me. “Suck on the balls.”
“Max, relax.”
“Eh.” He shrugged. “Even the toughest, most dangerous psychotic motherfucker will kneel to good pussy. Do you know all the moves?”
“Yes, Max. I know the moves.”
“Prove it.”
“My evidence is Emilio.”
“Shit. That just says you both fucked. Doesn’t mean you know the moves.” Max leaned his head to the side. “Do you know how to do the Juicy Jigsaw?”
“The what?”
“He’s sitting up. Your head is down by his legs.” Max raised his hands in the air and began rhythmically thrusting. “And you are riding him from the side so one of your legs is under his.”
I chuckled. “Yes. I know how to do the Juicy Jigsaw.”
He stopped thrusting and quirked his brows. “What about the Salsa Slam?”
“The what?”
“A little Spanish mami taught me that. You’re riding him again, but two crotch thrusts leaning forward. Two crotch thrusts leaning back. Each one more powerful than the last. And you should speak in Spanish, really nasty.”
“I don’t know Spanish.”
“Lunita knows it.”
I gritted my teeth. “That’s Lunita.”
“Fuck it. Then, you should bust out the Squishy Spider on him.”
“I’m probably going to be mad at myself for asking, but. . .what is the Squishy Spider?”
“He’s lying on his back. You jump on the bed and stand over him. Pussy got to be super-soaker wet. Then you lower to ride him. Don’t sit or balance on your legs like usual. This time it is all lunges. And while you are lunging on that dick and grabbing your ankles the whole time, slamming the clit on him and squawking—”
“Max, I’m good. This is too much.”
“The Squishy Spider will keep his ass in line.”
I held up my hand. “Thanks for the advice, but I believe I know how to properly fuck Kaz.”
“Just make sure you maintain sufficient pussy control here.”
“I’ve got it.” I gazed over my shoulder and saw Kaz coming down the stairs and tenderly holding our son.
Emilio gazed around at everything.
I grinned.
My baby is already a jetsetter.
I moved my view to Paolo. He had those big eyes popped open looking around the space too.
Max took me out of my enjoyment. “I don’t think my nephews should come with us to Delphine’s.”
“She wants to show them the garden.”
“Em, you need to understand how dangerous this woman is.”
I stiffened. “I know she is, Max. She’s got you spooked, and it takes a lot to scare you. Not to mention the fact that she is always several moves ahead of us, like when she called me when I was about to call her.”
Max shook his head.
“But more important.” I sighed. “Delphine thinks she can fix my cracked mind. That means she must be some kind of fucking sorcerer. I can rock with that.”
Kaz made it to us.
Emilio saw me and whimpered.
Kaz landed a kiss on his cheek and shushed him. “You will be with her soon, but you are with daddy now.”
Still holding Tisha’s hand, Paolo pointed to the right. “Plane, mysh !”
“Yeah. Big planes.”
Grinning, Paolo nodded.
Kaz shifted Emilio to his left arm and draped his massive arm protectively around my waist. “How are you, mysh ?”
“Nervous, but ready.”
“Good.”
We all headed over to Rafael.
I knew the moment, Kaz spotted Rafael. His body stiffened against mine and a groan of annoyance left him.
I placed a fake smile on my face. “Remember, we’re not in Russia. We need to make nice with the Comedienne. Alright?”
Kaz grumbled something unintelligible under his breath.
Maybe, I should figure out the Squishy Spider.
Soon, we all made it to Rafael and stopped three feet in front of him.
Tension thickened the space.
An amused expression spread across Rafael’s face. “Here we are.”
I quirked my brows.
Rafael dramatically gestured to me, twirling his fingers and bowing. “The Mouse.”
Ummm. okay.
I nodded.
“And the Lion.” Then, with a sudden and forceful outward movement, Rafael extended his arms and slashed his fingers through the air like some violent cat swiping at an intruder. A half growl, half chuckle left him. “Roar! Roar!”
I widened my eyes.
What the fuck?
Paolo quickly left Tisha and got next to me, hiding behind my leg.
Kaz narrowed his gaze at Rafael. “What do you think you are doing?”
Rafael stopped chuckling and placed his hands in his pockets. “I am merely lightening up the mood and providing a comical sign of respect—”
“You are scaring the kids.” Kaz glared.
“Well, that is not my intention.” Rafael took one hand out of his pocket and headed over to Paolo. “Hello, I am—”
“Do not touch him!” Kaz’s face shifted to the look that told me he wanted to slap someone. Thank God he was still holding Emilio.
Rafael stepped back. “Sorry.”
I cleared my throat. “Thanks for the welcome, Rafael.”
“I am glad someone appreciated my performance.” Rafael did another dramatic bow. “Anyway, I am here for you at all times. In fact, I am your tour guide through this lush paradise of cultural mystique and—”
“Get in the fucking car and take us to Delphine!” Kaz roared.
I took Paolo’s hand and scowled at Kaz. “The kids are here, baby.”
Kaz lowered his voice. “He is an idiot. He is lucky I have not shot him.”
“Apparently, the long flight does not have everyone in the best mood.” Rafael brushed the front of his jacket down. “Let us embark on this—”
Groaning, Kaz guided us away.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Rafael shrug. “Thanks, Rafael.”
Then, I turned back to my stubborn lion. “Kaz, you’re supposed to be on your best behavior.”
“That was my best behavior.”
Max muttered behind me, “Squishy Spider, Em.”