Chapter 5 #2
The front door lock clicked and she froze, but I grabbed my Glock ready to shoot with that killer instinct.
The lock clicked again, and the door swung open.
Tone came in first with a big grin already on his face and Dom was right behind him calm as ever with his hands in his pockets and his big diamond encrusted Cuban on his neck with the Patek on his wrist and Glock tucked.
I swear the whole room shifted when he walked in like even the air understood the King was here.
Keondra turned around. “Lord have mercy,” she whispered trying to fix her tank top. “Y’all don’t knock?”
Tone laughed and looked around. “We family, right? Ain’t no knockin’ in family houses.”
“Family or not, this ain’t no clubhouse,” she shot back, giving Dom a respectful nod and clearing her throat ‘cause she didn’t want no problems with him.
She knew with a snap of a finger she could disappear and never be seen again.
She grabbed a bath towel from the closet.
“I’m finna go take my shower. Ya’ll enjoy. ”
As soon as she was out of sight, Tone plopped down on the couch, kicked his feet up, and smirked. “Boy, you done jumped headfirst in some fire messin’ with that one. She gon’ light yo’ ass up every time you blink wrong.”
I grinned, shaking my head. “Man, she cool when she ain’t talkin’. Damn, I can’t help my cousin with the groceries? Stall me out.”
Tone burst out laughing. “Alright lil Meech…. and anyway, she ain’t never not talkin’ so that’s never.”
“Exactly,” I replied, chuckling. “She wake up arguin’, fall asleep arguin’. If silence was a person, it damn sure ain’t her ass.”
Dom stood over us with that serious look in his eyes sweeping over the corners of the house that were in view. “You playing a dangerous game, Dique. I told you before, don’t mix business and pleasure. That girl tied to us now. You can’t afford to have her actin’ wild if something pops off.”
I raised my hands a little. “She been chill lately. Carmen done talked to her, got her actin’ like she in finishing school or somethin’. Outside she actin’ real proper. Inside though… she still Keondra from the hood.”
Tone smirked. “Man, she ‘bout one argument away from throwin’ yo’ shoes in the oven, stop playin’.”
“She already did that when I first started fuckin’ her ass years ago before the baby.” I said, laughing so hard my chest hurt.
Dom pinched the bridge of his nose. “You think this funny? You lucky I don’t make her somebody else’s responsibility.”
“Nah, nah, don’t do that,” I shot back quick. “You know Keondra stubborn as hell but at least she ain’t back on live talkin’ all reckless and shit. That cease and desist still in place.”
Tone was still laughing, damn near crying.
“He right, boss. Keondra the type to turn a disagreement into a whole damn episode of ‘First 48.’ She gon’ say he tried her and end up keyin’ the truck and shit.
At least she calmed down. I think after talkin’ to Carmen, she gets it, it just might take a little time to actually feel natural.
” He said. Dom shot a look at him, and Tone threw his hands up.
“I’m just sayin’. I respect her though; she got a good spirit. ”
I leaned back on the couch smirking. “Spirit, huh? That’s one word for it but a firecracker would’ve been better.”
Dom looked between us both, wanting to laugh but refused to. “Both of y’all dumb as hell. Tone, you supposed to be the voice of reason.”
Tone pointed at me. “Nah, I’m just here to document the stupidity. You the one lettin’ him play house with the problem child.”
“I ain’t playin’ house,” I said. “I’m tryin’ to be a father, ain’t shit wrong with that.”
Dom’s face softened a little, but barely. “Ain’t nothing wrong with being a father. Just remember who you are too… you a Royal. Your choices don’t just fall on you they fall on all of us.”
“Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” I said picking up my drink again. “But Keondra ain’t goin’ nowhere, and Amour my is baby. I ain’t lettin’ her grow up not knowin’ me. My presence gotta be known.”
“I wouldn’t have it no other way Dique. A deadbeat don’t run in our blood, just be smart with your dick and don’t make another one especially if this ain’t where you wanna be.” Dom said.
Tone nodded, still grinning. “Man, I respect it, but you better wear a vest when you sleep over. That girl got a short fuse, don’t teach her ass how to shoot.”
I laughed again. “Ain’t lyin’… last week she threw a whole candle at me ‘cause I told her mash potatoes was too runny. She regretted that shit immediately after when she thought I was ‘bout to kill her ass.”
Dom gave me that slow head shake, half disappointed. “You attract crazy like magnets.”
“I get it from you,” I replied with a grin.
Tone nearly choked on his drink. “He bold!”
Dom glared at me for a second but couldn’t hold it. He laughed a low deep one. “You stupid, boy.”
Just then, Keondra’s voice echoed down the hall. “I heard all that!”
Me and Tone leaned over, still laughing. “Yeah, she definitely gon’ shoot you one day.” Tone said.
I smirked, glancing toward the hallway. “And my dumb ass will probably still come back and fuck again too.”
Tone threw his head back. “See! Toxic love at its finest.”
Dom just shook his head and wiped his hand down his face. “You and O’Shynn twins for real. Ya’ll gon’ drive me crazy one day, but anyway as long as you keep Keondra in line and my niece stays safe, I don’t have nothing else to say.”
“What O’Shynn gotta do with this?” I asked still chuckling.
Dom shook his head for what seemed like the fifteenth time in this short time. He then looked at his watch. “Nothing, don’t even worry about it.”
Tone was still laughing when I switched the channel on the TV just to drown him out. The news was on, but the minute the headline banner ran across the screen, the whole room got quiet. There it was again for the third time today:
Criminal Defense Powerhouse Pregnant by Kingpin Husband.
They had a still photo of Dom and Carmen walking out the doctor’s office with bodyguards all around them and Carmen holding her sonogram picture like she was guarding it with her life.
Tone whistled. “Boy, they done put y’all on front street for real. The whole city talkin’ about the Royals now.”
I chuckled, but even I could feel the energy change. “Yeah, that headline wild. They make it sound like a movie trailer. This is real life though.”
Dom didn’t laugh. He just stood there with his eyes locked on the screen and face as hard as stone. “That isn’t somethin’ I wanted out,” he finally said something. “That was supposed to stay between us till the time was right.”
Tone agreed. “Too many cameras out here, bro. They followin’ everything with the name Royal on it right now.”
Dom sighed and rubbed his beard. “Yeah, I know. That’s why we gotta move quiet for a while. Feds still got open files from El Blanca’s situation even though they haven’t said nothing yet. We just made too much noise these past few months. It’s time to cool off and regroup.”
I leaned forward on the couch. “You think they still sniffin’ around about El Blanca?”
Dom nodded. “Of course they are. The way that man went out, they not gon’ stop till they think they know who it did, but they don’t have nothing solid despite what they think they know…
we clean and Carmen stays on top of that too.
Still, I don’t need nobody drawing attention to themselves right now. ”
Tone glanced at him. “So, what’s next, boss?”
Dom looked at me. “You… I want you to head back out west for a while. Get things back in order, check in with our people, and stay put. Streets gon’ be quiet for a minute, but that’s when folks get stupid so keep them in line.”
I nodded, understanding exactly what that meant. “You sure? You want me to roll soon?”
“Yeah,” Dom said. “Soon… Carmen and me gon’ hold down Miami. Tone staying close too. I want y’all to use this downtime to be with family, too. Don’t take peace for granted because it don’t last long in our world.”
Tone smirked. “Now that sound like some old head talk.”
Dom shot him a side eye. “Keep playin’ and you’ll get old head responsibilities too. You know I have jobs for everybody.”
We all laughed briefly. I looked over at the TV again. They were still talking about Dom and Carmen, but the volume was low now. “Shit my sis in law looks happy though,” I said quietly. “She glowing and all that. I never seen her look this happy.”
Dom’s expression changed for the first time all night and softened a lil bit. “Yeah,” he muttered under his breath. “She do.”
Tone looked from him to me. “Man, all these babies popping up and shit. I would’ve never imagined this shit a year ago.”
We nodded our heads agreeing with him, but Dom’s voice filled the room again in a stern tone.
“Alright, all jokes aside. It’s time to lay low.
The El Blanca situation is still too fresh.
We ain’t talking moves right now, we’re talking survival.
Keep your eyes open and keep quiet. If the Feds come sniffing, we already three steps ahead. ”
“Got it,” I said.
Dom gave me a brotherly hug. “Good, handle your family, Dique. You got a little girl in there worth changing for. Don’t be reckless and hot headed. Think first.” He turned toward the door with Tone trailing behind him.
Tone slapped his hand on my shoulder before walking out. “Stay safe, fool. Don’t let Keondra shoot you before you can make a move.”
“Man, get outta here,” I laughed as they left.
The door closed behind them, and the house was quiet again except for the hum of the fridge and the faint sound of the AC along with the shower running from the master suite.
I sat there for a minute thinking about everything Dom said as far as family, keeping quiet, and the storms. He was right because peace didn’t last long in our world, but I’d take whatever little piece of it I could hold on to.
A few minutes later, Keondra came out wrapped in her towel with the steam following her. “They gone?”
“Yeah,” I answered standing up and grabbing my keys.
She frowned. “Where you goin’?”
“I gotta go to my place and hop on a jet back to the west coast for a lil bit. I’ll check on y’all when I touch down.”
Her eyes dropped into tiny slits. “You just got comfortable again, now you leavin’?”
I stepped close and lightly kissed her forehead.
“I’ll be back. You know how this go. Keep the house tight and keep my baby safe.
The security ain’t goin’ nowhere either.
” I told her. I wasn’t leading Keondra on; I just couldn’t really hate her ass ‘cause that would make it harder for me to build the bond I was trying to build with Amour.
She nodded with an attitude, but I could still tell she was sad.
Although my life was what it was, I still came from a two-parent household and experienced a love Keondra never did.
She didn’t have much family so what she was getting from me meant everything to her even if she didn’t want to say it.
“You better call,” she said sucking her teeth.
“I will.” I glanced down the hall where Amour’s little nightlight glowed under the door. “Kiss her for me when she wake up.” Then I walked out locking the door behind me leaving my little family behind ‘cause truthfully, she had my child, so she was indeed family.