Chapter 21
When in Miami
Tinsley
The impromptu trip to Oriana Cay right after the fundraiser was everything. I got to spend time with my aunt and uncle, unwind, and make love to my husband under the glow of the moonlight on the patio of the cottage he’d rented.
We’d been back for over a month, and I was preparing to take another trip. Double was tripping because this one was without him. It was an all-girls trip to Miami to celebrate Lyric’s thirtieth birthday.
“It’s only for the weekend, sir,” I told Double as the two of us stood in the kitchen. “We’re leaving Friday and coming home on Sunday.”
“That’s three days too long. I don’t like sleepin’ in the bed alone.”
“Plus, that’s three days of ass shakin’,” Justus said. “No man wants to think about his wife shaking ass when he ain’t there to protect her or reap the benefits of the ass shaking later on that night.”
I eyed him. “Nobody asked you, Justus.”
“I’m on my brother’s side.”
“You’re about to be on the other side of the door.”
He grinned with pride. “Aww shit. Little sis-in-law don’ got tough around here. Bet you won’t let nobody else slap you in the face, huh?”
“Not unless they want to end up on their back.” I had been working with both Charity and Double to get my self-defense skills up to par.
Double beamed with pride.
“Anyway,” I said, “I’m excited about being included in the trip.” I walked over to Double and wrapped my arms around his waist in a hug. “It really warms my heart how nice and accepting your family has been of me. I’ve never had that before.”
He kissed me lightly on the forehead. “You’re ours, and we take care of our own.” He broke the embrace and moved over to what he called the junk drawer. He opened it and fished around inside until he pulled out something round.
“A tracking device, bro?” Justus’s face was twisted.
Double twisted his face, too. “Hell yeah, a trackin’ device.
You think I’m about to let my wife leave the state without one?
And on the real, this is a two-pack.” He held it up so both Justus and I could see it.
“One goes in your purse, and the other goes on your person.” He narrowed his eyes.
“I want them on you at all times, Sweetheart. Don’t try to get slick.
If I get the idea that they’re not with you, I’m on the first thing smoking, headed to Miami. You got that?”
He didn’t get tough with me too often, so when he did, it made an impression. “I understand, sir. You don’t have to do all that with the threats and stuff.”
“I do because my sisters and cousins will talk their shit and try to convince you that you don’t need me keepin’ tabs on you.”
“They damn sure will, especially that damn Royalty,” Justus chimed in.
“But they don’t know your history.” He seemed to think about it. “Maybe Journey knows your history, but the rest of them don’t. And Miami is too fucking close to Iredia for you to be out there without eyes on you.”
“I understand,” I repeated, opening my hand so he could drop the trackers inside it. “I’m about to go start packing.”
As I left the kitchen, Double and Justus kept talking.
“You sure about her even goin’?” Justus asked. “I mean, we haven’t even neutralized the threat yet.”
“As long as she stays on American soil, she’s good.
I’ll put a tracker on the suitcase, and I can get her location on her phone.
Charity’s going. You know how nice she is with her hands.
And they’re staying at Ro’s place. You know that place is an arsenal, so she’s got firepower if somethin’ jumps off. ”
“Ro’s ass is just as crazy as Lucky. They’re a family of trigger-happy niggas.”
“Wonder if they taught Treasure how to shoot yet.”
The seven of us: Lyric; her sisters, Charity and Angel; Royalty; Treasure; Journey; and I flew commercial to Miami. From the airport, we hopped in the rented Cadillac Escalade and headed to the home that Royalty owned in the city.
“Do you come here a lot? Is that why you have a home here in Miami, or is that just an American thing?” I asked Royalty as the seven of us brought our belongings into the house.
“I used to date a dope dealer. He bought this house for us.” She rolled her eyes up to the ceiling.
“Imagine nineteen-year-old me thinking I hit the jackpot because a thirty-two-year-old nigga bought us a house together.” She looked around quickly.
“A three-bedroom, two-bathroom house nowhere near the beach, and I thought my young coochie had done something.” Everybody laughed.
“I thought I put it on him . . . right up until another one of his mistresses approached me at a club and told me that I was the low bitch on the totem pole. She had a place, too. A three-bedroom, two-bathroom condo overlooking the ocean. She could walk right out of her building onto the sand of the beach.”
“Another one of his mistresses?” I repeated.
“Yep. This motherfucka had mistresses. Plural. And he had a wife. Her house was a palatial estate out on Star Island. I was the low bitch on the totem pole.” She shrugged her shoulders. “But none of that mattered five months later when the wife and her boyfriend conspired to murder him.”
“What?” My jaw was on the floor.
“Two to the head while he slept. Anyway, come to find out that he actually put me on the deed on the house. So, when he died, I got to keep it. I thought about selling it . . . so many times, but every time I mention putting it on the market, my cousins act a fool.”
“You’re never selling this house, Ro!” Charity called.
“If you sell this house, where are we supposed to stay when we come to Miami for girls’ weekends?” Lyric asked logically.
“So yeah, it’s a family thing, I guess.”
“I guess,” I agreed.
Since Lyric was the birthday girl, she got a room to herself, which meant that Journey and I got the let-out sofa in the living room. I didn’t mind. I just wanted girl time and to have fun. As soon as we put our bags in the house and used the bathroom, Royalty made an announcement.
“All right, cousins! Let’s go get lunch!”
Lunch was amazing, and it was followed by shopping at Bal Harbour Shops. After shopping, we went back to the house for a quick minute, then Royalty took us to the beach.
I called Double. “Hey. I just wanted to hear your voice, and I wanted you to hear mine,” I said, using my hand to shield my eyes from the sun’s rays. They were relentless, even though I was wearing a cute little sun hat.
“Those dudes out there aren’t tryna get on you, are they?”
I giggled. “No, Double. I’m here with six other drop-dead gorgeous girls. They’re not thinking about me.”
“I’m thinkin’ ’bout you.”
“I’m thinking about you, too. I’m having a good time, but I have to admit that I won’t be sad to see Sunday morning come. Our flight’s at 11:00 a.m.”
“I know. I got it in my phone. What are y’all gettin’ into tonight?”
“Charity and Angel bought all of us tickets to a concert for Lyric’s birthday. I don’t know who we’re seeing, but they were buying out the shops to make sure they had their looks together.”
“Don’t make me come down there, Sweetheart. I’mma need your titties and ass covered at all times.”
I laughed. “You’re crazy.”
“Ain’t nobody laughing but you.”
After leaving Royalty’s house littered with discarded clothing and smelling like both perfume and hair mist, the seven of us hit the streets of Miami for the concert.
Since the ladies had already started pre-gaming before we left the house and were still drinking liquor in the truck, we were all aware that it would be a night of intoxicated behavior.
Instead of forcing somebody to be the designated driver, Journey hired a chauffeured car.
The driver pulled to a stop in front of the venue, exited the truck, and came around to open the door for us.
Each of us slid out, adjusting and smoothing down our outfits.
I looked up at the marquee and wanted to laugh when I realized that we were seeing King Cobra.
Our first stop was the bar to get drinks. Once we all had a drink in our hands, we made our way to the usher, who helped us find our seats. And once again, I would be front and center at a King Cobra concert.
The vibe of the concert with the girls was totally different from the vibe with Double.
When the opening strains of his party anthem, Fuego en la Disco (Fire in the Club) started to play, and Shaun ascended to the stage from the floor that looked like it was ablaze with flames, the seven of us went wild.
We screamed and yelled. We jumped up and down and danced.
We clinked our cups of liquor in a toast with each other and constantly wished Lyric happy birthday, completely using our outside voices.
During Reina de la Calle (Queen of the Streets), Journey and I sang-shouted in each other’s faces, while Royalty twerked her ass so hard that everybody around us started cheering her on.
During Without You, the seven of us mimicked every move from the video with precision.
I was glad when he moved into his more romantic and steamy hit, Midnight Session, because by that time, my throat was raw, and I was worried that I wouldn’t have a voice in the morning.
“Ahh!” I yelled as Shaun left the stage at the end of the show. “Best concert ever!”
“I’m a little drunk,” Journey told me.
“I’m a lotta drunk,” Angel said.
“I’m hungry,” Royalty said.
Before any of us had the opportunity to address that particular statement, a suited gentleman was approaching us.
“Oh shit, what did we do to make them send the feds after us?” Royalty questioned.
“It’s not the feds. It’s King Cobra’s security guy coming to take us backstage to see him.”
Lyric’s face lit up. “For my birthday?”
“Why?” Royalty asked at the same time.
“Because he’s an acquaintance,” I admitted.
The seven of us gathered our things and followed the security guy backstage.
“We meet again,” Shaun said, and this time, he gave me a full-on frontal hug.
I gave him a couple of weak back pats and removed myself from his embrace with a plastered-on smile. I was half-intoxicated, tired, and I didn’t appreciate the liberty he took in hugging me without my permission. “Yeah.”
He looked around obviously. “No husband this time?”
“Nah. It’s a girls’ trip for my cousin’s birthday.” I gestured toward Lyric.
He eyed her then smiled. I wasn’t surprised. All of the women in Double’s life were breathtakingly beautiful. “Happy birthday, gorgeous. I wish I had known; I definitely would’ve brought you up on stage.”
Lyric blushed.
“What’re you doing for your birthday?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged.
“I’m headed to Iredia. You ever been on a private jet?
” He thought he was impressing her. He didn’t understand how her family rolled at all.
Charity, Angel, and Lyric’s parents were Nasir and Joya Payne.
Nasir was a world-renowned music producer, and their mother had sang some of the most iconic hooks on the hip-hop and R now he’s cheesing in Lyric’s face like he’s trying to get with her. ”
“Tinsley, for real, I’m too drunk for this.”
“Journey, I need you to sober up. Splash some cold water on your face or something. Your cousins could get killed, messing with me on Iredia. I’m wanted there.”
“Okay.” Journey walked back over to the group. “Listen, y’all. The idea of going to Iredia sounds real fun and all, but Tinsley’s wanted there. There might be a bounty on her head or something there.”
“The fuck?” That was Royalty.
“I’m from Iredia. I was in . . . trouble before Double and I got married. I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to go back there, especially not with you guys. I would feel terrible if something happened to one of you because of your association with me.”
Shaun glanced over at me. “But don’t you still need to sign the paperwork to have your inheritance released?
I could call the attorney and have him meet us tonight so you can do that.
” He sighed. “My security team won’t let anything happen to you.
I’ll take you guys to my compound to chill tonight.
In the morning, I’ll have the lawyer bring the paperwork to the house.
You won’t even have to leave. Nobody will know you’re on the island. ”
“Come on, cuzzo. Don’t leave me hangin’ on my birthday,” Lyric cajoled.
Royalty threw her arm around my shoulder. “I’m not gonna let nothing happen to you.” She leaned closer and called herself whispering in my ear, but she was loud. “I have two guns on my person right now. Anybody comin’ for you gotta come through me.”
That was what I was afraid of.