Get at Me #9
“Guess you were right. Talking shit did work.” Yacouba was sitting on the arm of a sofa that was dwarfed by his massive size.
Priest, Xerx and Liam were spread out throughout the room and without question I was sure that Smoke’s ass was standing guard outside the door.
The only person missing was Jemma Marie as far as representatives of each family but I didn’t expect her to be there.
“She’s with your grandfather. Jemma is with her.” Mir spoke up as though he understood I was wondering immediately where Asha was.
“What’s the verdict?”
“You’ve got a concussion. Surprising wiz zat hard ass head of yours.
” Xerx was standing with one hand in his pocket, carefree but I could see the tension on each of their faces.
We’d just been together sending his enemies to hell and now they were crowded in a medical facility waiting on my ass to wake up.
“The car?”
Yacouba chuckled like I should’ve known better than to ask. “That shit is done for. The biggest question is who fucked it up and how did they do so.”
“Yoo dinna suspect yoor wife, right?”
Liam asked the question but I glared at Xerxes, knowing he was the reason for the question.
“You mean the one who could have easily been killed right along with me?”
“Stranger zhings have happened, my friend.” Xerxes was right and I could understand that they were looking out for me but their suspicion of Asha was pissing me off.
“She didn’t do it.”
“Glad you know that. You’re the one calling Xerx in a panic talking about she’s a killer and shit.
Just had to make sure she wasn’t a suspect.
” Couba pulled out a blunt and I knew he didn’t give a fuck about smoking in my room.
They all looked like they’d tossed on the first thing their hands touched and chartered jets.
“Your wife’s a killer, Cou. Matter of fact, every man’s wife in here has at least one body.
Some, more than others.” I stared at Liam and his face broke into a proud grin.
He would happily recount how amazing he found Frankie’s first Father’s Day gift to him to anyone who would listen.
And she’d wanted to kill his ass for years.
But did we question her or try to end her life?
Nah. So why weren’t they showing Asha the same respect?
“We dinna say she wouldnae be in good company. We asked to ensure she dinnae ‘ave ‘er sights set on yoo next. The lass has been a bundle o’ nerves since we got ‘ere. Pissed because yoo wouldnae wake yoor lazy arse up. She’s too fookin’ brilliant to put ‘erself in danger to shuffle yoo off this mortal coil in such a way. Whoe’er did this is a lazy fooker.” Liam’s arms were folded over his chest, stance wide locs hanging over the blue t-shirt that covered his chest. I was happy Asha had at least one ally in the room.
“What Liam is trying to say is that your wife is worried about you. I know you want to see her, but give us a minute to talk about who wants you dead first. Since we know it ain’t her.
” Mir leaned forward looking like he was ready to play with rocket launchers again and just needed a target.
I felt the same way he did. Not because someone tried to kill me, I was used to shit like that.
It came with the territory in every line of work I engaged in.
But somebody had come for her. I didn’t know which one of us was the intended target but they’d fucked up when they came for my wife.
Still calling her your wife?
“Vanya looks like the Black Pippi Longstockings as Jada likes to say and that didn’t stop her from putting a bullet in a bitch’s head who came at your mama wrong.”
Xerx’s smiled, his approval the pride and love for his wife clear in his eyes, “She does love my mama.”
“You also seem to forget that Cou’s mama is a lil nerd and she ain’t one to mess with either.”
Xerxes nodded as he rubbed his chin. “Zhis is true. Maybe she shouldn’t be pulled from zhe list.”
“In all seriousness, I don’t know if it’s this last case or someone is just fucking with us, but I’m going to find out.
” My head was hurting again and I wasn’t about to argue with these big muthafuckas.
I wanted my fiancée so I could finally go to sleep peacefully.
I’d grown used to her body in the bed and I wasn’t going to get restful sleep without her.
“You both need protection.”
I frowned at the suggestion despite it being the first thing I would suggest to someone else in the same position. “That nigga Smoke is your shadow, Mir. I don’t need Angels or Archangels around me like that.”
Yacouba took another pull from his blunt and I wished he had another to help with this damn headache. “You don’t have any additional family to watch your back. Hell, we might need to check and make sure that they’re not the ones who did this shit.”
My brothers all exchanged glances between one another as though they’d realized that they needed to get on it. Without a question, Mir picked up his phone and started to send out a message I was sure was going to Smoke.
“If you’re going to check on someone, check on James Jr. and them. I doubt that anyone else is guilty.”
“You don’t zhink zhis could be work related?
” Xerxes was playing with the ring that he proudly sported on his left hand and it hit me I’d have the same adornment soon.
Hearing how Asha was worried about me made the idea of that ring feel like less of a burden and more of a testament of something I couldn’t name.
“That’s always a possibility but I doubt it. If it’s a hit it’s coming from the government, not some killer trying to get a lick back.”
“What you want us to do?” Yacouba stood probably ready to shoot someone and get this business handled so that he could get back to his wife and son.
“We were already going to meet up in a few days. Go home for now.”
Every face frowned at me like I wasn’t thinking clearly.
“Ori—”
“I’m not just saying it I’m for real. Tonight was a fluke.
One that will be corrected soon enough. If you’re worried meet up with Vega and grill his ass about it.
My fucking head hurts and I’m about to go to sleep.
But y’all not about to have your wives pissed at me cause y’all been gone off and on for the next week.
I’m good, we’ll get up about this later. I’m taking my big ass to sleep.”
The knock on the door was cautious but it crept open before I could say anything.
Faith’s head peeked around the corner and I attempted to adjust myself in the bed.
I was ready to go, Asha was out there unprotected without me and it had me on edge.
I didn’t care that her father and all of my brothers were here in town; it was still too much distance given what happened.
She’d gone home to take a shower and I had to force her to do that.
But I could admit that I missed her now that she was gone.
The stress that I could see on her face bothered me but it felt good to watch her focus on caring about me.
It was strange to have that level of care coming from her but she gave it to me almost without being conscious of her actions.
I’d heard how she’d cried out for me when I was in and out of consciousness; the fear that laced her voice and then the way her voice hardened when she needed to take command of the situation.
I’d battled to get back to her, to protect her but she handled everything with an ease that I wasn’t used to.
Having someone who would go to bat for me when I was weakest.
Of course, I’m sure the woman in front of me wanted me to believe the same was true about her.
“Are you okay with me being here?”
I cleared my throat because it was still dry despite the IV in my arm and the water next to the bed. It, of course, couldn’t be due to any emotional fluctuations I was feeling.
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
Her nod was one of relief, the joy at not being refused entry brought a calm to her previously tense features. “I didn’t realize you were still in town.” I pointed to a chair near the bed as a place she could sit down.
Faith smiled, which only made me feel worse because the woman who gave me life was this overjoyed by my giving her simple courtesy.
Tighten up, Ori.
“I heard about your accident. So I came to check on you.”
“You didn’t have to—”
Her laughed stirred a mirror that had been buried deep. One that was often directed at my father when he gave her some flimsy excuse. It was the type that said Don’t insult my fucking intelligence. I’d offended her and I actually felt bad about it.
“I know you hate to be interrupted but I have to. I was always going to check on you especially when it’s something this serious. You were run off the road and it knocked you out. Pappy was terrified when he called to inform me and I was immediately on the road.”
“Where you’d been?” I couldn’t help but question her. The absence of her in my life leaving room for her to be a suspect. I didn’t think she was but I wasn’t going to pretend like it wasn’t possible.
“New York. I wasn’t sure about things with the wedding but I wanted to have options in case—”
Shopping. Her excuse was shopping?
“Of course you’re invited. Don’t let that be a question. If for nothing else you and Pappy should be co-elders in position now that you’re back. But I’m asking you as my guest to come to the wedding.”
It would be easier to keep her close if she were guilty of this shit so giving her a reason to stay in town was necessary.
“Shouldn’t you wait on your bride?” She looked up from where she’d been staring at her lap.
“She would probably fight me on ensuring that you were coming. Very British. Very mannerly. Very much about ensuring things are done properly.” I shifted in the bed and Faith jumped up as though to assist me in getting comfortable.
I held a hand up to gently rebuff her help but kept my facial features soft so she wouldn’t think I was rejecting her on principle.