Chapter 5
“Hmm, surprised you actually showed up,” Galena gloated, pulling out the chair across from Mila inside Capitol Grill located on the plaza in Kansas City.
Dressed in an all-black jumpsuit, a belt with silver details and matching Jimmy Choo heels Galena settled across from her. Calmly sipping her mojito awaiting her arrival, Mila flashed her a smile that Galena smugly returned.
“It’s been a long time, Galena. We have plenty to talk about.” Mila tipped her head and simpered.
She knew exactly how to deal with a bitch like this. She wasn’t the same little girl from all those years ago when they first met. It was time this old hag learned that. For far too long, she allowed other people to dictate her life.
“Like how you murdered our husband?” Galena proposed, lifting her brows. “Don’t even bother denying it. There’s never been a doubt in my mind.” She didn’t take her accusing eyes off her.
“Why did you come here? What is it that you want from me?” Mila questioned. “What the fuck is it that you think I owe you?”
She paused when the waitress delivered appetizers that she’d ordered.Galena went for the chips and dip while Mila continued to divulge her beverage.
“You don’t get to take away my husband, shine this big ass light on my family, have us under scrutiny, and then live happily ever after. You betrayed your family. It wasn’t just Derrien,” Galena said, popping a chip into her mouth.
“I’ll give you a quarter million to leave and never look back,” Mila suggested, using her fingers to trace the rim of her glass, eyes still fixed on Galena.
She laughed. It was a big, healthy, hearty laugh from within as she went for more chips and dip. Mila watched her eat like a hog.
“You think that’s enough?” She quipped. “Not even close. We came to take it all. I want to leave you with nothing. Do you comprehend that?” Galena frowned at her and fanned herself like she was in heat.
She reached for a glass of water on the table and gulped, but it didn’t seem to help.
Next came a cough, robbing her of air as her eyes bulged.
She shot an alarmed glance across the table at a very calm Mila, and it dawned on her.
“What’s wrong? Is the dip not to your liking?” Mila queried, watching her hands fall to her throat as her airways closed.
Releasing a light chuckle, Mila finished the last of her drink.
“One thing I have never been, Galena, is a fool. You should know better than to underestimate me.” Just as she was about to bring herself to her feet, Galena’s arm extended, and she dug her nails into Mila’s lower arm, near her wrist.
Wincing, Mila pierced her with a wrathful stare. Jerking from her grasp, a wicked smile spread across her lips.
“Tell Derrien I said hello.” She slipped her Prada shades over her eyes and took the back exit to leave.
Galena seized and tipped over from her chair onto the floor while Mila’s footsteps got further away.
The people in the restaurant scrambled to help her while some of the other patrons watched in horror.
Galena convulsed until foam filled her mouth.
Parked outside, Eirian had no clue what was happening until the ambulance was pulling up.
The restaurant was cleared and he waited for what seemed like forever, but there was no Galena.
The nagging in the pit of his stomach told him some shit had gone down, but he hadn’t seen Mila walk out either.
About five minutes later, they whelled a woman out on a gurney. Galena. The fuck is going on?
Hugged up in a booth inside Jose Peppers, Finn and Luna tuned the world out as everyone around them ate and had conversation. Finn gripped the back of her neck, deepening his tongue into her mouth, and received a moan of pleasure from Luna.
“Mmm, we should probably order food.” She giggled and reached for her menu.
“Or try not sticking your tongues down each other’s throat every two seconds,” Minx teased, coming up beside their table with Rose not far behind her.
Finn peered up at them as Minx slid in across from them, and Rose sat beside her.
“The hell y’all doing here?” Finn asked, frowning because he wanted some alone time with Luna.
“I was hungry. Luna said y’all would be here.” Minx turned her nose up at him.
Finn cut his eyes across at his girl.
“What?” she asked, shrugging. “I didn’t know she was just going to pull up.”
“You buying?” Minx kidded, knowing it was only going to piss him off.
“Rose, I’ma fuck her up.” Finn pointed a finger at Minx, and she cackled while shaking her head.
“I ain’t scared of you, Finn,” Minx argued playfully.
“What y’all been up to today?” Rose went for some of the jalapeno dip and scrolled through his phone since he’d been tagged in some shit on IG.
Frowning, he thought it was some old, random ass catfight. The comments were going crazy, and then he saw Minx mobbing on that chick Rye and her homegirl, with Luna right at her side.
“Nothing much,” Luna sipped her margarita and shrugged her shoulders.
“Ah yeah? Nothing at all?” Rose prompted, his oval-shaped orbs focusing on Minx and then her.
The two even looked at one another across the table and were still playing innocent.
“I found a property and made an offer on it.” Luna obliged. “Why you being so nosy? I know you and Minx done made shit official and everything, but you ain’t her parent, and she’s grown.”
“Y’all so grown, then what you lying for?” Rose asked, turning his phone so that Luna and Minx could see it.
The video played in a loop on Instagram. Everyone from the town and beyond commented because the shit had gone viral. Luna and Minx caught one another’s eyes, and each burst into laughter. Finn took Rose’s phone from him and replayed the fight.
“Damn, y’all ain’t have to do ’em like that,” he muttered, but let it play again while he watched with a smirk.
“Pssh, fuck them bitches.” Minx waved it off and went for the chips and dip. “They had it coming, and that shit was fun!”
“Ahhh!” She and Luna slapped hands over the table and stuck their tongues out.
Finn slid Rose his phone back across the table. He shook his head in shame.
“Can’t take ya asses nowhere,” Finn mocked.
Rose and Minx ordered food, and pretty soon, they were all stuffing their faces and talking shit.
After two pitchers of margaritas and empty plates, Finn paid the tab and they piled out together.
Once outside, the cool night air hit, and Rose took a peek at his watch on his wrist. Finn noticed he seemed to be checking that shit all night, and he knew why.
With his arm draped over Luna’s shoulders, he guided her across the parking lot to his car.
“Quit checking the time, bruh. When the shit is done, we’ll know. Take Minx home and try to relax. Tomorrow is a new day.” Finn assured him.
Rose parked his truck right beside his boy’s old school.
Each opening the door for their women, they slapped hands once they were safely tucked into their cars.
Both men did a scan, making sure nothing was rigged under their vehicles before getting inside.
Couldn’t be too careful after everything that went down with Max.
“Can you take me by the house? I need to grab a few things and check on Mil,” Minx requested sweetly as Rose started his whip.
“Why don’t we stay there tonight? I bet he misses you,” Rose offered.
“I’m not ready to deal with my mama, just yet,” Minx whispered. “I need a little time.”
“We know from experience, shorty, time ain’t promised. She’s your mother.”
“And she’s been lying to me my entire life,” Minx argued, tears flooding her eyes that she tried her hardest not to succumb to.
The way Rose stared at her told her she was being unreasonable.
She didn’t want to be that way, not with her mother.
Other than Rose and Luna, she was her best friend.
She’d always been able to go to her about anything—from sex to drugs and everything in between.
The fact that she kept such a huge part of herself so hidden had Minx wondering what she actually knew about the woman that birthed her.
More than anything, she wished that Mikki was there for clarity.
Her mother’s lies were suffocating and reminding Minx that two of the people she loved the most were no longer there. That was a tough pill to swallow.
“Can we just stop in and go back to your place?” She pouted, and bat her innocent eyes.
Rose could never tell Minx no, especially when she looked at him like that.
Her relationship with Mila was nothing like his relationship with his parents.
His mother didn’t give a fuck about him beyond the government assistance she got every month while he was coming up.
His father left when he was younger, and he never saw or heard from the man again.
He recalled his mother saying they were addicts together.
There was no telling where he was or if the nigga was still alive.
Losing Max only reminded Rose further of what was missing in his very own life.
“A’ight, fine. You know I love you, right?” Rose checked with her.
“Yeah, I know,” she whispered, holding his intense gaze.
“And I will do anything for you. I want you happy, Minx. Holding a grudge against the only parent you got left, that shit can’t end well for you, shorty.”
“Thanks for the heart-to-heart, Rose. Can you drive now?’’ she said , annoyed because he was right.
“Mean ass.” Rose shifted his truck into reverse and pulled out of the parking lot.
Dynamite was a few blocks over from the restaurant, and the ground rocked underneath them as Rose guided his truck down the road. Minx jumped in her seat watching a bright explosion illuminate the entire sky to their left.
“Shit!” She gasped, clutching her chest, eyes widening before swinging her attention to Rose.
Unbothered, eyes forward, he steered them along.
“Rose, the fuck!” she hissed, watching a fire burn in the distance.