Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Marz
To get Heir out of the house today, I decided to take her to Pops and Mama Neo’s house for family day this week.
Three days had passed since I’d talked to Iman, and he’d started blowing my phone up for an answer, even though we originally agreed that I’d take a week to think about it.
Truth was, I didn’t need a week to think about it.
Whatever I had to do to make sure Heir was safe, that’s what I was going to do.
More than anything, I was taking the week to look deeper into Iman’s organization and figure out all there was to know about Casper.
Except Casper was just that—a damn ghost. I hadn’t been able to find out any information about him, and I wanted to at least know who he was before I agreed.
It wasn’t my plan to eavesdrop, but when I went to get Heir to show her the music room, I overheard her talking to Mama.
“Wait, so you’re saying you and Mr. Merc had a bodyguard romance too?”
Mama nodded with a chuckle as she sliced a watermelon that I hoped would be sweet.
I’d already gotten damn near full off the fruit salad she’d made before we could even put the steaks on the grill.
I knew we’d likely be here all day though, so it was cool.
I wanted Heir to not only get to know my family but enjoy her time outside of the house.
We’d probably spend the evening talking shit, playing cards and dominoes, and eating enough to soak up our liquor.
“Please call him Merc and me Neo, or at least Daddy Merc and Mama Neo. He already feels old and Mister will only make him feel older.” They shared a laugh before she said, “But yes, we did. We met one night at a bar with our friends, Innvy and Bully. They hit it off immediately, but I was in a relationship, so Merc and I didn’t exchange information.
Fast forward and we meet again when he brought his client to my vinyl store.
A shootout ensued, I was basically a prisoner for a brief period, and Merc was my bodyguard.
When it was over, we ended up being trapped together in a cabin during a snowstorm, and I think that was when we both realized we couldn’t deny that there was something between us. ”
“Aww that’s actually sweet. Y’all are a real life urban romance.”
Mama Neo laughed. “That crazy man is my whole heart, Heir. It was crazy back then, but I couldn’t see my life without him now. I think I loved him from the beginning and just didn’t want to accept it, you know?”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Heir grumbled, accepting the small plate of watermelon that Mama Neo had slid over to her.
“That was why I walked away from Marz the first time we met. It felt too good to be true. Like we were moving way too fast. Now that we have a second chance, I don’t want to ruin it. ”
“I don’t believe he’ll let you.” Mama chuckled. “The way my baby talked about you over the years, I don’t think he’s going to let you go easily.”
Heir’s head hung, and I didn’t have to see her face to know she was blushing. “Mama Neo… don’t tell Marz this, but I really hope he doesn’t.”
Taking a step back, I reeled in my smile, then made my steps a little harder so they’d know someone was walking up on them. I gave Mama Neo a kiss on the cheek before wrapping my arms around my baby. After kissing her neck I asked, “What y’all in here talking about?”
“Boy, don’t act like you weren’t eavesdropping,” Mama Neo said, making me laugh.
“Oh God. You heard us? That’s so embarrassing,” Heir said after her mouth dropped.
“I ain’t been droppin’ no eaves, ma’am, honest,” I said, making them both laugh harder when they caught the The Lord of the Rings reference.
“For real though, I was coming to get you and show you the music room real quick. Maybe give you your first lesson since there’s no instruments at the safehouse. ”
“Ooh yay! Let’s go!” Heir agreed, swiping her small plate of fruit off the island.
I knew it wouldn’t be long before Pops was calling me to entertain him along with Neptune while he grilled, but I wanted to take full advantage of the brief moment Heir and I would have alone.
Once my sisters got here, our focus would have to shift to them, and they wouldn’t let me have any more alone time with her.
I never brought a woman around, and even if I tried to suggest Heir was here because I was protecting her, they’d instantly call me out on my shit once they saw us interact.
“And you can play all this?” Heir confirmed, looking from one instrument to another as I closed the door behind us.
“Yep. Ya husband is a very well rounded, talented, cultural gangsta.”
She laughed even though I was dead serious. “He’s very handsome, sweet, gentle, and patient too,” Heir added, wrapping her arms around me.
“I’m only sweet and gentle with you and the women in my family. Believe that.”
Lowering myself to her lips, I gave her a quick yet tender kiss. When the pecks led to me slipping my tongue into her mouth, I pulled away to keep my dick from getting hard. I might have respected my parents too much to fuck her in their house, but I’d damn sure take her out to my car.
“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but I noticed you didn’t really mention your birth mom a lot when we talked about your family. Her name is Aries right?”
My head bobbed as I sat behind the grand piano and patted the space next to me.
When she sat down, I started to play a piece Pops and I had composed together a few years back.
I was the only child who had the same passion for playing music as he did.
Merci and Neptune could play but didn’t as adults, and Ariel was glad she didn’t have to learn like we did.
Pops offered her lessons so she’d feel included, but she declined, spending her extracurricular time as a cheerleader and majorette instead.
“Right,” I agreed. “She’s cool as hell. I love my mama.
I think we were closest while I was younger though.
” A smile lifted the corners of my mouth as I remembered one of my earliest memories.
It was when she was with Omar and we went to spend time with his family in the country.
I was able to play with their animals and ride horses.
It was a cool and unforgettable experience.
Heir waited until I was done telling her about that to ask, “So what happened? Was it just a natural detachment as you aged?”
My head shook as I sighed. “I’on know, Wifey.
I mean… there was no one particular thing that pulled us apart.
I just didn’t like her heart or house being a revolving door for different men.
She loved in an all-consuming way, and I just didn’t like that shit.
I appreciated her loving me enough to do what was best for me, so when I asked to stay with Pops and Mama Neo, she let me.
We don’t have any issues. We just aren’t that close. ”
“I get it. Not all families have that close bond. My cousin hardly ever spends time with her parents, yet I loved my childhood so much that I stayed with my parents after college. I couldn’t see myself not seeing my parents at least a handful of times out of the month, but Onesty can go months without seeing her parents and sister and be fine. ”
“Yeah, I’m the same way. I talk to my family daily and have to see them at least once a week, though I see my brother a hell of a lot more than that.
But with my mama? It’s just not the same kind of relationship.
We’re there for each other and have a great time together, but we just don’t have that close kind of bond. ”
“Well if y’all are okay with it, that’s all that matters.”
I hopped from the piano to the violin, playing Pachelbel's Canon in D. Not long passed before the sound hypnotized Pops enough for him to join us. He hopped on the organ, and we played the trap version of the piece we’d created.
One piece turned into two, and by the time my sisters arrived, Mama Neo and Neptune had joined us.
When I got lost in music, I could admit my surroundings faded.
As I locked eyes with Heir, there was admiration in her eyes as she stared at me.
She must have been recording because she put her phone down, walked over, and gave me a sweet kiss before wiping my lips.
“You’re so amazing, babe. I’m in awe of you. Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Stay away from you,” I replied, pulling her down on my lap.
While Mama cooed and Pops muttered about me being his boy, Merci said, “Yeah, yeah. Enough with the mushy stuff. Introduce us officially, big brother,” with a wide smile.
Chuckling, I nodded my agreement as she all but pulled Heir off my lap and into her arms for a hug.
“Merci, Ariel, this is my wife, Heir. Heir, these are my sisters, Merci and Ariel.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Heir said as she hugged Ariel.
“You too, girl. If another Valentine’s Day passed and this man didn’t have you, I was liable to track you down,” Ariel replied, making them laugh.
“Wait. I feel like there’s backstory here that I need to hear,” Heir said, looking back at me.
“Come on. Let’s make some margaritas and we’ll tell you all about his lovesick ass,” Merci granted, wrapping her arm around Heir’s.
“Aye! Keep some secrets to yaself. Don’t send me out too bad now,” was what I said, not that I gave a damn.
I didn’t care if Heir knew that I carried her in my heart and life long after she walked out on me.
If anything, I was sure it would help her trust my words and feelings for her.
To this day, I had no way to justify why my feelings for her were so strong and sincere so soon, but they were.
All I could do was pray nothing pulled us apart again.
Heir burst into a fit of giggles as I made my way over to her. Her head shook rapidly as she yelled, “No!” through her laugh. “I have had enough!”