Chapter 4 #2
He helped their children with their businesses, but his main job was making sure London never wanted or needed anything, as she worked from home, brokering their deals. They had a huge operation from the west to the Midwest, soon to be the South, where large farms and ranches were located.
"I knew your ass was a little touched."
She pecked his lips and looked at the island of items she'd prepped for dinner. No matter how hard she worked or how much he may have eaten anytime he hung out with his staff, London made sure her husband left home with a full stomach and empty balls.
"Let me go get cleaned up because after dinner, I need to link up with my boy Gideon. Give my son a hug from me." He pulled up his sweatpants, his eyes still cemented on his wife's body. "I should knock these fucking flowers over."
"You better not." She pushed out pouty lips, suppressing a smile.
"Anyway, if I miss dinner, put something to the side, then bathe and be in bed when I come back if Misty doesn't pop up."
Misty was someone she'd grown close to when she joined the Cedar Spike Chamber of Commerce for Professional Black Women. It was filled with women of color who not only ran businesses but also dominated in their lane. Misty was one of them, serving as the top executive for Blue Brewery.
Anytime she was in town, they made it their business to spend time together, as Misty traveled back and forth from the east to the west coast. While Tuckerville on the East Coast was home, her husband, Prime, preferred Cedar Spike.
Together, they were raising two teenagers.
Anytime she needed some guidance on how not to strangle young adolescents pretending to be adults, London was her girl.
"I didn't plan on any company, but she just might. Misty wants to open up a brewery out of the country and wanted to pitch it to me. I'm not mad at her. Imagine me having a rich friend."
"Shit, you have a rich ass husband, woman."
"Are we millionaires?" she asked, and he smirked. "Exactly."
"We do well enough not to have to work for another motherfucker. Our kids may get us to that millionaire status. Who knows, but I ain't tripping if they don't."
"Gianna could marry rich," she suggested, and he grunted. "What?"
"You made Gianna so damn independent. What nigga could get her to settle down?"
"She's dated. Remember Misty's nephew, Trey?"
"The nigga that walked into her kitchen with a robe on when we were there? And Trey stands for Deuce the Third. Talking about 'Are we cool if their son's nickname is Four Loco?'. The fuck does that even mean?"
They both laughed when Cain reminded her of that. They'd actually gone drinking that night when they decided to stop by and check on Gianna. She'd finally moved out against their wishes, but they knew sooner or later, once Swift left, she'd be next.
That particular evening, Trey had a little too much when he emptied the contents of his stomach all over his clothes. It was right after he told them he saw Gianna as wife material, then passed out.
"His daddy, though," Cain spoke, lifting one brow. "Now, that nigga's a millionaire. It might not be a bad idea for him and Gia to link up," he stated when she smacked him. "Damn, woman." He rubbed his arm.
"Our daughter is not for sale. Neither is our son. That's the reason I cook dinner, and they continue to have keys to our home."
"No, that's not the reason. It's because you do such a damn good job making this house a home, Lo. Let Swift find his own woman. I did. You couldn't get enough of me. I had to marry your ass."
"You mean after you stalked me since you'd been discharged from the hospital, or after I pulled my gun on you when you followed me home?"
"Shoot, desperate times call for desperate measures. I told you at the hospital you were mine. Now look at you, looking like I fucked you good because I did."
He beamed proudly when she waved him off, washing her hands.
"I need to really bathe now before he stops by and dinner's not ready."
London then pulled all the ingredients from the refrigerator, from the marinated steaks she'd seasoned that morning to the baked potatoes she'd put in the oven before Cain had his way with her. She'd top it off with a colorful tossed salad, which was needed because her husband was a carnivore.
"Probably why Swift's ass ain't settled down, all jokes aside. DoorDash and Uber Eats took over."
"Give him time, Cain."
When he pecked her neck, London shoved him away.
"Go and get cleaned up. I'm right behind you," she instructed just as her cellphone rang.
London glanced and sighed. It was Logan.
She'd been avoiding him because it was her year to take the lead in planning their father's birthday.
She was dreading it, knowing it would turn into a huge production, even though their father preferred something small and intimate.
All he cared about was that his children and grandchildren were there.
She also regretted it because a trip to Pellum was more than one flight, sometimes two. Therefore, they turned it into a nice road trip when going so they could sightsee along the way, pick up peanuts, bushels of corn, and his favorite, fresh pole beans.
"Who's that?"
She pecked Cain's lips, knowing he'd get upset once Logan started pressuring her, but when he wouldn't move, she gave in.
"That's Logan."
"Stand firm," he instructed her, lowering his gaze. "I already know how his ass can be."
She did, too, particularly because he was a top lawyer, even representing clients outside of Pellum.
Her other two brothers, Lawson and Lincoln, usually fell in line with whatever Logan suggested, which made it three against his baby.
It did help, though, that Lincoln was a chef, while Lawson ran a successful cleaning company.
With all hands on deck, the siblings would come together to get the job done like they always did.
"Hey, Logan. Is everything good?" Her brows instantly dipped before she gasped, getting Cain's attention. "No, are you serious? When?" She gulped, then looked at her husband. "Last night?"
"Baby, what's going on?" She didn't respond, a lone tear hitting her cheek before Cain took the cellphone out of her hand.
"Bro, talk to me."
"I need y'all to come to Pellum. If I had anyone else to ask, I would, Cain. It's Lucky. He was killed. I knew something was off and I… Fuck, Cain."
Logan was pretty choked up, devastated that he'd not only lost a client but a friend and pillar in the community.
"Logan, man. Damn, Lucky was good people, like family."
Logan felt the same way, hating that he hadn't questioned Lucky more when he mentioned selling the farm.
"And his son."
"His son?" Cain's brows pinched as he sat down, waving his wife to sit on his lap. "You mean Creed?"
"Yeah." Logan sighed. "The one who used to hang with Swift and Money when they visited Pellum over the summer or holidays.
Left one daughter behind — Starlah. I need someone I trust to help her plan the funeral, be there for her while I handle Lucky's estate.
If you can't come, can you spare Swift to hang back a few weeks with London?
She's nineteen, Cain. Lost her mother when she was eight. "
"Damn. Poor girl can't catch a break. Both parents and a brother?" Cain squeezed his wife, bringing her closer to him as he felt her body trembling.
"Tell me about it."
"I need to holler at Swift first, but you know me and London have your back. That nigga is addicted to working."
"Sounds like he's related to our ass," Logan added, causing them both to laugh. "All we do is work, chasing that retirement."
"Not us." He pressed his lips against his wife's head. "Lo works when she wants to, short of her working at the local clinic for a day or two. You know it's in her to still help people."
"Naw, never mind. I can't disrupt y'all's lives like that."
"Nope. We're family. Let us worry about the logistics. You called, so we'll be there. That's love, Logan. Love always shows up. Fuck you talking about?"
"Thanks, Cain."
He laughed, knowing his brother-in-law's face was furrowed, his hands clenched, as if he was prepared to go to war. Cain rode hard for London and her brothers and had ever since he fell in love with her when she was nineteen.
"The details are still murky, but we do feel it was targeted."
"Shit, I know so if it was both of them. I've never known Lucky to be involved in anything that would get him or his seed killed. Just lock me the fuck up if they touch a hair on mine."
Logan knew Cain was serious. He felt the same way because he loved Creed and Starlah as if they were his own. For years, he begged Lucky to settle down, get married, and focus on family, but he was too caught up in being everything to everyone, only for him to be mercilessly gunned down.
"I'd die in y'all place before I allow anything to happen to y'all. You already know that, Cain. Remember, she was my sister long before she was your wife and Swift's mama."
"Long as you know, nigga." He pecked London's forehead as she sniffled while still in disbelief. "This is my life right here. Both of them."
"I'll send the details soon. And Cain?"
"Yeah, bro?"
"I owe you."
"That's what family's for. Y'all gave Lo to me. The least I can do is loan her to you for a few weeks after I leave. Swift, too. Just glad we can help."