XERXES
AFTER THE REHEARSAL dinner…
“Is this going to be a thing?”
The buzz of the needle continued and I focused on the sound of the ink being imbedded into my skin instead of answering the deep, humor filled voice that posed the question. Yacouba’s ass was always talking shit.
“Y’all might as well get your money’s worth. Never thought I’d ever be a tattoo artist on retainer before.”
That caused my face to crack a smile and forced me to open my eyes. Elijah’s head was bent focused on the piece I’d commissioned for him to do before my wedding. Most of my ink had been kept below certain parts of my body for business purposes. That would be changing with this piece.
“We aren’t trying to share. Besides, anyone with intelligence wants to be inked by zhe best. Zhis is far too important to trust wiz someone who might not get it right.” That was all I had to add to the conversation before I went back to zoning out.
“From portraits of the bride, to house emblems to some sayings in a foreign language. Y’all definitely make this shit interesting. But I would only want the best on my skin, too.” Elijah’s ass smirked then went back to shading in the characters on my arm.
“This man tell y’all what he had me do before I got here?”
Midas was leaned back in his seat with a glass in his hand. I’m sure it had something expensive in it because the aromatics reached me from where I was. I was having a traditional Hanā Bandān or henna night instead of a bachelor party. We were in the Consortium building, which had a large lounge area and had flown Elijah up so I could get inked. I doubted the rest of them would let him go without getting something done. Especially Midas’ ass. Once we were done, we’d slide somewhere to relax, but I had no desire to see half-naked women or be in the middle of shit. I wanted to align my mind, body and spirit to what was happening tomorrow.
Vanya Kennedy was joining her spirit, her life, her destiny to mine and nothing would temper the joy of this day.
“It’s clear he not gonna say it so you need to.” Ori, who was next on the list to get married, was having entirely too much fun with this shit. He’d shown up liquor already in his system and if I didn’t know better I would think he was stressed. Nobody wanted to press him too hard because we knew his ass had an explosive temper. Nobody felt like battling his big ass if he got in his feelings.
“Bruh, had my wife working her fingers to the bone for the jewelry he’s gifting Vanya at the wedding. Had to pick that shit up and drop it off at the vault in my hotel.” Midas was doing all this complaining but he hadn’t had to handcraft a damn thing. Nev had been working on Vanya’s jewelry for a minute, and when they met she was even more excited to have her as a cousin-in-law.
“How much is it?”
“Seein’ as ‘ow ‘e gave Francesca a gold and diamond bracelet that e’en made me look twice fo’ our weddin’, I cannae imagine Vanya willnae ‘ave an entire suite of jewels tomorrow.” Liam was waiting like a gossiping old lady for Midas to fill him in.
I scoffed but closed my eyes because they should know by now I did nothing half-assed. “It’s tradition.”
“Cuz, you trying to have her out here with a fleet of haters. And since I know who all gone be there tomorrow I can’t even be mad about it.” Midas was laughing, but he wasn’t wrong. I wanted everyone who laid eyes on my woman to understand that she was loved and treasured beyond anything money could buy. But I would blow my money on her no matter what.
“Damn, we doing it like that, Xerx?”
I opened one eye and frowned at Yacouba. He was clearly waiting on me to say something judging by the smirk on his face. Everyone had come dressed in all black, an edict I hadn’t handed out but they’d somehow just done. The only thing not black on Couba were the flawless white diamonds in his fangs and the matching Cuban Link bracelet and chain. “I guess y’all don’t want zhe shit I got your ungrateful asses zhen?”
“Nobody said all that. Just like I told Priest when he had his shit last summer, all y’all got to do is come together with the themes and we got the rest. See how that worked out? All Xerx had to do was make the special brocade thing we wearing tomorrow. Saved all kinds of money.” Yacouba was singing my praises, but little did he know he’d touched on something I knew Midas was gone latch on to.
My second eye opened again because now he was playing in my face. “You know those brocade things are made with 24kt gold zhread, right?”
“Course his Blersian ass trying to show us up. I got my brizal party in gold zhread and shit .” His deep ass voice sounded ridiculous trying to mimic my accent. Yacouba chuckled, paused and I could feel him look at me. “How you get that done so damn fast?”
And there it was.
“He didn’t. It took like six months.”
I opened my eyes to glare at Midas as he continued to spill my business and all he did was laugh like he knew he was working my fucking nerves. He wasn’t about to let up, so instead of getting upset, I closed my eyes and let the needle be my peace, since he was intent on being the embarrassing older cousin. I wasn’t going to mess up my tranquility with their foolishness.
Without seeing his face, I could hear the confusion in Yacouba’s voice. “Six months? Y’all ain’t—”
“I had zhem designed zhe minute I stepped foot in Tehran after I saw her at Liam and Francesca’s wedding.” I had no guilt about the surety that I felt about marrying Vanya. I’d had my wedding clothes custom made and ensured they fit on every visit. The tailors had been sworn to secrecy and not a word had slipped. I picked everything up on my last trip because I had a gut feeling I would need them soon. And I was right.
“You really weren’t playing about getting your girl.”
I tilted my head toward where Jahmir sat without bothering to open my eyes. “Were you about your Dove ?”
“No.” I could hear the joy in his voice as he answered me and it caused me to grin.
“At least it didn’t take him two years like you, P.”
“Everyone can’t kidnap their wives behind her last man, Cou.” Jahmir shot back at his big ass with ease.
I grinned hearing the banter around them and even Elijah’s ass was laughing. He’d been around long enough to see all our madness unfold and for us to see some of his. Most of his family worked with us in some capacity. One brother was our weed and edibles connect, another legal council and yet another worked with Dom. The only brother who wasn’t on our payroll was because he owned a towing business that was only local to Georgia. Kyan’s ass was also too much of a loose cannon, which was a lot to say with the folks that we had around us.
“Don’t be mad because I’m God’s favorite. You might be His mouthpiece and all, but it’s clear I had the easiest way of all this than y’all. And I have no issue with rubbing it in.” The grin in his voice was annoying so I knew seeing it on his face was irritating everybody. “If we’re dong arguing about all of this, we’ve still got at least two more of these to go through. I need to research Polynesian cultures to make sure we not about to step on Ori’s toes. Say, O, are we gone be walking around with grass skirts on and shit? Not like we wouldn’t, but I ain’t trying to have your girl eyeing the wedding party lustfully.”
Yacouba’s ass was poking the bear but thankfully he was keeping it light. For now. I knew they were trying to keep the talk of his wedding low because of the situation and because he didn’t want to overshadow mine. He should’ve known I wouldn’t care, but I needed him calm.
“We’re having a wedding not performing a ritual. You watch too much TV.” Ori always sounded like he was talking out his damn chest, which made it hard to understand his ass. Especially when he got to mumbling.
“Is she here?” That was the only question I had because even given her new status we hadn’t laid eyes on her yet. He grunted slightly before he responded to me.
“Yeah.”
I opened my eyes again at the gruff way he said that. “O, I understand zhat romance may not be zhe way you want to head into zhis wiz her, but maybe try not to scare zhe girl.”
“‘E likes the lass.”
All heads turned to Liam and I saw the smile on his and Bhaltair’s face.
“What makes you think that?” Smoke had his head tilted studying Ori’s face like it would show some type of tell he hadn’t picked up on. He, Omega, Sho and Quentin had been rotating in and out of the gathering despite me telling their asses to relax. If this building wasn’t secure then we were all fucked. They all ignored my ass and kept vigil.
“‘E shuid ken what ‘ate-like resembles. The way ‘e ‘ate-loved Francesca, ‘e shuid write the book on the subject.” Bhal didn’t miss a chance to tease his cousin and I knew Liam wanted to pop him the same way I wanted to pop Midas.
“Yoo get a lass to marry yoo in less ‘an t’ree weeks and suddenly yoo ken everythin’ about romance.”
“Apparently I do, since she’s got two of my ‘alfrican babies growin’ in ‘er belly.” Bhal proudly held up two fingers and his damn chest was puffed out.
“That’s still my sister-in-law.” Yacouba was frowned up but he couldn’t say anything.
“Aye, but she is my life. My wife. Yoo ken she is more ‘an adored by me.”
Yacouba could only nod his agreement before turning to Ori. “What’s the deal?”
Ori’s hair was pulled back the curls contained so he looked even more serious than normal. “Nothing. Just finding our way. It ain’t gone look shit like what y’all went through, though. Even Li had a background of love to work with. We don’t have that. We have mutual respect and are doing what needs to be done. How that will make a marriage work—” Ori’s broad shoulders shrugged and I could see the conflict in his eyes.
“Respect is far more zhan many had, habibi . Which you lived first hand wiz your parents. Your parents did not have zhat. They were built on lies and broken promises. I think it is fortuitous that honesty is the basis of what you’re building. Many a great marriages have been built on that.”
“To Xerx and Vanya and to Ori and Asha: may the circumstances of yoor marriages become the stepping stone to the greatness we ken yoo all will achieve.” Bhal raised his glass and everyone followed suit. I raised my water bottle in toast as Elijah moved on to the art I wanted on my finger. This would be quick, which meant that we’d be on our way soon. Hopefully, the anxiety would ebb and I’d be able to get good sleep tonight.
“How are you handling the ability to do a multi-religious wedding tomorrow, P?” Midas’ question was one I hadn’t even thought about. I was adamant that no one would bless my marriage other than my brother.
“I’m presiding as a friend tomorrow, not a thing more. This whole ceremony is nondenominational and parts of it are going to be in Farsi for his people.”
“Speaking of, what’s the likelihood of me needing a holster under my brocade shit?” Couba spoke up again and I grinned and folded my arms over my stomach.
“Roughly sixty-two percent.”
“For or against.”
My grin deepened. “For needing it.”
Ori grunted before his voice boomed with aggravation. “They have a problem with Vanya?”
I looked at my friends so they understood the gravity of the situation. “Zhey have a great many problems wiz a great many zhings. My mother always being at zhe forefront and now zhey see—”
“You marrying someone who looks like her and they got a problem?” Priest nodded his understanding having been through it in a way himself.
I nodded and laughed despite nothing being humorous. “And she’s American. Divorced. Not Muslim. Doesn’t have their approval. Hasn’t jumped through the hoops they expect her to. The list is long and I would rather burn it and them to the ground before I paid it any attention.”
“Man said he’d burn down an entire monarchy behind his girl.” Yacouba was laughing but he would stand beside me and hold another flamethrower to increase the destruction.
“Regimes are toppled everyday my friend.”
He nodded his head toward me proving my point. “I feel like that likelihood went up to seventy-eight percent.”
I chuckled and closed my eyes again. “Probably ninety.”
“Sweets got the bridal party covered. That is, if your mama ain’t taken them all out yet, if they step out of line.” Smoke was back at the door still not joining in but chiming in.
“Zhe last zhing she is going to want to worry about is getting someone’s blood on her shoes. I’m sure zhey feel as zhough tomorrow will be zhe day they can act in a disrespectful manner and zhere is nothing I can do about it. Zhat couldn’t be zhe furzest zhing from the truz. After zhe stunt they pulled in Texas, zhere is very little zhat I’m willing to overlook and plans have come togezer for a permanent solution for them. But I know zhey aren’t going to stop until zhey feel as zhough zhey’ve insulted my bride and humbled me. Somezing zhat will definitely lead to zheir demise happening far sooner zhan I planned.”
“Have you warned her?”
I took no offense to Ori’s question and appreciated him looking out for her. “She knows. She knows zhat zhey are zhe ones who led us here so I’m sure she’s wondering why zhey’re coming at all.”
“Can’t lie. I’m in the same school of thought as Vanya on that one.” I looked over to Priest and he was rubbing his chin in thought.
“It’s necessary to show respect even vhen it is not shown to you. Zhere are so many zhings zhat would allow for zhem to play zhe victim to zhe media back home and zhat would turn zhe tide in zheir favor. But when everyzing is observed as it should be, zhen zhey have no hand to play.”
“Always remaining in control of the board I see.” Ori raised his bottle of water in salute.
“Don’t we all.”
“Not Cou, he was just burying his problems in the dirt and forgetting they exist.”
Couba’s diamonds flashed as he grinned at Ori’s words. “Way easier than the mind games y’all playing. I’d much rather focus on the joys of life than let muthafuckas think they got over on me. Call it arrogance—”
Priest interjected with a huff. “That’s the only thing we could call it—”
“But I have peace. I don’t care about them enough to set a trap. Snatch them up, snatch their life.” Cou dusted his hands off with an arrogant grin.
“Yoo forgot the snatch their wife portion of yoor artistry.” Bhaltair had no issue teasing Yacouba because now they were more than friends, they were brothers-in-law since their wives were sisters.
“She ain’t ever been but one man’s wife and that’s mine. Still wondering if my girl was battling depression or low self-esteem fucking around with David’s ass. I feel like digging him up and putting a few more holes in his ass. For my son.”
“Ain’t you tired of messing with that man’s grave?”
Couba looked at Ori like he was expecting him to take back what he said. When he didn’t he frowned his face up in disgust. “Hell no! Aye, at least last time I gave him somebody to hang with in hell. Y’all act like I’m just coldhearted.”
Ori laughed for the first time all night at Couba’s foolishness. Priest could only shake his head at Couba’s words. “Do you hear what you said? And you don’t think that’s bad?”
Couba barked out a laugh drawing all our attention. “Says the preacher who has his cousin eating his own daddy and slowly going insane with two hell hounds to stand watch.”
“Yacouba, I understand fully who I am. You’re the only one trying to deny his true nature.”
“Y’all really kill me with that. I know I’m fucked up, but I can tuck that shit away. Priest, you ain’t been quite right since you put your seed in Ny. Hell, I think Jahmir hemmed up inside the sunken place of Priest’s mind.” Cou tapped the side of his head playfully but there was some truth to what he was saying.
“Why yoo say ‘at?” Bhal sat forward and kept glancing at Priest who was calmly sitting with his ankle balanced on his knee.
“Y’all ain’t seen how one by one the deacons that were fucking with Cardinal been having mysterious health problems?”
I looked around the room at the fellas, and we were all suddenly on guard. Priest was the only one who looked relaxed, which should’ve been the first sign shit was off kilter. “No…”
“Bruh, I swear y’all be so caught up. I’ll give you a pass Li cause you were in Skye and shit, but hell even I was out there for a minute. But this man been Dextering the fuck outta his flock.” We all watched Cou dropped that information and then swung around to look at Mir who had a knowing smile on his face.
Damn, we never getting Jahmir back.
“I need the details on this.” Ori sat up with way too much interest like he wanted to make plans to take a few out for fun. It was crazy that a criminal profiler was a damn criminal himself.
“Last count, there were two heart attacks, a car accident, a damn robbery gone wrong and somebody getting shot in a random act of violence. Not to mention the lady who went in for a hip replacement and ended up with sepsis and dying. Family couldn’t even sue because apparently she’d done it to herself by sneaking in food and some of it got into her wound.” Couba was now sitting back and we were all watching Priest. He sat there unbothered by the accusation and that’s how I knew it was true.
“You doing it like that, Mir?” Ori was grinning and I had to wonder what was going through his mind.
“Not the last one. That was a woman. I don’t harm women. And of course, the Angels and Archangels played a role.” I glanced back at the door and saw the smile that danced in Smoke’s eyes because of the mayhem he’d taken a part in.
“Nae sweet lit’le, Ny.” Liam looked completely lost as to just how deadly Mir’s wife could be. She reminded me too much of maman for me to ever count her out.
Priest just smiled softly as he smoothed down the front of his t-shirt. “Who do you think made the outside food?”
“Damn. Zhat lady had to have done somezing serious.”
“She made the mistake of being ugly to my wife and thinking that she could question her morals, then suck up to her once my mother disappeared. But Nyima doesn’t forget. Especially when that same woman advised me to get a DNA test on my son just in case, because you never know how women these days are.”
I blinked twice before I laughed loudly. “Oh, she more zhan deserved zhat zhen.”
“You’re right and she reaped what she sowed. She questioned my wife’s honor and her blood so Ny poisoned hers. I refuse to let anyone breathe that has wronged her.”