Vanya
He nodded at my quick and correct assessment. “Thieves too. Tried to help a few out because I was grateful that they stepped up when our people died. I found out how they blew through the bread that was supposed to be used for my care and confronted them. They said it was because they knew I was going to make it so it wasn’t a big deal. Money that was supposed to basically be support they used to ensure they were good instead. Basketball wasn’t a guarantee but they tried to say that was the reason they spent it. It wasn’t, they were greedy and couldn’t help the temptation. I was thankful there was still money in trust for me, but now that you’re back they need to run you your money.”
“What happened with the people you helped? In the family, I mean?”
“I tried to front money for businesses, help people go to school. It was pointless. Folks really gotta earn some shit in order for them to realize what it takes to enjoy money. That teach a man to fish lesson ain’t no joke. I promise when I have kids, I’ll make sure they’re good but I’m not handing over piles of money if you ain’t got the mindset to grow it for the next generation. Acting like these IG influencers and blowing money to impress people who don’t mean shit. American culture is fucked and I refuse to buy into it, literally.”
“Seems like you went through a lot of the same shit just like I did but in a different way.”
He nodded slowly as though he realized how parallel our lives had been. “Yeah well, call your husband after we sign the paperwork on this house and we can break bread so we can talk about all this. I got a feeling I’mma wanna be in the mix for a lot of stuff coming up.”
“How you want to sign the paperwork on a house you didn’t even tour yet?”
He glanced around the large, open concept great room and gourmet kitchen before turning back to me. “I trust you?”
I hopped up from where I was sitting at the bar shaking my head. “Hell nah. You were just talking about relatives mooching off of you and not doing any work. We about to walk every inch of this house. You not about to be talking shit about me to Vincent like I don’t know how to do my job.”
He waved me off but I wasn’t about to play with his money. “It ain’t even like that, Vee. I know you good.”
I clapped my hands and waved for him to get up so we could get down to business. “Yeah well I ain’t taking chances. Come on so we can walk through this place. You wanted me to do my job we about to do it. I’m about to earn every damn dime of this 1% commission.”
His brows dipped, and I could already hear him fussing at me. “One percent? Who the hell agreed to that?”
“We didn’t agree to anything yet. You had the paperwork but you never signed on as a client. I’m giving you a family discount.” I shrugged because I wasn’t going to take a penny more than that.
Ahmad stood up and I could see he was irritated. “Hell nah that shit is bogus as hell.”
“She not about to change her mind.” Quentin tried to tell him but there was no reasoning with him.
“She ain’t gone have a choice. That check gone be cut no matter what.”
“Between this penthouse being almost three million and whatever property you are potentially looking to buy, we are looking at six to ten million dollars.”
“Okay? My place in New York is listed for fifteen. I ain’t even gotta come off any bread to buy two houses down here. The people up there getting paid full price but you think I’m going to short my sister? For one percent? Nah, I told you that being a spoiled brat was absolutely gonna happen so I need you to get used to it.” Ahmad looked like this was truly non-negotiable and that he was irritated by my discount.
“One percent is still ninety thousand dollars.”
“Cool, we’ll multiply that by five or ten and call it child support or whatever.” He shrugged, like giving me a million dollars on a sale was no big deal. That was as much as I’d made all of last year.
“You do realize I’m not your kid.”
“Kid, bratty kid sister, same shit. You won’t take it. I’ll send it to your husband. So let’s go ahead and see this place. Since you wouldn’t sell me your penthouse in the apartment complex I gotta live here.”
“Why you playing around, Xerx might buy this shit just so you not bothered.” I wanted Quentin to shut the hell up even though I knew he wasn’t wrong.
Ahmad’s brows shot up and he grinned at me playfully. “He doing it like that?”
I gave Quentin a death stare and he held up his hands in surrender. “He purchased her building just to impress her so—”
Ahmad grinned like he again approved of Xerxes’ madness instead of thinking it was weird. “He all right wit me. Now if I could just get that fine ass chick that works in your office to give me the time of day.”
“That’s probably not the best idea. She’s my agent and mixing business and romance might not work.” I wasn’t about to spill Navi’s business despite the fact that she’d held a gun on him without blinking.
“Technically, she’s an assassin.” I rolled my eyes and let my head fall back, since Quentin couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
I lifted my head just in time to see Ahmad looking between the two of us cockily. “Y’all act like any of that shit was going to deter me.”
“Okay, so in the kitchen we have—”
I snuggled under Xerxes arm that was around me as we sat at the table breaking bread with my brother. And my husband’s brothers. What I thought was going to be a simple dinner ended up being the first dinner party at our house and I was immediately grateful that maman had sent over the dishes that she did. They were intricately decorated 18 carat gold plates, serving ware, plate ware and gold rimmed crystal to fill the built in hutch in the formal dining room. It was service enough for eighteen with our monogram and the Cannon family crest in the center. Xerxes was already putting together dinner when he called me to ask what I would like to eat. When I asked if it would be okay if Ahmad came, he gave me that look like he wanted to fuck some sense into me.
I mean, which wasn’t bad. I’d play dumb every time if I was going to get that.
Sex with Xerxes was something transformative. Maybe I was as slow as the Kennedys said because everything about that man had transcended all bounds of normalcy. I kept expecting him to not be perfect at something, but it hadn’t come up yet. Yes, he could be slightly overprotective and the popping up at my apartment would’ve had me calling the cops if I wasn’t quietly just as obsessed as he was, but I needed that. Needed a man who would apply pressure and put actions behind his words.
When I’d gotten home I’d been worried but Xerxes already had the table set and the chef getting dinner ready. I tried to go in and help and he sent me to our bedroom to relax like I normally would after I was in the office. He could see me getting upset worried that I wasn’t being perfect and instead of allowing me to spiral, he brought me upstairs and made love to me until I was boneless on the bed. After we both showered, he changed the sheets and told me to take a nap and he would come and get me when dinner was ready. Now I was sitting next to him at the dinner table with my head on his shoulder. He’d pulled his hair back into a low ponytail at the back of his head, but the shorter pieces in the front were still perfectly framing his face. The man was annoyingly handsome and seemed camera ready no matter the situation.
“What brought y’all all to Charlotte?”
Conversation seemed to stall at my question as all eyes focused on Xerxes. I turned to him slightly and he looked at ease so I was confused by why they were looking at him.
“Did I say something wrong?” The meal was winding down and it seemed like everyone had enjoyed the steaks, potatoes, lobster Mac and cheese, asparagus and grilled carrots and kale salad. The itis was calling me so I knew it wouldn’t be long before I fell asleep.
“No, mon amour , we have business to attend to zhis week.” Xerxes placated me with a kiss on the side of my face.
“Business or business ?” The way the mouths of several of the men around the table quirked up, I already had my answer. Navi was the only one who had kept a straight face, but I think that had far more to do with the tension with my brother eyeing her the way he had been all night.
“Zhe second one.” I appreciated that Xerxes wanted to protect me, but he wouldn’t lie to me.
“Is this something that you can’t talk to me about?” I spoke softly because I didn’t want to overstep.
He turned to me and kept his voice its regular tone. “No. It is a matter of whezer you want to hear about it is all.”
I glanced at the men and woman around the table before I spoke again. “Am I allowed?”
“Zibā nothing zhat happens with me is somezing you can’t hear about. You’re my wife, even if I were to ever get in trouble zhey cannot prove you know anyzing or prosecute you for anyzing I’ve done. Besides, we would be on a plane to Tehran before zhey could ever touch us.” The arrogant smile was one of a man who was used to circumventing the laws or bending them to work in his favor.
“Wow, got a whole escape plan mapped out.” I’d giggled thinking it was a joke, but his response was deadpan.
“Six.”
I looked at him then back at the men and woman at the table thinking someone would join me in my laughter but they were all nodding their heads in agreement. All except Ahmad.
He was the first to speak up and break the silence.
“Y’all need me to head out or step outside while y’all talk?” He went to move back from the dining table.
Quentin leaned back in the dining chair and I was happy that for once he and Sho were relaxing at the same time. “Why would you?”
He looked around at the table again. “Because this is y’all’s shit. “
“Are you not family?” Xerxes’ question held an unknown weight and I wasn’t sure why it felt like a test.
He nodded at me before he said, “Vee’s yeah.” Having been shunned by the people who were supposed to love me the easy possession of everyone that had come into my life since I’d left them was still enough to make me cry.
“And she is mine. More precious to me zhan life itself. Family is a core value wiz all of us and no one here is worried about you speaking out of turn.”
Instead of it being a moment, Ahmad sat forward and smiled. “Already looked into me I see.” Chuckles went up around the dining table a sure sign that he was right.
“We have. You’re more zhan welcome to stay and I distinctly remember you saying you wanted to help.”
His nod of confirmation was quick. “I do.”
“Vanya we will be taking care of a few issues zhat your past has tried to bring to the present.”
“You’re going to kill them tomorrow?”
A smile danced on his lips before he gave me an unexpected answer. “No. Not yet. Tomorrow is for fun. We will snatch them up and zhey will be held somewhere but zhere is no deaz tomorrow.” Xerxes’ words irritated me slightly because what kind of fun were zhey going to have?
“But soon.” We were clearly family because even Ahmad seemed eager to get these people out of the way by the way he pointed at me like we were in agreement.
Xerxes looked down at me curiously. “Is zhat hope I hear in your voice?”
“Maybe.”
“And vhat has you so savage right now?”
“I realize that the grace that I was extending to them is something they taught me I had to have for them. The entire time I’ve felt that I needed to take the high road hasn’t given me anything but stress about when they’re going to pop back out. Ever since my ex saw me last year he’s been driving me crazy.” I toyed with the few bites of food leftover on my plate trying not to be frustrated.
“I’m sure I’m partially to blame for zhat. Your ignoring him was one zhing. But you having someone zhat could protect you and would protect you probably pissed him off. You were good as long as you were alone. He could feel superior zhat you were still not doing as well as him. But zhen he saw you surpassing him in every way and his ego couldn’t handle zhat. His reasons and his actions weren’t acceptable but I could understand the magnetism about you. Vanya, I had an intense desire to know everyzing about you zhere was. Nozing, not even you were going to stand in my way of loving you zhe way I knew I was meant to.”
A chuckle was heard from the end of the table and all eyes went to Navi who was twirling more grilled onions and steak onto her fork. “He really just made stalking her ass sound normal.”
Priest sat with his chin propped up on his hand as he observed us all. “You see she not running away screaming so I guess she likes that.”
I squeezed Xerxes’ hand that was now hanging around my shoulder. “I don’t want you to get in trouble. For any one of you to get in trouble. Make sure you all make it back to the women who love you. The ones who don’t depend on you but would lost without you.” I looked at each of them but let my eyes linger on Ori the longest. He seemed indifferent, but even from where I sat I could feel how his energy shifted slightly at my words.
“Not to worry you, but we are professionals at this. Life had been calm for a while, but there are always family issues that make it necessary for us to act. When it is all resolved we will go back to living our boring business lives and only come out to play once in a while.” Ori tried to be reassuring, but that was just a reminder that this wasn’t going to be the first or last time any of them ran head first into danger. The idea of them doing it because of me made me anxious.
“I’m not trying to change you. Any of you. None of us are. But you can’t love us as deeply as you have, show us that the world can be this beautiful and then leave us in it alone. I’ve been alone. Nyima has. Jerica and Jasmine and Jada always had each other, and Frankie has had Liam most of her life but even she knows loneliness. Navi and Asha have had their twins but they’ve known loss and hard situations. We never want to return to that. Just like you all have said that we make your lives better, you do the same with ours. So have whatever fun you want to, but remember that there are women and babies who are counting on you to come back.” The mood went slightly solemn but I needed them to know the severity of what was at stake. Fun was one thing, but they were far more important than anything.
“You got me choking up and shit. I need to call Jazzy baby and tell her and my son I love them.” Yacouba was already pulling out his phone and I felt like I’d done too much.
“I didn’t mean to mess anything up—”
“You did not. It is beautiful when you express zhe depzs of your love for me. We know zhe women we have married. Many of you had to be hard and zhe ability to have all of you living in your softness is not a task zhat any of us take lightly. We wouldn’t be so egotistical as to be careless and let you all fall.” His tone was soothing and I knew it was so that I stopped feeling guilty about the mood change.”
I kissed hmm softly but kept my face close to his so he could see how serious my next words were. “Good. Just make sure that whatever y’all do, it makes them hurt.”