18. Crazy Family
Chapter eighteen
Crazy Family
Lei
I had faced hundreds of murderous enemies in Diamond Syndicate wars, stared down the edge of sharp, poisoned blades, and walked through streets soaked in blood and flooded with dead bodies, after a mega gun battle.
Yet, standing here, extending my hand to Moni’s sister, Jo. . .my heart pounded in a way it never had before. It was a hammer battering my ribcage, threatening to burst through.
Explode.
And the weight of Jo’s deafening silence hung between us, as sharp and heavy as any deadly sword.
Jo didn’t take my hand. Instead, she stared at it with a look that could have sliced through my soul.
My throat tightened, yet I kept my hand steady and my expression calm.
Moni’s other two sisters watched, probably waiting to see how this moment would unfold.
And unfortunately, I could feel Moni’s anxiety next to me, pulsing.
Rising.
I had killed many men and survived the most treacherous situations.
Surely, I could face this challenge.
Surely, I could win Moni’s sisters over.
Yet, as Jo’s stare pierced through me, I realized this was not a battle I could win with brute force or intimidation.
I won’t be able to Mountain Master her.
This was a different kind of challenge, one that required a softness I had not often allowed myself to show.
Give her time.
I finally lowered my hand, letting it fall back to my side. A part of me felt a sharp sting of rejection, but I pushed it aside.
Family was sacred and these three were the people Moni loved most in the world. Now they were part of my world too. Therefore, it was my responsibility to make sure they were protected, respected, and cherished, whether they accepted me or not.
Next to me, Moni sucked her teeth. “Jo, there’s no need to be rude—”
“I don’t know where his hand has been.” Jo dove her hands in her pockets and watched me. “I just don’t go around shaking everybody’s hand like that.”
“I understand.” Nodding, I kept my voice relaxed. “I also understand this situation must be overwhelming too. This place, the people. . .it will be a lot to take in.”
Jo’s gaze didn’t soften, but she didn’t walk away either.
I took that as a small victory as I studied these new three sisters entering my life. Each of them had their own expressions—Jo’s defiance, Chloe’s curiosity, and TT’s cautious wonder.
“I know I’m not what you expected—”
“I didn’t expect anything.” Jo frowned. “Because mostly I’ve been in the dark about everything.”
“Girl, that is not what we are doing right now.” Moni had an expression that I had never seen before, tense and authoritative like someone was about to get a whipping. “Lose the attitude, Jo. I have been dealing with all types of crazy shit while you three were safe in the South, just to make sure our lives were better—”
“Nobody told you that you had to do that by yourself—”
“And nobody told you to come over here and be rude for no damn reason—”
“I’m being rude? This man got you on TV like you’re the First Lady and he hasn’t even taken the time to meet us or meet the rest of your family and get our permission.” Jo scowled at me and pointed at my chest. “You don’t own my sister. I’m telling you that right now. You’ll have to go through us.”
Moni blinked. “Jo, would you relax?”
I spoke, “You’re correct, Jo.”
They both went silent and looked at me.
I watched as Jo slowly lowered her finger. The fire in her eyes dimmed just slightly.
It was not a victory, but it was a shift. I was pretty sure she had expected me to push back, to assert my dominance. Instead, I had shown her that I was willing to listen and understand.
Now what do I say?
The situation had escalated quickly, far more quickly than I had anticipated. I could still feel the tension in the air, thick and heavy, as Jo’s aggravated words echoed in my mind.
Her defiance was a challenge—a challenge not of the physical kind, but one rooted deep in the complexities of human emotion and familial loyalty.
In the heat of that moment, when Jo had pointed at my chest, her eyes blazed with protectiveness for her sister. Therefore, here I was again for the second time today, reminding myself of Sun Tzu’s teachings.
Know your enemy and know yourself and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
Jo was not my enemy, but her hostility toward me was a barrier, an obstacle that I needed to navigate with care and precision.
This was not a battle of weapons but of wills.
Of hearts.
I had to understand her position, her fears, and her motivations if I were to have any hope of overcoming this challenge.
All warfare is based on deception.
Deception here did not mean lies, but the ability to present oneself in a way that disarmed suspicion and hostility.
Jo expected me to be a domineering force, to use my position and power to control her. I could see it in Jo’s eyes, the way she braced herself for a fight, expecting me to impose my will upon her.
But I would not give her what she expected.
Instead, I had to approach this with humility, with understanding. I had to show her that I was not here to take Moni away from her family, but to become part of it.
This was a battle of perceptions and I needed to change hers.
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
Subduing Jo’s hostility without engaging in a direct confrontation required patience, restraint, and. . .most importantly, respect.
I could not allow my own pride or position as the Mountain Master to dictate my actions. This was not about proving my strength or authority; it was about building trust and creating a bond that would withstand the trials ahead.
Wait a minute.
This odd, twisted sensation surged through me.
I’m fucking thinking like my father. Jesus Christ.
I tensed.
Is that bad or good?
They watched me.
I cleared my throat. “Like I said, you are correct.”
Jo sucked her teeth.
I met Jo’s gaze once more, this time with a small nod. “I saw your sister, Moni. And. . . immediately I wanted her all to myself whether I understood those feelings or not.”
She pursed her lips.
I continued, “And even more. . .I took Moni away. . .without a thought about anyone else in this world. I kept her close to me and I wasn’t willing to share her with anyone.”
Jo frowned, while a silly smile spread across Chloe’s face.
However, TT was more observant. After I said that, she took in Moni’s reaction for a few seconds then looked back at me.
Be careful. . .assertive but be truthful. They’re too smart for anything else.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “And I won’t apologize for doing all of that.”
Jo widened her eyes.
Moni cleared her throat as if trying to signal me.
I shrugged. “If I did, it wouldn’t be a real apology because I don’t regret what I did and I’ve got a feeling that you, Jo, would be able to see through any bullshit I tried to shovel your way.”
For a moment, Jo’s expression faltered, just a flicker of something other than disdain in her eyes.
She hasn’t cursed me out yet, so I’m not doing too bad.
I clung to that flicker, hoping it was a sign that I was getting through to her.
“However. . .” I cleared my throat again. “I promise from now on, to make right in all the places where I did wrong. I will do everything in my power to make sure you and your sisters feel at home here because this is your home. This place, my family—it’s yours now, just as much as it is mine.”
Jo leaned her head to the side. “Just like that?”
I raised my eyebrows. “What?”
“We’re just all living in the East and now a big happy family, after you not even knowing my sister for a full month?”
“Family is everything. It is the foundation upon which our lives are built, the bond that holds us together even in the darkest of times.”
Jo rolled her eyes.
I shrugged again. “I have seen what happened when that bond is broken—how it can tear people apart, leaving nothing but bitterness and regret in its wake—”
“We’ve seen that shit too—”
“Well. . .I will not let that happen here. I will not let me or anything else come between Moni and you three—”
“Nothing is coming between my sisters and me.”
“Good.” I leaned forward. “But understand this too. . .I won’t let anything come between her and me either.”
Jo tilted forward as if to challenge me. “We’ll see about that.”
I curved my lips into a smile. “We sure will.”
“Alright. We’re done.” Moni sighed. “You’ve met Jo, and this is my sister Chloe—”
“Oh, I’m not done.” Jo shook her head. “I have some questions—”
“I can answer your questions after introductions,” Moni scowled, “and after you’ve seen the house—”
“Chloe, TT, and I are not going in any house until we’ve gotten answers.”
Moni blinked. “Excuse me?”
Chloe looked at the ground.
TT squeezed Snuggles.
Moni placed her hands on her hips. “Guys. . .what’s going on?”
Jo put her view back on me. “Who killed our father?”
Moni made an uneasy sound on my side; the sort of sound that said she lost all her words and was very fucking close to passing out.
So. . .they know that he’s dead. . .