23. Jo’s Gift
Chapter twenty-three
Jo’s Gift
Moni
Rose and I walked back as my sisters trailed behind.
Rose smiled. “Thanks for agreeing to lunch. I can have Dima send a helicopter to bring you.”
“That would be nice.”
“And lunch is on me.”
“Thanks so much.” I kept her pace. “And then, how about the next lunch is on me and we can have it somewhere in the East, once I find the best spots.”
“Sounds good to me. The helicopter ride over here was quite an adventure. This area looks so exciting.”
“Definitely never a boring moment.”
“I can imagine.”
There was something genuine about Rose that made me want to get to know her better. Perhaps Dima’s awkward, but endearing, hopes for our future friendship weren’t too far off.
He’s so freaking funny.
I chuckled to myself at the thought of us planning our lives around his wild ideas, but it wasn’t entirely unappealing.
There was a warmth in Rose’s laugh, a kindness that I wanted to understand more. Lunch with her might be just the beginning of a new friendship in this crazy world I had stepped into.
Lei watched us head his way and I swore his expression appeared a bit worried, but I didn’t know why. Then, his view went to Rose and his gaze darkened like he wasn’t fond of her.
I made a note to ask about that later.
When we got to them, Rose returned to Dima who now had the little white cat in his arms. There was something about the way he gently cradled the tiny creature as she purred that made me smile.
In Leo’s historical texts, he’d painted Dima as a lethal gangster that was highly intelligent.
But I was finding that Dima had a very gentle side to him too.
And just like that, Dima caught my eye and gave me a wink as he absently stroked the cat’s fur.
I smiled back, feeling a strange sense of ease settle over me. Whatever doubts I had about stepping into this new role as Mountain Mistress, they seemed to melt away in moments like this. More and more, I was finding myself surrounded by people who would have my back, even if it were in their own unique ways.
Lei stepped forward.
Everyone put their gaze on him.
“There is a tradition in the East.” Lei gestured to my sisters. “When new members join our family, we offer them gifts. It’s a way of welcoming them, of showing that they are valued, that they belong.”
He paused, letting his words sink in.
I could see the emotion in his eyes, the sincerity that made him the man I loved.
Don’t worry. They will like you if I have to force it.
“This tradition started long ago,” he continued, “as a way to bond new members to the family, to make them feel at home in a place that might be strange and unfamiliar. It’s a gesture of unity. Of trust.”
A swell of pride hit my chest.
I checked my sisters.
He definitely had their attention.
Even Jo watched him with interest.
“Therefore,” Lei’s gaze swept over them. “I humbly ask you to receive these gifts as symbols of our new bond and of the family we are creating together.”
I could feel my sisters’ excitement mingling with my own.
Jo tried to keep a straight face, but I knew she liked the attention.
How long had we sat in Glory feeling alone and disconnected?
Thinking no one loved us, not even God.
Granted, part of that was my fault. After Mom passed perhaps, I was too depressed to seek the proper help from my family. Additionally, I just thought. . .I should do it all myself.
Now I’d learned that was the wrong way of handling it all.
I smiled at Jo.
That’s right. We’ve got more family and more help. . .you’ll have to get used to it like me.
Lei turned to Jo.
But to my disappointment, her stance turned defensive as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest like she was trying to shield herself from whatever was coming.
There you go with that bullshit again.
I knew that look all too well. Jo was stubborn, fiercely independent, and proud to a fault. . .just like me. She didn’t take handouts from anyone, especially not from people she didn’t know well.
Lei nodded at her. “And now for your gift, Jo.”
Jo narrowed her eyes and tilted her chin up defiantly. “I don’t take gifts from strangers.”
Lei smiled, completely unfazed by her attitude. “You’ll take this one.”
Jo blinked.
Lei gestured toward the massive container and one of his men stepped inside.
Well. . .at least we’ll see what he got her.
The air ran thick with anticipation.
I could even feel the tension radiating off of Jo.
We all heard it—the unmistakable sound of an engine purring to life.
Oh shit.
Chloe’s face lit up with a grin. “This is going to be good.”
Jo, on the other hand, shook her head, already dismissing whatever was coming.
“I don’t need a car,” she muttered, though I knew damn well that she did.
Then, the car rolled out of the container and for a moment, Jo’s whole demeanor changed. It was like watching a stone wall crumble into dust. Some odd hissing sound left her. Then, her eyes widened and she looked like she was about to cry, pass out, and jump up and down in joy all at the same time.
What the fuck?
The man parked the car close to us and left it.
Dima whistled.
Jo shifted her weight from side to side as she tried to contain herself, but it was no use.
Well. . .she likes the car.
I glanced at it, thinking the vehicle was cool. Granted, I wasn’t into cars like she was. All I ever wanted was for a vehicle to get me from point A to point B. I could care less about the color and model.
Regardless, I still checked this one out.
The car was a deep, vibrant blue, a shade so rich it seemed to shimmer under the sunlight, as if the paint itself were infused with liquid sapphire.
The sleek lines of the car’s body curved gracefully from the front grille to the rear.
The polish was flawless.
It had a convertible top, currently off, allowing the sun to highlight the luxurious interior. The contrast between the deep blue exterior and the soft, cream-colored leather seats inside was striking.
The dashboard had all types of electric shit going on with it. I swore it could have been right out of a spaceship.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to start the damn thing.
Even the wheels were a work of art. The polished silver rims sparkled with these blue ghost symbols on them.
A large sparkling P was at the center of every wheel.
What’s the P for?
“So dope.” Chloe bobbed her head. “You got a blue car, Jo.”
Jo shot her a look. “That’s not just a blue car. That’s a classic.”
I quirked my brows and noticed Jo’s hands shaking at her sides.
“In fact. . .” Jo struggled to contain herself. “That’s the Blue Fury.”
Chloe looked at her like she was crazy. “The Blue what?”
TT responded for Jo, “It’s the car from the movie, Blue Phantom.”
Chloe widened her eyes and took out her phone. “That’s righteous. I’ve got to get a selfie by it.”
Jo waved her hands. “Don’t take pictures of my car.”
I blinked.
Alright. So. . .I guess Jo will be taking this gift after all.
I thought back to the movie title that TT had brought up. The Blue Phantom was an Asian hero in the Bionic Universe, known for his speed and agility and the car appeared just as iconic as the hero himself.
I even remembered the movie. It had a blend of Chinese culture and action all wrapped in one. However, I also knew Blue Phantom hadn’t been the Bionic Universe’s top movie, but my sisters and I had seen it twice so the movie was high on our list.
I glanced back at Jo.
My sister edged forward but still seemed unprepared to get to close to the car. “The leather seats. . .they’re the same shade of Phantom’s sword.”
Chloe watched her. “O-kay. . .”
“You see the seats. The Bionic Universe emblem stitched into the headrests.” As if unable to stay back any longer, Jo headed over. “The dashboard. . .it’s the original design.”
Chloe shrugged. “Like I said, it’s a cool blue car.”
“This isn’t just a car.” Jo scowled at her. “This is a piece of cinematic history!”
“Oh my God, Jo.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Chill out.”
“And did you hear the engine?” Jo asked, but it seemed more like she was talking to herself. “It purred. Not hummed. Not rumbled but purred.”
I checked Lei.
Both him and Duck wore satisfied smiles which told me that they had probably both came up with the idea.
I cleared my throat and put my view back on my sister. “So. . .Jo. . .what do we say?”
“Huh?” Jo turned back to me, blinked and then looked at Lei. “Well. . .okay. . .thank you. I mean. . .yeah. . .thank you. I can’t just take it without giving you something though. I can do monthly payments until—”
“It’s a gift.” Lei held up one hand. “The worst thing you can do in the East is try and give something in exchange for the gift. It’s considered the greatest disrespect.”
Jo widened her eyes. “Well. . .I’m not trying to be disrespectful but this car is worth like six figures and that’s just being nice.”
Lei shrugged. “It’s your car. That’s all we need to know.”
Jo rubbed her face with both hands like she was making sure she wasn’t dreaming herself. “This is my car?”
Lei nodded. “It’s yours.”
The man who had driven it out, walked over to Jo and handed her the keys.
Jo stared down at the keys and then looked back at Lei. “This is my car?”
I chuckled.
Lei nodded.
“Al-right.” Jo went over to the car but still checked over her shoulder a few times like she thought the police were about to jump out and take her to jail. “I’m going to get in. . . my car.”
Lei nodded again. “Do whatever you want.”
TT gazed up at Lei. “Can I ask you something?”
Lei put his view on her. “Sure.”
“Is this car from the movie or a replica?”
“When they filmed the movie, they had four versions. This is one of them.”
Oh damn. So. . .straight from the movie.
TT bobbed her head.
And I had thought his aunts were going to be the big spoilers for today.
Jo got in the car and just slipped her hands over the leather. “Pure money. I’m not driving it. Not a lot, anyway. This is going to be more like a museum piece than a car. I don’t want to put too many miles on it.”
"Drive it, Jo.” I headed over. “You’ll need to get back and forth to your job and you’re taking Chloe and TT to their new schools every morning and picking them up.”
Jo laughed. “Chloe can’t get in this car. She’ll have to take the bus or something.”
I frowned at her.
Jo laughed some more and got out of the car.
Lei returned his view to TT. “For some of the shots in the movie, the producers got permission to film downtown in the East.”
“Here?” Jo came closer. “For real? I mean. . .I remember something about them shooting in Paradise City, but. . .”
Lei continued, “For the scenes that highlighted Phantom’s heritage, they shot them downtown and one of the battles were right in front of my family’s Fortune Cookie company. It was the battle where Red Cobra killed his mom.”
TT leaned her head to the side. “But how did you get the car?”
“As part of the deal, my father was to receive two of the cars after the movie wrapped up.”
Jo’s eyes darted to him, filled with wonder and disbelief. “Is that a usual thing? How did that happen?”
Lei’s smile turned a bit weary. “My father can be very persuasive when he wants to be.”
He sure can be.
“Yeah. Well. . .” Jo bobbed her head. “I uh. . .hey, man. I just. . .”
I watched her. “What, Jo?”
Jo pointed at him. “I still need to figure you out and everything, but I am grateful for this gift. Like. . .this made my year. I won’t lie.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
"And. . .you get one more gift.” Lei put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a second set of keys.
Now what is this?
I figured it might be an apartment or something which was too damn much. I felt like the car was already a lot but like Jo, I was grateful. I’d already planned to get her one. However, the Blue Phantom’s vehicle would weaken any car purchase I got her.
Jo and I looked at these new keys.
He dangled them in from of her. “These are the keys to your new comic store in the East.”
I parted my lips in shock.
No, Lei. We’re not doing that.
Jo frowned, her earlier joy fading as suspicion took its place. “Thanks a lot, but I already work somewhere else.”
He kept the keys in the air. “But now this is yours.”
Jo shook her head. “I don’t know about that.”
Lei lowered his hand holding the keys. “Why not?”
“There’s something weird about this.” Jo stepped back, creating distance between her and the keys as if they might bite her.
“Okay. Do me a favor and think about it.” Lei didn’t push the topic further. He simply pocketed the keys. “The comic store in the East will be waiting for you when you’re ready.”
I see what you’re doing.
Lei was trying to get my sisters to stay in the East as much as possible, to keep them close. There was something unsettling about it and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was trying to tie them to this place, to his world, in a way that might not be entirely fair to them.
You do know that they can come and go out of the East whenever they want. . .and me too.
Annoyance poured over me.
Jo murmured a quiet “thank you” for the car before walking off, her shoulders tense, but I could see the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. The car had made her day, even if she wasn’t ready to accept the comic store just yet.
However, as Jo walked away, I leaned closer to Lei and lowered my voice so only he could hear. “Nice try.”
He glanced at me. “Meaning?”
“You don’t ever want her to go to the South.”
His tone was casual, but I caught the dangerous edge in his words. “It would be nice if her trips to the South could be avoided in the near future.”
“Why, Lei?”
“It might end up being dangerous in the South—”
“Because you’re going to fuck with the South?”
He remained quiet as the accusation hung in the air between us.
I should have known he would not have taken nicely to Banks’s and Marcy’s bullshit. I thought I did a damn good job of dealing with them, but my stubborn ass Mountain Master would want to have his say too. And while Lei had warmed to Dima’s appearance, I could tell he would make Rowe Street Mob pay for that surprise too.
The only questions were how much violence would come and if I could stop it.
Chills ran down my spine. “You’re right.”
“I’m right?”
“You are your father’s son.”
Lei’s gaze went cold. “We should talk about this later.”
“We sure will.” I gritted my teeth.
He softened his expression, took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “For now. . .let’s have a nice cookout and finish the gifts.”
I knew this would end up being a long, heated discussion, but I pushed it aside for now, knowing we’d have to address it later.
Yet, on my side, I caught Dima scribbling in his notebook.
What a crazy day.
Lei let go of my hand and turned to Chloe. “And now for your gift.”
Oh, God. What did he get her?