16. Monster
Chapter 16
Monster
T he smell of roast chicken hit me before I pushed the door all the way open. Rosemary, garlic, something sweet like apples or honey. It was the kind of fake warmth that I loved to disrupt when a muthafucka had me or my wife fucked up. The lock was a joke, it took me less than two seconds and I was in.
I stepped through the threshold calmly then shut the door behind me softly. There was no need for me to come up in these folks home theatrically when Natavi’s mother would produce that once she laid eyes on me. I was just in time for dinner. Now I see who Natavi got her good cooking from.
Their dining room was straight ahead, it was dimly lit by the old crystal chandelier that was holding on by a thread of hope. I saw them before they seen me. Natavi’s mother, Pauline’s hair was elegantly styled in a low neat bun; her silver hair displayed the old wisdom she should’ve had when it came to her only daughter. Her father Robert Calvin sat with a stiff posture; my boots creaked against their worn floor board which caused them to look up.
The moment of them realizing who had joined them for dinner caused them to freeze. I offered a knowing smile, the type of smile that they would always remember in their fuckin’ nightmares. It didn’t take long for Pauline to start her theatrics.
“Oh, my Lord!” She gasped then shuttered.
Her fork dropped first then her hands started to tremble as fear bloomed across her perfectly powdered face. Robert didn’t move, nor speak. He stared at me like he was trying to figure out how I got inside of his home. The same home that I kept security detail on for the sake of my wife.
I took a few slow deliberate steps toward them then stopped at the edge of the table.
“Congratulations,” I stated low with venom.
“You missed the birth of your first grandchild…His name is Neosyne, you can look the meaning up at a later time. My wife…your daughter…” I pointed directly at Robert.
“Is innocent, and so is my son Neosyne. You two didn’t call, didn’t come…NOT EVEN A GOT DAMN CARD THROUGH THE FUCKIN’ MAIL!” My voice boomed so loud that my own ears stung.
Pauline started to cry lowly. She picked up a napkin and pressed it to her lips as if it was supposed to hold her fake ass together. I was beyond angry the more I observed Natavi try her hardest to reach out and connect with these people, the worse my rage got. I knew first-hand what it felt like to be avoided and discarded of like a mere fuckin’ object.
“My baby boy is perfect,” I stated above a whisper.
“Y’all think because you don’t approve of me…you can just erase your fuckin’ daughter…like she wouldn’t eventually continue with me and just go without you…like we won’t continue to build something without your fuckin’ permission?” I seethed not taking my eyes off of Robert.
I had to calm myself, my fingertips tingled with anticipation of cracking his fuckin’ neck. His face remained stone, he didn’t respond at all. He was nothing but a fucking coward.
“Natavi…” I stepped closer until my body touched the table.
“In a short period of time, she’s grown so much. She gave life to something perfect. She’s strong, braver than the both of you. She breathes and speaks love into everyone surrounding her.” I slammed my hands against the table.
“You failed her, and she’d still forgive the both of you…but me… I’m much more different than her. I’m the darkness to her beautiful light that shines brightly. I came here so you’d see me, and understand that because you failed her with this… I won’t allow you to keep failing her. You see, because of her…I let the two of you live because I can’t live without her. If I kill you two, I lose her. But if my wife reaches out and you don’t answer…I’ll risk that. I’ll snap your fucking necks and deal with the consequences of what’s to come.” I turned to leave.
Pauline sobbed. I stopped and turned around. Robert’s jaw clenched; his eyes misted over. My words must have finally settled into his mind, and he saw the seriousness of what all I stated.
“Neosyne has your eyes, Robert. Understand that you never have to like or accept me. I refuse to fake anything in life. I’ll never forgive the two of you, but I’ll remain cordial for my wife’s happiness. When she welcomes the both of you into our home, respect it and show up with pure intentions.” I stomped out of their dining room.
Once I got back inside of my truck, I took in a deep breath to control the strong urge to kill. I started my truck and called Natavi once I took off from in front of her parent’s house. She didn’t answer, that was a big red flag that made me pick up speed to get home.
Something just didn’t feel right all of a sudden. It didn’t matter how many guards I had in place to protect my family, I needed to be with them eighty-five percent of the time.
“Yea,” Detavio answered, sounding annoyed.
“I need you to get to my house now, I’m thirty minutes away,” I instructed.
I didn’t need to go into detail and explain to him that something was wrong. I swerved through traffic and ran all red lights with my adrenaline pumping wildly in my chest. I kept calling Natavi, there was no answer.
“God!” I screamed his name as loud as I could.
I didn’t know how to pray, this was my first time even calling his name. I didn’t know who else to call out to, but something deep inside of me screamed that there was trouble. I hadn’t left to go to Thailand yet because I had been busy trying my hardest to track down Impurity. There was a missing piece to all of this, I refused to leave my family while he was somewhere lurking and plotting.
“God! I never ask you for nothing!” I swallowed down and squeezed the stirring wheel until my hands burned.
“I can’t lose them! Protect them.” I bowed my head.
I called Detavio, and his background was loud.
“You there? What’s that noise?” I asked quickly.
“Fucking paparazzi! They’re swarmed all around my house asking questions about Angel missing and not posting videos! Got dammit, if y’all don’t get off of my property!!!!” He yelled into the phone.
“Detavio, go back in the house…Angel needs to make some sort of video soon. Something is wrong, but I need you to keep your weapon concealed. You don’t need the attention.” I hung the phone up.
Detavio was a hot head, his mental was the most unstable out of all of us. He appeared like he had himself under control and claimed that I was the out of control one, but it was him. I sped through traffic in total silence with a million bad thoughts on my mind. My stomach cramped up as I thought the fucking worse. Shit always felt like it was just too good to be true.
I drove up the hill, my tires screamed against the asphalt. I couldn’t drive up on my lawn and park, the scene before me froze me in real time. Black cars with Chinese plates; there was four of them parked. One car was on the lawn, the second and third cars was on either side of my house while the fourth car was parked in the driveway with the hood up. Since it was dark out and my house sat deserted with no neighbors being nosy. No one would be able to witness my own trained guards sprawled across the lawn like broken dolls.
I killed the engine and stepped out slow, all of my panicked emotions was swallowed by darkness inside of me. I pulled my Sig Sauer from the small of my back. A few of the suited men glanced my way, none of them lifted a weapon. Arrogant bitches! They knew something that I didn’t; with their eyes, they urged me to go inside of my house.
I wasted no time stomping past them to open my front door. If Tai wanted to fuck with me and my family, then today would be the day of bloodshed. The front door was unlocked, no signs of forced entry or struggle. To me, that was even worse. Inside, the air slapped me with memories that I tried my hardest to let go of.
Oil, soy, and sesame mixed with something sweet. When I got down the hall the scent grew thicker, it made me want to vomit. The house was quiet, I steadied the gun in my hand as I eyed me and Natavi wedding picture. I picked up my pace and in seconds I released the breath that I was holding. Natavi felt me, her eyes locked in with mine. A tight smile was plastered on her pretty face.
Across from her sat a woman with her back to me. Dark hair, slender shoulders, and good posture. She reached for a dumpling with her chopsticks, the woman took her time bringing it to her mouth. An eerie feeling came over me, for some reason…I couldn’t speak right away. Nah, it can’t be… I thought to myself just as she turned her head slowly, almost as if she felt me behind her.
She stood up, and my lungs stopped working. Half of her face was beautiful. High cheekbones, tight eyes…above her tiny lips was a small birthmark that made her easy to identify. It was a face that I would never forget, a face that popped into my nightmares from time to time. I held myself accountable for not being able to pull her out of that fire.
I stood speechless. I heard Natavi’s voice but couldn’t make out her words. I looked at the other side of her face and a sharp pain hit my chest. It was burned badly, melted like wax, her left eye was milky, dead, and distant.
“Monni…” She whispered the nickname she gave me.
Her smile was half beautiful yet disastrous. She cleared her throat and took a step forward. Instinctively, I snapped out of my trance but didn’t lower my gun. I looked at Natavi and the look that she gave me pained me to the core.
“You okay?” I asked her, struggling to find my voice.
She nodded her head slowly, then stood abruptly and walked out of the dining area. Normally, I’d demand for her to come to me; right now I stood conflicted. My hands started to tremble as my heart damn near leaped out of my chest. What the fuck was happening right now?
“Hello, my Monni. Did you miss me?”
“I thought you was dead,” I stated flatly.
“I know, but I didn’t. The baby that was inside of me at the time is dead…It’s good to see you have one now.” Her voice was calm, soft, and low.
Behind me, I heard footsteps and knew it was one of her men. I didn’t look back, I needed to give Emi all of my focus. All of this needed to make sense to me.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“Oh, right to it.” She smirked.
“I thought after all of this time, I’d get a hug. I do believe I deserve one.” She took another step forward; I shook my head no at her and was thankful that she stopped herself from approaching me. Emi was dark, I could feel her bad spirit radiating off of her.
I lowered the gun to my side as the walls felt like they were closing in on me.
“You broke into my home, my wife…my son…”
“No, let’s not get dramatic, Monni…You moved on so fast after the fire. I stuck to the plan that we always talked about. I went back to serve as a slave to Tai until he grew too old and weak. I killed him, and then I took over. I have one of the biggest empires that stretches all the way to Japan. I’ve watched you closely. I was so happy to learn that you reconnected with family. I had so many things going on, I kept sending my men sporadically after you to bring you back home?—”
“That’s not my home!” I cut her off quickly.
Emi took a sharp deep breath then tilted her head to the side.
“Oh.” She grabbed her chest and frowned.
“It is your home. Nobody wanted you in the states. It was foolish of you to ever leave. That’s okay, I forgive you. I’m willing to accept your new circumstances. You can be a father, but a husband to her…it’ll end in two weeks. You owe me, I want my happily ever after like you. I’ve protected you and your brothers by keeping Impurity on a leash ever since his lover’s wife saved him from a fire you started. You want that American bitch alive and healthy…you play by my rules.” She took in a deep breath then released it roughly.
She snapped her fingers and like clockwork, her guard walked past me to get to my dinner table. He picked up her glass of water then carefully approached her to place it to her lips. After Emi took a couple of sips, she nodded her head and graced me with a half beautiful, half monstrous smile.
“I don’t talk much, Monni. I hope you don’t intend for me to say more than I would like to.” She winked at me.
“Have a seat, let’s discuss terms and conditions.” She gave me her back.
The devil didn’t just come knocking at my door in disguise, she let herself in. I had to play along with whatever she was dishing my way. My family was on the line.