Chapter 3 #2
He’d been staying with his sister, Tuscany, since he’d gotten out.
With the money I gave him, plus his other brothers, Tunan was sitting with more than he had before, and he wasn’t no broke-ass nigga before his jail stint.
Even without the mob, he was good. Stella running off with his riches hadn’t even crossed his damn mind, and it shouldn’t.
He couldn’t be crying over spilled milk when he’d left his fridge open.
He had the means to get his own spot, but I understood him wanting to be around the people he’d thugged it out in the trenches with.
I noticed the Paynes were a close-knit family, and those boys didn’t play about their sister.
She was pretty as fuck, so I didn’t blame them.
She was also a married woman, and I didn’t plan to even attempt to look at her any other way than as my brother’s sister.
Not a nigga on God’s green earth was going to have me out here like Metavello’s ass.
That shit he pulled could have ended bad as fuck for him, but thankfully it worked out.
“Metavello ain’t got too long. I’m really the last man standing. Well, now you…” I grinned.
“Nah, just you. You the last man. I haven’t signed my name on shit, and the nigga canceled the meeting.”
I laughed. The nigga low-key reminded me of Vello with his smart-ass mouth. “Aite, Tune.”
The restaurant came into view, and Tunan pulled in the long valet line.
Vines was an upscale Italian spot that had some of the freshest salads.
You’d think they grew the Roman lettuces in the back of the building.
Their pasta was next level too. I frequented it several times a month because they consistently delivered on what you expected.
At first, I thought moving to Jagoda Bay would be a let-down for my taste buds, but so far, they’ve been giving Chicago a run for its money. Still, there was no place like home.
“Why you so adamant on this?”
“What? You joining the mob?”
Tunan nodded, and I sighed because I didn’t have a direct answer.
I asked myself the same shit so many times over the last few weeks.
On one hand, Tunan was an affair baby. I still remember how hard my mama cried when my pops revealed he had an outside baby.
Tunan was a reminder of the pain my mama went through when she learned of his existence.
But he was a Cuppacio. He deserved to be brought into the organization just as much as the rest of us.
It was his birthright, and he was my brother.
If I was out here eating, I needed my sibling on the same shit.
“I got something lined up,” I said, changing the subject.
A slow smile spread across Tunan’s face, and for the nigga to look like his other brothers, he looked just like me too. It was crazy seeing his features mirror mine.
He raised his eyebrows. “You got a potential?”
“We are supposed to have dinner next Friday. She’s already cool with the wives, so she’s hip to the lifestyle, to some degree.”
As the valet approached the truck, I opened my own door. I leaned in so that his ears alone could hear what I had to say. “Leave it up front and keep the keys inside.”
He nodded, and I bumped forearms with the young boy, who looked like he’d been on a high all day from driving fancy cars.
Standing in the line with Tunan beside me, we caught the lusty glances of a few women. Many of them were good-looking, no doubt, but I had to see how next Friday went before I entertained another. The one I was sticking dick in on the regular was plenty enough for now.
“Damn! Jagoda Bay don’t play fair.” Tunan grunted, loving what he saw.
I don’t count the next niggas nuts—brother or not—but Tunan claimed he hadn’t been focused on women since being released, which was good for him.
If he could go a year without fucking, he could keep going until he found his forever.
As I’d attempted to preach the same shit to my cousins before they settled down, dealing with multiple women was not only a headache but a recipe for disaster.
Women could genuinely be your come-up or your downfall.
Tunan had already seen this to be true from his situation with Stella, so I was hoping I wouldn’t need to stay on this nigga if he started entertaining.
“At all,” I agreed. Joining Tunan in enjoying the eye candy, I gave a wink to something thick and chocolate who was snickering with her friend. “It’s going to be real hard to stay faithful.”
We moved up in line, and I continued, “But nah. You got it. Just like you ain’t fucked nothing since you been out, or how you ain’t fucked on none of those guards, use the same restraints when you lock your wife down.”
“I guess. So what’s yo’ goal next week? After your date and shit? You gone tell her your intentions, or you gone court her and shit a bit?”
I didn’t tell Tunan that I’ve had more than enough time to court Glow, but I hadn’t prioritize the time. Instead, I moved up in line, stuck my hands in my pockets, and smiled at the hostess as we approached her.
“Shio! You didn’t have to stand in line.
I could have escorted you to your table without the wait.
” Jasmine batted her thick lashes while discreetly running her hand down the waist of her black dress.
Vine had a strict dress code for their staff, so her job to remain primmed and prepped at all times was necessary.
Jasmine was pretty. Every time I was in here, I could see the mental battle of keeping her job or trying her luck at bagging a nigga with some paper.
She was still employed, which meant so far, she hadn’t lost the fight.
As I assessed her medium-built frame, her honey-hued cheeks warmed as she fumbled with the iPad she used to check customers in.
“I didn’t mind waiting, Jasmine. I appreciate it, though. You good?”
She nodded feverishly, her shoulder-length hair bouncing with each motion.
“I’m great. Thank you again for putting the word in with the nursing home.
They were able to get my nanna in, and she loves it.
I still can’t believe they accepted her insurance.
That place is the elite choice of nursing homes. ”
“God was on your side, beautiful.”
She fumbled with the menus and motioned for us to follow her.
Both Tunan and my eyes went right to her backside.
Jasmine had enough ass for a nigga to grip on, so it filled out her dress nicely.
As we walked through the restaurant, I glanced at the murals featured on the walls mimicking an Italian countryside with rich vineyards, deep hues of mahogany and green, I listened as she ranted more about the facility her grandmother was in.
She was in disbelief that they had accepted her insurance because it was out-of-network when she was researching the best place for her grandmother.
During one of my visits, which was on a slower day, she mentioned that her nanna was being kicked out of her current nursing home because they no longer accepted Medicaid.
I made a call, and they had a room ready for her within the hour.
I’d never take it there with Jasmine because I appreciated seeing her pretty face anytime I was in here, and I didn’t want to confuse anything.
My actions were because I had the means to help, so I couldn’t help but to do her a solid.
“I’ve never seen you before. You’re his brother? I’m Jasmine.”
Jasmine held her hand out for Tunan, and his foolish ass just nodded at her, making her retract her hand in embarrassment.
“I’m Tune, the brother from another mother. How you doin’, Ms. Jasmine?” His words softened the blow because Jasmine was cheesing like she hadn’t been looking like she was about to run just seconds ago.
Tunan showed all of his teeth in his mouth, and Jasmine was eating that shit up. “No offense; ion shake hands. I’m ’bout to eat, and a nigga just got out.” He tapped his temple with his middle finger. “A nigga still institutionalized.”
Letting him do his thing, I opened the menu, even though I knew what I wanted. I wanted to look occupied, giving them space to continue their banter.
“Got out? You were in jail? For what?” she asked with amusement as if he’d just revealed he’d gotten his master’s degree. The good girls always fell for the bad boys; it was a tale as old as time.
Locking his fingers, Tunan rested his arms on the table and leaned in. “For Ike Turner-ing a bitch for playin’ with me. Move ’round, Jasmine. This dick gets aggressive when I’m fucked over,” he spoke with a straight face.
Jasmine’s body stiffened, and she tugged at the collar of her black dress. “I… uh… Your waiter will be here shortly.” She gave me one last farewell before she nearly sprinted back to the hostess stand, where she had a line of motherfuckers waiting.
“Leave Jasmine alone, Tune.”
Tunan kept his arms folded atop the menu and grinned. “You got me out here in this tight-ass suit, and now you mad that your hoes on my jock? How that work?” he taunted.
“It’s tailored, not tight. And Jasmine isn’t mine.”
“Jasmine isn’t mine—ole deep voice-ass nigga.”
With Tunan’s Memphis accent, he sounded as if he were pronouncing her name without the S.
Jaaamine. I was still getting used to his lingo.
Even though he’d spent years building a life in Atlanta, the M-Town hadn’t come up out of him.
I thought we Chicago niggas be saying some shit.
We didn’t have nothing on Memphis Tennakey.
“You can relax, Professor Oglevee. I told you… I’m not studdin’ these females.
I’m trying to run my bands up. That’s why this marriage shit throwing me for a fucking loop.
” He sighed while peeling open the menu.
“Ion know what half of this shit even says on this long-ass menu.” Tunan tossed his menu.
I chuckled. “Get the steak… butterflied, a Caesar salad, and depending on how big your appetite is, the prawn pasta is good.”
“Yeah, I’ll take all that.” He sat back in his seat just as the waitress came to fill our water glasses.
“So, back to this date on Friday with ole girl.”
“Glow.”
“Yeah. Glow. You never answered on if you gone let her know wassup or not.”
Leaning back in my chair, I used my thumb to twist the ring on my index finger.
Tunan waited impatiently for me to answer.
Next Friday would change my life forever, that much I knew.
I felt it. Anytime something drastic was about to occur, my body would hint it to me before my mind processed it. That’s the way it had always been.
“Just know, by the time the date is over next week, she will be stamped as a Cuppacio fiancée.” I smirk at my brother, feeling good about what was to come.
Going through my to-do list mentally, I sat back and waited for the waitress to walk by so I could request another drink.
God first.
Make sure the family good.
Eye them Cuppacio boys, the little and the big ones.
Build a relationship with my brother.
Get my brother rich.
Health and wellness.
Stay on top of my mob shit.
Keep Hobo alive.
Find a wife.