Chapter 21
Shio Cuppacio
The silence in the car was loud, but my thoughts were louder. It had only been half an hour since I’d shown up at the club and faced off with Vato ’nem. I wasn’t surprised to see the Rodríguezes in Jagoda Bay. In fact, I would have been shocked if they hadn’t shown up eventually.
When Scarlett hit my line, I hadn’t even answered good before I was marching out of the Dungeon.
My family, except for Vello, was right behind me.
That nigga had been on a store run for some nipple cream that Discover had requested and never made it to Don’s spot.
Not knowing what they might walk into, everyone was still in their car, ready to roll.
That’s how it had been since before us Cuppacios got to Jagoda Bay.
Now with the Rinaldi Mob, we had even more niggas ready to bust for the most minor problem.
Don had even tagged along, which made sense since all the mob wives had all been together tonight.
Metavello had made it to the club after getting word from Discover that something was going down.
Our grapevine worked quickly, especially with the wives and all their fucking group chats.
I’d met up with the guys after showering Uriah off me.
She’d pissed me off by trying to throw God up in my face, knowing damn well she was far from perfect.
I was wrong for calling her Solana, but the theatrics were off.
Uriah was never my lady; she’d always been a fuck, and she understood that when she agreed to be on-call for my needs.
The sudden switch up was foreign to me, and although I wasn’t no disrespectful-ass nigga, her trying to invade my personal life by asking questions was where I drew the line.
When I walked into the Dungeon, everyone took one look at me and knew I was going through it with Solana’s fine ass occupying my space.
I knew I’d crossed the line by being as close as we were tonight, which is why I thought I just needed to fuck something and nut my problems away.
As much shit as I talked about my cousins, I was out here doing the same dumbass shit.
I knew better, and I’d promised everyone around me that I was disciplined enough.
That alone was telling me Solana was more than a house guest. She had me doing shit I’d never done and had me feeling shit I’d never felt.
Solana stayed locked in her room when she wasn’t working out with me, but even with the limited time we shared, I ended up feeling something for her ass.
She was pretty but lazy, stubborn yet obedient, and confident yet unaware of her impact on those around her.
She didn’t have any ambition to save my life or hers.
She spent her days sleeping and out of sight.
Still, I’d managed to see the parts of her that her father had kept under lock and key.
She was eager to learn. In fact, discovering new things pushed her forward.
She also didn’t like to be defeated. No matter how much she hated working out, she didn’t quit, even if she had to take a hundred breaks. Her beauty? Her beauty was unmatched.
Her body was sick as fuck. She had natural curves that were defined over the last couple of weeks.
Her eyes carried innocence that tugged at my chest every time I looked into them.
When her father called tonight, it felt like a sign from God.
I’d been silently praying for a sign, and I guess he’d delivered swiftly.
I promised her father, Don, and my brothers that I wouldn’t fall for her, and like a man on the edge of a cliff, I nearly slipped.
I had no regrets about confronting her disrespectful fiancé at the club, but the kiss had crossed a line.
The lap sitting earlier had crossed the line.
Me promising to protect her always had crossed the line.
I had fucking crossed every line created to keep us platonic.
Rubbing my lips together, I could still taste the liquor she had consumed from the kiss.
Even though the sexual tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, I stayed on my side of the car as we made our way to my crib.
As soon as we pulled up in the quiet cove of my home, she jetted out of the car, making her way through the garage before I could put it in park.
Solana had been here just about three weeks and was walking in my shit like she was the queen of the fucking castle.
Grabbing her shoes and bag that she’d left behind, I dropped her purse on the counter and left her shoes in front of her closed door before heading to my own quarters.
An hour later, I was showered and in bed on my back with my arm folded behind my head.
I hated being in my head. When I was in my head, that was never a good thing for anyone.
Grabbing the remote from the nightstand, I powered on my TV, but before I could press the YOUTUBE button, I smelled her nearby.
"Solana."
The sound of her padded feet coming closer had me sitting up in my bed.
"Más temprano... (Earlier...)" she started but paused.
I waited because I wasn't going to coach her through what she was trying to say. Solana's English was better than Ezio's, and his ass was born here. Sure, she sometimes mixed up words, but her comprehension of the English vocabulary was solid.
She huffed, frustrated just as I was. I wanted to fuck this girl so bad. "Earlier... you said to have fun. And I did, Shio. The American women in your familia (family) are amazing. But I want fun with you. I want to eat. I want to shop. I want to visit America with you."
I stared at the dark-skinned Mexican beauty, wanting to give her exactly what she was describing, but I had to figure the rest of this shit out first.
I may not have been willing to hand Solana over to her fake-ass fiancé tonight, but I wasn't sure how I would handle her father.
I wanted Solana, but she was not mine, nor was she available for the taking.
I was trying my hardest not to be ignorant like my cousins.
All three of them niggas had a wild-ass story about how they'd secure their fiancés and wife.
Running my hand down my face, I licked my lips before throwing my legs over the side of the bed.
"Solana... I meant everything I said tonight.
But I'd be lying to you if I promised you any of what you just said.
What you're describing is me courting you, baby.
.. and ion think that's possible just yet.
" Giving it a moment for my words to sink in, I stood and walked over to her.
She'd stopped right at the entrance to my bedroom, and I appreciated the respect she'd shown.
Had she come straight in, she'd have been in my bed by now with the pink silk pajama shirt and shorts on the floor.
Standing face to face now, I could smell her scent mixed with the body wash and essential oils kept in the guest rooms. The shit had always smelled amazing on Solana, but tonight she smelled as if she wanted to be eaten.
Closing my eyes for a second, I calmed my inner self.
I had to fight my wants if I had any chance of straightening this shit out before it got even messier.
"Let's put this shit on ice for now. And I know I'm sending you mixed messages since I practically swallowed your face earlier, but I have to be a man of my word, baby. My word was that I wouldn’t touch you, so I’ll be keeping my hands to myself from now on. Do you understand?"
Her eyes said what her mouth hadn't. Solana wanted me, and I'd basically just rejected her. "I understand, Shio."
Before I could elaborate, she turned and walked away, taking her natural aroma and pretty face with her.
I stood and watched her ass jiggle softly in the shorts.
Kicking myself, I walked back to my bed and sat down.
I needed to figure out why Solana was really here.
I needed to figure out what hand Don had played in her being here.
I needed to figure out how much bullshit was yet to come since I'd punked the Rodríguezes tonight.
I needed to figure out if it was possible for Solana and me to be together without causing an all-out war.
It was too many questions to work out after the long day I'd had, so I grabbed the remote and got back under the covers on my bed. Going to my stepfather’s channel, I scrolled down to a random sermon without even reading the title.
Pastor Washington appeared on the screen, this time in a royal blue suit, a tan shirt, and his favorite brown Gators.
A new city, a new church, and a new congregation looked good on him.
Much of the mob money had gone into his worship grounds, and he had voiced his gratitude any time he was in my presence.
Picking up the white towel, he dabbed his forehead.
“The word of the day is desire.” My body went stiff as he spoke to me, as if this wasn’t a pre-recording, and he had a peek into my life. “Can I get somebody to turn to Galatians 5:16-17?”
Reaching over, I grabbed my Bible from the nightstand and my reading glasses while sitting up in bed. Flipping to the instructed chapter, I read over the passage.
So I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
“So, you see my brothers and my sisters”
Not wanting to hear another word, I powered off the TV, removed my glasses, and placed my Bible back in its spot. I’d gotten the message loud and clear. Solana was off-limits. I wouldn’t touch her anymore, but I meant what I said when I said that fuck nigga wouldn’t touch her anymore either.
Feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion, I gave in to it until my lids grew heavy.
I had to double down on my faith and remember that Solana wasn’t here to be a nigga’s fuck toy or a nigga’s wife.
I needed to disregard my wants and let God show me my needs.
I just had to figure out how to do that while also fulfilling my duty to find a wife.
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.
Get through the meeting with Ines Ledesma.
House a random.
Find the true reason Solana is here.
Figure out if Solana is supposed to be my wife.
Find a wife that isn’t Solana.