Chapter 10
Meet the Family
Rico
“Look at this guy,” Eduardo croons as he and Aldo walk out of the house with Mario.
I tear my gaze away from the side door Oni just walked through. I’m glad she didn’t fight me on changing. That bikini was a problem.
Once my cousins know who she is, I doubt there will be any issue, but that doesn’t mean I want her walking around here like that. There will be others around as the day goes on.
I didn’t even know she had that type of body beneath her clothes. I knew she was stacked nicely, but not like that. My father was right.
Oni is a problem. She’s fast becoming a weakness. Something I was raised never to have. If I’m not careful, I’m going to be caught out here with my balls in my hands.
I can’t have that. I need to get this under control and fast—I don’t need any distractions. Two more years and I’ll be well on my way to my goal. As I have the thought, I wonder if this was a great idea in the first place.
“He looks like he thinks he owns the world or some shit. Can you believe this?” Aldo adds, bringing me from my thoughts.
I focus back on the newcomers and smile. It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to hang out. Eduardo and Aldo have been busy with high school.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Eduardo says and shakes his head.
We clap hands and I tug him in by the back of his head. As we embrace, he claps me on the back. I release him and do the same with Aldo.
“It’s good to see your ugly mugs. I was getting tired of all your bullshit excuses on why you couldn’t come out,” I say as I release Al and look between the two of them with a smile on my lips.
“Fuck you. Who are you calling ugly? We all know you need us to pull in the pussy. That’s why you begged us to come out,” Ed taunts.
“Fuck outa here. You wish.”
“Emilia,” Al sings. “To what do we owe the pleasure? Don’t tell me the old man decided to let you out of your cage this summer.”
Emilia flips him the bird but allows him to pull her into a hug. I shake my head at the two. They are close since they’re the same age. Aldo treats her like his sister.
One phone call from her and he comes running, usually leaving Eduardo and me to clean up after them. Eduardo and I are a year apart.
We have always looked after the two. I think that’s why they get into shit all the time. They know we’ll have their backs no matter what.
“No, really. What’s up? Are you going to get to hang for a bit?” he prods when she doesn’t reply.
Emilia looks at me. I nod to let her know I trust them with this. She rolls her eyes as Aldo wraps an arm around her head and tugs her into him.
“Pop sent me to spy on Rico and his new little girlfriend. So I’ll be where they are for the summer,” she says.
“Girlfriend?” Ed says and looks at me with a raised brow.
“When did this happen?” Al asks.
“It’s new and it’s none of his business. She’s off-limits, so don’t go running your mouth about anything you learn about her or us.”
“Well, where is she? I want to meet her,” Al says.
“Why is Uncle Emilio so interested in her?” Ed asks.
“You’ll see,” Emilia says with a smug grin.
“Now my interest is piqued,” Al says.
“Well, here she comes,” Emilia says.
Oni comes back out of the house with a glass of ice tea in her hand. She’s in a tank top and shorts this time. Not as revealing as the bikini, but she still looks sexy.
It’s like she commands the space with her presence. I know she has all my attention. It seems like she has everyone else captivated as well.
I bite my lip and beckon her to me with the crook of my finger. She comes to me and stands right in front of me. I take the glass from her hand and take a sip of the cold-looking drink.
“Hey, go get your own,” she fusses.
I laugh and tug her into me by the front of her tank top to take her lips. She grabs my shirt and lifts onto her toes as I devour her mouth and roll the ice cube in mine against her tongue. When I break the kiss, she looks up at me as if in a daze.
I tuck her under my arm and turn her to my cousins who are watching us with their mouths hanging open. It’s my turn to have the smug grin.
“Aldo, Eduardo, I want you to meet Oni,” I say, then place my hand on Oni’s forehead to tip her head back and drop a kiss on her full lips.
“Nice,” Al croons.
Oni’s cheeks start to glow. She takes her glass back from me and downs the entire thing. I know I just put her on the spot, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to kiss her.
This shit is going to be harder than I thought. For now, we’re cool. Eduardo, Aldo, Mario, and Emilia have always been in my corner. I don’t have to look over my shoulder around them.
I turn to look down into Oni’s eyes and wink at her. “Oni, these are my cousins. I trust them both with my life. We can trust everyone out here right now,” I reassure her.
Her entire body relaxes at my side. I look around me, and this feels right; these are the people I will have in my life while I rise to the top. I can feel it in my bones.
Oni
I’m filled with nervous energy. This is not what I signed up for. While Rico trusts his cousins and Mario, we’re to act as if we’re not a couple in front of everyone else.
I would be fine with that if we weren’t going out tonight. We’re going to an underground club. A place where there will be plenty of other guys. I’m not a fool and I’ve seen how possessive Rico can be. I feel like tonight is going to end in disaster.
“You look perfect,” Emilia sings as she hands me a lip gloss to put on.
I look in the mirror and shake my head. Why am I allowing this girl to talk me into this shit? If Rico ends up placing both of us in the trunk of a car to drive us into a ditch, it’s all her fault.
I swipe the gloss on and then look my reflection over. My braids are back down in a high-low style. I have on a jumpsuit that cuffs around the neck. Because the back and sides are out, I don’t have a bra on.
That’s just problem number one. I have on a thong and when I walk, I can feel my butt jiggling, so I know anyone looking hard enough will see it. That’s problem number two.
“You had this all planned,” I say to Emilia. “You went through my things and found this outfit, then you told Rico we would meet them there, knowing he would agree because we need to keep our distance. Are you really on our side?”
I narrow my eyes as I glare at her. I might end up breaking up with Rico because I’m going to kick his cousin’s ass for setting me up. She gives me a mischievous smile and pops up on the counter to sit and look back at me.
“I love my cousins with all I am. Those three always have my back. I would go to the ends of the earth for them.
“Rico and the rest of us know you present something he’s never had to deal with. You’re a weakness. He either learns to deal with it now, or it will come back to burn him later. I’m only helping him to learn his limits.” She shrugs.
I suck my teeth and roll my eyes. “Why me if I’m such a problem?”
“Because Rico has never looked at anyone the way he looks at you. You have to understand Rico has had his eyes set on my father’s seat for as long as I can remember. Papa wants to give it to him, but he wants to know he’s ready.
“My father has tried his hardest to trip Rico up with anything that would turn his head. He has never succeeded and then you show up and from what my father says, Rico turned his head.
“I don’t know why you.” She shrugs. “You’re pretty and smart. Rico loves to have smart people around him.
“If you’re a thinker, he either makes you a friend or treats you like an enemy. You know what happens to enemies. But you heard none of that from me.”
“Why tell me any of this?”
“I told you. I like you. I think you’re good for Rico. Besides, no one realizes how much I know. I’m to be seen and not heard, but you … I think you’re here to change all that.”
“I’m not too sure about that,” I murmur.
“We’ll see. Come on, Rico’s going to have a fit if we take too long to arrive,” she says and hops down off the counter.
“Oh, goody,” I cheer under my breath.
This is going to be a long night. I just hope I make it back without witnessing a murder or being killed myself. Why do I get myself into these situations?
***
Mario is waiting outside the club for us. It’s not at all what I was expecting. It’s an old warehouse-looking building. A bunch of nice cars are parked outside like some type of car show. Cars I would normally case to take before the end of the night.
However, since my boyfriend is here and I’m trying to live a reformed life, I walk by the Lambos, Maseratis, and Aston Martins with appreciation. My palms itch, but I keep chanting in my head that I’m done with stealing cars.
“This is going to be an issue,” Mario mutters and shakes his head as we get to his side.
He turns to the bouncer and gives a nod. We go to follow him in, but I take one last look over my shoulder at the cars and the crowd still outside the club, seeming to be having their own party. There is one guy who catches my attention as he sits on the hood of one of the cars, taking me in.
I shake off the eerie vibe that comes over me and head inside. The music is thumping as we enter the club. There are people everywhere. Mario takes Emilia’s hand, and she reaches for mine.
I follow them through the crowd to a set of stairs that lead down to another level. The lighting changes as we enter what seems like a totally different party. We keep going until we get to the back where I see Rico, Aldo, and Eduardo sitting, surrounded by girls.
“What the fuck?” I whisper to myself.
I ball my fist at my side and get ready to turn to leave. Emilia tugs at my hand to stop me. She leans into my ear and tries to talk over the music.
“It’s not what you think. Don’t react like that. He’s testing you too,” she says.
I take in a deep breath and think her words over. For as long as I’ve known him, he’s been testing me. If that’s what this is, okay. It’s go time. I’ll show him just how I’ll handle this.