Menace #3
“To answer your question, King, I’m here because I deserve to be here. I’m here because I have proven to everybody in this room that I will do whatever it takes to protect the family. Have I not protected the family?” she questioned him.
Licking his lips, he held onto her waist. He was staring into her eyes like he was falling in love with her again. “You have, my love. I’m sorry for ever doubting that.”
“You can’t fuck her in here,” I blurted, still eyeing those damn bullets on my Persian rug.
“What in the fuck yuh be chattin’ ‘bout?” Goon entered, still using that fake Jamaican accent. I was concerned for Bean, and what this could mean for their relationship.
Man was having an identity crisis in real time.
Goon entered the living room. He stopped to kiss both Capri and the other woman’s head, while laughing.
“Talk to your friend here. He’s tripping.” She mushed her husband and went to take a seat.
The older woman shook her head, as she looked over at Quasim. “Nothing makes a woman more turned off than when you treat her like she’s helpless. Be a provider, yes, but considering your queen helpless is like spitting in her face. A disservice to this family.”
He looked from his wife to the woman. “You right, Ma. I’m sorry, Anjo. You know I don’t think you’re helpless.”
“I know, Simmy. Just like Meer allows his wife to do her and doesn’t try to get in the way, I need you to do the same. Know that every Inferno God and Goddess is looking out for me.”
“Foxy Brown over there wouldn’t have listened if I told her to sit down. She was hanging out of windows and shit before I locked her down,” the pyromaniac muttered.
I looked at the lovely exchange. “Ah, parentals… my mother was murdered.” I looked between both of them. His mother looked at me like I was some kind of freak.
“You happy about it?” she replied, nonchalantly.
I shrugged. “Some days it feels like a curse and then others a disguised blessing. Torn between it, honestly.”
She gave me her full attention. “Grief does that to a person. A tricky little mental vice grip that you can’t avoid, no matter how shitty a person was to you.”
“They were good parents… I think,” Don added.
“Good for you then.”
“Mina,” she tossed her name my way, never leaving from where she stood. The old broad was tough as shit.
“Menace.”
“And my name is Corleon. Now that we got the names squared away… let’s handle this. I miss my wives and daughter.” Bruster came into the room with his laptop in his hand. “Blair, I should be concerned with how fast you got this nigga eating out the palm of your hands.”
She laughed. “Well, they called me Blair Under—”
“Go ahead, Anjo… share with the class.” Quasim walked over towards his wife, as she and Capri high-fived while laughing.
“Care to clue me in on what is going on?” I questioned.
“Care to let us know how long we’re all going to be in the dark?” Capri questioned, as she sat on the edge of my couch.
This had to be some sort of torture, because they were dropping bullets and sitting on the edge of my expensive ass couches. “Focus, Mens.”
Bruster brought me back to reality.
“The invite system to get in switched, so we’re not able to find the location to the gala, ball, what the fuck ever.”
“And?”
“Blair has been so gracious enough to take one for the team.”
Quasim nearly snapped his neck, as if this was new information to him, too. “What?”
She crossed her legs. “He invited me to the society ball as his guest.”
His hand remained laced within his wife’s, as he listened. “You comfortable with this, Anjo?”
“Yes, Simmy. I’m fine… he’s a square, and very respectful,” she assured him. “The minute I don’t feel comfortable, you coming, right?”
“Before you ever have to say a word.” He kissed her nose.
Corleon clapped his hands. “We done?”
“Fuck up,” Quasim laughed.
“Now that Kang is pleased, let’s continue.” Capri busted out laughing while holding her stomach.
I wasn’t sure what was so funny.
“I plan to go back to that freak lounge and bump into him again. Hopefully he’ll extend the invite. He looked very interested when I mentioned that I was in imports,” Mina explained.
Bruster nodded. “We find out the location and then handle shit. In the meantime, they’re still going through with the funeral… darkness and all.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. That lounge was dim as hell… figured they used a generator. Money continues, even in the dark,” Boomshaka said.
“He doesn’t get to rest peacefully,” I spoke up.
“Then he shouldn’t.”
I looked over my shoulder to my cousin walking down my fucking steps.
“Duke, what the fuck?”
Duke shrugged. “He wanted to climb up to the second floor; I let his ass. You winded, huh?”
Luci chuckled and shrugged. “That’s because I let you see me. I used to break into homes when I was a teen while listening to Linger… brings me back. Keeps me young. Plus, I heard you gotta get pissed on when you enter this house.”
Everybody watched him with their hands on their gun, not sure who he was and whether he was an enemy or not.
“How many more of you are there?” Capone questioned as he looked from me to Don, and then over to Luci.
“It’s a sanitizing mist for all the dirty fuckers that step foot in this home,” I explained, irritated that he bypassed the mist, and now was polluting my air with his germs.
“By The Cranberries?” Mina asked randomly.
Luci snapped his fingers. “Exactly.”
“This is our cousin, Luci… this is everyone,” Don stood up, dapping up Luci and making the introductions.
Had it been up to me, I would have still kept them guessing. “Everybody ready to die?”
They all screwed their face up, Cappadonna actually sitting his gun on his lap this time.
“Well, are you all?” I added.
Capri finally leaned up from my couch. “I have babies waiting for me on your private island. I don’t ever miss my target, and if I do, this one always has my follow up.” She folded her arms.
“Got your left always,” Aimee, Don’s little boo that’s not his boo, dapped Capri up, and stood with her arms folded.
“Guess I’m just good for nothing, huh?” Quameer laughed.
“Never, Meer… you always got Sim’s right. As it should be.” She kissed her husband and then headed across the room in those loud ass heels. “Despite the damn lights being off in the city, guess who has meetings across the damn city? Me.”
“Keep me updated… wait, Sug,” Quameer replied, following his wife out the door.
I looked over at Bruster, and he had everything in motion. “Get my sister on a jet out of here, too. Don’t need them getting ideas on taking a judge for a judge. Let Kora know the orders are coming from Zoo.”
“Heard you,” Don replied, heading towards the foyer.