5. Wrong Idea #3
“Tell me about it. The night I did that, shut down their entire security system for like five minutes, that was the night they called Audiemar. He walked into that common room, big as a giant as far as I could tell. I never really had heroes. Not Batman, Spiderman, none of that shit… but him… I thought he was one of the greatest. He walked in, smelling like power. He’d taken over Blackmoor Industries not long before that, so he was nowhere near as big as he is now, but I could tell he always knew he was that dude.
Iggy told him if I was doing shit like that at that age, there had to be a place for me in Audiemar’s world. ”
“So, you’re a thief?” Coast mocked.
Swiping his hand down his face, Mozzi paused.
“I don’t take anything from anyone who doesn’t deserve it.”
“Yeah, that wasn’t an answer, but okay.” Coast shifted in his arms, but Mozzi pulled her back in.
“I don’t ever want to put you in a position where you know too much and can get caught up, Trouble.
” He brought his hand against the lower, hardened part of her belly.
“I’ll disclose shit on a need to know basis, and this shit right here you don’t need to know.
I can assure you that whoever did this to us won’t live to do it again. ”
After freshening up, brushing their teeth and washing their faces again, Mozzi and Coast headed downstairs.
He did have a surprise for her before he headed out to the farm and was anxious to see her reaction.
Coming down the stairs with Coast behind him, he found it crazy how the house sounded like it did when Jane was alive.
It didn’t happen overnight, but once they became a family, there was laughter, jokes, and music playing all the time.
She loved to dance and sing in the kitchen while cooking, and often, her boys, as she would call them, joined her.
Moose would sketch with Kong since they both like creating things, while Mozzi typically had his face in a screen.
“Damn, something smells good.” Coast’s stomach rumbled, sailing into the kitchen with Mozzi at her side.
Ayla stood at the island, apron tied around her, and Inari sat on the opposite side, tipping a glass of wine to her lips to finish off.
Ayla’s glass was nearly gone, and they were on their second bottle.
Two whole roasted chickens were arranged on trays, and Coast salivated while Ayla whipped the mashed potatoes.
“Hey! You two must have been tired. Dinner is pretty much done. I was going to call the kids down soon, but Audiemar called and said he was on his way back and so is Kong with Nayelli.”
“Say what?” Mozzi frowned. “The fuck she coming here for?” He walked over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water.
Ayla and Inari locked eyes across the counter, and Coast slid up to join them.
“Um, I don’t know. I guess Audiemar invited her to stay here since Dr. Roche is already making house calls for you two. I think he’s just trying to compensate Phoebe,” Ayla surmised.
“With her manipulative ass.” Shaking his head, Mozzi paused behind Coast and twisted the cap off his bottle. “Welp, Trouble, looks like we’ll be leaving sooner than I anticipated.”
“Wait, so you don’t like this Nayelli?” Inari questioned.
“That bitch been sniffing around Kong since high school, and you can’t tell me Phoebe ain’t the reason behind her delusions.
Those are two peas in a crazy ass pod if you ask me.
I try to keep the peace for Audiemar and Kong, and Jane used to constantly check me on how I treated them because Phoebe was her friend.
Me, personally, I think that shit was one-sided.
Jane was good to people, but she didn’t always get that in return.
As far as I’m concerned, Phoebe was envious, always throwing shots at Jane because she was modest, and Phoebe felt like Jane wasn’t getting all she could out of Audiemar.
For her, it was about the status and clout. ”
“Hmm.” Inari grabbed the bottle of wine and poured herself another.
“Well, they must mean something if they keep coming around,” Ayla pointed out.
“Audiemar was lonely after Jane died, and so was Kong with Twyla. Two more fucked up individuals. He moved back in here because he couldn’t live with her ghost in their house. Nayelli, like Jane, took advantage of his grief. I don’t care what they say.”
“Can I have a piece of chicken for the road?” Coast pleaded.
“Girl, here.” Ayla picked up a drum she’d already sliced off the bird and placed it in a napkin for Coast. “I’ll make sure to put you a plate up for later.”
“Thank you.” Coast bit into the chicken, and groaned. “Oh, my God. So much flavor!”
“Okay, preggo.” Inari snickered, tipping her glass to her lips.
“I actually used my own seasoning I created to marinate the chicken. Something I like to call Velvet Crack, and the other one is Midnight Garlic.” Ayla eyed her sister guzzling the alcohol. “You might want to slow down on that. You’re almost an hour from home,” Ayla warned.
“Shit, she can pick a room to pass out in.” Mozzi leaned toward Coast with his mouth open so he could have a bite, and she held the drum up for him. “We’ll be back later.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her toward the entryway.
“Ayla, you need to be selling those damn seasonings. I have never tasted anything so damn good in my life!” Coast shouted over her shoulder.
“Bye,” Ayla sang after them with a smile.
She knew Coast and Mozzi hadn’t been together that long, but it was something so pure and entertaining to watch between them.
You never knew what they were going to say, and it kept them all in stitches at their banter.
Coast was cool, and the more she got to know her, the more she liked her.
She could tell Inari was also on protective big sister mode with her too. At least somebody was happy.