Chapter 12 #5
“Don’t do me any favors, Audiemar! If I were you, and your sons, I’d watch my back.”
“Is that a threat you’re making?” he challenged, inching into her space and breathing down on her like a dragon.
“That’s up to you. I’m willing to be bought for my silence.”
“Bitch, you’re out of your fucking mind,” Audiemar said through a locked jaw.
“Hmm, then I guess you better prepare the family. The Ree Heights newspaper is about to get all this tea.” Phoebe spun toward Nayelli. “Let’s go.”
Her daughter stared at Audiemar briefly, empathy and regret filling her orbs.
She wasn’t built like Phoebe, and she was tired of the toxicity of it all.
Her mother meant no good for her, and it took an accident and losing her memory to realize that.
She pushed her toward Kong, setting her up for heartache when she knew he and Ayla had some shit going on.
All the hurt and humiliation Nayelli felt was brought on by her own mother, and some days, she didn’t know how to live with that.
The two walked through the living room to exit through the front door.
Audiemar heard it slam shut and shot a text to his security at the gate.
Those two were officially banned from the property, not that it mattered.
This was the last time Phoebe would come around, trying to flex.
Face down in his phone, Audiemar ambled toward the kitchen.
When he stepped into the hall, he found Inari there, back against the wall, shock on her face. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest. Her eyes synced with his, and he knew in that moment, she’d heard everything.
“What happened to my parents? What happened to Jane?” she interrogated.
“Inari—” Audiemar extended an arm, but she jerked out of his reach.
“What happened to my parents!” she screamed, which drew attention from outside.
“Listen, we can talk, just… not like this,” Audiemar pleaded.
Moose, Kong, and Ayla all rushed inside. Inari shook so hard that Ayla darted right over to her sister with concern in her eyes. She’d seen her sister pissed off, sad, and defeated at times, but fear wasn’t something Inari Jacobs showed much of. Something had rocked her.
“Nari, what’s wrong?”
“Ask him.” Inari’s eyes never faltered from Audiemar.
“What happened?” Ayla queried.
“That’s exactly what the fuck I want to know. He was in here talking to Phoebe about our parents and Jane,” Inari revealed, watching Audiemar’s eyes close with shame.
“Jane?” Moose’s face crumpled in confusion. “What about her?”
“Pops, what’s going on?” Kong asked, on edge because he knew there was information to be shared; he just wasn’t sure what it was.
He told himself after rescuing Ayla that it didn’t matter, but that didn’t stop it from eating at him sometimes when he thought about it. She wouldn’t have said it if it didn’t hold some weight.
“It’s a long story—” Audiemar stated.
“Then start talking.” Inari gritted her teeth with fire behind her eyes.
Audiemar took a breath. He pinched the bridge of his nose before turning away from everyone.
Inari didn’t want to believe the worst. She didn’t know Audiemar like her sister or his sons.
She never caught any kind of ill vibes from him, aside from the fact that he appeared stern and set his ways like most men his age.
To have the three wild, rumbunctious, line pushing sons that he had, he was a relatively patient man.
She herself had never even seen him upset.
It was Kong who stepped forward. Always the big brother. The one ready to catch the first stray if it meant his brothers were straight. He’d made some fucked up moves recently, and he was trying to make up for it. It was either now or never.
“When Mira died, she said to ask you what happened with the Jacobs. What did she mean by that?”
“Fuck you mean she said that?” Moose turned on his brother.
There were few things that would rattle Moose. One of them being Jane Blackmoor. He didn’t play about that woman. So, hiding something about her was bound to stir the pot.
“Why you just now saying something!”
“Because we just got Ayla back, and I wasn’t about to sit around trying to decipher what that bitch was talking about. For all I know, she could have been lying,” Kong reasoned, calmly facing his brother.
“So, what was she talking about?” Moose spun on Audiemar and faced him.
His father’s eyes darted to the many faces that had gathered in front of him while everyone else enjoyed the party outside.
“Jane found out that the building collapse that killed Ottie and Izaahn Jacobs wasn’t an accident,” Audiemar began, causing Inari to sputter her next breath.
If Moose wasn’t there to hold her up, she surely would have collapsed at his feet. It was Ayla who stepped up, confident, and unwavering, as Audiemar continued.
“Riddle wanted the land. He didn’t care about the structure.”
“So, he orchestrated the building collapse?” Ayla questioned.
Audiemar nodded and lowered his head. She could see that this was something that had also tormented him, so she gave him grace. Sniffling, he flicked the tip of his nose and picked up a flute of champagne off a nearby table that had them arranged in a tower.
“Then, what happened?” Ayla pressed.
“Jane started investigating.” Audiemar cleared his throat after swallowing the entire glass. “She got too close. So…”
“You saying that bitch ass nigga Riddle is the reason our mama dead, and we been holding a truce with this muhfucka all these years!” Moose’s fists balled at his sides.
The low rumble in his chest had him ready to punch or shoot something.
“I didn’t know,” Audiemar responded.
“You knew,” Moose accused. “You know every fucking thing!” He pushed past Inari and got in his father’s face.
“Moose—” Kong reached for his shoulders, trying to bring him back before he did something he regretted.
His brother calmly brushed him off. He wasn’t hopped up on coke and liquor like normal.
He’d been drinking water and smoking weed all day, nothing more.
Although the current turn of events had him wishing he had a pack to carry him away, seeing Inari ready to break at his side was enough to keep him sober.
She and Tiara were his top priorities at the end of the day.
“I’m good.” He popped his neck a few times, locs swinging over his shoulders while staring his father down.
“I didn’t know. Not until Phoebe brought it up recently. She knew. She’s been riding the fence with Riddle for a long time.”
“So, why the fuck is that bitch still breathing?” Moose demanded.
“Because I’ve been dealing with her for years. What am I supposed to do, Morgan? If something happens to her, who’s the first person they’re coming to talk to?”
“I don’t give a fuck! We can make that bitch disappear! And what about this nigga Riddle? The fuck we gon’ do with him now?”
“I’m handling that,” Kong assured him.
“Handling it like this muhfucka?” Moose looked Audiemar up and down with contempt.
“Handling it sober, with both eyes wide the fuck open. Unlike some people.” Audiemar stepped up, his seniority showing as Moose’s shoulders slumped.
He was more hurt and disappointed than anything. It only came across as anger in the moment. His fists were still balled as he banged them together.
“How you ain’t say nothing? That’s our mama.” His voice cracked.
“That’s exactly why I didn’t say anything, Moose. To any of you. When I realized who Inari and Ayla were, and I saw what they meant to the both of you… how the fuck was I supposed to come in and blow that shit up?”
Inari sniffled, managing to take a breath and see through Audiemar’s eyes. Even if it was brief. He wasn’t responsible for her parents’ death, so her only grief came from him hiding the truth when he found out.
“I need some air.” She rushed past Audiemar, through the living room, and out the front door.
Ayla turned to Kong. The two of them had just worked through some shit. She didn’t want to be at odds with him. Not over this. He didn’t keep anything from her out of malice.
“I’ll check on her,” she said quietly.
“Aye, I’m right here,” Kong insisted.
“I know. Just… can you do me a favor?” she asked. “Don’t ever keep anything from me again. Even if it’s small or it’s something like this that you think might hurt me. I deserve the right to know and decide for myself.”
“You got my word,” he vowed. “Go check on your sister.”
“What’s going on?” Mozzi sailed inside, bouncing Iara at his side with Tiara biting into a hot dog as she came up behind him.
In yellow flip flops with a towel around her waist over her swimsuit, she had no worries. Lowering his head, Moose brushed past his father and brothers to retreat to his childhood bedroom.
“What’s wrong with Moose?” Tiara chewed with a frown.
“He just needs a minute,” Kong told her.
“Me too. Swimming takes a lot of energy. I want another hot dog!” she added with her mouth full.
“You gotta finish the one you eating first.” Kong led her away, so he could check on his own kids.
Mozzi was sure he’d walked in on something, but nobody was saying much. He shoved Rara into Audiemar’s arms since he looked like he needed something to make him feel better.
“I think she’s sleepy. All that sun.” He handed Audiemar a bottle of breast milk.
“I’ll take care of her.” Holding her close, Audiemar kissed the top of her head and carried her into the family room across the hall.
It was off limits to everyone else, so he was sure they wouldn’t be disturbed.
He needed some time to sit with his own thoughts.
Iara did make things better. Lately her little face and the way she was discovering things was the highlight of his life.
She was so pure and innocent. He’d inherited her by default through Coast, and he couldn’t be more grateful.