Chapter 11 #3
Inari rested her head against the back of the chair and studied him. There was something hardened about him, but she caught the flicker of a regular dude when he didn’t think anyone else was looking. It was obvious that he and his brothers were close.
“Mozzi was a scrawny ass nigga back then. Anyway, he still talked a lot of shit and would go at anybody, no matter how big.” Moose chuckled at the memory.
“When people would fuck with him, me or Kong would defend him. Nigga had heart, and I think we both admired that. That made everybody our enemy too.”
“Naturally.” Inari tittered cutely as she listened to him retell the story.
“So, I would charge niggas, no warning. Taking down niggas twice my size. So, they said I would come at you like a moose. The older I got, the bigger I got, and like I said—”
“It stuck.” Inari finished for him with a laugh.
“Yeah.”
“The hell y’all in here talking about?” Mozzi strolled into the room, blunt dangling off his lips, shirt still off with nothing but his abs and boxers on display under his slightly sagging regular fit jeans.
“Just shooting the shit.” Moose pushed his stool away from Inari and stood.
She lifted herself off the chair, and Coast nudged Ayla toward it, forcing her to sit on the edge.
“Okay, since nobody wanted to play at the restaurant, this is the hot seat.”
“Absolutely not!” Ayla tried to jump up, but Coast nudged her back down by her shoulder.
“Too late. Do you know how hot seat works?” she asked, arms folded over her swollen breasts.
“What’s up with you and the games, Coast?” Moose picked up a slice of pizza out of the box from earlier and took a bite.
It was cold, but he had the munchies and didn’t mind.
“It’s a trauma response.” Inari gripped her straw and sipped on her margarita.
“Excuse you?” Coast half turned and scrunched her nose up.
“What? I took a few psych classes in college. You moved around a lot, so I imagine you played a lot of games getting to know people.”
“Nobody asked you!” Coast snapped. “Anyway. Ayla, you sit, and everyone asks you questions that you have to answer or drink.”
“That’s not fair,” Ayla pouted. “You’re not even drinking.”
“Rules are rules.” Coast threw her arms up.
“I’ll go first.” Moose leaned forward. “Biggest fear?”
Ayla hesitated. “Losing anyone else that I love,” she whispered, eyes cutting at Inari as she lowered her cup at her side.
The rest of the room stilled, and Kong’s jaw tightened. Breaking the tension, Coast stepped forward.
“Okay, next question. What is the wildest thing you’ve ever done?”
Grinning sheepishly, Ayla searched their faces, and Inari waited for the answer too.
“One time, when I was about fourteen years old, Inari was at home, sleeping with Dane, I stole the car, drove to Dairy Queen, the one that used to stay open twenty-four hours, and had a whole banana split to myself,” she revealed.
Moose whistled. “Savage.”
“I respect that.” Mozzi nodded as he jumped up on one of the counters and let his legs dangle.
“Who taught you how to drive at fourteen?” Inari asked, leaning forward.
“Danilo.” Ayla hopped up from her seat, and Kong stepped forward to shove Moose down into it next.
“The fuck?” he sneered, but Inari was on her feet, ready to interrogate him some more.
Moose didn’t come off as the type to wear his heart on his sleeve. Circling him like he was her prey, Inari paused at his side and he looked up at her.
“What’s the biggest lie you tell yourself?” she pried, wondering how deep he would go.
He came off as so confident and sure of himself, borderline arrogant. She could tell from his piercing gaze that it was something he wasn’t comfortable with, but rules were rules. He also never backed down from anything that was a challenge.
“Oh, this gon’ be fucking good.” Mozzi kicked his legs, clearly entertained by the line of questioning.
Moose laughed briefly, then stopped. He stroked his beard, thoughts spinning rapidly.
“That I’m nothing like the family I was born into,” he confessed, giving both Kong and Mozzi pause when they all locked eyes.
It wasn’t like it was something they hadn’t all lied to themselves about. Despite trying to keep it light, Inari’s expression softened.
“What you afraid of?” Mozzi piped up, bringing a blunt to his lips and taking a puff.
Coast moved to stand between his legs comfortably.
Moose’s sharp gaze landed on his brother first.
“Right now, her.” His slanted eyes drifted back to Inari, who adjusted her posture when Moose’s orbs burned through her.
“Why?” she asked after clearing her throat.
“Because you see right through me and my bullshit.”
Rolling her eyes, Inari scoffed.
“Your turn, Trouble.” Mozzi nudged her toward the chair when Moose jumped up.
“B-but—” Coast objected.
“No, new girl. You started this shit.” Inari wagged a finger at her.
Coast sank into the chair like she was made for it, both arms propped up on the side. Mozzi lowered himself from the counter and circled her slowly.
“What do you want most right now?”
Holding his gaze, she took a breath.
“Stability.”
Her words landed heavier than any of them expected. For a girl who spent all her life moving around, her only goal for herself in that moment was to plant some roots. She was tired of the constant pick up and go. She wanted a home, and most of the time was scared to admit that, even to herself.
“What are you afraid to admit?” Ayla joined the line of questioning.
To her, Coast seemed so confident and self-assured. Yet, there was this underlying vulnerability she tried to shield from the rest of the world. Exhaling, Coast’s eyes landed on the heels on her feet before rising to her stomach and settling there.
“That I want this baby.” She sniffled, and her misting eyes found Mozzi’s once again.
He didn’t react. He knew it before she did and was forcing her into her truth.
With Sipes as the father, it was easy to want to get rid of it, but she’d never been in this position before.
All she knew was that this little being was part of her.
How could she erase it without first considering all her options?
When it was Kong’s turn, he refused to sit.
Ayla witnessed the tension in his shoulders immediately.
As the big brother of the group, he’d experienced more, lost more, and somehow was still standing.
She admired him in ways he might not ever know and she’d never reveal.
Grinning, Moose shoved him toward the hot seat anyway, forcing him into the chair.
“I got a question for you, big bro. When was the last time you were happy?” Moose queried.
Kong thought about that longer than he was comfortable with, creating tension in the room as he focused on nothing straight ahead.
He’d never been susceptible to talking to anyone about his feelings.
Even as kids, when they were forced into therapy after going into the system, and he told people what they wanted to hear.
Twyla was the only person he ever felt he could be himself with.
She never judged and loved every part of him, including the dark areas.
“Before Twyla died,” he answered quietly.
There were no jokes or smiles after that. Clearing her throat, Ayla remained seated.
“What do you want that you think you don’t deserve?”
Kong’s eyes flicked to her immediately. This might be her only chance to pick his brain, so she took it.
“A second chance,” he stated, watching his words make her breathing hitch.
“Whew! This shit is getting heavy.” Mozzi moved closer to the door.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Coast went to grab his arm.
Kong lifted himself from the chair, and she shoved Mozzi down into it. He settled on it like a throne, head held high, ready for whatever. Folding her arms, Coast poked her hip out and squinted at him.
“Why do you have three girlfriends?”
“Oh, damn! Right to it!” Moose snickered and brought the blunt to his lips to spark again, while he took Mozzi’s spot on top of his counter.
“I like having options.” Mozzi looked her dead in her face and replied.
“Do you love them?” Coast quipped, not giving anyone else a chance to chime in.
Amusement bounced all through Moose’s eyes as he pulled from the blunt and squinted before exhaling.
“No.” Mozzi’s eyes never left hers.
Since it looked like she wasn’t giving anyone else an opportunity, Inari inched closer to Moose. The effects of the alcohol completely took over as she paused at his side and dropped her head to his shoulder. Surprised, he didn’t budge or even question it as he kept smoking.
“Have you ever told anybody you loved them before?”
“Once,” Mozzi admitted. “Jane.”
Coast swallowed, accepting his truth before he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him to place her in his lap.
“That was more than two questions, too. I’ll let that shit slide until I got you to myself.”
The music seemed a little louder around them now, and something in the room had damn sure shifted.
Ayla leaned into Kong in the waiting chairs, and he let her.
Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was late.
He hadn’t expected to be out this long so time had gotten away from them.
The hot seat had been abandoned, but the truth still lingered in the room over them all.