14. Rico
Rico
My cousin tells me I’m very lucky. I passed my eye exam, and my cornea’s intact.
The very pink cut slices my eyebrow in two. There’s a small indent at the bottom of my eye socket, too. My other cousin told me to pick the scab and apply ointment on it so that it heals with minimal scarring, but I don’t know.
I think I look pretty bad ass. Like a real villain.
Luney as fuck.
I hook my new tongue ring in between my teeth as I place more ointment on my scar. Miele tsks as she folds her arms behind me.
“Now that you’re marked, can we get matching tattoos? You have no excuse now.”
I quit biting my tongue ring to grin at her in the mirror. “What would we get?”
“Belize. Duh. Or a palm tree for your precious Kenton.”
“Nah, Miele. That’s birch trees,” Reno chuckles. “His gang got birch trees, not palm trees.”
I turn and dap up our other cousin before Reno, Miele and I leave his office. He’s a doctor in Corozal, in addition to the hotel, but we’ve got business at the airstrip so we decided to see him there.
“I’on know about tattoos. Piercings are different, and you know I ain’t volunteer for this cut.”
“Nope, Wynter Snow got yo ass good,” Reno cackles as we climb into his SUV. “Still can’t believe she’s still breathing. Easiest fifty bucks I ever lost.”
“She’s still alive because they’re in love,” Miele swoons, making our cousin gag.
“Miele–”
“It’s true, Reno. I have a sixth sense about these things. Remember I predicted Drew and Alice getting married?”
“Because you saw them fucking by the chicken coop in broad daylight. Obviously he was gonna knock her up.”
Reno and I both laugh while Miele folds her arms and pouts as she looks out the window.
“I let Snow live because we got history, but that don’t mean I’m in love with her.”
Miele cuts her eyes at me, moving her choppy bangs out of her face. “You two wouldn’t know what love is even if it hit you in the face, or in your case, cut you with a shard of glass. I know what I see.”
“You love thinking you live in fairytales, ChiChi. This is real life.” Reno’s voice comes out softer, but for once, I don’t know who it’s for.
It’s easy to say for Miele, since he used her childhood nickname, but then again, these last few months we’ve had Snow as a guest, I’ve seen how he’s warmed up to her.
How everyone has warmed up to her.
Including Nan. Especially Mars.
There’s a pool going on how long it’ll take for Ju and Wyn to bump heads about that. Even Miele put in for twelve hours from when we get back to the hotel.
Reno put in for thirty minutes from when they meet.
I’ve never really felt anxiety like this before. I know that’s why I went and got my tongue repierced. The thought process of having to care for a new piercing felt better than catering to the feelings of two women who have egos as big as their heads.
Ju, I don’t really give a fuck about. But she’s flighty enough, and I need her to be stable enough to bond with Mars for this next week.
Snow… it would be a lie to say I didn’t care what she thinks, especially since I remember vividly how her face crumbled when I told her about Nan’s mind games. Games she’s still playing, if I go by what I overheard what was said the other night.
I didn’t lie to Snow; I have and will never look at Ju as anything but my brother’s baby mama. In a perfect world, all three of us would unite to give Mars the best week of his life.
But as good as that sounds, I know women enough to know that one of my cousins is gonna win the thousand dollar pool.
Ju’s getting off the plane as we pull onto the tarmac. Miele hops out of the car and runs to her before Reno can even stop it.
Through it all, they’ve managed to remain good friends, though that doesn’t surprise me. Miele reminds me a lot of Shad in the way everyone just loves them.
Reno and I get out of the car and Ju gives us both hugs before I grab her suitcase to put in the car.
Miele and Ju dominate the conversation on the way back.
My knee keeps jumping as Reno goes the exact speed limit.
I’ll give him his credit; as messy as our cousins are, he doesn’t want a showdown any more than I do.
But we’re not far from the hotel, and all too soon, we’re pulling past it, to the villa.
Miele told us this morning that she let Snow know that we were coming back with Ju. She and Mars are right inside, watching tv. My hands begin to sweat so bad they slip on the handle of Ju’s suitcase, making me wipe them on my pants.
Miele bumps me with her hip as we all clamber up the stairs.
Cartoons can be heard as we open the door; most likely Scooby Doo. I look to the right, at the door that led to where Snow was chained up. For a brief moment, my breath slows to normal.
I can always just chain her up again.
“Where’s my big warrior boy?!” Ju belts.
Mars’s feet slap against the floor as he runs toward us, braids flying in the air. Snow walks behind him, her arms behind her back with a small smile spreading on her face.
Her hair’s half an inch now, with small red curls finally covering her head.
When it’s not raining, she’s outside working with whichever cousin wants to steal her away, and between that and our daily workouts, she looks healthier than I’ve seen her in a long time.
The baby tee she has on shows off the outline of her abs trying to form.
Her tan makes the tattoos that stretch down her arms pop even more.
And since I make her ass do fifty one-legged RDLs, that little ass she got is growing, too.
Though I think I should stop that.
Mars barrels into Ju, hugging her waist. Both their smiles are big, and for one whole second, I’m glad she’s here.
One whole second.
Because the next second, Ju notices Snow, and the whole room freezes over.
Miele or Reno coughs, I can’t tell. I’m too busy walking further into the room until I’m between them, breaking off Ju’s glare.
“Hi, Ju. You may not remember me–”
“I remember you, Wynter.” Ju blinks as Snow’s natural scent flirts with my nostrils. She’s standing next to me now, but I keep my eyes on Ju and Mars.
“Mommy, Wynter Snow did my hair, do you like it?” Mars asks her.
Ju waits a bated breath before smiling down at him. “I love your hair, baby. Let’s go to your room, I know you got some new toys.” She looks up at me, hooding her eyes. “You can take my luggage to the room.”
She doesn’t spare us another glance as Mars pulls her away. Only then do I look at Snow.
She’s already looking at me, fists clenched at her sides. The question is there in her eyes; are you sure you never fucked?
I try to convey to her the answer, but I don’t know if she sees it, or if she’s seeing what she wants. She just scoffs, and shakes her head before turning and walking toward the courtyard.
“That was… wow. Does that count as getting into it?” Reno and I both look to Miele, who pushes her hair out of her face.
“Um… technically, yes. But I think the rules of the pool state words have to at least be said. Reno, you’re out.”
They argue about technicalities as they follow Snow out of the room, leaving me standing there, probably looking as dumb as I feel.
I don’t understand shit like this. Even in my hey day, when my stable was bursting at the seams, women never… pissed all over me.
My stomach begins to curl into itself. And the one time I need this nigga Fredo to appear, he’s nowhere to be found.
“Great, I’m on my own,” I mutter, snatching up her suitcase and walking toward her guest room.
Which is in between Mars’s and Snow’s room.
Shit.
The scraping of silverware is grating my nerves. I doubt Ju is doing it on purpose, but I know Snow is. She smirks every time I cut my eyes at her, but she won’t leave.
Mars requested it.
The cousins wanted us all to eat together, to best gauge the pool. Ju told Mars she just wanted to eat with him, making his whole week.
But then Ju invited me to their “special” dinner.
And then, Mars drug Snow into the dining room we don’t use and Ju visibly pouted.
But Mars doesn’t notice any of the tension in the room. He carries the conversation effortlessly, filling Ju in on everything she has missed since she was here last.
In between bites of chicken, he tells her story after story about what he’s learning and the different fish and animals he sees.
And how he loves when Snow does his hair and tells him stories of Fredo.
That was when Ju told him to finish his food. And now it’s been quiet for the last five minutes.
I feel like I’m supposed to say something or diffuse the situation, but what the fuck is even going on? I’m not fucking neither one of these women, and one of them, I’ve never fucked.
So I’m really not getting it.
Mars scoots his chair from the table and asks Ju to help him get ready for bed, and my shoulders ease some. As soon as they’re out of the dining room, Snow clanks her fork onto the half-empty plate.
“I’m gonna ask you one more time. Did you fuck that girl?”
I lean back in my seat and nod to the knife in her hand. “What you gon’ do with that, Snow?”
She grins, eyeing my new scar. “Oh, Rico. You know exactly what I can do with this.”
“Why you care so much? You ain’t fuckin’ me.” I fold my arms over my chest and call her bluff. That’s easier than trying to explain some shit I’m clueless about.
“I care about you lying to me. But you fucked Tiny, so fucking Fredo’s baby mama isn’t that surprising–”
I’m out of my chair and closing in around her so fast that she lets go of the knife to place that soft hand in the middle of my chest.
Her touch does nothing to calm the ire growing in me by the second.
She’s so fucking infuriating. Who gave her the code to pushing my buttons?
She recovers quickly, her eyes dancing between my lips, my eyes, and the scar she gave me. I wondered if she ever felt guilt, but watching her nipples harden under her shirt, I see what marking me really does for her.
My Snow. She may not be as depraved as me, but she has her little quirks.
“You get the one-up on me one time and swear you can keep talking out the side of your neck.” I bring my hand to her neck to punctuate my point, delighted in how her pupils dilate.
“The scars I’ve given you are invisible, but that don’t mean I’m less inclined to add to them.
Watch how the fuck you talk to me, Snow.
And for the last time, I didn’t fuck that girl. ”
Her eyes harden as I back out of her space. But I’m not worried enough to keep my front to her as I walk away. Especially when my dick is so hard, it could cut steel.
The nut I bust in the shower calms me just enough to hood my eyes. I even hum a little tune as I put on my pajamas, but all that goes out the window when I exit my bathroom and Ju is sitting on my bed.
“Yes, Jupiter?” I ask, stopping some feet away. I’ve never had to clock any space to keep between us, but the way she’s looking at me like I betrayed her, it’s best to give her at least five feet.
“What’s she doing here? Why you got her around my son?”
My lips curve automatically as I stretch my eyes at her. “You serious right now?”
“Yes!” she stands up, and I chuckle at how she’s basically still the same height. “You know she fucked with Set heavy back in the day? Why is she here braiding my baby’s hair and all in the mix–”
“Let’s get one thing straight, my nigga,” I interrupt her, stepping closer to her. She cowers easily, but to her credit she stays standing, even when I’m right in front of her.
“Fredo and I may be identical, but I am not him, and you not finna come around tryna regulate shit that goes on here. And given that fact that you fasho don’t even be here, you should be happy that anyone takes an interest in Mars. That’s less time he has to wonder why the fuck his mama don’t.”
Ju’s face balls up and she pushes me back. “Fuck you! I’m trying–”
“Nah, you worried about some shit that don’t matter to you. You not my bitch, Ju.” I take a couple steps back as she folds her arms.
“And she is?” Ju arches a brow. “You fucking behind your friends now?”
I shrug, letting her dig roll off my shoulders. “Better than fucking behind my brother and his nigga. Or is that what you want me to do?”
Embarrassment darkens her eyes as she scoffs. “Don’t nobody want you, dummy. I just don’t want your bullshit involving my son, and Wynter Snow is a hot ass mess.”
My eyebrows pull down as an insult builds in my throat. Who the fuck is she to pass judgment on Snow?
I tilt my head at her, and see the moment she realizes she said too much.
“Hot ass mess? You mean like getting passed around so much you don’t know who the father of your baby is?
Or letting an old woman manipulate you out of custody of the baby you wanted so badly?
Or my favorite; tryna fuck on your dead baby daddy’s brother because they look alike?
You thought if you closed your eyes, you could pretend I’m Fredo?
From what I heard, even if he ain’t catch one in the dome, he’d still dub yo ass–”
I grip her wrist before she can slap me, but I let her snatch her hand away. She storms out of my room, not even bothering to close the door behind her.
All this estrogen, I’m not used to. My mouth feels dry, and I know I’m not gonna be able to get any sleep. Grabbing my phone and keys, I text Reno as I take long strides out of the villa toward my whip.
Twice I’ve been tried tonight. Someone needs to pay for that.