Chapter 8
Hondo
We honeymooned for four days, then returned to the city.
Instead of going back to my hideout space, I made sure we went home.
That was the home I had gifted her for our marriage.
The home I walked her through days after I knew I was giving her it and forever.
She was completely unaware and aloof, probably wondering why the fuck I had brought her there, while it was the perfect moment for me.
I didn’t miss how her eyes lit up with each room we explored, especially the shelved reading room.
She loved the home and I did great. Therefore, while we were on our honeymoon, I had her entire condo packed up, and everything she owned was brought to our home, even the BMW that seemed like it had never been driven.
Knowing her, it had only been driven once or twice.
It was a pleasant surprise when we walked in and she saw all of the boxes, most of which were left over because Alysia had already begun taking out things like clothes and kitchen shit.
“Yo, earth to Hondo. Nigga, you been daydreaming since we came in here. Are you good?” Otto asked.
I blinked a few times then reached for the drink in front of me. “I’m straight, just thinking. That’s all.” I responded after swallowing the brown liquor.
He nodded. “You figure out who tried to run that hit on sis?”
“Nah, and that’s what’s pissing me off, because a motherfucker came at her on our territory. Had I not walked in that room, I woul—” I started, but my brother held up his hand.
“You know you can’t think about things like that. What could have happened didn’t happen because you handled it. Now we gotta see who it was and deal with it, Hon. Simple as that.”
I nodded. “You are the oldest, aren’t you?”
He laughed. “Yeah, even though you be acting like an old ass man.”
I joined in the laughter. “Fucking idiot. How has everything been in my absence anyway?”
“Copacetic. We just launched the new transports from pier to pier. Now I’m just waiting on word about the new development. You know Old Man Curr slows down all construction contracts when he feels like a motherfucker ain’t included him,” Otto responded, sitting back in his chair.
I nodded. “Don’t make that shit right. You opening a casino in Westvale doesn’t have shit to do with him. Motherfuckers don’t slow down the check when he needs something. He needs to step his old ass down. The regime ain’t the same no more.”
Otto nodded. “The same could be said about Shamus. Operating in old ways is why they need money so fucking bad. Motherfucker damn near extorted you to get a couple dollars over a deal Titus made years ago with Pops.”
I agreed. “You damn right, but that got me thinking.”
“Which is why you didn’t let her father walk her down the aisle?” He chuckled.
“Damn right. At that moment I didn’t trust none of them niggas with her. You think I waited all those years to make her mine just to be careless with her life and let somebody take it? Blood to her or not, they all had me fucked up.”
“You don’t think her people would take a hit out, do you?”
I didn’t respond immediately, instead pondering my thoughts. “Motherfuckers are underhanded, especially Shamus.”
“What would he gain?”
“Besides the fact that I still would have to pay him, nothing that I’m aware of.”
He nodded. “Then it could have been any of the families in attendance. Not the Jacksons. Ty ain’t on nothing like that.”
“True. Then that leaves the Currs and her own fucking people. I’m the first to admit I don’t care for Old Man Curr, nobody does and that’s known, but what the fuck would he gain?”
Otto shrugged. “I’ma look into it anyway. A hit on her is a hit on you. Niggas probably thought it was a different room and decided to take two birds with one stone. You never know.”
“Makes sense. But it was the way he spoke to her, talking about easy money. It was planned, and by who, I don’t know.”
Otto nodded. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, but until we do, let’s act civilized in this fucking meeting.”
We had a meeting with the heads of the other families about grievances Old Man Curr had with Tylon.
A meeting couldn’t be held while I was out of commission on my honeymoon, so it was scheduled for today.
The static between the two sides was foreseeable because Tylon Jackson was the very thing an old motherfucker like Curr resented.
While Curr thought he should be kept in the loop on what every other family did, like his opinion mattered, Tylon knew ball.
He utilized what he had to get what he wanted in the grand scheme of things.
He didn’t look down on smaller businesses and deny them use of his motion.
I fucked with it because he wasn’t the type of nigga to keep the money at the top.
Everybody ate, as long as they got their own food.
“You hear me, Hondo? You’re in charge but you gotta keep that shit level.”
I chuckled. Lately the roles had been reversing between my brother and me. He used to run hot and be more on the reckless side while I had these little corner conversations. “I’ll take that into consideration.”
He shook his head. “Yo, didn’t you just come off your honeymoon? Don’t you got a lot of act right in your system?”
His question caught me by surprise. “Yeah, and? Don’t mean I give passes. But today I’ma follow your lead. You got this, especially since I don’t see the need for this meeting. I have other things to do than to be listening to geriatric motherfuckers whining.”
He laughed. “Man, whatever.”
We talked for a while longer before he had to take a call about his businesses and I decided to check in with Nic.
She’d texted me this morning asking what I wanted for dinner.
My response was to ask if she was the one cooking and she said maybe.
I meant to call her, but one of the people I kept in charge of the warehouse came in for our meeting.
Ever since that dumb ass case, Otto and I agreed I’d stay away from the warehouse given all that shit came from over there.
We closed ranks and there were only two motherfuckers from that side who could talk to me or him.
I propped my phone against the laptop in front of me and clicked her contact to FaceTime. Before her, I didn’t care for that camera in my face because there was nobody I was always trying to see. With Nic though, I always wanted to be looking at her. I was lowkey obsessed and had been for a while.
“I thought you were busy,” she said, her voice bringing a smile to my face even though she wasn’t in the camera. It was propped up on the island in her closet. I could tell from the shoe boxes.
She entered the camera, immediately making me lick my lips. She wasn’t in anything I’d seen her in, but instead a gold sequin dress with a dangerously low neckline. I was immediately taken aback, pissed I wasn’t at the house.
“Hondo,” she said, interrupting my trance.
“My bad, damn. I was. What you got that on for? Where are you going?”
“Trying on clothes to see if I want them or if I’ll be donating them. I went through a phase in my life where I just bought shit and this dress is one of those things.” She motioned toward it.
I grinned. “Look good as fuck, Nic. Keep it. I know a few things you could do in that.”
She giggled. “Sir.”
“I’m deadass. Matter of fact, go through that when I’m home. I’ll help you discern what you keep.”
She busted up laughing. “I’m sure you will. I won’t even get through a box.”
“Probably not. I thought for sure you’d be back at the sanctuary though.”
She sighed, irritation in her demeanor. I could almost feel it from where I was. “Me too. I went by to see Zar, but according to HR, I’m still not scheduled to come back as some changes are taking place and they’ll be in touch.”
“Don’t sweat it, you'll be back in no time. They still let you back to see your boy with no problems, right?”
She nodded. “I hope, but the air there was different, you know.”
“Don’t worry about any of that. It’ll be handled and you’ll be back in no time. How is decorating the house coming along?”
“Um, I’m going with your mother and Amethyst to a few showrooms and stores this week. You wanna tag along?”
I shook my head, thinking about how to take care of any connections she had to the O’Learys. That sanctuary was their way of keeping some sort of control, but I was about to sever that quickly. I just had to figure out how I could get my hands on an animal sanctuary.
“Nah Nic, you got that. Do me a favor though.”
She looked confused, pulling the dress over her head. Now I was looking at her in a bra and underwear. If I didn’t hate that I left this morning before she woke up, I damn sure hated it now.
“Yo, you tryna tease me?”
“No, I was taking this dress off. It’s getting donated. It’s itchy. What do you need me to do for you?”
I licked my lips. “Go in the bedroom and grab the envelope on my nightstand.”
She looked confused. “Um, okay.” She left the camera’s view and returned with the envelope not even five seconds later. “What is this?”
“Open it and find out.”
She looked at the camera, then back at the envelope.
I watched her open it, my eyes marveling over everything within view. She was all mine after all these years, after countless times I had her watched or checked on without her knowledge. She was mine.
“Cards?” she asked, pulling me from my trance.
“Yeah, you’re on all of my accounts, Mrs. Carter.”
She smiled, leaning forward. “Well thank you, Mr. Carter. What time should I expect you today?”
“Six. Boutta wrap up a meeting with Otto and head that way.”
She smiled, those crystal eyes lighting up my whole world.
Otto reentered the room before I could say anything, so I settled for telling her I’d see her in a few before we hung up and all of my attention was on my brother. He was grinning hard, like he was about to talk some shit.