Chapter 8 #2
“Tryna figure out if you are in love with your wife or yo’ ass is obsessed. You’ve had her followed for six years, then you marry her and now it’s like you don’t remember life before you were with her.”
I stood, fixing my suit. “Lil bit of both.”
When it came to Briar South, everybody knew of The Oak for its luxury and being one of the best hotels in the city, if not the best. As a kid I grew up coming here, but not for the reason one would think.
I was groomed to take over the family from the ripe age of nine when Otto, at age fourteen, was diagnosed with high functioning depression.
The family never thought any less of him, but Pops made the decision to never put more on him than he could bear as he’d seen what the very same disorder did to his mother.
That didn’t mean slack was cut to Otto because it wasn’t.
We were a family unit and moved as one regardless of anything.
Otto was business minded anyway, so that was where he thrived and had less episodes.
Meetings between the main families of Briar had been happening in the basement of this hotel for years, ever since it was built, back when there were five main families. It was a central point and had an entrance through the underground garage unknown to many.
“So what I’m saying is, why allow Watertown businesses access to things we have access to? They are not us and we are not them.” Old Man Curr’s privilege was the loudest thing in the fucking room and it stank.
“And again, I’m asking who are we to decide who can and can’t have access to something? Especially in Watertown.”
Unbeknownst to Old Man Curr or Shamus O’Leary, Tylon had blood in Watertown. So the idea of somebody looking down on that territory and its people pissed him off and I understood that.
“Because I want the territory. A few condos and businesses that actually make money would be better suited for waterfront property. So, my idea is to make it a desert and take it from under whoever calls themselves running it.”
Tylon laughed.
“Something funny?” O’Leary asked.
“Yeah, you and every motherfucker who looks like you thinking you can touch Watertown territory. Do you even know the history of what you so called wanna run?”
“Who doesn’t? But it doesn’t sway me. The request is that you stop doing business over there.” Curr’s statement even rubbed me the wrong way.
“Nah, ’cause yeen boutta tell me what to do with shit I got over this way. You ’ont run me.”
“But if it’s for the great of the whole collective.” O’Leary spoke, making me look at him. I already had pressure for this old bastard.
“Aight, I’ve heard enough of this. The way I see it is, Watertown hasn’t been touchable territory ever, and it will stay that way.
The territory has never belonged to any family, therefore no one at this table has control over it.
If he wants to keep doing business there, he can, as it is his business and influence. ”
“When your father ran this table, it was far more diplomatic than it has been the last two years. Terms were better and there were actual votes rather than vetoes and spirited conversations. I’m now questioning why I still sit at it.” Shamus spoke out of turn in a challenging tone.
Curr nodded in agreement.
My brother laughed and so did I.
“Well, maybe you missed the memo. My father is no longer in charge. I am and I have the controlling vote in every fucking decision made here unless it pertains to your own businesses. I have both the power of my mother’s father, Moses Bethune, and my father, Sterling Carter, original Briar South controlling families.
So when I say fuck a vote. I mean just that, especially if it’s straight up bullshit.
Do me a favor and either get with the regime change or step the fuck down.
” I was on my feet, ready to leave by the time I finished my spiel.
I headed to the door then stopped and turned around again, eyes resting on Shamus.
“And as for you Shamus, I’d watch what you say, especially about tables you’re barely able to sit at.”
I left right after that with my brother in tow. When we were in the car, he busted up laughing and I just sat back thinking.
“Well, I think that went well,” he said as the car began to move.
“It didn’t, but I hate that slick shit. How the fuck is a motherfucker supposed to vote when you have that going on? Type of shit they be on.” I let out an irritated breath and closed my eyes for a moment.
“Well, they’re sweating now, especially O’Leary.”
“That motherfucker needs to. Speaking of, I need a favor.” I lifted my head, looking at my brother who was now staring at me.
“What’s up?” His brows were raised and he was looking for me to respond. Lowkey I took my time because I knew he was about to clown me.
“I need you to find me an animal sanctuary.”
“A what, nigga?” He laughed immediately, which I expected.
“Animal sanctuary. It’s fo—”
“Patience. I know that much, but why?”
“Because they’re playing with her about going back to work and I don’t like that. She loves that place and the fucking animals. Especially this tiger cub named Zar. I’m about seven seconds from buying the lil nigga and getting him a habitat built at the house.”
Otto was laughing so hard I couldn’t even get mad at him. I sounded crazy as fuck, but my need to make her happy and untouched made me feel like I sounded insane.
“Aight, man. I’ll get to looking. It’d be a good tax write-off anyway. Either way I’ma figure it out, because you can’t be raising my niece or nephew in a fucking zoo. The last thing I need is to come visit and you got a tiger on a fucking harness. I’ma really think you’ve lost your fucking mind.”
Now it was my turn to laugh, because he was right.
When I finally made it home, I was dead tired and wanted to shower and find the bed, but the sight of Nic standing in the kitchen at the stove in one of my button-ups gave me energy like no other.
“Yo, you cooking for me?” I asked, mentally trying to take a picture of the scene.
“Yeah, considering you don’t think I can cook.”
I laughed, approaching her backside. “I didn’t say that. But even if you can’t, we can get you some classes.” I lowered my head, kissing the side of her neck.
“I can cook. Now go wash your day off. Dinner will be finished when you return.”
“You ’ont wanna join me?” I asked, eyes locked on her.
“Do you wanna eat?” She turned around, putting her hand on her hip.
“I mean I’ma eat regardless.”
“Hondo, go get in the shower.”
I laughed, turning to leave the kitchen and do as she asked. I wasn’t giving her too much lip, because on my mama, tonight would be more than just that meal.
A thirty-minute shower later I walked back into the kitchen where she was now plating food.
“Is this something I can expect every day?” I took a seat at the massive white marble island.
“Depends. Can I expect you to be in by six-thirty every night or will I be eating dinner with Alysia?”
“You’ll see me when you want to see me, beautiful. Some nights might be late, but I won’t make it a habit.”
She looked up from what she plated and nodded. “I’ll hold you to that.” Then she placed the plate in front of me. “Rasta pasta. Do you want parmesan cheese?”
I nodded.
She grabbed a block of cheese and grated it while hovering over my plate. “Tell me when to stop.”
I took in everything in this moment, watching her as she grated the cheese before I nodded for her to stop. “There.”
She stopped at the fridge for water, then rounded the counter, joining me.
“Try it; so you can see I can cook.”
I chuckled because it really bothered her that she thought I thought she couldn’t cook.
I gave her a funny look just to fuck with her, then forked some of the pasta into my mouth. I didn’t know what I expected, but it tasted so good. I was thoroughly impressed.
She smiled, pleased, before digging into her own food.
“Now tell me about this tiger.”
“What about him?” she asked, eyes on me again.
“You go see him every chance you get, even when you’re not on the clock. Tell me about him.”
Her face lit up, a contentment and happiness I one day wanted to be the reason for filling it. He wasn’t the only reason she loved her job, but he was a big part. She loved those animals and the work she did, so the thought of someone toying with her through that didn’t sit well with me.