Page 110 of Lau Ahi
“Jazzy baby pregnant again? You being real emotional right now.”
Yacouba clenched his jaw and I was laughing silently because I was getting under his skin. “Her name isJasmineto you, nigga, are you trying to die in this bitch?” He pulled out his gun and placed it on his knee as it jumped with irritation.
“I ain’t trying to talk about this shit is all I’m saying. It’s pointless. I hate indulging in pointless conversation even with y’all.” I let my head fall back as the adrenaline from the dayfinally waned. I was gonna have to catch a nap on the jet on the way home.
“Keepin’ it real yoo think all conversation is pointless.”
I stared at Liam trying to understand why he felt I would disagree with him. “It is. People be lying and shit.”
We had a stare-off for a few minutes before Liam averted his gaze, sighing. “God help this girl. Even if she is English.”
I felt eyes on me before I looked up and saw Priest’s ass staring at me. When I raised my eyebrows, his face broke out into a grin. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about y’all.”
I pointed to him nodding glad to finally have someone on my side. “Finally, Priest making some sense.”
“Why are you sticking up for this man when he was just talking all this shit?” Couba looked pissed that they weren’t all on the same page ganging up on me.
“Think about it, he ain’t gone ever agree that he’s in love with the girl. Not because he’s not, he just wanna piss us off. I don’t know about you but I don’t feel like being aggravated all day long just cause this nigga doesn’t wanna discuss how he feels about his wife.”
I frowned at Priest’s choice of words wanting to put distance between myself. I’d been on a high from wreaking havoc but it was almost completely gone. “She’s not my wife.”
“Yoo’re a stubborn fook, I’ll give yoo t’at.” Liam went to the bar and poured himself a drink apparently tired of having this conversation.
“Was that where I was supposed to apologize or were you just stating the obvious?” He flipped me the bird from by the bar and I returned the favor.
“It’s clear my gift to her won’t be jewels. It’ll have to be a gun.”
Midas hit his cousin in the chest after he made that declaration. “Now you're gone hurt my wife’s feelings, Xerx.”
“I can have more zan one favorite sister-in-law. Besides, it would be an honor if zee bullet she puts in his ass is one from a piece of my machinery.” Midas seemed appeased with the idea of something they created ending my life and sat back with a smile.
“When it comes to the Franklins I don’t know what needs to be done. Until I know what’s up I’m not about to stress about them. They’re monitored. Being watched. What they discuss isn’t as important as my knowing that they’re up to something. As long as I know the players the pieces will eventually fall where they need to.” I was happy to turn the conversation back to business so we could get out of here. Like I told them, I had work in the morning and even though Vega would be there with her I didn’t want him to be her only protection.
“True. You need us to do anything?” Yacouba’s way of letting me change the subject without calling me on it.
I dipped my head in gratitude thankful that if I didn’t have anyone else I had them. “Just be on standby in case I need you.”
“We’ll be up that way soon for fittings soon so we’ll be able to monitor them for you too. I hope Jada keeps her shit together. You know she is ready to cut up at the first sign of trouble.”
“Jada and Asha having to coexist is something that might kill us both Smoke.” I gave him the warning because I didn’t know how Asha would handle Jada’s personality with planning the wedding.
“Sweets ain’t that bad.”
It was my turn to join them in staring at Smoke like he’d lost his mind. The idea of him thinking his little ball of chaos wasn’t that bad made him just as insane as her.
“Just imagine if Jada was a little less regulated in her impulse control but a lot more stoic and composed in her personality. So she lacks the charm that would normally draw people into her but she still somehow ensnares people. And if they do somethingwrong, she’s happily handling the wet work instead of waiting on me to run to the rescue. That’s who I’m about to marry.”
Smoke’s face didn’t show emotion but I knew he was worried when he said, “Shit, maybe it’s you we should all be worried about, Ori.”
“Nah. Did you see the way he almost smiled describing her? The way his voice lightened like his soul was speaking about something that it adored? That man isn’t scared. He’s exactly where he wants to be. He might not even realize it yet but he loves it there.” Priest’s observation made me feel uneasy but not afraid.
Liam turned around with a bottle of Merrick Reserve in his hand and a grin on his face. “Good. Enough of this. We helped Xerx and now we will get Ori married soon. Cheers to Ori and theSassenach. May you both be exactly what the other needs.”
“You’re really doing this?”
I barely took my eyes off the road as I headed toward the home of a potential witness. They were one of the last people to see our latest victim and I was hoping this wouldn’t take long. Leave it to my partner to want to strike up a conversation while we should’ve been focused on work.
“Are you trying to gossip or something?”
