Page 180 of Lau Ahi
“The king did. I hope you’re not looking at my wife’s sister, she’s already been marked. And seeing as how he’s got a literal kingdom to put at her feet, I think you’re outmatched head to head.” I patted Alec on the shoulder but I saw the way his eyes kept darting around the room, wondering who he was tracking.
“Your wife and her sister are stunning, but I’m talking about the girl on the floor dancing with the Scot’s daughter.”
We looked toward the dance floor and saw that it was Jemma Marie who was swinging Baby Skye around as she laughed.
“Oh, hell no. That’s our sister.”
“Sister? Since when? I thought you were an only child.” He took a step back looking as though he were ready to do battle for Jem’s hand right here.
“She’s all our sister. But that nigga who looks like he’s about to slit your throat? That’s his blood.”
I nodded toward Angel who had obviously picked up on the way Alec had been staring at his sister. I didn’t get involved in family shit but I prayed they got it together. She needed him and despite him not wanting to admit it; he needed her.
This shit has made me soft. Since when do I care so much?
That wasn’t true. I normally cared because we were stronger as a collective when each branch could withstand a storm. That was still true. But I was worried about the emotional toll all this was taking on both of them. Angel had been confirmed as a blood relative almost a year ago and yet hadn’t made a move. Jem was in a precarious place herself and needed people she could trust to have her back constantly.
Vega only smirked at Angel unbothered by the warning. “It’s not disrespect but you have to admit your sister is a beautiful woman.”
“I don’t have to admit shit. Stop looking at her that way.” Angel’s anger at Alec’s interest was surprising based on how he’d been moving. Maybe his parents were finally getting his ass to see that he needed to take his spot in the family once and for all.
“What way? The way you’ve been looking at your wife?”
“Key difference, bruh, wife. She has papers on me now.” I held up my hand like a man who’d just been proposed to and I didn’t care. Those vows had solidified a lot. I felt light as fuck and it wasn’t the Cuban I’d smoked after the ceremony.
Vega slowly blinked and I swore he was debating on being happy or being worried I’d been body snatched. “If I hadn’t supplied the cigars I’d swear them shits were laced.”
“Cheer up. We're about to talk business and then who knows, maybe you’ll convince us you’re worthy of Jemma Marie.”
“I couldn’t give a fuck less about what you all think.”
I patted his shoulder because he had no idea what he was signing up for. “Yeah, I wouldn’t either. But you might as well get your practice in with us because Jemma Marie is worse than all of us combined.”
THE QUEEN'S COURT
ORI
Yacouba rubbed the back of his head the more I spoke like he didn’t have faith in me. “Ion’t know, bruh, maybe we need to reassign Smoke to this nigga for a minute.”
We were scattered around the area that had been designated as the smoker’s lounge and made everyone clear out so we could talk. The room had been swept before any of us got comfortable so we knew that we could speak freely. Besides, hearing us say something and having proof of it were two entirely different matters. And anyone who tried to dig up dirt on us would find themselves buried in it before they found any proof.
“Reassign?” Smoke looked confused about why his name was the one in Couba’s mouth and I couldn’t deny I was right there with him. None of us would put blunts in rotation because we weren’t those type of men. I trusted my brothers but I didn’t want to have shit that came from their mouths into mine. Especially since I was sure at least a few of them were out there eating ass. The scent of weed and tobacco from the Cuban cigars that Alec had passed out before the ceremony filled the air. The room’s ventilation system would kick in and sweep out the smoke every few minutes so it never built up too much.
“Smoke? Why zhe fuck would we need to reassign Smoke? Hell, I wasn’t even aware he was on assignment. He just relaxin’ wizh Mir’s ass most days.” Xerx was laid back with his anklepropped on one knee with a drink in his hand. Of course, we had nothing here but liquor from Merrick distilleries so I knew the one glass he was allowing himself was premium.
Yacouba shook his head and blew out a cloud before he fixed his gaze back on me. “Do you not see how she be handling you?”
“Yeah.” He looked as though he expected me to say I was scared or some shit but I wasn’t.
“You’re zee one who told us she was a serial killer. Called me like you were in a panic but now you’re tezered to her permanently and you have no worries?” Xerxes’ wife was probably the mildest-tempered of all of ours, which wasn’t saying much since he told me that she’d put a bullet in someone a few months ago. He was saying she wasn’t really like that and it was just pregnancy hormones but I needed this nigga to wake up and understand that he’d unleashed some shit in his sweet little realtor wife.
“I did and I don’t.”
“You’re saying it like it’s cool.”
“It is.”
Yacouba had his hand covering his mouth as he studied me. I wasn’t sure if he was too frustrated to speak or if he was about to swing on me. When he sat back instead of leaning forward I had my answer.
