Page 184 of Lau Ahi
“You’re talking about yourtantearen’t you?” Midas was nodding at her plan and we understood she was plotting.
“Maybe? My deartanteloves to brag about how important she is. Even though she doesn’t have a lick of power. I appreciate how y’all held everything down for the family. How ironic that she was bound by the bylaws she never learned so that she couldn’t consolidate the power she wanted.”
“She tried?” Yacouba sounded outraged at the attempt and even I had to wonder what the elders knew.
“One thing y’all need to know is that I’m not nearly as crazy as people make me seem.”
“Nobody thinks you’re crazy Jemma Marie.”
That devious smile she’d worn when she was cutting up as a kid graced her face. “We’re all a lil bit mad don’t you think, Mir?”
Since the point went to her his head dipped in concession. “You’re amongst friends then.”
“I’m out of touch, yes. I had a lot of time to sit and think and some things don’t make sense. Me ending up where I did. There not being a crime scene for my disappearance so that it made it look like I left voluntarily. And that I would come back around, eventually. She thought she’d swoop in and run things and make herself too important in the meantime. Not realizing that we don’t do in the meantime. The power is always divided up, even if it’s with the founding family. She just couldn’t step in and take over like she wanted. She did all of that for nothing. The only minor voting power she was entitled to all along. The fool couldn’t even figure out how to access our money. Thank y’all for ensuring the business was still running the way it needed to.” She’d been ticking off her points on her fingers before she looked around the room and gave us each a look of gratitude. One that we didn’t need.
“‘ow you ken she dinnae take anything?”
Jemma Marie’s nose scrunched up like she’d smelled something foul. “I might’ve been in an asylum but I can still read, Li. Money was always my thing. Don’t underestimate me the way she did.”
He only grinned at her insult and I knew we all preferred to see her angry than meek.
“I thought you would be far angrier about this than you are.”
“You think I’m calm, Couba? That bitch had my baby brother taken away and sold to a monster. He was somewhere thinking that he was unloved while we grieved for him. Our mama and daddy went to their graves not knowing that he was alive. My baby brother doesn’t even know who I am and she stole years of our lives away from us. And you think I’m calm? No, Couba, I’mcalculated. I’m waiting on the opportunity to get my revenge. I can only imagine how sweet it will taste after all these years. But it won’t be today. No, I’ll continue to play the happy, docile,pretty fool so that she thinks she still has the upper hand. When she realizes she doesn’t, then it will be time for her to end.”
Yacouba was nodding along with the rest of us and we could all hear the pain laced through her words. Especially when she talked about Angel. “Do you need us to do anything?”
Jemma Marie pressed her hand to her chest delicately with a mock look of horror on her face.
“Help? Goodness no. Just like Ori wouldn’t let us help you with the trouble that’s brewing with the Franklins I’m so happy to do this on my own. It’s about time that I get to exorcise those demons of being betrayed. If there’s something I need y’all for I’ll make sure to tell you. Might need the prince to restock the armory at the house. But other than that, I know the taste of revenge is gone be real sweet and I plan to savor every drop of it.”
“You and my wife would get along well.”
She bumped my shoulder playfully with her hip. “We already do. Why you think she invited me to be in the bridal party? Your bride is a girl after my heart. That sister of hers got a real test on her hands, though.”
“Her sister?”
Jem’s eyes bugged out of her head as she studied my face in surprise. I sounded defensive on Sasha’s behalf and I knew she’d caught on. This time it was genuine and a smile of understanding crossed her face.
“Look at you looking out for the extended family. And y’all think this man ain’t halfway to being in love already. Men. Y’all are all fools. Not you ‘Mir.”
“Why does he get a pass?”
Jem rolled her eyes at me fed up with being in a room full of testosterone. “Because his wife is the one who found me.”
“What’s up with her sister?”
Her gray eyes were mischievous as she looked at me before glancing at Xerxes. “It seems King Afshin has taken a shine to the model. Xerxes you might want to warn him that his subjects might not be pleased with the wife he’s chosen.”
“I don’t zink he much cares. He already has stars in his eyes and can feel the first beats of love in his heart for her. Afshin will not be deterred.”
Xerxes spoke with enough confidence to let us all know that his uncle had laid a claim and wouldn’t back down. It was clearly hereditary since Xerxes stalked his wife for almost a year before she would even hold a conversation with him.
“Oh, I can’t wait to watch all this unfold.” Jem’s feet kicked out like a little kid as she clapped her hands happily.
“Are yoo wishin’ ‘im well or—”
“Of course I am. Love is a beautiful thing.” She said that dreamily and I cut my eyes across the room. It was pointless because his eyes were already watching her with the type of intensity I’d seen and felt before.
