Page 228 of Lau Ahi
“After I just made you cum like that you want to comment on my bloody body? Being dead didn’t teach you any decorum at all did it?” She swiped at my hand and I had to rephrase how I’d spoken my concern.
“You’re smaller. Before, you never complained about not liking your weight. Seeing you smaller now makes me feel guilty. That’s all. I should’ve said that better but I didn’t wantto dampen the mood. Instead, I sounded like an asshole. I’m sorry.”
“Maybe you truly were invaded by a body snatcher all those months ago.” She was battling her smile but I was glad I corrected my mistake. Asha had extended me far more grace than I deserved so the last thing I wanted was her angry at me. Then she’d remember how badly I’d just pissed her off and it would take her a year to speak to me again.
“More like invaded by a little thing called love.”
She rolled on her back fully before wrapping her arms around my neck. “I seem to be suffering from the same affliction. Only my heart broke there for a little while so I didn’t look after myself. Maybe now that my heart is being mended I’ll gain a few stone.”
I kissed her again and allowed myself to slip back inside her as her legs went around me as if to welcome me home.
“Trust me, wife, I intend to give you more than enough reason to work up an appetite.”
ORI
The fist hitting the side of my face only made me smile and the one that followed to my stomach had me gasping slightly for air. The sliding doors of the elevator had barely opened before the hit landed with quick precision
It feels so good to be back.
“I just knew this pineapple nigga was too trill to fucking die but I swear to God Ori you got your one. I’m not going to your next funeral, fuck that. Ol’rising from the dead ass niggawhat the fuck, bruh?”
I looked up and immediately knew Yacouba was pissed. I expected it and even his joking was the only way he could keep his cool because of how frustrated I knew he was.
I stood up ready for him to hit me again because I was sure it was coming. He was heated, rightfully so, because our bond was supposed to be stronger than anything. But the issue lay with theConsortiumand I wasn’t about to put their families at risk because my family was on bullshit. His face was tight as hell, chest heaving from his emotions cause I knew them love taps ain’t wind him at all.
He was dressed in all black ready for war the same as me but for a different reason. Instead of hitting me again, Yacouba reached over and pulled me into an embrace. His punches had been hard as fuck despite him not putting everything into them but he was squeezing me like his life depended on it. When I felt him inhale sharply I knew he was doing his best not to get emotional and it broke something in me. My wife being upset was one thing but my brothers? Hardened as they were seeing that this display of emotion had me about to break down. Anger I could handle but this display of relief was something that I hadn’t expected from them.
The others were standing around either waiting for their turns to hit me or to hug me but I didn’t get the chance to ask before Yacouba shoved me away from him angrily. He wiped at his eyes and mine watered again. He turned angrily to Lucky, Xerxes, Smoke, Priest, Midas, Liam, Bhaltair and Jemma Marie with his finger raised in the air.
“I’m telling you niggas right now you get one fucking funeral! One gotdammit! And you know what? Fuck that I’mma kick y’all’s shit over to make sure y’all really in there. The fuck! Muthafucka trying to be the Hawaiian Jesus rising from the dead. Easter already passed, ORI! How you late to your own gotdamn resurrection?” His face was tight as hell and spit was flying as he yelled at me.
Despite how my jaw was hurting, I had to smile because damn I missed my brother. The way his chest was heaving evenas he yelled at me I could see he was getting himself pissed off again. I knew sending the message I had would make them all come running. Shit, I was surprised nobody had shot my ass yet just off principle. They had all received the same coded communication. We each had one that would be sent in times of distress. Only the heads of each family knew the other’s specific distress message so when it went out they didn’t hesitate to get their asses up here. I thought it was endearing that they all brought their emotional support humans to be with them right now. They too were dressed in all black ready to end whoever was impersonating me but now it was probably so that my blood wouldn’t show on their clothes.
“And Jemma Marie, your fucking ass ain’t even getting one! Sick of y’all popping the fuck up outta nowhere taking years off my life and shit. Told Jazzy I was gonna chill on smoking but I need a fucking blunt. Priest, you ain’t got nothing biblical to add to this? Shouldn’t you be speaking in tongues or throwing oil or something? Came to this bitch woefully unprepared, fuck!” He’d been pacing as he spoke the rest of us just watched him fuss. I think the rest of my family were simply too stunned to speak between watching us fight and my actually being alive.
“Are you all waiting on your turn?” It was the only way I thought to break the ice but it seemed such a trite thing to say.
Jahmir blew out a breath since no one else seemed able to speak up. He rubbed his goatee and shook his head still looking stunned. “No. Yacouba got you good enough and frankly you being alive is still throwing me—”
Yacouba sucked his teeth angrily, “—Ol’They Cloned Tyroneass—”
“—How is the Mrs. handling it?” Mir ignored Yacouba’s rantings and it was just like him to think immediately of Asha.
“Much like all of you, she’s wavering between ending my life and not wanting me out of her sight.”
Liam seemed to finally find his voice at the mention of Asha. “I’m disappointed in theSassenach. I thought she would have at least wounded yoo. Instead, you’re whole and I canna be angry because ourbraither‘as returned.” His voice cracked as he stepped forward and embraced me as tightly as Yacouba.
One by one each person gave me a hug some embracing me longer than others as though they too were trying to ensure their eyes weren’t deceiving them. I’d had them meet me in our office here in DC so they knew it wasn’t some bullshit.
“You ready to tell me about what is going on and why you kept us out of this shit?” Jemma Marie was glaring at me like her little scrappy ass was going to take my head off. It was funny that a year ago she was the long-lost member but her disappearance hadn’t been her choice. Mine had. So I was sure she was probably angrier than everyone else. She viewed it as either me not trusting them or my not appreciating the bond we shared. Things that had been stripped from her against her will. Her eyes were a deeper gray and the severe bun in her hair made her look even more deadly.
I nodded toward the table and everyone followed me into the conference room and took their seats. Despite needing to get back to business, I took a second to just be happy to see them.
“By zhe looks of his tan we need to find the Cuban and have a word wizh him.” Leave it to Xerxes to put all of this together.
“It was at my direction.”
Liam’s fist slammed down on the table and Yacouba tossed back the shot he’d poured for himself. “And? I dinna remember givin’ a rat’s arse about who gave a direction. We should ‘ave been included. The fook were yoo thinkin’, Ori? Dinnae yoo not trust us?”
