Page 230 of Lau Ahi
Theo frowned up and bucked as if escaping the ropes we had him tied down with was an option. It was laughable but hewould have his chance to save himself. “You keep saying that. You should’ve been dead. A few more weeks and I would’ve convinced them to give me your wife—”
I heard multiple grunts behind me and I knew at least one of them was my wife. Even her scoff had an accent and reeked with indignation at this bitch thinking he was good enough for her.
“Oh, this nigga trying to die slow. Let me shoot off his big toe talking about sis like that, Ori. You still owe me for being alive.”
I shook my head at Yacouba knowing he would probably do it even without my giving him permission.
“I can’t have one kill to myself?”
He looked completely put out over the fact that I needed to enact retribution for my family. “That’s selfish as fuck. Xerx let us blow up a damn church with him! Had me with my ass cheeks out at your reception and shit but I can’t take a lil souvenir?” He had his gun out just as I expected like he was ready to get his shot in.
“You helped too. Besides, would you allow us a part of anyone that had come after Jasmine? If I remember that shit correctly you took out a man for far less.”
“‘At’s cause she eliminated ‘is problem for ‘im. ‘E ‘ad no choice but to kill everyone else because Jasmine took out the main threat.” I heard the feminine giggles from in the room and knew immediately it was two out of the three Cunningham sisters.
Liam was always teasing Yacouba about Jasmine being more gangsta than him so I might have to let him shoot off an ear or something so we could get done.
“If I remember correctly,Goldilocks, your ass was all fucked up when Frankie handled your work and Bhal’s. Keep talking shit and I’mma remind her about your fucking bachelor party. Have your high yella ass gettin’ whipped on your bed again.” Couba was lucky that Frankie had stayed behind at the condo orelse we probably would’ve been helping Li dodge bullets instead of finishing my takeover.
“Dinna threaten me with a good time.”
Yacouba looked stunned at the dreamy look on Li’s face then shook his head not willing to touch any more of that conversation. “That’s got to be some shit he got from Deuce DNA.”
“Y’all really clowning in the middle of a murder?” Hakeem looked like we hadn’t come full cloak and dagger the way we had when Priest handled business. Everyone had their own way of doing things. Yacouba didn’t even bother bringing us all in because like Liam said, Jasmine took out the real threat. He was just doing cleanup work.
And he wanna call us selfish.
“Bruh, they gone die anyway why can’t we make this shit enjoyable? As busy as we are we gotta fit in time together where we can.” Yacouba was speaking facts but I was sure it was strange to Hakeem.
“You might as well get used to this shit, ‘Keem.”
From the look on his face, none of our antics made sense. Hakeem glanced back at my brothers who were unbothered by our bickering and shrugged. They were here to observe, as we had all been called to do in the last few years, because of the rules of theConsortium. All of them were gathered not just because of the betrayal that Theo was accused of, but also because he was a part of our organization and you couldn’t cut off a branch without permission from the tree. Which we’d already been granted.
“Y’all are far too eager to drag this out today. If you make us ladies miss our dinner reservation because I’ve got to get this man’s offal out of my hair I’ll be the next person you have a problem with, Ori.”
Jemma Marie stood in the center of our brothers looking every inch the mafia princess she was. I guess technically she was soon to be promoted to queen. The person standing in her way hadn’t shown up today being more than remiss in her duties but that would need to be addressed soon.
“Pissing off my wife is never on my to-do list.” I watched Asha’s eyes light up when I spoke the word wife.
“Good. Introduce yourself to the man before you send him to hell. I’m hungry and Asha swears your cousin has a restaurant whose food will rival the Boot. I call bullshit but I’m willing to give her a chance to prove me wrong.” She waved off the idea that anywhere could cook better than her precious state but she was going to have to come off that hubris since Matty could burn.
Hakeem spoke up since it was clear she was talking about his mama’s places.
“Asha ain’t wrong. My mama be cooking her ass off.”
“Yoo over ‘ere talkin’ about us but yoo’re worried about yoor stomach?”
Like the brat she’d always been, Jemma Marie pouted before she frowned annoyed. “You wouldn’t like me when I was hangry, Liam. Forgive our interruptions, Ori. Please continue.” With a regal dip of her head, she gave me leave to continue what I was doing.
Moments like this made me remember what family felt like. What I’d missed while I was out in Cuba and being stuck in the government for so many years. The chaotic nature of genuine camaraderie that was forged for generations before us and a bond that we wouldn’t allow to be broken no matter the stressors.
“Lau Ahi.”
The silence was expected since I was sure that Theo and his father were far too unconcerned with learning their enemy the way I’d studied them.
“What is that some type of tuna? I’m supposed to be terrified of a nigga who names himself after a fish?” Theo was laughing but it was a show. An attempt to garner sympathy and to show that he wasn’t weak in front of everyone. And he was about to die so his jabs held no weight.
“Pappy, tell them whatLau Ahimeans.”
