Page 27 of The Impossible

I nodded, then looked at Titus. “You’re missing a security guard, ain’t you?” I didn’t have to ask. I already knew the answer, seeing as I’d had the cameras checked. The only problem was there were four main families here, so the dead man could have belonged to anyone. However, my gut told me he belonged to them. Given I had no beef with the other families, I had no inkling that they were up to anything.

He shook his head without speaking, but Shamus spoke for him.

“No, we got everything we came here for, except that payment for Patience’s hand in marriage. I assume you have that check handy.”

I laughed. “And you don’t even want a picture with your daughter or your granddaughter?”

“We abide by the rules of our agreements. She no longer belongs to us, so we don⁠—”

“She doesn’t belong to anyone. Yes she is my wife, but she is not fucking property.”

Shamus laughed and Titus grimaced. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say his paper bag skin ass was turning red.

The air was thin and the tension in the space was heavy. The O’Learys used to be a very respected family in our circles, but then shady business practices and a few rumors I was seeing firsthand to have true qualities tanked them.

“Didn’t say she was.” Shamus then stood.

I looked him up and down. “Good.” I reached into my pocket, pulling out the check I had already written. Something told me they were hard up, so they wouldn’t be above collecting at the wedding.

I handed it off and the old man smiled. The first genuine one all night. It was something about these motherfuckers that I couldn’t put my finger on. Then Nic’s words from a few weeks back floated into my mind.

“O’Leary women don’t live long, by blood or married in…it’s a family full of men. The only women alive are myself, my sister who is not here, and my brother’s new wife. No aunties, mothers, or grandmothers.”

I stood there watching them leave before I felt a presence at my side.

“Be careful when it comes to them motherfuckers. I refuse to believe everything that’s been said over the years is untrue.”

I turned and looked at Tylon, son of Willis Jackson, one of the founding families of Briar’s freight industry. His father had stepped down about a month ago and he stepped up, sure to fulfil all obligations Old Man Willis had taken part of. Unlike his father, Tylon was a loose cannon and definitely a YN though. He was smart, and damn right business minded, so I kept my business with him. Because loose cannon or not, the young nigga had an eye for the paper.

“I hear you.”

“How do you marry the daughter and piss all of them off in the same night?” Otto asked, walking up on the side of me.

“’Cause I don’t trust them.”

“You shouldn’t,” my brother responded.

“But fuck all that. Congratulations on your nuptials. I’m tryna be just like you when I grow up.” Tylon drank from his glass with a big dumb ass smile.

I laughed. “Ah, yeah. Then stop hanging out with this nigga.” I pointed at Otto who laughed.

CHAPTER 7

Patience

“You are simply beautiful, baby girl,” Mama Carter said. We were in the middle of taking pictures.

“Thank you so much for everything.” I grinned, hugging her back.

I hadn’t had a mother in years, but I yearned for one and everything she had done, even her presence, reminded me of what I was missing. Then again, maybe not missing, because ever since that night we had dinner, she had been a constant fixture. She called me checking in and even threatened to knock her son upside his head if he had done something to make me unhappy. She had stepped in, filling a void I didn’t realize I was affected by until I was listening to her go on and on about a wedding she helped me plan at five in the morning days before. She went with me to fittings and tastings and even advocated for me in moments I didn’t know I needed it. She had this beautiful soul and purest of intentions besides the fact that she was very upfront about her need for grandkids to spoil. It was cute, and even though Hondo and I hadn’t discussed children, I knew it was coming up. He was adamant about this marriage being as real as two people dating for several years and deciding a wedding was the next step and I understood it. There was no point in taking the last name and promising yourself to someone forever and it being fake, right? From the day he took me to his hideaway, everything was real.

“You never have to thank me for anything, Babygirl. We’re family and I’ll forever be here for you and my future grandchildren.” She winked.

I laughed hard. She was very vocal about these grandkids.

“Alright, let me get in here. Could’ve sworn I heard the mention of grandkids.” Hondo’s voice had me looking at him with a goofy grin. He looked so good, his signature all black never looked better. It was like I hadn’t just stood in front of this man and said I do.

“Nah, don’t step in now. Matter of fact, yes, you should. Let me find your father and brother, so we can do a family picture.” Mrs. Carter walked off, leaving me and Hondo standing there.