by Posey Parks
“That was all on Griff.”
“As a show of good faith, you’ll sell the first batch and pay me. Our permanent deal will be twenty-five percent for you and sixty percent for me.”
He grabbed the back of his thick neck. “No, we can’t deal then.”
I shrugged.
“Forty percent.”
“Nope.” I puffed the cigar, then the smoke slipped from my lips.
“Thirty-five, sixty, Marco,” he grunted.
My smile widened, and I stretched my hand toward him. “Deal.”
We shook hands.
“All ill will goes out the window with this partnership.”
Apeshit smiled. “Yeah, we’re good.”
He nodded toward the black van. “Load them up, boys.”
I turned on my heels, then turned back. “Out of curiosity, how did you get the name Apeshit?”
He chuckled. “I went Apeshit on a group of guys. They left in body bags and I walked out unscathed.”
I snickered and nodded. “See you around.”
Shoving my cap on my head, I strolled out the door and climbed in the back seat of the Suburban.
I glanced at Luca’s name on my cell screen, then answered.
“Where the fuck are you?”
“Chicago.”
“Why?” I rubbed my forehead. Luca’s behavior had been off kilter ever since Christmas.
“I needed to see her.”
“Fuck, so you're stalking her now.”
“It’s not like I didn’t know where she was. I just refused to see her.”
“Oh, so you’ve spoken to Lexis?”
A low growl came through the phone. “No.”
“As I said before you’re stalking her.”
“I have a few business dealings to tend to while I am here. You’ll need to run the company and everything else.”
“Yeah, but next month I have to travel to Vegas to monitor the progress of the casino.”
“Marco, she’s hiding something. I need to find out what it is.”
“Shit, fine. I’ll handle business as long as you need.”
He exhaled. “Thank you, brother.”
“I love you and be safe.”
“Love you too, and I will.”
I ended the call.
I’d have to run myself ragged until my brother returned, because I also had to keep a close eye on my wife.
Emoni would find it difficult to operate our empire from bed. She enjoyed the dirt on her hands. Holding that knife in her grip and stabbing a persons flesh was satisfying. I knew our feelings in regard to killing was similar because we discussed the way we felt during the middle of the night after a kill. We agreed gratification came from murdering a person who betrayed us or hurt someone we loved.
I was shocked her father wasn’t upset his little girl murdered José. And was willing to turn a blind eye to Tadeas killing the man who killed his unborn grandchild. Yeah, me and her father would get along just fine. Her mother on the other hand wasn’t a fan of her daughter becoming a cold-blooded killer and matriarch of the Esposito’s. I sensed what really troubled her was the strong mother daughter relationship between my mom and Emoni.
I didn’t want their relationship to come between Emoni and her mother. Bet her mother would visit often to stay present in her daughter’s life. Too bad that wasn’t an option before. I wouldn’t ever keep her parents away from their daughter. That was a bitch move on José’s part.
A smile crept across my lips. I witnessed Emoni’s guard drop recently. The nightmares had also subsided. The woman she was before that bastard entered her life was slowly returning. Her smile was so much brighter.
I hopped out of the truck and jogged toward the door. The second I opened the door, my smile withered.
“Tadeas, I didn’t expect to see you tonight. I thought you were off work?”
The rims of his eyes were red. He slipped his fingers through his tousled blond hair. His suit jacket was wrinkled. I’d never seen Tadeas a wreck.
“Jocelyn needed to see Emoni. She has her good days and bad. Today is definitely a bad day.”
He glanced to my right. “Hey, Maceo.”
Maceo stepped closer and slapped Tadeas’ cheek twice. “We’re family. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Yeah, thanks for protecting the boss and the Donna.”
Maceo smirked. “If you guys need anything you know where I’ll be.”
Maceo’s heavy hand landed on my back before exiting the kitchen.
I gripped Tadeas’ shoulder. “Tonight, sleep here. Jocelyn can keep Emoni company while we handle business through the day.”
He sighed. “Thanks, Marco.”
We strolled into the theater room. Jocelyn was curled up in Emoni’s lap under a fur blanket, laughing at the movie Dr. Dolittle on the oversized TV screen.
I stepped behind the sofa, and my lips planted against Emoni’s ear. “Is this you and Jocelyn’s favorite movie?”
She laughed. “Yes, we watched it all the time when we were kids. Always made Joce feel better.”
Tadeas kneeled at her side and held Joycelyn’s hand.
“How are you doing?”
She pulled him closer and kissed his lips. “Ok. Do we have to leave?”
He shook his head. “No, baby. You can catch up with Emoni. We’ll stay here ─”
“As long as you need,” I added.
Emoni met my gaze. Tears brimmed her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, baby.” My wife had been through so much pain over the last four years, and during that time her sister was her support. It was Emoni’s turn to repay the favor.
“Come on, Tadeas, I’ll show you to one of the guest rooms. Then we can check basketball and football scores.” I strolled toward the door.
He stood and smirked. “Sounds good.”
I hated seeing the spark missing in Jocelyn’s eyes. We wouldn’t rest until we found the bastard. No doubt Tadeas would rip him to pieces.
EMONI
“This baby is sleeping on my bladder. Maybe I should stay in the bathroom,” Sierra growled as Dillon helped her up from the dining room table.
“I promise I’d gone to the bathroom before I left home.”
Dillon grinned. “Sierra, you don’t have to apologize. They get it.”
I smiled. “Sierra, I couldn't care less how many times you have to pee. I’m excited you’re here.”
She smiled wide. “Thanks, Emoni.” Sierra’s fingertips circled her huge belly bump.
I couldn’t wait to waddle around the house.
“Your time’s coming,” Marco whispered in my ear. His big strong hands held my nonexistent baby bump.
“Yeah, I know. I shouldn’t rush the swollen feet and ankles and that sexy huge belly.”
“I will love every minute of your transformation. Each time you’re pregnant.”
My head fell back against his solid chest. I snorted. “Baby, you say that now.”
His lips fell upon mine. “I’ll mean it then too. Sit back down and enjoy our guests.”
“Ok.”
I sat in the seat and Marco pushed me closer to the table. The wives and I decided it was best our men dressed down this evening. They wore button-down shirts, jeans, and loafers. We wanted our husbands to relax. Tony and Marco wore T-shirts the most out of our husbands. They enjoyed dressing down from time to time. Carmen said Dominic rarely dressed down unless he was at home lounging.
“Doc, am I allowed a glass of wine?”
Nadine smiled across the table. “Yes.”
“I’ll only drink half a glass of Pink Moscato.”
Carmen and I clinked our glasses.
Dominic sat on the other side of Carmen deep in a conversation with Tony.
“You want to handle every job yourself. You’re back home with family. We’ll handle the fuckers together, Tony.”
“Fine, Dom.”
Guess they got that under control. I laughed inside
.
I sat next to Marco, who sat at the head of the table. Sierra sat next to Nadine and across from Carmen. Dillon sat to Sierra’s left beside Marco. The chef placed the food on the silver runner in the center of the long dining table. There were two open bottles of Jim Beam on the table. One near Tony and Dominic and the other near Marco and Dillon. This was a night of fun to be shared between two close knit mafia families.
“Carmen, how do you like living in Jersey?”
“I hate the cold.” She rolled her eyes.
The girls and I burst into laughter.
“Nadine’s the only one accustomed to the cold.” Sierra shook her head.
“It’s not that bad.” Nadine shoulder length hair swayed as she tooted her pretty purple lips.
“Says the woman from Philly.” Carmen chuckled.
“Nadine, you said you visited Tony in Cali. You didn’t fall in love with the warm weather just a little?” I probed, holding the glass of Moscato to my lips.
Her eyes scanned ours. “Just a little.”
“Girl please you know you loved that city.” Carmen waved her hand at Nadine.
I slapped Carmen’s shoulder. “Exactly. The luxury of running out of the house in a short dress. Not a coat and boots half the year.”
“Emoni, I’ll have you know I am very stylish in my winter boots.”
Sierra pushed a stray hair behind her ear. “Shit, she is.”
We burst into laughter again.
“Ladies, Spring will be here before you know it. After about three years of living here, you won’t buck at the cold any longer. Ok, sorry side tracked. The sweet potatoes smell so good.” Nadine closed her eyes, savoring the aroma.
“I figured we’d have half soul food and half Italian for dinner.”
Sierra and I slapped hands. “Yes. Bring it.”
“For dessert we’re having Sweet Potato pie and my mammas banana pudding.”
“Carmen and Nadine, that pudding is to die for. Her mother brought Emoni an entire pan in college. She and I devoured it.”
“Yes, those were the days.”
Nadine pointed toward me. “What was Dillon like when you first met him?”
Sierra cut her eyes at Nadine. “Seriously?”
“Hey, I want to see Dillon’s reaction.”
Like the boss Dillon was he continued eating.
“He was quiet. Once I learned he was dating Sierra, he was different. In a loving way. His love for her was obvious. He was dealt a bad hand the first go round. I know what that’s like. When I visited a few months back, the look in his eyes was different. Like he’d kill for her. Not that he wouldn’t have in Portland, but I think due to his role here as a boss he carried himself differently. Marco has been like that since I met him. I just wasn’t aware how dark our men are.”
“Very dark.” Carmen sipped a glass of water.
“Agreed.” I nudged her shoulder.
“I think my favorite moment between Dillon and Sierra was when she had a meeting with a wife.”
Sierra blushed.
“Dillon whispered something in Sierra’s ear.”
His fork clanked against his plate. “Really, Emoni.”
I waved Dillon off. “Relax.”
I peered at the wives. “He got a boner for my bestie.”
Marco slid back from the table, laughing.
Dominic threw his head back, chuckling. “Bro.”
Tony stared at Dillon, squealing.
“You should have seen that woman’s face. Dillon made her day. Once Dillon realized what happened, he whisked his wife out of the room. It was sweet anyway. I love how much you love my best friend.”
Dillon nodded.
Marco’s heavy hand landed on his shoulder. “Brother, it’s all good.”
After dinner, the guys played the video game in the theater room. Their screaming and laughter filled the house. I loved how lively my house felt. I’d been alone and unhappy for so long I forgot what normalcy felt like.
The ladies and I tucked our bare feet under our bottoms on the sofas in the living room.
“I am so thankful to have you ladies in my life.” My eyes fell over each of their beautiful faces.
Carmen dropped her head on Nadine’s shoulder. “I second that. I’ve spent so much time in school and rarely had fun. If it weren’t for Dominic, I would never enjoy life. My husband’s a psychopath. Yet, he’s loving. I swear if he hadn’t fed me in college I would have starved to death.”
“As angry as he looks all the time you would never guess he’s a softy on the inside.” I smirked.
Nadine’s eyes met mine. “Tony refused to call me his girlfriend when we first started dating. I guess you could say I was a booty call that slept over and never left.”
We laughed.
“It’s surreal that he’s back.” Her smile rose and fell.
“I lost him for fourteen years.” She swiped at the tear that slid down her cheek.
“So many nights my son heard me cry myself to sleep. I wanted my man back. Now he’s here. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and watch him sleep. I know he’s back for good, but sometimes my brain doesn’t understand.” Sierra and I scurried to the other sofa to comfort Nadine. I kneeled before her. Carmen and Sierra hugged her.
“He needs to return to Cali on business and I don’t want him to leave. Deep down I’m afraid he won’t return.”
I gripped her hand tight. “You have to believe he will.”
She nodded.
Sierra and I returned to the opposite sofa.
My best friend sighed. “Me and Dillon had horrible first marriages. We work so hard to make the best of this one. He’s all about family. And me. Women stare at him often when we’re out, but he never takes his eyes off of me. I feel weird sometimes. A good man only cares about making his wife happy. Not dicking down half the country. I hate the first man I was with cheated on me often. Dillon brightens every single day. I’m truly the happiest woman in the world.”
I gripped her hand.
A huge smile took my lips. “Under all those Tattoos is a man who’s a big teddy bear. He treats me special all the time.”
“I told him he didn’t have to stay home with me on New Year’s Eve. He said he wanted to hang with me, his pregnant wife. You’d think Mr. Mob Boss would want to be the center of attention. But he didn’t. We chilled in his office at our night club. I’m so lucky to have such a wonderful man.”
“What was it like living with a man who didn’t know who you were?” Carmen probed.
I rubbed my arm. “It was rough. I already blamed myself for the shooting that involved Marco and our men. One minute he tells me everything will be ok, then he’s lying on the ground unconscious. On one hand, I was so excited he was alive, then to learn he didn’t remember me. It crushed my heart. He thought I was a new stripper he was fucking.”
Carmen and Nadine gasped.
Sierra’s eyes widened. “I know you were pissed.”
“I was, but a part of me just wanted to be close to him. All I could do was wait for him to come back to me. Since he knew before he lost his memory he was searching for a wife, Marco wasn’t that taken back by my presence once he learned I was his wife. He was more so relieved. He didn’t want to be a single man anymore.”
Sierra stared into the distance. “A crazy bastard held me hostage in my own backyard, then he shot my fiancé right before my eyes. The asshole and his goon kidnapped me and left Dillon face down on the lawn. I thought he was dead. That was the worst feeling in the world.” I hugged her tight.
Nadine ran her hand along her cheek. “Tony was wounded by one of our enemies in Italy, before I became a doctor. He was touch and go. I can’t tell you how relieved I was when he woke up.”
“Girl, that’s terrible. I bet you felt helpless.”
“Emoni, I did. All I could do was rely on another doctor.” She shook her head.
Carmen wrung her hands. “Dominic’s lunatic ex-girlfriend re
cently tried to blow up the entire Magarelli family at our reception.”
My hand flew over my mouth. “I remember hearing about the terrible ordeal. Marco rushed over to Sierra’s because he thought I’d gone to the reception.”
Carmen nodded. “Angelita and her men were about to kill Dominic when me, Tony, and Dillon arrived to rescue him. Dominic was beside himself after the incident. We stayed in the house for a month. He never wanted me to get my hands dirty.”
I met Carmen’s gaze. “Sometimes that’s just what we have to do. Be boss bitches.”
Nadine smacked her lips. “Damn right.”
Carmen leaned forward. “I have a question. How do you guys feel about the crazy side of our men?”
I smirked. “Shit, I love it. Marco said he wouldn’t choke me again until after the baby was born.”
Nadine pointed at me. “Yes, you will have to wait.”
She stuck her tongue out. “But I don’t”
We laughed.
“My orgasm is a twenty when Tony wraps his big hands around my neck.” Nadine’s eyes closed. “His eyes turn dark, but lustful at the same time.”
She opened her eyes and winked. “Yes, the fucking best.”
We shrilled.
“Nothing’s better than watching your man come.”
“Sierra girl, you better say it.” I slapped her shoulder.
The ladies cackled.
“I can’t believe we’re talking about our sex lives.” My hand slid over the nape of my neck.
“Girl, this is mild. Wait until you meet the Assassin wives. We are all wild as hell.” Sierra smirked.
“I definitely have a sweet tooth now. I’d love a bowl of banana pudding. It will tied me over until I get home and can fuck my husband’s brains out.” Nadine stood.
“Agreed,” we chimed one after the other.
“Tonight, was wonderful.” I yawned against Marco’s chest in the center of our bed.
He caressed my back as he watched football highlights. “Felt good hanging with friends in our new home.” My fingers traced along the tiger tattoo.
“It did.”
“I’d love it if we could vacation together.”
“That would be cool. I’ll talk to Dillon. The Magarelli’s have a beach house about two hours away. This summer we can enjoy the fireworks together.”
