“Yeah…” Ezio pulled from his blunt, smoke filling the air. “Anytime one of us is missing, all we gotta do is step to Demise. He may have dumped a nigga in Thailand.”
“Y’all swear y’all can take a nigga. And is smokin’ good for yo’ sobriety? High-ass nigga.”
“Yo’ sister ain’t complainin’.” Ezio grinned, and Don scoffed.
Nel jumped again. “Yeah, fuck this shit! That makes two big-ass rats, and those big-ass rats mean they been fuckin’ and makin’ big-ass babies. Shit gone spoil my damn appetite ’cause I’m gone think the restaurant got rats, and I’m too hungry for that shit.”
Nel dropped his blunt and stepped on it before swinging the back door open.
“Scary-ass nigga done blew my fuckin’ high.” Matteo put his blunt out the same way.
Everyone else followed suit, going inside and leaving Don and me alone. I hadn’t been smoking, just listening to these nigga’s chop it up and enjoying the slight night breeze.
“You all spiffy and shit.”
I smirked. “Just tell a nigga he fly, yo.”
“You aite. Cool enough to kick shit with. But what the fuck is this shit? I hope it ain’t no proposal.”
Standing from the wall I’d been leaning on, I approached Don. “You said I had to marry one, right?”
“I also said you had thirty days, or I was pickin’ for you. I think you got two more of them shits. You sure that’s you in there?”
I laughed. Don was a fucking mind-bending motherfucker. “Yeah, we both know you wasn’t pickin’ shit, at least not for me.”
I pulled the door open and stepped inside.
“Yeah, aite. Remember who run shit, Cuppacio.”
I wasn't worried about leaving Don alone because I’d already seen the big-ass guards he had posted around the building. I shook my head because the Don ran the mob, but he didn’t run me. I made my way through the kitchen, where the chefs and servers were working. Instead of lingering to see the reason the restaurant smelled so good, I continued into the ambiance of the restaurant. Stepping into the room to check on the littles, I immediately grinned at seeing the younger generation dressed up and talking shit to one another.
“Italian, please go to one of the other seats. Ion feel good.”
“That’s cuz that nigga was posted in the blogs with that model bitch. Don’t get mad at me cuz you love-sick, ZeyZey.”
I looked around after hearing Italian and Big Zan’s daughter bickering, and nodded in appreciation. This group had been holding me down in more ways than one. They had all stepped up to be my hands, eyes, and ears when it came to Solana because, even though some other shit was brewing there, shewas mob business at the end of the day. Glow’s little sister and her friend were giggling in the corner, fitting in as if they’d come to Jagoda Bay with us from Chicago. They were very much a part of the crew now, and I made a mental note to chat with Bella and Pearla about what was appropriate to say and not say in their company.The three musketeers, Bella, Mahzeyah, and Pearla, had been busy since six o’clock this morning because I’d paid them to get everyone together, including this bunch.
“Italian, give her fifty feet.”
Mahzeyah’s eyes shot to me. She looked so much like her mother but a lot like her father too. “Ohh, heyy, Mr. Shio. You have to give me the glam squad information. I need them to do me up for prom, graduation, and senior pictures!”
“Yessss! They have to get us right,” Pearla cosigned, and it was good to see her smiling. I knew it had a lot to do with Mr. Joe’s grandson, however, but we’d be on standby if that situation blew up from Matteo finding out or Grind having a miracle and waking up, demanding her.
“I ain’t trying to be messy…” Bella started, putting her phone on the table.
“What, Bellz?”
“Ion like yo’ baby mama, cousin.”
I chuckled. “You ain’t met her.”
“I saw her and that was enough! She aggy-looking.”
“She fine, though,” Italian said with lust in his eyes. The little nigga was getting too much play to think he had a shot with Bahati.
Mahzeyah snapped her head toward Italian so hard that it looked like she was from a scene out ofThe Exorcist. “And you fake as fuck! Excuse my language, Mr. Shio. You know we team Solana!”
“Solana my nigga for life. She already know how this shit gone go, and so do everybody else. That don’t mean Brama ain’t fine.”
