Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
He leaned against the living room wall, studying Nadia, who sat Indian style on his couch, wearing one of his Houston Cougars jerseys over lace panties. She puffed on an e-cigarette, holding it loosely with a limp wrist draped in gold chain bracelets, while her gaze focused on the matter at hand. He crossed his ankles, taking sips of his coffee to wash down the lingering taste of pancakes, then placed the cup on the end table. She flipped the paper to the opposite side, continuing to read the creased letter covered in old food smudges and oily disdain that had collected since the moment it was thrust upon him.
With a slow, long exhale, Nadia placed the letter down by her side, picked up his stereo system’s remote control, turned up the music, then went right back to reading the document. Anycia’s, ‘Back Outside,’ featuring Latto, drifted from his speakers.
Minutes grew long in the tooth, and then, it was over. Unsure of her stance on the contents of the letter, he didn’t dare blink. She cleared her throat and delicately folded the paper back the way it was with her pretty little fingers. Shiny, long nails dragged along the folded edge and for a brief moment, a flash of irritation crashed her expression, then faded into a dark smile. Leaning forward, she placed the letter onto the coffee table, sighed loudly, shook her head, and leaned back, arm extended along the length of the couch. A clear look of disgust on her face.
“…And I thought my father was a motherfucker. The devil sho’ is busy, ain’t he? Your grandfather makes my daddy look like Ghandi. Tha fuck?” She chuckled, though it was obvious she was not amused.
Lennox sucked his teeth, laughing mirthlessly while he nodded in agreement. The devil was definitely busy, and the devil was Grandpa. Always on the clock. He sat down beside her, and they remained quiet. He liked these moments with her. They spoke to one another without a need for extra filler. No desire to fill in gaps. Instead, their minds took in the crumpled information and tried to make something smooth of it.
He glanced her way as she looked down at the floor. Sunlight filtered in through the living room curtains, giving her a pinkish halo. Her flawless brown skin with undertones of amber and yellow glowed like a lantern. Soft fine hairs framed her hairline, flowing into a mass of dark brown wavy tresses that were now gathered in a sloppy ponytail after an evening and morning of beautiful, lust-fueled debauchery. She looked simply gorgeous. She stopped his heart just from a mere glance. Her natural state, devoid of the fluttery lashes and dark red lipstick was just as lovely, if not more so.
“…And you have six other cousins going through the same thing as you right now?”
He nodded. Taking another sip of his coffee, he set it back down. “He wants all of us.”
“Why y’all?”
“Because we’re the best, and we told him no. He hand selected each and every one of us from the moment we were born. He watched us closely, making a decision as we grew into teenagers, and then into men.”
“He only chooses the boys?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“So chivalry is not dead after all,” she teased. “He’s got the nerve to be sexist in his evil ways, but in this case, the womenfolk should be happy.”
“He sees it like a war… Women shouldn’t be on the frontlines. He keeps women around in the business for different purposes, but they’re never front and center.”
“So, what usually happens when he decides one of his chi’dren or grandsons is a good fit for whatever position he wants y’all to fill in his company?”
“Most people choose to comply.” He shrugged. “We’re the seven that didn’t.”
“Bad men seem to always want what they can’t have, Len.”
“Yeah… and I wanted you at one time, but knew I couldn’t have you. I agree with what you said. I’m not who I was back then, but he doesn’t seem to believe that.”
“Why do you think you were a bad man, versus confused and hurtin’?” She cocked her head to the side.
“…Because I did bad things. I knew they were bad, and I didn’t care.”
“But you care now, right?”
“I do about most of the things I did. Some of them I still don’t care about.”
“They say, once a gangsta, always a gangsta, Len.” She crossed her arms and glared at him, as if trying to gauge his reaction.
“I don’t deny my bloodline and what that means. I’m just saying that I acknowledge that some of the shit I did back in the day was evil, but in some ways, it was necessary. I just shouldn’t have been the one doin’ it, is all. The difference now is, I’ve made a choice to be better.”