Page 20 of Papa's Beloved

I eat until I’m too full to move. Gambit grins at me.

“Ready for church?”

“As good a time as any. I might need someone to roll me in.”

Gambit stands up on his chair. “CHURCH MOTHER FUCKERS.”

The sound of chairs being pushed back can be heard across the bar as the brothers all file out to church. I drop a kiss on my girl’s lips before nodding at Vega and Simmons on my way out. I take a seat on Gambit’s right. My usual spot. Prez waits until everyone files in before he grabs the skull and beats it on the table.

“Meetings in order, fuckers.”

Those who hadn’t dropped their phones in the box turn them off or on silent and face down. I put mine on vibrate and turn it over. Gambit’s phone is face up. He’s first in line in case of an emergency. They’ll call him first. I’m next in line.

“Before we get to our former guest and what Wizard found, our Queen has asked us to put something on the docket for a vote.”

“What’s Queenie want us to vote on? Doc asks.

“Papa’s ol’ lady.”

“What?” Cobra asks.

“Papa doesn't have an ol’ lady,” Everest says.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Gambit says. “Papa and Nay have been in a committed monogamous relationship for two years.”

I hear murmurs go up around the table. I figure most of my brothers knew.

“I don’t want to be an ass, but doesn’t it bother you she's slept with most of your brothers?” Demon asks.

I shake my head. “No. Who she slept with before we became an item is not my concern. We kept our relationship secret for a long time because she doesn’t feel good enough. Not because she was a doll but because of her past. Something you’ll learn more about AFTER the vote.

“My woman may have slept with some of my brothers, but she’s also saved their lives. She’s loyal, smart, and beautiful. I’m asking you, as my brothers, to help me convince the woman I love she’s worthy. Because she is. She’s done so much for so many.”

I see nods around the table.

“All in favor.”

Every hand around the table goes up in the air. The heavy weight of worry lifts off my shoulder.

“Wizard, what did you find out about our visitor?”

“Farid Kasim, thirty-five. His family moved from Medina, Saudi Arabia, when he was seventeen. He moved to New Orleans six months ago. I’m working on tracking his whereabouts before then. He got a job on the docks within a week. From his confession earlier, we know he worked for the G’Dawgs for much of that time.

“He’s fairly low on the totem pole. The only useful information he gave us is the names of the G’Dawg leaders. That confirms the information we have. Reno Parks, Taylen Marshall, Jessy Breaux, Denis David, Andre David, Pablo Cotilla, and Manuel Sancho are the top of the gang's food chain.

“At four-thirty this morning, I received an alert for Linden. He was spotted not far from the docks, where the guns came in talking to Reno Parks. Reno is the G’Dawgs’ prez.”

I slammed my fist on the table. “Let’s wipe them all out. No one would miss a bunch of fucking street punk thugs. Fucking low lifes.”

I feel a hand on my shoulder.

“I feel you, brother, but we can’t commit mass murder. At least without a lot of planning.”

“Then let’s plan.”

Chapter 16

Nay

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