Page 23 of The Twins

Tev and Zilv stare at me. I shrug, completely in agreement with Blanche. Back in my room, I pick up my clothes to get ready. “I’m in the mood for seafood.”

Zilv perks up. “Me too.”

“We are fucked up.”

I pat Tev’s cheek as I pass him, now fully dressed. “Who the fuck cares?”

Tovah 16.

“Ez, you need to back the fuck off, before I put you down in front of your lady. You want Polka Dot to witness me best you…again?” I lean in close, his jaw clenching, his chest heaving. He’s so easy to rile up. “She already compares your tongue to mine, the touch of your hands to mine, the size of our dicks.” He growls and it makes me chuckle.

“Tovah, stop that.” Dottie sighs. I wink at her and step back, giving Ezra room so he can turn around and smother his woman.

“A little birdie told me things are in motion.” Ezra won’t confirm, but he’s pissier than usual at the office, and he’s adamant Dottie does not join the BABs for lunch.

“Yak and Tev need to keep their fucking mouths shut.” I hum noncommittally. It wasn’t either of them, but I’m no rat.

“Dottie and Dottie’s sisters are safe with me. Besides, we all have security details. Also, and I hate that I even need to mention this, but we are Badass Bitches. It ain’t just a nickname.” I pretend to pop the color on my silk jade jumpsuit. “It’s a way of life.” The other women laugh at my antics, but Ezra remains unamused. I blank my expression and meet his hard stare with my own. “With my life.”

He deflates, his arms wrapping around Dottie so tight she struggles to breathe for a moment. She’s a good woman, not complaining or begging for air, giving her man time to come to terms with yet another loss.

Because I’m incapable of remaining serious for long, I sling my arm over Dottie’s shoulders and drag her away from him. “Can’t let anything happen to the sweetest pussy in existence.” I elbow him as I move us toward the door. “Am I right?”

“I will end you.”

“Love you too, smooches!” I wave above my head, casual and carefree as I oversee the women getting into the waiting SUVs. Today’s excursion is happening for several reasons. One, I want to spend time with my brother’s woman. She’s important to him, and she impressed me with how she handled Arlo’s episode. It’s time to bring her into the fold of the BABs. Two, the threat against Dottie has everyone keyed up and the women, in particular, are going stir crazy.

And three, I’ve had e-fucking-nough. We’re going out, and we’re dragging the motherfucker out of the shadows. Some would say I’m using us as bait, I say to them, “fuck off”. It is a tactical move. I’m not one to pussyfoot around. Not like the male pansies that are running the Kosher Nostra. Never send a man to do a woman’s job.

My jumpsuit does well to conceal my weapons, and my purse is large enough to hide a few more. Before I enter the last SUV, I nod at the security details, tap my hip once, and get in.

I listen to conversation, the three SUVs linked by Bluetooth, so no one misses the tea. Seril, Ruth, Sophie, Bailey, Dottie, Rose, Sophia, and Harper chit-chat and bust each other’s tits as we drive to our lunch time destination. Mom and the aunts are at the compound with the kids. Becks, Blanche, and I, each of us in a separate SUV, keep our heads on a swivel. The other two women are armed to the teeth, like me, and no one is the wiser to my plans. I’m gonna face hell when the men figure out what I’ve done, but I won’t sit back and allow my family to live on tenterhooks until someone else decides to attack one of our own. I’m bringing the fight to them.

At the restaurant, we’re taken to the back room for a secluded meal. A group this large and as rowdy as we get, it’s best we’re not in the main dining room. “Vandy…you good?” I ask her after we’ve ordered. Her smile is instantaneous.

“Work is good. The foundation is doing well. I’m at a meal with some of the best women I’ve ever met. And Tevye…Tev is really,reallygood.” The others laugh, I smile and sit back in my chair.

“Look at you, excelling at adulthood and making friends.” I pause for dramatic effect, Ruth and Sophie roll their eyes knowing something bad is about to come out of my mouth. And they’d be right. I lift my glass to her, “May my brother’s cock be less disappointing than his personality!”

“TOVAH!” Ah, music to my ears.

“Your brother is quite talented…in more ways than one.” Chuckling, I set my gaze on Dottie. She squirms in her seat. I briefly flick my eyes to Blanche and smile when she shakes her head.

“Dot, tell her how talentedIam? You two can compare notes, see which Frenkel sibling is the better lover.”

Dot scowls at me playfully, raises her hands in surrender, “I’m not getting in the middle of this. As far as I’m concerned, Ezra is the only person I’ve ever been with.”

“Fine.” Blanche slaps her hand on the table. “I’ll tell you. She does this thing when she’s between your thighs, hums some rap song from the 90’s—” Vandy gasps, her hands covering her mouth, eyes wide as she looks between Blanche and myself. The color draining from her face is a dead giveaway and I toss my head back and laugh so hard tears nearly run down my legs.

“Amish Paradise,” I manage to get out. I point at Vandy when she nods her head.

Harper waves her finger at me, “Twins of mass dysfunction.” I laugh harder, using my napkin to wipe under my eyes. I’m gonna piss myself.

I excuse myself to use the bathroom. On my way out, I notice a cluster of men standing around the bar. At first glance they appear innocuous, but closer inspection, it’s easy to see the bulges of holstered weapons. Their eyes track my movements in the mirror above the bottle display.

I’m disappointed; that was too easy. Fucking amateurs. I sit back down, and allow their conversations to draw me in. We’re leaving the restaurant almost an hour later. I maneuver to sit in the SUV with Dottie, telling the security detail to hang back. Manny, Ruth’s bodyguard, is intense as he stares me down.

“You’re sure?”

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