Page 27 of Nocturnal Sins
CHAPTER NINE
Samira
Santana’s revelation still blared in my head like a song that wouldn’t stop playing on loop. Like the kind you couldn’t get out of your brain no matter how much you hated it or wanted it to stop.
My father was a drug dealer. Not just any fucking drug dealer though. He was thekingpinof Rhode Island. How much of my life had been a lie? Nothing made sense but we were all going to make it make sense.
Since I was in a daze, Santana jumped into action. He got tired of us standing in the foyer going back and forth so he said, “Let’s move this into the kitchen because I think everyone needs a drink. Sammie included. You owe her this, Pop.” His tone left no room for debate. Not even from Papa. He nodded silently and watched as I took the tequila from Santana.
I watched him in awe, his broad, muscled back flexed beneath his shirt. I had visions of my nails leaving angry red trails along his smooth skin while he fucked me like a madman.
His energy was magnetic. It was an energy that the tides and winds obeyed.
It was an energy that made the scrap of fabric between my legs transparent with desire. I needed that damn drink but not for the reasons Santana thought.
“How long, exactly?” I asked Papa once I’d taken a few sips of tequila.
“Since Santana was ten and you were six. It started off as a way to bring in extra money because times were hard but then before I knew it I was rising through the ranks and Pablo, the connect before me, took a liking to me.
When he got sent away for life, I took over his operation with his blessing. Then your mother and I started bringing in cash hand over fist. I was able to provide for you two like I always dreamed. I was also able to keep my restaurant open and thriving.” He looked into my eyes and I saw remorse swimming in them but the waters were shallow. He was only telling me about his past and present because Santana dragged it out into the open and made him confront everything.
“Was mom in on this with you?” Santana asked. His voice had been rubbed raw from the friction of emotion.
“Yeah, Alina was my right hand.” A nostalgia-coated smile graced Papa’s handsome face as he looked at something past me. Probably a reel of old memories. Normally, I wouldn’t have interrupted but fuck that. I had questions that needed answers and I wasn’t going to get them by staring off into space and smiling.
“So she was the queenpin then?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. The tequila was doing its job and relaxing all my muscles. Papa gave a curt nod.
“How deep did she get? Was she just on the business side of things?” Santana seemed to have as many questions as me. Mine were a jumbled mess rolling around the landscape of my mind like tumbleweed though.
Get your shit together Samira. You have questions too.
“She was involved in everything, Santana. You honestly get your temper from her. She was a firecracker and she was ruthless. She was truly my queen.”
“You’re not answering me directly, Pop. What did she do exactly?” Santana spoke in staggered sentences as if Papa was a toddler. The inflection wasn’t missed on him either, because he narrowed his gaze and grunted.
“She helped delegate. She sat by me during meetings. She held meetings when I couldn’t and she handled thieves and disloyal soldiers alongside me.” The air of pride in his voice was unmistakable.
It sent chills racing up and down my arms. The fine golden hairs on my forearms stood on end. The thought of my mother being a secret queenpin and standing right beside Papa, orchestrating drug trades and handling grown men, excited me.
A spark jumped to life and hunger began to churn in the murky parts of me. I took another drink of tequila and looked at Santana to see how he was faring. His jaw ticked up and down, up and down.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell us? You know how fucking dangerous that is to have your kids out in the open knowing you probably have tons of enemies? What were you two thinking?” I asked. Somehow, words managed to exit my mouth. They tore through the air, ripping apart Papa’s walk down memory lane.
The corners of his mouth turned down while Santana and I sat, waiting for an answer. Papa’s chest expanded with the deep breath he took. His explanation would be an entire novel. I knew it.
“We never sent you two outside without a shadow. All the guys you’ve come to know and love as uncles, they’ve all taken watch over you at some point. You two were never in any danger. I wouldn’t have that happen on my watch.” Frustrated, Papa finished the rest of his drink in one gulp. “Look, I don’t think I should be on trial here for wanting to protect my children. I love you both and wanting to keep you out of this life is not something I’m going to apologize for.
“I will apologize for going about it the wrong way but not for wanting better for you two. You’re my world, I would do anything to protect your innocence.”
“I can appreciate that, Pop but you gotta understand that this is going to take a while for me to digest. Well, at least the part about Mom.” Santana looked at me as if to give me the floor. I still needed time though.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Papa,” I said. The sound of my chair scraping against the kitchen floor seemed louder than ever when silence was blanketing everything.
“I agree, we need some time apart. Especially me and you Santana. We’ll talk more tomorrow.” I didn’t like the edge in Papa’s voice when he spoke to Santana. It sent a flare of anger through me. Maybe it was the liquor, but I was more than certain it was something else.
“Papa, you better not chew Santana out. He did what you should have done a long time ago. If you need someone to be pissed at, be pissed at yourself because you’re the one who caused all the discord.
You should be thanking him for putting it all out there because you didn’t have the fucking courage to do it yourself.” My features morphed into a dark scowl that took Papa by surprise.
