Page 82 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings
“I’m trying to help. She’s right about one thing, you don’t know this woman you have around these kids.”
“I know Cambrie well enough.”
“Or you want to get to know her, am I right about that?” She narrowed her eyes. “Because that’s a bad idea too. How does that work if you get with her and things don’t work out? What happens to the kids then?”
“Ma, I ain’t having this conversation with you. I need to get these kids ready for bed, and I have this meeting tonight with Ramirez and the other families.”
“So I heard,” she muttered, looking around and noticing the new BMW in the driveway. “That’s nice.”
“I thought Cambrie could use something more spacious to drive the kids around.”
“You’re doing a bit much for someone who’s just the help,” Rossi observed.
“What’s wrong witchu?” I demanded, watching her rear her neck like she hadn’t expected my tone or the hard glare I fixed on her.
“What are you talking about?” Her face balled up in pretend confusion as she adjusted her linen t-shirt.
“Why you acting like that with her when you don’t even know her?”
“Neither do you, Staten. I just think you were using a smaller head when you hired her. She’s beautiful.”
“She’s also qualified, and I was a little short on time since you were the one that put the request out there. I don’t want to go back and forth with you or anybody else about her being here. We might live on your property, but this is my house. I’m not going there with anybody about how I run shit. We clear on that?”
With her famous stoic expression, Rossi barely blinked before responding.
“We’re clear,” she mumbled, using the toggle on her chair to turn her back toward the van.
Her driver, Marco, stood beside her side door waiting. The minute he saw her approaching, he opened it for her and lowered the ramp again. I wasn’t used to the cold, detached woman that she was with Cambrie when she was always so welcoming to everybody else and willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. My own curiosity bordered on paranoia at the same time because something nagged at me about her myself. I just didn’t have the time to sit with what I thought might be true when I had other shit going on that was more important.
“I’d like to thank everyone for attending this evening.” Gathered at a circle table with the heads of the other four families within our syndicate, I made eye contact with each man.
When I got to Jacob Lathan, anger blazed behind his gaze as he anxiously tapped his fingers against the table. Clearly, he was agitated as I brought the glass of our whiskey I’d been nursing to my lips. Brick and Ivo were behind me, posted still as statues. My father had big shoes to fill, but I wasn’t new to this shit. I might have been MIA, but that didn’t mean I didn’t keep my ear to what was going on.
“It’s a new day. My father is no longer here. I’ve officially moved into his chair, and I thought we should all meet and be clear that changes will be implemented. It seems there are some that think we’re weak because Justus is gone. Do any of you think that?” I asked, surveying the group of men once again.
Hector Ramirez, he was our southeast connect. His family was connected as far as Colombia. Milan Casten was our northern connect. His reach expanded beyond Canada. Then there was Miguel Fuentes. He was our southwest plug, and his organizations stretched into Mexico. Our family along with Lathan’s held it down across the midwest and southern states. Together we created the five families of power. Now there were still middle-level muhfuckas, but they all copped work from one of us, which meant we were the top dogs.
“I don’t know what you heard, Static…” Casten spoke up, his rich milk chocolate skin shimmering off the lights above us.
“Let me be clear, Milan, I’m not here off speculation. Somebody at this table went against the grain, or they authorized that shit.” I set my glass down. “You know shit like that can’t go unanswered. So, I’ll ask again, does anyone here have a problem? Speak now. We built this shit off blood and sweat. There’s always going to be a muhfucka trying to test what we have or get greedy. I don’t know about you, but I won’t stand for any type of betrayal or disloyalty. Justus might be gone, but the creed doesn’t change.”
Lathan was biting down on his jaw so hard that shit looked painful as he glared around the table at everyone else.
“We just supposed to take your word for it?” He finally got the balls to speak up. “Speaking of your father, do you know what happened to him? Has anyone been held accountable for that? How the fuck we know you can hold down Justus’s territory? Aren’t you the same son that ran from his legacy?”
I picked up my glass again and peered at him over the rim when I brought it to my mouth. Swallowing slowly, I allowed the alcohol to coat my throat and set it back down. Tension thick as concrete cloaked the room, and every man waited on my response. Simpering, I reached for the Glock resting in my lap and brought it to the table in front of me.
“I might have been gone, but you know damn well what it is with me, Jacob. You sure you want to go there? Do you need another lesson? Unfortunately, Chino had to learn the hard way along with his crew. I got no problem extending the lesson to the rest of your sons and nephews.”
This nigga nearly popped a vein. Standing abruptly, he knocked his chair over behind him and shot daggers at me across the table. Brick and Ivo moved just as swift, both aiming their desert eagles at his heaving chest.
“You decide how you want this to go. Was Chino moving on his own, or did you put him up to this?” I questioned.
“I told him coming for you was a bad idea, but I can’t control what he does,” Jacob spat through his clenched jaw.
“Maybe you should have tried a little harder, and he would still be here. I got no problem making an example out of any muhfucka that thinks they can come for me or anybody in my crew because Justus is gone. I hope everyone got the message… just in case. I’m here to stay, gentlemen, and I won’t show mercy on my enemies. You decide if you want to become that. As for his killer, I’ll handle that personally.” Slowly, I brought myself to my feet, adjusting the navy blazer draped over my shoulders. “Have a good night.”
Brick and Ivo dropped their guns and trailed me to the door. Once we were outside, they both tucked their shit as we strut toward the black SUVs that our team rolled up in.
