Page 67 of Welcome to the Table
Calliope let out a dangerous chuckle, and only I knew what it meant.
“But did you see her misery? Look at her now. Don’t you think she wants to be at home with her family?” he asked me.
“I don’t give a fuck what she looked like. These niggas were fucking with our businesses, so I had to fuck with theirs,” I told him, and he shook his head. I knew I was working his last nerve, but I didn’t care. What’s done is done.
“Look, Hell, let me take her home, and we can figure this shit out. We got bigger fish to fry, and with emotions high right now, we all need a breather.” He stepped in to defuse the situation.
“Yeah, come on, Hollygrove, because if this nigga takes me home, we might not make it,” Jaci said as she turned to walk to the elevator.”
I watched as he followed her until they were on the elevator, and the doors closed. I turned back to my big brother, scolding me with his eyes.
“You know, Hell, just when I think that you would calm the fuck down or think before you do shit, you do the complete opposite. This shit is crazy.” He looked at her, sitting in the chair.
“She got earplugs in her ears. She can’t hear us,” I told him.
“What the fuck am I supposed to do with her? She is fucking scared, and you know we don’t move like this. This is a war that we don’t need,” he told me.
I felt my face getting hot. I didn’t give a fuck what war was starting.
“Since you been missing, let me let you in on some shit. The Point Mutts were moving product through the club for I don’t know how long, so they started the fucking war. This shit was a setup. Fanucci calling out of the blue after all these years with some lame shit about protection? Think about it. Then, we find out a fucking bartender is moving their shit through our club? That shit ain’t no coincidence. Then, Wisdom shows his ass up? Come on, now. This shit is a setup, and we gon’ figure out who the fucking snake is and why they chose to fuck with us,” I told Calliope, and I could tell his wheels were turning.
“Fuck, in almost a week, all this shit happened?” he asked himself, looking at me.
I stood there watching him. He was thinking, strategizing a plan, but he wasn’t alone.
“Calliope, we a team, nigga. We gon’ handle anything that comes our way,” I told him, and he snapped out of his thoughts.
“Fuck those Point Dawgs. They need us. We don’t need them. Thiago was trying to run back to safety and lost his fucking life. That’s on him. They want war, we gon’ give it to them,” he said, looking at Dakota.
“Go get some rest. I’ll take care of her. She is my problem now, but yo’ ass needs to lay low for a minute. I’ll tell Athena what’s going on in due time, but we good for now. Let me handle this shit moving forward. Go find some pussy to climb into and wait for my call,” he told me, and I laughed, thinking about Raven.
“That’s what I thought. Already got somebody in rotation. Nigga, you sad.” He laughed, and I turned to walk away.
My head was down because what he said was right. I never thought first before I did some shit.
“Nah, chin up, nigga. You fuck up. I clean up. That’s just how we roll. Ain’t nothing new. We good,” he said to my back, and I held my head high as I got on the elevator.
I pressed the button, and the doors closed as I met my brother’s eyes one last time. I knew he was ready for war. He had the look of murder in his eyes. Calliope had turned into the grim reaper, and he was about to start collecting souls.
I got in my car and drove straight to my penthouse. No stops. I parked underground and made my way to the elevator. Instead of going to the top, I pressed eight and got off on Raven’s floor. I needed the feel of a woman. Not just any woman, but Raven’s touch. I needed her touch, scent, just her presence to calm my adrenaline. I walked to her floor, not giving a fuck if the nigga was there or not. She was coming with me. I stood at her door, about to knock, when it swung open.
“Ahhhhh!” she screamed.
“Stop that fucking screaming before neighbors start to think you in danger,” I told her, using my fingers to pinch her lips together.
She smacked my hand away from her mouth.
“What the fuck are you doing at my door, Hellcat?!” she all but fucking screamed.
I rubbed my temples and pulled my dreads to the back to stop myself from snapping her neck.
“Where the fuck you think you going with this shit on?” I pulled at her barely there dress.
I gave her a twice-over, and it looked like she was about to go out with friends. The pink dress she had on was a little loose-fitting, but one wrong move, and her entire ass would be out. It was thin strapped. I knew she didn’t have on a bra because her hard nipples looked like missiles.
She straightened her dress and looked at me. “That’s not your business. I’m not your business. And leave me the fuck alone,” she said, trying to walk past me, but I put my hand on the door to stop her.
“Wrong answer, so I suggest you choose wisely this time. I don’t believe in second chances, so consider yourself lucky, or I’ll snap your pretty little neck,” I told her, and she didn’t flinch.
