Page 57 of If I Gave You My Heart
One picture in particular stood out to me. I can tell that it was Joy in her younger years. She had on a white fur coat with a matching headband, and her arms wrapped around the head of the agency. His coat matched hers. The photo had this sepia tint to it, so I knew it was old as hell. She wore her hair in big ass curls, and she looked so damn happy. I squinted and saw that on her neck, like the head of the agency, she had the exact necklace I once owned. She said earlier that she used to do murder-for-hire, but now I was just learning that she was a Supreme.
When I looked away from the photo, I saw Joy was looking me dead in the eyes.
"The contract on your head is null and void."
I was about to say yes, ma'am, and just keep my mouth shut for the rest of this meeting because I now knew exactly whose presence I was in, but Onyx had taught me the art of the poker face, so I didn't fold under pressure.
"How?" I asked, wanting her to give me the validity of her identity.
"I think you know exactly who I am."
"Queen of Hearts?" I questioned.
My eyes wandered off to the big-ass queen of hearts playing card that hung on another wall in the room. Joy didn't even have to give me a response because when I looked across the table at Onyx, she was smiling proudly. Now I understood how Joy could approve of Onyx's lifestyle because she was the start of it all. As a little girl, I had heard so many stories about the woman I had gotten the pleasure of knowing for the past few months. All stories were filled with heartless adventures of murderous madness. I could tell that whenever Joy had hung her necklace up she had buried her heartlessness right with it. Having the bounty on my head dissolved was a prime example of that.
It felt good to know that I could now walk around freely.
"I'm big on family, Nyoka. I always have been. That's why I made the decision to retire so that my hard-headed daughter here could chase her dreams. I see how Baby cares for you. You're family, and I will always protect my family."
In that moment, I had gained a love for Joy that would be everlasting.
"It's up to you to come clean to Adonis…"
Once the words left Joy's mouth, Onyx dropped her head in defeat. We all just witnessed firsthand what happened when they had broken the news to him. I knew he had only forgiven Joy because she was, in fact, the woman who had raised him.
Onyx was a stranger to him. I wondered how he would take it if I came clean.
"I'll figure out how to do it in my own way," I reassured.
Joy looked at me with uncertain eyes but didn't object to my decision.
"How have you been, Snake Eyes?" Onyx asked.
We sat at the table for what felt like hours, just talking. Joy was letting us know that there were going to be some changes coming. Because I had the lifestyle I had been seeking, I let them know I was no longer interested in picking up contracts. Onyx told me that if I ever changed my mind, a call was all that I had to make. I kept that in the back of my mind, but I was good where I was at.
"Effective immediately, Jolene, you are the head of the agency."
We both gave Joy a look.
"What happened with the current head?" I asked out of curiosity.
"Murray is officially retired. It's time that he tends to me."
"Tend to you?" Onyx questioned.
"Yes… tend to me."
Joy pulled open a drawer under the table and then placed two rings on her ring finger. For Onyx to be one of the most intelligent women I had ever encountered, she was having a slow moment.
"That man is your husband?" she asked with a raised tone.
"And ya daddy…"
I opened my eyes wide to that one, but then I quickly let them fall back to normal size when I thought about the similarities in physical looks that ran from the head of the agency to Joy and then Adira and Adonis. They all shared the same skin complexion as well as those light brown eyes.
"Joy, don't play with me." Onyx's tone was stone cold.
"I'm not."
