Page 50 of Labria

“Okay.”

“You’ve got your concerns off your chest. I have addressed them. Do you feel better?”

“Yes.” Her voice was clear and concise. She didn’t seem to be afraid of me. “I’m sure you have everything under control.”

“I do. Is that all you require of me?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, Ms. Harris, you have a good rest of your day.”

I pivoted back and walked to the door to let myself out.

Lord hasn’t tamed her. Feisty women are attractive up to a point. I could never tolerate her insolence. I also didn’t like my women too smart. Law school. She was too damn educated for me.

Chapter Sixteen

LABRIA

Iknew I was going to be home alone again. Lord had been home for only one week before he had to go out of town on BMF business. I was really feeling like I was in a relationship with myself. My job was all I had to cling to in this town. Maybe I needed a kid. Not so much to save my relationship, but to have something to do to fill up my down time.

Lord took my birth control pills. He hid them somewhere even though he wouldn’t admit it. He could’ve thrown them out. All of a sudden, he was sharing more information with me, and that made me suspicious. I wasn’t stupid. I saw women looking at him when we were at dinner in public. I wasn’t the only one that thought he was fine. He was even more attractive because of his status with the Bregoli’s.

Lord had to fly to New York for a meeting with the caporegime. The capo was a man named Nikoli LaGrassa. If he attended Lord’s father’s funeral, I couldn’t remember him. I didn’t remember much from the day. I definitely didn’t know I was in the company of criminals. I just thought I was with a bunch of Italians.

Siting on the edge of the bed, I checked the time to see if it was too late to call my sister. It was almost nine here in Vegas. That meant it was going to be almost eleven back home in Chicago. I took a chance and gave her a call, anyway. My niece and nephew were sleeping. If she answered the phone, she could speak freely without distraction.

“Hello, sister.” She picked up the phone on the second ring.

“Khia, what you doing?” I tried to sound upbeat.

“Cleaning this damn kitchen. Kids are gross. I highly advise against them.” She joked. She loved her kids to the moon and back. I loved how parents dissed their kids to everyone, but really loved them to pieces.

“Do you need me to call you back tomorrow?” I asked, hoping she had a little time for her little sister.

“No ma’am, cause I know you only calling me cause your man is nowhere around.”

“He had to fly to New York.” I moaned.

“I knew it. You’re in a whole ass long distance relationship.”

“That’s not true. He just has a lot of business out of town.”

“If you say so.”

“Don’t be like that. I need your support.”

“I’m supporting you. Not that man I’ve never seen with my eyes. I know you have got to be lonely out there. Alexis and Brittany are nice, but they are too damn young to hang out with on the regular. They are from Chicago but I know y’all don’t like the same things. Remember when we had dinner with them and they had an entire conversation about a bunch of rappers we ain’t never heard of.”

“They are young and Alexis thinks she’s a rapper.”

“She has a decent flow.”

“Whatever.” Khia murmured. “Just so you know, you can always come back home.”

“I hear you, but my job is keeping me busy. I have a new client and he’s nice and funny.”

“What he look like?”

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