Cautiously Yari sent pleading eyes to Cassi who was watching Berto's action frozen in place with shock plastered on her face.
"Get the fuck outta here." She mumbled to herself.
Instantly snapping back into action Cassi stepped closer to the pair a bit aggressively (something she had learned watching her brother King Pain) catching Berto off guard and causing him to remove his invading bejeweled hand from her best friend.
"I didn't know you guys already knew each other." She smirked evilly speaking more to Berto trying to give her Bestie a chance to relax her composer.
"O yea!" Berto exclaimed sliding back into the midnight blue leather seat intentionally looking her up and down lustfully.
Cassi knew Berto's creepy ways, her brother told her about it and she was ready for him. Squaring her shoulders she returned a bored stare crossing her arms over her chest again causing him to regretfully skip his perv gazing and actually look else where.
"It's a shame you never come out with your friend, I know together we could be the life of the party... You know what kind of parties we like right?" Berto laughed licking his lips at Yari.
Sending a confused look towards her best friend Cassi backed up a bit trying to give her best Joel impression complete with his mischievous laugh he was known for.
"Cuando Yari salir contuyo?" she asked, mentally telling herself to calm down.
"Many times, Right Mamita?" He cooed confidentially giving Yari the side eye.
"What's this?" Spirits asked throwing an arm protectively over Cassi's shoulders.
He knew that laugh when he heard it which could only mean one thing, a Gomez is pissed off!
"I was telling Cass next time we should all go out you know instead of just us with Yari, tu sabes?" Berto rushed out trying to throw Spirits under the bus as well.
Berto was well aware of the blooming romance between Spirits and Cassi, he also knew that he had to be careful how he said certain things to her now, but he could throw a couple of digs in about Spirits though... for now. He also knew once Spirits puts you on his back that's it, you're like a tattoo. So God forbid you disrespect his family or his tatts all that shit is personal. Watching Spirits face Berto took that as a warning to tread lightly when it came to Cassi which means Yari was under that same golden umbrella.
"True." Spirits answered calmly setting his face to Berto flaring his nostrils.
Easing the mood Cassi slide out of Spirit's grasp and swayed over to the DVD rack once more.
"We need something hilarious to watch right now... Oh! You have the Pest!" She exclaimed showing Yari the DVD cover grinning.
"Ridico-lic-oulous" Yari laughed back wedging her way out of the corner of the couch Berto had wedged her in.
As Yari slide closer to Cassi, she gave her a knowing smile letting her know she wasn't worried about Berto.
"Babe, Really?" Spirits asked perching himself on the arm of hid leather love seat.
"Please?" Cassi pleaded putting on her best puppy dog eyes.
"Ay Dios... Go put it on." Spirits sighed
"PANA!"
"YO, QUE PASO?"
"SHIT." Joel laughed walking into the Bodega.
"My man, got that fa' me?" He whispered behind the counter to Khalid the cashier who jumped at the boom of his voice.
"Yea, yes sir." He rambled reaching for a brown bag behind a stack of Newport cartons.
Handing it over to Joel, he smiled trying to ease the nervousness he was emitting into the air.
"Thanks, Aye uh... What's the word on that other thing?"
"Oth- other thing?"
"Yea that Sherlock... Joel trailed off hoping he wouldn't have to continue.
"O! yes, yes." Khalid interrupted finally understanding
"Nothing, there's nothing to look for." He whispered leaning in a bit.
"Aight cool... Be easy." Joel yelled over his shoulder exiting the store letting the bell ring loudly as he slipped the small package into his inside left pocket Cassi had designed for him.
He was put on task to keep "Family" business, family business. The neighborhood cleansing was necessary but he figured people would've forgotten by now; but no such luck. It was mostly that damn Carmen Davis still holding those visuals.
"It's been three years already! Enough was enough!". He thought slamming into King Nike's building to pay tribute and to make the rest of the meeting.
If she doesn't let up soon, something will have to be done, soon.
As he skipped three steps at a time Joel went through his tasks that he had been given this morning.. Pick up check, Tribute to Pops check, and now Tribute and Family meeting; an easy day with an earning of at least five stacks... Yea it was a good day for King Pain. Knocking on King Nike's door Pain sighed, he hated coming here now that QueenB was gone. They had grown close, He had hoped she would've been around to sponsor Cassi into being a true Queen. True they had their mother Madrina and no one was as classy as Madrina but like him Cassi had that side of her. He knew that look she had yesterday when her and Yari came home from Spirit's crib. She likes danger, excitement and being with Spirits she's guaranteed to have all that and then some. Pain and Spirits had spoken sometime ago about his feelings for his baby sister, so he knew sooner or later they would become more then friends. He couldn't run her life he had told himself once he received her text telling him where she was...but he could damn sure monitor it.
"You see this guy right here? Four minutes late!... What time is it now?" King Nike boomed standing in the middle of his spacious t.v. room.
All around him his brothers and sisters stood in tight silence watching and waiting with wide eyes and held breathes. In front of him Young Kaiser knelt before the King on his plush black carpet his beloved had picked out last year in great anticipation of his decision.
"It's 11:05 King Nike." Queen Red spoke trying to advert her eyes from looking directly into his eyes, showing her King the utmost respect.
"11:05 huh? 11:05!" He boomed again looking around the room letting the emphasizes of the five minutes that had been wasted set in.
Kaiser wavered a little bit in his kneeling stance. He had been holding his breathe just like everyone else feeling his stomach tightening more with every moment the tension grew. He knew he shouldn't have taken that last hit, he just couldn't resist.
"It was the bitches... the BITCHES!!" He thought to himself sighing deeply to himself.
He knew whatever his King decided he had to go along with, he had no choice if he wanted to be on top one day. Besides he knew if he survived this, whatever happened next, he would be honored, his children's children will talk about this day; and when he becomes King this will be a staple in his long, paper stacked, female packed, bloody legacy he also made a mental note to himself to get rid of Queen Red first.
"Bendeja." He thought to himself.
Named after her fiery temper, signature fire engine hair, and matching eyebrows, it was a wonder Candace wasn't bald by now but that is a different story. She was a bit stubby like almost a midget but not quite, her legs were too long as if her torso was cut in half and given to say her sister Leliani; the local escort of the Upper Eastside. Her skin was a bit pale causing her hair to probably stand out a little bit more then it would have plus with those yellow undertones and muddy brown eyes you'd think she meant to carry these features naturally; you would think. Nobody could really gage how many children she really had, her stories always changed, and then on top of that she would watch other peoples children (for the glory of the struggle) claiming them as her own one way or the other; or where she lived, it changed depending on who she was talking to, or who she owed money too it was just way too much to keep track of so everyone just gave up. Her "boyfriend" was a friend of the family apart of another organization no one really heard of and they didn't take up anyone's turf so really no one really cared. At times people felt bad for him, most times they didn't because hell they were still together and it kept them off the market collectively so Wepa! For that right? He's been accused of putting his hands on her from time to time but she always denied it. The family believed in respect and treating your Queen like a Queen BUT there's only so many times you can have them fighting a losing battle before they stop, and they had. Candace didn't mind though she had a plan for that as well, all in due time. Hey every family has that member you just gloss over? Theirs was Queen Red. Really all she wanted was to look good in King Nike's eye and get his attention since he lost Queen B Negrita (RIP), but she could never compare, the entire family knew that. She was too selfish which is fine but her cons always seemed to only benefit her and not the family which was not "fine". When she started hanging around everyone liked her, they enjoyed chilling with her and eventually the ladies invited her to become one of them, being she could pass the test of course. Soon after she began to show her true nature, they found almost all of her stories where half truths fooling them all, but it was too late, she was in the family. Queen B Negrita had been the most adamant about not socializing with her if it didn't have to do with business, and even then it was at a minimum; she was classy like that. Since her death her sister Queen Annish has been taking over some of her business ventures while Madrina took over the heavy stuff that no Captain could ever be worthy enough to handle by themselves. Queen Red had made a move to change that as well. As messy as her life is, and dealings seemed to be, with the help of a youngin' she just met by the name of King Spice, her luck seemed to have just changed for the better
Looking down at his Captain Young Kaiser King Nike sighed with deep disappointment. He knew discipline had to be dealt out, but he hated to do it. Kaiser was to be his successor one day, so he could show no weakness, it wouldn't be fair to the family and truthfully if he wanted Kaiser to be the King he was trying to mold him to be, it wouldn't be fair to Kaiser either. Shaking his head King Nike made up his mind how he would handle this insubordinace and like any good parent it would hurt him more than it will hurt Kaiser... or so he told himself.
After the family meeting Joel headed out to finish up the rest of his errands and pick ups he had here and there, then after that to the basketball courts to see some the rugrats and the youngins- check them' then; lastly his favorite part of the day- going to see Miriam. Ms. Miriam Lynn Williams was the apple of Joel's black beady little eye. Now Miriam was what you would call a square. She came from middle class people, both parents in the home, only girl out of three children so she might be a bit spoiled (if you asked her) but in a good way. She had smooth milk chocolate skin and bright brown eyes that could light up Central Park. Physically she wasn't the baddest chick on the block true but her personality, good heart, and confidence made up for any amount of curvage she may or may not have been lacking. She was a good girl for the most part, graduated from high school, then against her mother's wishes she enrolled into beauty school which she absolutely loved and was meant to do; anyone could see that. The joy that she felt after transforming someone's entire look on life just by styling their hair was almost a sin. From learning the hair trade she branched off into Aesthetics and nail care; her next goal was to own her own shop, one day soon she would be her own boss.
"Mi amor"! Joel yelled closing the her front door and double locking it after making sure no one was following him into the building.
"In here!" She yelled back.
Miriam was in the bathroom admiring her new hair color, she just put in. It looked black, deep black but at the ends she added some midnight blue to make it have some depth.
"Oooh, I like that!" Joel cooed snuggling her neck making her giggle.
"Yea?" She giggled closing her eyes taking in his smell.
"Mmmhmm." He hummed wrapping his arms around Miriam's waist admiring their reflection in the mirror together.
That was their thing, when he asked her to be his "main squeeze" they were in the same position and he was looking at Miriam straight into her heart.
"We look good together, Verdad?" He remembered asking her.
For the first time he was actually scared, scared that she'd reject him and all he offered her just moments before in her bedroom where they had made love for the first time together... it was the first time EVER for Joel.
They started as just friends , barely speaking except for the occasional "Hey" on Facebook or if they ran into each other in the street until that summer of 2010. It was a Thursday morning, just after the sun rose, Joel had a lot on his mind. He had just left his brothers after giving them very detailed instructions. He wasn't worried though he knew those niggas knew what they were doing and how to lay low afterwards; he just didn't feel right this time. He never second guessed a decision made, never questioned the reason personal or otherwise but this particular bit here, it just didn't add up. He didn't try too hard to figure out the reason though, he figured it wasn't his business but his conscience told him otherwise, and now it was eating away at him. He had wondered into the park reviewing his actions the past 12 hours, (something that he never did); it made him sick to his stomach.
"Joey!... Hey!" A sweet voice called from behind him.
Turning around he found Miriam's smiling face. It seemed odd to him that she would be up so early and so chipper (as his little sister Cassi would say).
"Hey.. Uh Miriam... What's up girl?" He asked trying to clear his head of the bad scene he kept playing repeatedly in his head.
"Nothing just getting off of work"
"Word? Where you work at?"
"Le French." She whispered avoiding direct eye contact with Joel
"The titty bar?... Yo lemme find out!"
"Yea, but I don't perform, I just waitress there, fully clothed." She explain quickly blushing a little.
"O, I'm not judging Mama, get yours, you just didn't strike me as the stripper type... but you know what they say about the quiet ones." Joel laughed finally feeling a bit at ease.
"No, what do they say?" She asked.
Leaning closer Joel whispered "They are the freakiest one." He chuckled loudly putting his hand on her arm.
He was taken aback by how soft her skin was, like silk, and warm. Everything went still as if the world was holding it's breath with them.. Slowly he met her eyes smiling shyly back at him. Before he could think straight she began to back up biting her lower lip.
"God". He thought
"If I could get one kiss... maybe two."
"Uh." She hesitated trying to regain her mental and breath as well.
"I'm gonna go- I have to get home now." She whispered starting to walk away slowly.
"Are you hungry?" Joel blurted out almost a little too loud causing Miriam to jump a bit.
"Bad nerves." She laughed sheepishly stealing a glance at Joel.
"I see, listen I know this place just up the block and their breakfast is always on point. I would love some of your company right now, I could use it." Joel heard himself say, but as soon as the words left his lips he knew he meant it.
Something inside told him he couldn't let her out of his sight, he didn't want to ignore his gut twice today. Hesitantly Miriam agreed and together they joked around like old friends, beginning a new tradition of him walking her home from work on Thursday mornings and having breakfast at their own secret spot closing out New York City and all it's busy little inhabitants; if just for a little while.
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