Page 22 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings

Staten

“ M y God, Staten, it smells like garbage in here.” My mama plugged her nose and used the lever on her wheelchair to push herself into my house.

Behind her, Sol also turned up her nose in disgust.

“It’s been a long day, Ma. What y’all doing here?” I asked, leaving them in the foyer while I went to the living room.

I’d started some of the cleanup process and dumped trash left behind into a big garbage bag.

There was still so much more to do. A big laundry basket sat nearby, and it was easily filling up with dirty clothes from the past week.

Every time I picked up something or took in the mess, it only further pissed me off at Cyra’s ass.

“Obviously, making sure the hazmat team doesn’t need to be called in here,” Sol said, closing the door behind her.

“This week has thrown us off?—”

“It seems there were already some holes in this system before now,” Rossi surmised, eyes surveying the mess that had become my home.

“What you want from me, Ma, hmm? I’m doing everything that everybody fucking wants, but I don’t seem to be making anybody happy!”

“Why are you here?” she questioned.

“The fuck are you talking about right now!” I barked, throwing a bunch of toys into a large plastic bin.

“Stat,” Sol warned in an even tone. “Nobody is trying to pressure you into anything.”

My aunt was often the voice of reason. We were closer in age than me and my brothers, so it wasn’t rare for me to go to her for advice coming up.

She did the same to me when she needed it.

Before she got married, she’d had her share of fuck niggas and trauma, and I’d always been there for her like a brother rather than her nephew.

“I don’t need you to speak for me, Sol.” Ma’s tone was even, and she never even blinked when looking at me from the doorway in the foyer.

“Fine. How about I go check on the kids?” Sol backed up toward the staircase.

Sighing, I dropped down onto the couch to catch my breath. I needed to smoke more than anything, but I didn’t need nobody talking shit to me about that either. Instead, I slowly leaned back and stared straight ahead, still gripping the garbage bag as it rested between my legs.

“You don’t have to hold back anything with me, Staten Marek. You know this. You left all those years ago, running from your legacy. From your memories. From the reason I’m bound to this chair now, and you have a bullet scar a few inches from your heart.”

Listening to her retell the story left my pulse racing as flashes of that night flickered through my head like a bad movie.

This was nothing new for me. That shit lived rent free in my mind.

I still woke up in cold sweats, feeling that bullet piercing my chest. Leaning forward, I steepled my hands together and buried my face in them.

It didn’t matter what part of the world I was in; I couldn’t outrun it.

“I couldn’t stay here. I didn’t want to become what he was in the end. Cold. Ruthless.”

“Your father was a lot of things, Staten. Did he change after almost losing us? Absolutely, but he was trying to work through that. He missed you. He never said it, but I could tell. When we had dinner and holidays, there was always this gap because you weren’t here.

You took our grandchildren away. I think that was very selfish. ”

“Staying here and possibly having what happened to me happen to one of them was all I could think about,” I admitted, shaking my head.

She pushed the lever forward on her wheelchair and moved closer to me.

“You barely kept in touch. Do you know how many nights that hurt me?” she asked with misting eyes.

Hearing the pain in her voice left me briefly closing my eyes before opening them and facing her.

“I might be stuck in this chair, but it could have been a lot worse, Staten. You almost lost your life saving mine, and I am forever grateful for that.”

“I would do it again.”

“I know.” A soft smile lifted the corners of her mouth, and she reached out to place her hand over mine.

“Because that’s the kind of man you are.

I knew when you were a child that you would never be like Justus.

I never asked you to be. He wanted to run his empire with his sons at his side.

It hurt him that you, out of everyone, didn’t share the same vision. ”

“He survived without me.” I sniffled and shifted my gaze from her.

There was a part of me that would always regret not making amends with Justus before he died. It was just one more thing a nigga had to compartmentalize. Shaking my head, I swiped my fingers under my nose and took a breath.

“We did what we had to do with what we had. This family is stronger with you, though. I do know that.” She gave my hand a squeeze.

The sudden chimes of the doorbell throughout the house alerted us to a visitor.

“You expecting someone?” Ma asked, brows dipping curiously.

Glancing at my watch, I saw that it was almost six-thirty, so that must mean Cambrie had returned. Part of me wondered if she would, given the chaos she’d witnessed earlier.

“The nanny.”

“You found someone?” Ma queried as I slowly stood.

“She found us. I told her I needed her to start ASAP.” I moved toward the doorway and stepped into the hall.

“So you plan on stayin?” Rossi posed, the familiar buzz of her chair coming up behind me.

She was about to insert herself into this matter one way or another.

When I flung the door open, Cambrie waited on the other side with two big suitcases, a duffel bag, and her purse hanging off her shoulder.

She’d changed into jeans, an old Howard University hoodie, and gray and white Nike Air Max.

In all honesty, she looked good in any fucking thing.

From that first night in the grocery store, she’d been hovering in this isolated corner in my mind.

I couldn’t describe what it was about her.

She had this energy that sucked you right in.

Now that I’d hired her to look after my seeds, I was going to have to tune that shit out. I needed her for them.

“You actually came back.”

“Believe me, I had my doubts,” she muttered sarcastically.

“I appreciate it.” I reached down to grab her bags, and she studied me closely.

“Thank you.”

Once we were inside, she shut the door behind her, and my mother sat waiting for an introduction when she turned around.

“Hello.” Cambrie waved, and Ma canvassed her slowly.

“This is my mother, Rossi Marek. Ma, this is Cambrie Rhodes. She’s going to be taking care of the kids.”

“Nice to meet you.” Cambrie offered a warm smile.

“What are her references?” Ma didn’t respond how I expected.

She was usually warm and welcoming to everyone.

“Um, she graduated with a degree in child development and psychology. She taught for several years and had a position as a child psychiatrist and physical therapist.” I ran down what I could remember of her résumé.

“What made you become a nanny?” Rossi questioned. “Sounds like you were all over the place as far as career choices.”

“It kind of fell into my lap. My roommate knew I was looking for work, and she applied for me. I have plenty of experience with kids though. I guess my interests in helping them changed over the years.”

“Staten, have you gone over the paperwork?” My mother’s attention diverted to me.

“Not yet. We can do that tonight once everybody is settled in.”

“Good. Make sure she signs the NDA and is very clear on what is expected of her, not only as the children’s nanny, but as an employee within Marek Industries overall.”

“It’s getting late, Ma, you should head back to the house.”

“Sol!” she shouted. “Let’s go. Sunday dinner is at six p.m. I expect you all to be there. Call me if you need me.”

“I will.” Bending over, I kissed her cheek, something I hadn’t done in a long time.

It made her soften before her attention was pulled to Cambrie. Laughing and shaking her head, Sol came padding down the steps.

“Your kids are a trip. I ran a bath for Rogue and Piaget. The other two are prepared to go after them. Those rooms are a hot ass mess, Staten. Shit everywhere. You need to have them scrubbing walls and baseboards ASAP.”

“I know. One room at a time. I’ll probably be at this shit all night.”

“Who is this?” Sol nodded to Cambrie.

“The nanny I hired. Cambrie, this is my auntie, Sol.”

“We do random pop-ups around these parts, Cambrie, just FYI. I don’t play about my family,” Sol warned, aiming a sharp almond-shaped nail at her.

“Goodnight, Sol.”

“Goodnight.” She embraced me and kissed my cheek before strolling behind Rossi to the door.

The tension slowly seeped out of the room once they were gone, but something a little thicker filled the space between us now.

“Come on. Let me show you to your room.” Nodding over my shoulder, I turned and led her past the den and into the intersecting hallway.

The formal living room was straight ahead, equipped with a big window seating area overlooking the backyard.

On the west side was the dining room and kitchen.

Two additional bedrooms were equipped with private baths in the opposite direction, along with the exit into the three-car garage.

Leading Cambrie to the last room on the right, I flicked on the light switch before stepping inside.

This room was probably the only place in the house that hadn’t been tainted by my children.

There was a queen-sized bedroom set, nothing extravagant, just a light oak four-post bed with a teal and white comforter set.

On each side was a matching night table with two drawers and silver lamps with a turquoise shade.

Placing her bags on the floor beside the bed, I watched her soak everything in.

“This is nice.” She dropped her duffel and purse on the mattress and peered around.

“There’s a bathroom in there.” I pointed in the corner. “Should have everything you need in it, but if not, let me know and I can have someone grab it.”

“Is there something I can do right now?”