Page 38 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings

“As a matter of fact, yes… a Caesar salad. Other than that, I’m just peachy.” Six tucked her arms across her chest, and Dana scurried off.

“Yo, you spicy as fuck,” I chortled and got the notification from her that she’d signed all the forms.

“Fuck her. Bitch shouldn’t have been so disrespectful.” Six propped her arm on the table and dropped her chin in her hand.

Six was hilarious. Her entire aura just me of a girl version of me. I shuddered to think what having a daughter would be like. Picking up my drink, I slid the other shot to her.

“I don’t drink dark, baby.” Six rejected the gesture.

“You just signed that contract. You do tonight.”

“That contract doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do, Brick.”

“I ain’t say that. This is my family’s reserve. We swear on the bottle around this muhfucka. You accepted the terms, ain’t no walking away once you in.”

“What terms?”

“This whiskey is distilled right here in Oak Bluffs. Did you know that?” I examined the glass in my hand.

“My grandpa took every dime he had and invested it into this label. It wasn’t an overnight success either.

He made sacrifices, enemies, mistakes. For him, the seal on this label represented tradition.

Craftsmanship. Each coded message in the lot number on the bottle referencing an event that elevated us.

A testament to heritage, he used to tell me and my brothers.

Every drop tells a story of resilience, precision, and the bonds that endure.

Pops used to say this bottle binds you. Drink deep, remember your oath, and never betray the family.

” My eyes synced with hers across the table.

“So is this like my initiation?” she asked, lifting the glass off the table.

“Breaking the seal means sealing your fate.”

Shrugging, she brought the glass to her mouth and tossed the liquor back.

“So about this game,” I hinted, toying with my glass but studying her.

“Fine,” Six huffed, rolling her eyes. “You first.”

“Aight.” Leaning back, I clasped my hands together and thought about what I wanted to start with. “My favorite color is green. I have a pet bird. I was born in another country.”

“You do not have a pet bird.”

“I could have a bird,” I argued, turning my nose up.

“You don’t even look like you cook or clean for yourself, let alone another living thing,” Six articulated.

“Fine. You got that.”

“What country were you born in?”

“France. My parents separated for a little while back in the day, and my moms was living over there. Pops flew in a week before I was due, and I ended up coming the next day.”

“That’s crazy.”

“Your turn.” I leaned back and took a breath as she sloped forward, resting her chin in her hand.

“I’m the youngest of six kids. I’m a virgin. I love anything blackberry flavored.”

Squinting, I tilted my head while she cocked a brow and waited on me to respond. There was a spark of innocence behind her gaze that triggered something inside me.

“Who the fuck likes blackberry flavored shit?” I demanded, causing her to fall over laughing.

“I know right!” She popped the cork to the wine bottle and poured herself a glass.

“So that means you really are a virgin?” I lowered my voice and moved forward.

Six didn’t respond verbally. Instead, she picked up her glass and peered at me over the rim while taking a demure sip. Instantly, my intrigue for her amplified.

“Get the fuck out of here. I didn’t know that was still a thing.” Shaking my head, I picked up my glass and took another gulp.

“What? Having morals and values?” she quipped. “I know you’re all into the world of social media…” She waved her hands in front of her. “But there are women left who don’t rely on their bodies to make it through life.”

My observation struck a nerve, which I honestly wasn’t trying to do. It did give me some insight though. Six wasn’t as tough as she put on for the rest of the world. Silence engulfed us, and her gaze drifted across the table into mine.

“Your turn.” She quickly gulped the rest of her wine and looked away.

We were lit by the time our dinner arrived.

Going back and forth with two truths and a lie had us learning all kinds of shit about each other.

Six was chill and finally relaxed with me.

Her humor matched mine. It was like being with one of the homies, but wasn’t shit platonic on my side.

The night air, the drinks, and food were all on point, so we decided to give the people something to talk about.

I’d moved my chair over to her side of the table, and she had just polished off the last of the wine in her glass.

Her slanted eyes were low and sexy, so I knew she was buzzed.

“C’mere.” I grabbed her arm and pulled her onto my lap just as I tapped the screen, and it counted down for us to go live.

Six lost her breath bumping into me, the floral aroma of her perfume smothering me as her soft ass rested on my legs. She got comfortable on my lap with her arms over my shoulders.

“I’m about to kiss you,” I mumbled against her lips before crushing my mouth against hers.

With one hand pressed against my cheek, she accepted the gesture, falling into it and easing her tongue between my teeth.

She tasted like wine, sweet but bitter. I wondered if she could feel my heart racing in my chest before nudging away from me.

We never broke eye contact, and I don’t think either of us was prepared for what was happening.

“I personally think this date night was a success. What you think, mama?”

“One for the books,” she agreed with a coy grin.

The view of the water behind us and the moon glowing above us was perfect as she shyly faced the camera and caught the visual of us all cozy together.

Whew! That was hot!

He gon’ smash that!

Awwww. They really are cute together though.

I give it six months.

The comments pouring in were a mixture of hate, envy, and encouragement.

I had some dope followers, but I also had those that thought they could say whatever the fuck they wanted behind a keyboard.

That shit came with the territory though.

Six hooked her arms around my neck and nuzzled against me.

The views were running up as I skimmed through some of the comments.

Muhfuckas was really tuning in to this shit, making me smile.

Maybe he’s not as bad as y’all think he is.

Hopefully this girl can tame him.

We rooting for you, Brick!

Maybe he’ll stop being such a bully!

Some of the remarks had my shoulders tight while my jaw locked, infuriated. This was the bad side of social media that had you ready to find IP addresses so you could pull up on muhfuckas and set an example. Six gently stroked the back of my head and leaned toward my ear.

“Ignore them,” she insisted, turning and tapping the screen to end our views. “We’re good. Matter of fact, let’s get out of here. I’m not quite ready for the night to end.”

“Word?” I reared my head and skimmed her pretty ass face.

She was a mix of Chilli from TLC in the skin tone with the light Keri Hilson eyes and nose.

“Yeah. I’m not fucking you though, Brick.”

“Who said anything about fucking?” I nipped playfully at my bottom lip.

“Your third leg poking me in my damn ass!” She hopped up, and I had to fix my shit.

She damn sure had him on full stiff mode. Chuckling, I watched her get flustered, crossing her arms over her chest with a cute scowl.

“Aye, that shit a reflex.” I pulled myself to my feet but continued to admire her still trying to be all tough.

The ice was starting to unthaw on Six, and she was trying to keep it cool.

“You play video games, or UNO?”

“UNO? Really nigga?” She twisted her lips at me.

“I bet I beat ya ass.” I rubbed my hands together, and she fought a laugh.

“You got snacks?”

“Pssh, I’m a pothead. Kind of question is that?” I made a face, and she bobbed her head. “I even subscribe to those sites where they send you shit from different countries. Nigga got some cookies from Japan, fye ’den a muhfucka.”

“I’m with it.” Her gorgeous ass eyes lit up with interest.

“This is your house?” Six sat forward in her seat when the iron gate swung open and our modern-style mansion appeared.

There were two garages on opposite sides that housed three cars, and I parked at the one closest to the exit.

“Me, my grandma, and Rossi. Plus, whoever decides to pop in. There are four other houses on the property, and my brothers live in two of them with their families. I have one reserved for me, but I like being here.”

“Aw, you a mama’s boy?” she mocked, but my expression was serious.

I’d been teased all my life about that. Rossi was indeed my heart though. She could do no wrong in my eyes.

“That’s funny to you?”

She covered her mouth when she laughed.

“No. It’s kind of cute.”

“Whatever, man. Get out my car.” I nudged her playfully toward the door and got out.

Strolling around the front to meet her on her side, I opened her door for her again.

“This house is huge! I ain’t never seen no shit like this in real life.” She lifted her head to the sky to observe the two-story, eight-thousand-square-foot home.

It was modest compared to the property we had overseas.

“That whole side is mom’s shit.” I waved to the east wing.

With my keys in hand, I approached the stairs to the porch and double-glass pane doors. A staircase was to the immediate right in the foyer, with the dining room to our left and the living room straight ahead.

“Kick those shoes off,” I told her, doing the same with mine and leaving them near the bottom of the stairs.

She did as she was told and followed me through the rest of the house. Bootsy Collins’ “I’d Rather Be With You” blasted through the sound bar, and when I inhaled, I could swear I smelled weed, specifically one of the strains I kept in my room.

“Said I’d rather be with youuuuu,” Marcella sang, snapping her fingers and moving her hips while Rossi took a pull from a joint she held close.