Page 52 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings

Sixtine

The following weekend…

T he tapping at my door at the Guardian Lodge pulled me from my current task, which was packing so that I could move into the Marek mansion.

For the past week, Brick and I had been with each other so much it was starting to feel like a real fucking relationship.

His following and mine had increased, and our interactions were all going viral on several platforms. It was normal now to pull up my Tik Tok and see someone had shared one of our videos of us out on a date or laid up in his room talking shit after we blazed a blunt.

Stuffing the rest of my clothes into the luggage Sol brought over for me, I sighed.

“Come in!”

The door opened, and Kiara strolled in with a big box in her arms. She and I had also gone to brunch a couple of times and started spending spare time in the rec room together watching trash TV.

She was cool enough, and I knew what it was like not to have friends.

I found out that her parents were also in the dope game.

Kiara was born to be some nigga’s baby mama from the way she told it.

Her daddy was a hood legend, and her mama was the bitch every other woman wanted to be.

She told me how she was getting into fights all over town behind her man and that Kiara came the same way about her baby daddy.

Technically, she was still with him now, but I knew how that went.

Until that man was free from those jail walls, she was damn sure going to do her.

“You just got a package.” She carried the box over to the bed and dropped it with a heavy sigh.

“I didn’t order anything, but shit has been coming here and to Brick’s house since last week.”

I tore the tape off the box and opened it. Inside, there was another box with a black bow tied around it and the word Prada written on the top.

“Oh, what is it?” Kiara’s eyes grew the size of two saucers.

Untying it, I lifted the lid and inside was a brand-new white and navy bucket bag with matching sunglasses and a bottle of perfume.

“Girl, that is cute!” Kiara squealed.

“Yeah, it is.” I brushed my hand over the material.

“It must be nice to have designers sending you shit.” Kiara picked up the sunglasses and tried them on.

“It’s cool, keeps me from spending my money. I got enrolled in school, and I start classes in a couple of weeks. Today I’m moving out of here and in with Brick. I can’t complain.”

This man had me driving a silver Range Rover Evoque, which was basically a two-door Range with a back seat, and the top came down like a convertible.

You couldn’t tell me shit, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was right where I was supposed to be.

You’d think I’d be uncomfortable, but having money came so fucking natural for me.

My future was brighter than ever, and Brick had more to do with it than I would like to admit.

He breathed life into me, even though he also got on my nerves with that cocky shit.

I realized we had grown up completely different though, so of course his view on the world was different than mine.

“Pssh, no the hell you can’t. I ain’t mad at you taking full advantage.

In a couple of more checks, I’ll be able to get out of here too.

I’ve been looking for two bedrooms for me and Kiadra.

” She pulled the glasses off her face and placed them back in the box.

“It’s hard being a single parent though.

I always thought her daddy would be around, but with him being locked up and having no support from my family or his, sometimes I just want to give up. ”

“You can’t do that though. Kiadra is watching you. Like you said, you’ll be able to get your own place soon. Just stick to the program. If you need anything, you can hit me up though.”

“What are your plans for the weekend?” she asked, leaning back on her elbow and watching me pack the rest of my stuff.

The room was spotless of my existence now.

“Oh, I have this red-carpet thing with Brick for GloWorks. It’s some product he endorses, and they want him there, so he invited me.”

“So, what’s it really like being with him?” Kiara queried, a smile toying with the corners of her lips.

Pausing, I had to think before I responded because my impression of him sure had changed.

He was still an arrogant, conceited asshole, but he had layers.

Being around him and his family this past week was some entertaining shit.

I don’t know who was funnier, the adults or Staten’s kids.

I didn’t have that growing up, and it was just nice to see black families be there for each other and spend time together.

Don’t get me wrong, they argued, talked shit, and Brick and his brothers fought as well as the kids, but it was still all love at the end of the day.

I grew up with siblings who thought it was okay to physically and mentally abuse each other, so there was a big difference.

“At first, I was wondering what the hell I was doing with him, but… it’s like you said, Brick’s not everything people think he is.”

“And have you had a chance to sample that package yet?” Kiara insinuated, licking her full lips.

“I have not.” I closed the suitcase and zipped it shut.

“Girl, why not? Don’t tell me you’re scared.”

“I have my reasons, and I ain’t trying to get blinded by dick.”

“Shit, he can blind me, smother me with it, whatever.” She twerked on the edge of the bed and stuck her tongue out.

“Nah, it ain’t like that. Besides, I’ve had my share of fuck boys.

My mama and her man were always trying to get me to give it up to niggas in our city.

A lot of them were ballers that Skully just wanted to use me to set up so him and his boys could rob them.

I didn’t want to be a part of that shit. ”

“Damn, that’s crazy. Where did you say you was from again?”

“Omaha,” I answered, surveying the room to make sure I wasn’t missing anything else.

“Well, at least you got out. Now life is looking real good.”

“Yeah,” I muttered, nibbling nervously on my bottom lip.

I don’t know why I was so uneasy. Something was nagging at me as my phone went off. I picked it up off the dresser and saw that it was Brick texting.

The One: You ready?

Me: Yup.

The One: Be there in five.

“I guess this is it.” Kiara jumped to her feet.

“You have my number though. So call me.”

“Girl, you won’t have time for me. Moving into a mansion with Brick and his family is going to fill your days along with school, trust me.” Kiara moved closer to the door. “But I’ll be watching y’all. Not gon’ lie, the two of you are pretty damn entertaining.” She opened the door to leave.

“Wait.” I replaced the lid on the Prada box and walked it over to her. “Here.” I shoved it into her arms.

“What? Are you serious?” Her eyes stretched.

“Yeah. There’s plenty where that came from,” I told her with a shrug.

I checked the bathroom of my suite and decided I had everything I needed. Grabbing the two bags of luggage, I went downstairs to wait on Brick to arrive. Rossi and Sol were near the check-in desk, having a conversation as I wheeled the luggage along behind me.

“Well, well. You got everything?” Sol checked with me.

“Pretty sure I do.” I nodded.

“Marcie is expecting you at the house. She already got your room together for your arrival.”

“Thank you so much. I hope this isn’t weird for you?—”

“Chile, please. I have my own wing, and I don’t bother with what Brick has going on.” Rossi waved me off. “If you need anything, let me or Marcie know. She’s been with us long enough, and she knows the house like the back of her hand. Nothing gets by her.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“I hear you have an event to attend tonight. You got a dress?” Sol questioned, leaning over the counter with her chin resting in both hands while smiling all giddy.

“Apparently, I have a few options waiting for me. I’ll just decide when I get to the house.”

“Okay, well, let me know if you need anything.” She winked at me. “Have fun!”

I noticed Brick’s car pull up outside the sliding doors not far ahead, and he parked and got out.

With his keys in hand, he approached me.

The more I was around him, the finer he got.

We were spending time together on dates, miniature golf and arcades while going live and gaining fans one by one.

The public was eating it up, and a lot of women were bitter that they wouldn’t get the chance to date him since it seemed things were working out so well with us.

In cargo shorts, a Polo shirt, and matching Puma runners, he strolled inside confidently.

I liked that he didn’t have to wear flashy designer shit all the time.

If it looked good on him, he was going to rock it.

My heart fluttered when he approached, stopping to address me with a half smile while I looked him up and down.

I’d been playing it up in front of the cameras, but I was still a little ticked off about him going live in the strip club some nights ago with Staten.

Here we were trying to prove we were a couple, and he was out acting like a ratchet ass hoe.

When he stopped in front of me, I held up a bag for him, and he threw his head back and chortled.

“Yo, Six, you can’t still be fucking mad, mama.”

“Don’t tell me how to feel. You should have thought about that before you was throwing ones and getting lap dances.”

“Lord, I think he’s met his match,” Sol tittered as she stood tall behind the counter.

“Man, that shit was harmless. I was just hanging with my bro, trying to get him to lighten up. Ain’t like I was in there fucking none of them bitches. I can’t speak for Staten, but that nigga just needed to release some tension.” He gripped my bag in his hand.

“I don’t care.” I shrugged, even though that was the furthest thing from the truth.

I hated that he was starting to chip away at the ice around my heart with his boyish charm.