Page 9

Blair

Elijah was so excited to go swimming in the lake with Erin and Alaia today. They gathered all the kids and were going to take them out to the lake while we handled some business. Once I finished getting ready, I sprayed my perfume and then continued downstairs where Simmy was waiting for me.

We were going to meet up with his uncle and the Del Devils. I was just excited that I was getting out the house because I just knew he was going to make me stay behind. He had always been protective of me, but since the fire, he was ten times more protective.

He was standing at the bottom of the stairs, wearing his biker vest, jeans, and a fresh pair of timbs. To know the Inferno and Delgato men was to know that they went through timbs like underwear. Every time I looked at Quasim, both my heart and vagina did a slight jump. I’ve wanted this man since the moment I met him, and he showed me simple kindness when I needed it most. It wasn’t just any sort of kindness; his attention made me feel seen and valued.

It was a kindness reserved for a wife, and it was one he extended to only me whenever he was around me.

“My hair wouldn’t act right… this stupid piece keeps poking up.” I complained as I came down the stairs.

He kissed my lips. “You look perfect, my love.”

“Thank you. Are you okay?” I touched the side of his face and peered into his eyes. The Inferno men had this thing their eyes did.

They were ominous and dangerous. You could actually see the danger swirling around in their irises, but the moment they looked at the ones they loved, it went away. Very few could claim they’d experienced that change. It was reserved only for those they truly loved and respected.

“Yeah… I got you something.”

“A gift and I get to finally leave the house… we’re full of surprises today.” I joked as he pulled me behind him, sitting me on the stool while he went into the closet on the main level.

I watched as he grabbed something and then hid it behind his back so I couldn’t see what it was. He stood in front of me and I hugged him, leaning my head on his chest. I lifted my head to look up at him, and was captivated by the way he stared down into my eyes.

He looked at me as if I was his entire world and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for me. He rubbed his thumb down my chin. “I need you to know how much I love you, Blair.”

It was rare that he used my actual name. Since Miami, I had been Anjo to him, and it was a name I cherished. The only time I hated when he called me that, was when we were beefing with each other. “I know, Simmy.”

“It took me a minute to admit it to you, but you know you have my heart. You’ve always had my heart. I want you to know that the shit I have to do, there’s no other way around it… I have to be this person because they brought disrespect to me… my future wife. The future Queen Inferno, and the future King Inferno. I cannot allow that shit to slide.”

I rubbed his face. “Simmy, I know what I signed up for when I fell in love with you. As your future wife, I want to protect you like you protect me, and I know what comes with this life. You won’t ever see any judgment coming from me, baby. Is this our family?”

He kissed my lips a few times and grabbed me up to sit me on the counter. “You know it is, my love,” he kissed my neck and was trying to take my shirt off.

It was when I saw what he sat on the counter beside me that I was less interested in getting dick in the kitchen. “Is that a vest?” I squealed, and jumped down from the counter, shoving him to grab it.

“Damn, Anjo. Thought I could get some pussy before we left, and you said fuck me?”

I paid him no attention as I put the vest on, and it fit me perfectly. Capri had one, and ever since the first time I saw her wear it, I’ve wanted one for myself. Me and Quasim weren’t anywhere near where we are today, so I tossed the idea of ever owning one out of my mind.

“Simmy, look… it fits perfectly.” I ran across the kitchen into the living room, where there was a huge mirror and checked myself out.

I felt so official.

Sim slowly walked across the room until he was right behind me. He spun me around, kissing my lips. “Turn and look at the back.”

I gasped when I saw the back of the vest. Here I was, just excited to have a vest and feel down with everyone else. Queen Inferno was on the back of my vest with flames and a skull with a crown on it.

Slowly, I turned back to face him, and he was staring at me with that intense glare that I loved so much. There was a specific look that was reserved only for me when it came to Quasim. I was the only person he gave that look to.

“Oh, baby. I was happy with just a vest.” I hugged him tightly, and he kissed me on the head. We remained there, comfortable in our embrace, for a little while.

I think Quasim needed the hug more, but he would never admit it. “We ready when you are, King.” Havoc came in through the garage door. “Oh shit, my bad.”

“You good,” Quasim said, never letting me go.

Havoc smirked as he saw my vest. “Queen Inferno.”

I stared up into Sim’s eyes, standing on my toes and kissing his lips. “Thank you, baby.”

“Figured since you wanted to be left in the burning house you earned that title.”

I laughed so loud that I snorted. “Quasim! That’s not even funny.”

He smirked as he kissed my forehead. “Seriously. You’re going to be my wife, Anjo. I want you to know that I’m not going anywhere… I’m here, and I’m sorry that I even made that a fear for you.”

I roped my arms around his neck, and he kissed my lips. “I want to help you through whatever you are feeling. If it’s me and you against the world, then you gotta let me in, too… okay?”

His response was a kiss. I didn’t expect for Quasim to let me in all-in-one day. He had spent so much time keeping it bottled in, that it was hard to open that door and let everything out. With time, I prayed that he started to let that door open so I could help him heal like he was helping me.

He held my hand as he secured the house and went out through the garage. Since Simmy was driving my truck that night, it wasn’t damaged in the fire. He held the door open for me, pulling me around him as I climbed into the passenger seat.

I felt his hand grab my ass. “You getting thick, Anjo.”

My cheeks were on fire from how hard I was blushing. “My ass looks bigger when I don’t wear pant…” I allowed the words to trail because of the look he was giving me.

“Keep playing with me, Anjo.” He reached in and roughly kissed my lips and closed the door, rounding the truck and getting into the driver’s seat.

Recommendation: Listen to Down For My N*ggas by C- Murder

He pulled out the garage and remained in the driveway for a bit to watch the garage door close. We cruised through the neighborhood, Cappadonna turned from his block on his bike and followed behind us. Soon as the gates were lifted to leave the community and we turned onto the street, all the bikes crowded my truck as Quasim drove with one hand, his head on a swivel. His gun sat on his lap.

Meer pulled up on my side with Capri on his bike, both of them wearing their skull helmets. Quasim saluted, and Meer took the lead while Capri saluted at me. Havoc replaced them on my side while Cappadonna took Quasim’s side, the rest of the IG’s following behind. Simmy took my hand and kissed the back of it as he swerved and followed the path the IG’s were making for us.

As we entered the highway, we made our way down it with all sides of us covered. I saw a purple bike speed by and hit a wheelie, and the rest followed behind her as they fell in line in the front.

Gray and black bikes fell behind the IG’s trailing us, with a man taking their lead. We were taking up the highway, bikes surrounding my truck on all sides. I almost wished I had a drone to see how it looked from above. Quasim was unbothered as he continued to stay in lane while all these bikes continued to join our fleet.

“Who are those behind us?” I asked, with my body damn near turned all the way around, trying to get a better look.

“Brooklyn Bullies… you fuck with one of us, you damn near fucking with all of us.” He kissed the back of my hand again.

Kincaid moved from his place and hit a wheelie, then sped up to get in line with Lia. She nodded her head to greet him, and they both took off ahead with the triplets following behind them. Both the leader of the Bullies and Reapers signaled to their people, and their crews fell back to mix in with the IG’s.

Quasim rolled his window down and saluted the one leading the bullies. He nodded his head and returned the salute as he pushed forward. He and Bia both took the lead while the rest of the bikes continued to surround the truck. They made a clear path, and Meer rode through so he could take the lead. It was like synchronized swimming; the way they all played their roles and got all the bikes into position. Capri signaled something to Wylie, and I watched him nod his head as he took the side she was on.

She held her hand up and did a signal that they all understood, then she saluted while Meer continued to push forward. “Big fucking Pri.” I watched my sister as she directed everyone while Meer continued leading the convoy.

Yasin took Simmy’s side while Havoc took mine.

I was so proud watching Meer take the lead, a space that had always been reserved for his brother. He led us all down the highway as they made sure we remained in the center of them.

This wasn’t like it was my first time being in the car while motorcycles surrounded me. It was the first time with this many bikes and they all had a common goal - to protect us.

I looked over at Simmy, and he was focused. I’ve always known this man was the head of the Inferno Gods, however, it was a different feeling when you were in the middle of it.

It was how he moved, as if all of this was normal. To him, this was normal, because the goal was to protect King Inferno and the future Queen Inferno. I leaned back and then opened the middle compartment, pulling out some gummy bears.

“Want some, baby?”

Before he could reply, I shoved some into his mouth. “Anjo, what the fuck?” He said between chewing his gummies.

The rest of the ride, we talked here and there. I could tell his focus wasn’t on our conversation, so I eventually pulled my kindle out and started reading.

I don’t know how I went from reading to falling asleep. My kindle had fallen onto the floor and we were now driving through some small town. Quasim’s semi relaxed position was no more.

He leaned forward with his hand resting on my thigh as we continued to maneuver to wherever we were going. The bikes pulled to the side while allowing us to continue and follow behind Meer and Capri.

We arrived at the parking lot of a dilapidated strip mall. I noticed Papa standing in front of the laundromat with another gentleman. There were a bunch of other bikers there while Papa and the other man were leaning on their bikes, talking. Then I noticed the unmistakable viper decal among the sea of different bikes, and my heart rate immediately sped up.

“The fuck?” Quasim muttered.

I had to wipe my eyes a few times when I saw Tookie leaning on his bike next to the man that Papa was talking to. From Papa’s body language, I could tell shit wasn’t all well in his world.

Quasim whipped the truck around so that we were facing them. He put it in park, hopped out, tucking his gun behind him. “Fuck is this?”

“Same shit I want to know before I start coming to conclusions myself, Red.” Papa replied.

All the Gods now surrounded the truck, wondering the same shit. Meer hopped off his bike while Capri remained seated on it. He snatched his helmet off and looked at his father and brother. “Who gonna shoot first?”

Meer pulled his gun out and was heading over toward Tookie, who stood up straight. “Blaze.” Papa called.

Meer fell back. “If you think I’m ever running in the same circles as this nigga, you doing the same shit he doing.” Sim looked between his father and who I now assumed was his uncle, because I could see the similarities between him and Papa.

Tookie stood up and looked around nervously, embarrassed that his secret was exposed not only in front of his people, but all the other gangs.

Quasim came back near the truck, walked around it and opened my door. He held my hand as I stepped out the truck. Once my feet hit the broken pavement, all the Gods put their feet on the ground and stood as I walked around the truck.

Capri stood up with them as I walked past her while Simmy held my hand. We stood next to Papa. “How you doing, B?” He kissed my temple and then settled back onto his bike.

“I’m good.”

I felt like royalty, the way the Gods treated me. I’ve witnessed it when it comes to Quasim. He always led the way, and when he pulled up on them, someone would always move their bike to let him park in the front. I mean, I always felt important whenever I had one following behind me, or when they surrounded me while I was in a car. This time, it felt different because my best friend stood up with the rest of them when I got out of my truck..

Red started coughing into his handkerchief and leaned back on his bike. “I’m dying, Quinton. All of them years of chain-smoking and doing whatever the fuck I wanted has come back to me.” He let out a sad chuckle.

In his eyes, you could see how sad he was about his fate, yet he couldn’t help but make a dark joke about his situation.

Quasim and Quinton’s expressions never changed. I looked between them both and saw not an ounce of remorse in either of their eyes. Red saw the same thing and coughed, wiping his mouth before leaning forward.

Tookie hadn’t taken his eyes off me since I stepped out of the car. I hated this man so much. It smelled sour because he was near. All of the pain he put me through played on a loop in my mind.

I remember being so afraid of him, and now as he stood a few feet away from me, I was no longer scared of him. Why was I ever scared of a man like him anyway?

“Yeah, you bout to go lay in some dirt soon… why the fuck is he here?” Meer finally broke the silence.

Red chuckled, clearly used to his nephew not having a filter or a care about him. “I didn’t have shit to do with running in yo spot.” Tookie was the one who spoke instead.

“Yeah, and I don’t make my dog shit on the lawns of the neighbors I hate.” Meer stood near his bike next to his wife.

Tookie took a deep breath, hitting his chest. “Why the fuck would I show up here if I had some shit to do with it? I had to move my fucking grandmoms three times because of this nigga.”

Quasim smiled. “The condo she in now look nice as shit from the outside. Can’t wait to get the proper tour.”

Tookie nearly fainted when Sim let him know that he knew where he moved her. “Why the fuck are you trying to kill my fucking Nana, nigga? I already got my fucking family mad at my ass.”

“Mrs. Loretta is good for now… I want your baby moms… ever had to bury one of those, Dookie?”

I wasn’t surprised when he mentioned that Tookie had a baby mother. With the way that he slept around when we were together, I was surprised that he only mentioned him having one.

“I ain’t even come here with all of that shit. We showed up to issue a truce… this not my beef.”

This was the first time that I was witnessing Tookie use his brain and not make moves because he was too cocky to stand down. He was also smart enough to know that the IG’s had been wiping his people out, which is why he only had a few behind him on their bikes.

“Polo pushed me out and the Del Devils don’t answer to me. These are the few that remained loyal to me. I ain’t got the fight in me, Quinton. I took that boy under my wing when nobody wanted to put him on.”

“Damn, Red. Can’t say I feel bad… good for yo stupid ass,” Papa was hell, and I never noticed how much his sons acted just like him. Whenever I was around him, he was always quiet, and the love he had for his wife was always loud. I never met this side of Quinton Inferno before.

Witnessing how he messed in his beard as he nonchalantly didn’t give a shit about his brother dying was something different.

The fact that he and Des Delgato were good friends back in the day had me interested in their past. I just knew they had stories for days and were the blueprint for their sons to follow.

Quasim pulled me closer to him and I rested my hand on his chest while staring up at him. He was locked in on Tookie, and for a brief second, he stopped and looked down at me. “Behave, Simmy.”

He kissed my forehead and held me closer to him as I continued to watch what was going on. “I’m stepping back. This not my beef, and I ain’t trying to bury my grandmother. I reached out to Red so he could call the truce and make peace.”

“Ain’t never any peace when it comes to you and those Chrome Pussies,” Capri said. She had taken her helmet off, but she still wore a mask under it, concealing her identity to the other gangs that didn’t know who she was.

Tyshawn had always had a problem with a woman talking down to him. Any time I made him look stupid, he would put his hands on me, so I knew that he was in control and stronger than me. His ego was fragile and smelled of shit. I knew this man better than he knew himself, and the fact that Capri said something to him, and disrespected his crew – I knew he wanted to say some shit back and even put his hands on her.

Like I knew Tyshawn, his ex-best friend knew him, too, and stood there. “Use your words… don’t ball your fist up because we already know I’ll crack yo fucking neck.” Meer let him know he knew what was going through his mind.

Quasim looked between Tookie and his uncle. “You both want me to believe that my house being set on fire and Blaze’s crib being ran up in isn’t connected?”

Red and Tookie looked at him. “Nah… they only ran into Meer’s crib.”

“It’s Mr. Inferno, Bitch,” Meer snarled when Tookie said his name.

I held back my laugh because he was so unserious, but he was serious at the same time. “Ight.”

The ight sounded dangerous and if Tyshawn was smart, he wouldn’t have settled on his bike, relieved. He should have been on edge and nervous because I could tell there was more behind that ight .

“Let’s bridge this divide and bring the Devils and Infernos together… it’s been years, let’s make this right before I leave.”

“Red, I hear you,” Papa lowered his head and then slowly lifted it as he stared at his brother, smirking with gold in his mouth. “Nothing can ever be right until you get yo ass down in that casket and I take a piss on you. I would rather put crazy glue on my hand and beat my shit before I ever bridge the gap when the Infernos run this bitch… something you always wanted. Tried to take my seed out when he stepped into position, thinking I raised him to be pussy… nigga been running lead and running circles around you and all yo niggas. You always wanted to be the leader, always had a big head. I stepped back and watched my creations run shit, always fucking proud, never envious because when I was on the throne, I handled my business. Ain’t never gonna be peace.” He spit at his feet and climbed on his bike.

Red looked at his brother and you could see the envy. He hated that man, and not even this sick act could hide the disdain he held for his brother and nephews.

Quasim smirked. “Call when you bout to croak?”

I covered my mouth because they were hell on earth with the way they kept talking about this man’s death. “Out of respect for you and your wife, I’m not gonna show up cause I might launch the casket.” Meer said, as he climbed on his bike and put his helmet on.

Quasim cleared his throat. “You all see Queen Inferno… let harm come to her and I’m fucking wiping bloodlines and killing fucking cats. No sense behind this one. Dookie, you may act tough, but I’m gonna show you what it feel like to really be high… feel me?” He walked me back over to the truck, and this time, Meer stood along with Capri and everyone else.

The Gods weren’t the only ones that stood, the Bullies and Reapers did the same. “We… straight?” Tookie needed to hear the word from his mouth.

“Ight.” Was all Sim said.

He got back into the truck and started it, while everyone made room for him. Meer filed out first, and then we followed behind him.

“I don’t trust him, Simmy,” I looked at him.

Tyshawn was saying he wanted a truce, and at first, I believed he was trying to be smart and not die, because going against the Infernos, he was surely going to die. It was the way he looked at Quasim, more specifically at Meer, that told me otherwise.

“Me, either.”

“Why are you holding the gun like you are part of Charlie’s Angels?” Aimee laughed, as she sat on the counter next to where I was standing.

I looked at the way Capri held hers, and then how Alaia was holding hers and now my ass felt odd. They were shooting their targets like it was nothing, and here I was, standing and holding my gun like I was Beyonce in Austin Powers.

Alaia shot the desert eagle with ease, her arm kicked back with each shot she took, but she kept her foot planted firmly, and her hand stayed tightly gripped around the gun.

“Aimee, you are slowly working your way onto that list with Meer.”

She couldn’t hold her laugh in as she jumped down. Aimee was slightly taller than me, but not enough where her height swallowed me. I allowed her to adjust my stance and fix the way I held my gun.

“More comfortable, right?”

“No, I liked the other way,” I smirked as she laughed at me, and then stepped back.

Capri finished shooting at her target, and then she came over next to Aimee. “Just aim and pretend it’s someone that you hate.”

“I like to think the target is my brother.” Alaia replied, as she let off the remaining shots, and then stretched her neck.

Capri snorted. “Tasha.”

“Khalif.” Aimee added.

I took a few deep breaths and looked at the target that was in front of me, adjusting my shoulders as I held the gun in front of me. This wasn’t my first time in the range with Capri. I came with her whenever she needed to relieve some stress.

Being the district attorney, the cases she had to deal with often took a toll on her, and she found herself here taking out her stress on a target. The small range was by word of mouth, which meant that even illegal guns were used here.

“Let that shit bang, Blair,” Aimee said, and my finger curled on the trigger. I locked in with the target as I felt my body become hot.

Images of Tyshawn slapping, punching, and kicking me flooded my mind. Every time I thought I was big enough to fight back, he proved me wrong by beating me back down to size. Having to give birth to a child that never got the chance to take his first breath. All of that came forward and my chest felt tight as I squeezed the trigger, never letting up off it until I emptied the clip.

It felt like it was an out of body experience, and I was standing off to the corner, watching myself shoot the target. Lowering the gun, I sat it on the counter in front of me and took a breath. Alaia had stopped shooting, and no one said anything.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and Capri rested her chin on my shoulder. “You needed that.”

I smiled, my eyes misty, and put my hand on the side of her face. “You have no idea how much.” The tears fell down my face.

“He cannot hurt you anymore, Michael,” Alaia hugged me, as Capri and I looked at her and laughed.

“You been around Cappy too damn long,” Capri laughed as we all hugged each other in the middle of the range.

This life wasn’t at all easy, but having these women love and embrace me as family made it bearable. Capri’s family had accepted me like I belonged and loved me the same. All I had been wanting after my mother passed was that familiar feeling of being loved and having family.

I found that in the Delgatos and Infernos.

We finished up at the gun range and decided to go eat at some diner that Alaia recommended. “Now, where the hell did she even hear about this diner?” Capri mumbled as she pulled in beside Alaia.

“Diner food is the best food. There was this diner in Philly that I used to frequent when I lived there.”

Capri didn’t look convinced as she watched her sister-in-law and Aimee get out her truck. “It’s close to the range.”

Alaia already copped the plea when she saw Capri’s face as we got out her car. “And this is where you want to eat?”

“I’m sure the food is going to be fine.” Aimee tried to be positive, although I could see that she wasn’t all that thrilled with the aesthetic of the restaurant, either.

Alaia started laughing. “I always come here when I’m overwhelmed with things. Roy took me here when we first met. The food isn’t good, but it just gives me this warm feeling when I come.”

We all decided to stop judging the diner and went along with it because her reason for coming was sweet. Alaia entered the diner first and the bell on top of the door chimed. “Hey Alaia, how are you?”

An older white woman with reddish hair greeted her. “Hey Sue… how did the surgery go?”

Sue smiled, exposing a missing side tooth. I wondered if she had given hers up for dick. “Everything went well.”

“Alhamdulillah,” Alaia replied.

Sue gestured around the diner. “Ladies, sit anywhere, and I will go grab some menus for you.” she smiled before she headed down the counter, and we found a booth toward the back.

I slid beside Capri while Alaia and Aimee slid in across from us. Sue came and handed us sticky menus, then left us to look over them. “Leave it to pops to bring you somewhere like this.” Aimee laughed.

“Honestly, it was what made me fall in love with him. He could have showed off his money and he never did… never been my Roy.”

I admired Alaia and Cappadonna’s marriage, just like I admired Capone and Erin’s. The love that each couple shared with each other was something to admire and strive for. The respect was there on both ends. It was the way both Erin and Alaia honored their husbands that I loved the most. It was easy to submit and honor their husbands because Capone and Capp didn’t have them looking like a goofy. No woman could ever come and say that Capone or Cappadonna ever stepped to them.

The same applied with Capri and Meer. She had finally found a man that loved her and treated her like gold. Capri was used to pouring into everyone else, and she finally had a man that poured into her, and had no problem checking anybody when it came to his wife.

“I think that is romantic. Do you both come and eat here together?”

Alaia laughed. “Roy likes to come and sit with me if he knows I’m here, but he hates the food here. We both do.”

“Well, damn, Alaia… what the hell am I going to get since you hate the food,” Aimee sat the menu down.

“I usually get coffee and some of the cake that is baked every morning… as far as food. Stick to the pancakes.”

After feeling the texture of the menu, I had already decided that I wasn’t going to get anything too complicated. “I think I’ll get some sausage and toast.”

Sue came back over to the table with her pad. “How’s Cappadonna and those babies? You know… we still have people come in and ask if he’s going to make those pancakes.”

Capri looked at Sue. “He was cooking in here?”

“Taught the cook a few tricks with the pancakes.” She smiled.

Me and Aimee busted out laughing because why was Capp in these people’s kitchen cooking. We placed our order and then continued to laugh about Alaia and her crazy ass husband.

Capri showed me a video of Cherry, and I smiled, looking at my God baby. “Why is she growing so fast?”

“I don’t know but she needs to stop it because I’m not ready for another one.” She flipped to another picture and I laughed, seeing her half asleep, laying on her grandmother’s chest.

“How many do you want?” Alaia sipped her water.

“I really want a little boy. I think maybe one more and then we’re good. Don’t ask Meer because he’ll start throwing out all these crazy numbers. It was easy to say I would give him however many babies he wanted, but that was before the baby.” She took a deep breath and held her hand up. “I promise I am fine; I promise.”

I held her hand. “It’s normal for you not to be, though… it’s okay to not be okay sometimes.” I assured her.

Every time she vented to me, she always led by saying she was fine, and I wanted her to know that it was fine if she wasn’t alright. None of us were judging her or placing blame on her for not being alright.

“I’m happy and I’m so in love with the life me and Meer have, but I feel like I’m watching myself from across the room. Like she’s there, and I just want her to jump back into my body so we can feel like normal again. I feel so guilty for even thinking like that because I love my baby so much. I have more help than anyone, and I still feel sad at times because I want to feel like the old me… it’s weird.”

“Not weird. It’s called motherhood, Capri.” Alaia rubbed her hands.

She looked at Aimee. “Is this what you felt like, Aim?”

Aimee nodded her head and wiped her tears. “I still feel like that… fighting to get the old me back, while accepting that she may be gone for good. Pri, it’s not a bad idea to go to therapy. I know Meer loves the hell out of you and you are in a good place now, but you’ve been through so much. Pops went with me to therapy to understand me more, and I swear I never cried so much. Both he and my father were there. I went from not having a dad, to having two that care about me.”

Alaia rested her head on Aimee’s shoulder. “He needed that just as much as you did, Aim.”

“As children, we bury what happened to us and keep pushing on, never dealing with it because we claim we don’t remember. Not knowing most of our decisions we make in our adulthood stems from that trauma we experienced as children.” I rubbed my aching breast as I watched them. “Don’t mind me… I’m gonna make an appointment because my breasts have been sore, and that was the first sign I got when I found out I had cancer.”

“Or you could be pregnant because my breasts were super sore and ached when I got pregnant with Promise.”

“I am not pregnant… I would know.”

“Would you?” Capri eyed me suspiciously.

I stopped rubbing my breast and looked at them. “We’re not about to make my boobs the topic of conversation.”

“Somebody having King Inferno’s baby,” Aimee teased, and I kicked her under the table. “Ouch, bitch.”

“Damn, so we all just be knocked up before getting the last name?” Capri snorted, as she sipped her coffee. “Oh God… this is awful.”

“Speak for yourself… I got the last name, and I wasn’t knocked up. Me being pregnant and Promise being born first doesn’t count… I had her after me and Capp were married.”

Aimee grabbed Alaia’s hand. “Baby, you just as delusional as your husband.”

We all started laughing because Alaia and Capp were one in the same. They both balanced each other because they were both nut cases. “I really don’t think I am, though.”

“Is your period late?”

“From the chemotherapy, my periods are irregular anyway.” I shrugged.

Aimee looked at her phone. “Hmm.”

“Why you all looking like that?” I looked at them as they looked away from me while snickering.

“Remember when you told that man you couldn’t wait to have his babies and marry him in Italy?” Capri asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well, you spoke it into existence, because you are pregnant, my girl. I’ll let you live in delusion a bit because I had to do the same until Meer pulled up on me with a damn test.”

“That man loves you so damn bad… actually, he probably trapped you.”

We all laughed. “I’ll be trapped by him anytime.”

“Look at the Delgatos sitting across from the Infernos.” We turned and Capp was standing there with Capone sitting in the booth behind him.

“Hey, baby.”

“Oh, hey baby… why the fuck you not answering your phone?”

Alaia looked for her phone in her purse and then put on a silly grin. “It was on silent… I always turn it off when I’m at the range.”

He leaned in the booth behind us and kissed his wife on the forehead. “Missed a target?”

“Never.” She kissed his nose.

“Missing Erin already,” Capri called her other brother out who was looking like a lost puppy. Erin had flown out with her cousin so she could get a mommy makeover.

“Still trying to figure out why the fuck she need a mommy makeover… she ain’t even been a mommy that damn long,” he vented.

“Ryai wants to feel good… I told her she looks amazing, but you know… you have to believe it, too, and just hearing me say it doesn’t mean she believes it.” Capri shrugged.

“Don’t you be out there doing no surgery.” Capone looked at his sister.

“Rayce has me with enough weight on and with the way Cappadonna has had me running… I’ll be back down to my regular size soon enough.” She smirked. “Oh, and I’m grown so if I did choose to have surgery… my business, Winston.”

He laughed. “Yeah, ight… crazy ass Meer would flip a table.”

Capri paused and then laughed. “He really would… he don’t even want me to lose weight for real. I gotta tone because Rayce did a number on me.”

“Nah, all those damn sticky wings did.” Cappadonna laughed.

“True. Mommy cooking me every damn thing didn’t help, either… she still makes me all this food and brings it over.”

Capone smiled. “Her way of trying to make up for her wrongs. Handle her the way you’ve been… I know you love her, but also keep your boundaries, Pri.”

“With all of us,” Cappadonna added.

Capri smiled. “Thanks.”