Page 56 of Wicked Throne

Chapter 25

Thierry

Everyone came to show their respects to John Knowles on the day of his funeral. He had been the patron saint of drug dealers and pastors alike. Diamond and Nautica had come together to plan his funeral and a week after his death he had been buried.

The church service had been full of lively singing and it had included John’s favorite song,Precious Lord.An older black woman with skin so smooth she seemed to sparkle had sung it. She was a tiny thing but after she finished singing it, Enzo and I both looked around and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Diamond, sobbing uncontrollably had allowed me to place my arm around her body. My white handkerchief was tucked into the palms of her hands as sobs wracked her frame.

I did my best to comfort her.

Enzo and I were standing off to the side of the steps talking afterward when one of John’s brothers approached. He looked much like his brother, just a bit shorter and had more meat on his bones. He was dressed in all black like everyone else.

“So you’re who John turned everything over too,” he spoke. “I’m Edward Knowles, his middle brother.”

His tone told me he wasn’t too keen on my new position in his family. Where was Diamond when you needed her?

I nodded. “I am.”

He looked me up and down. “I never imagined a white man…let alone an I-talian would be involved.”

Enzo’s jaw clenched at the way he said Italian but I wasn’t so easily moved or bothered by his words.

“I’m here to make money,” I replied. “And as long as I’m making money then my wife and her family are making money.”

Edward smirked before turning on his heel to walk away. “Well, I hope it continues then.”

“Think he’ll be a problem?” Enzo asked.

“I’ll kill all these motherfuckers if they think they’re going to take this shit over from me.”

“And her,” Enzo had spotted Diamond and fucking Nathan West.

I watched them talk but made no move to interfere. His wife was beside him. She reached in to pull Diamond into a hug and Nathan’s eyes found my own. I gave him a slight wink and quickly he averted his eyes.

“Her…I think we’ve come to an understanding.”

Enzo clapped me on the back before going off to join his wife. “Sure brother, if you say so.”

As they began to load John’s white and gold coffin into the black hearse, from where I was standing a saw a car from the road. It just seemed strange to see it going so slow. Maybe they were trying to figure out who had died.

And then the gleam of sunlight hitting the dark metal caught my eye as the window towards the back rolled down. The only thought on my mind was Diamond and I ran through the crowd to cover her as gunfire had exploded, filling the air with noise.

It filled my ears as I yanked her down.

I hoped that Enzo had been shot again.

This was eerily similar to Italy.

Screams filled the air as people ducked for cover and my chest heaved. Diamond was on the ground under me, her worried eyes, still red from crying searched my face.

“I’m okay,” she whispered. “I’m safe.”

“We need to get out of here,” I said.

People had scattered and cars were starting. I had no idea if anyone had been shot or was dead. Nathan had his wife covered just inches away. He sprang to his feet searching the crowd.

Fucking boy scout,I’d thought.