“The only reason you are here is because your house is falling apart. You’ve lost the respect of your men, and your precious faction. You’ve lost control.” She giggled. “You’ve shown your hand. You’re desperate. This is good.”
My face was stoic when I finally lifted my own glass to my lips and looked at Orlando. “You should really consider putting a leash on your bitch. Or maybe a muzzle. Her mouth...” I shookmy head, watching her run it freely, not even realizing she was giving me everything I needed.
“B, quit talking,” Orlando finally demanded.
“Why? It’s nothing he or his bitch can do to us. Everyone with power is gone or running scared. The wedding put a target on his back. No one will ride with him now. And once Isabella take full control of her family, we will move on all the territories you took from us. Take back all of our contacts you stole. And will get revenge for every family member you’ve wronged.” That last little bit of her rant she slurred.
I looked at my watch. “Well shit, that worked fast.” I glanced back at her. Glassy eyes peered back at me, while her hands trembled. “Go on. You were saying?”
She blinked slow, like her lashes were all of a sudden too heavy. For a second, that cocky smirk slipped from her lips, and her hand dragged down the column of her neck. Whatever had been creeping in, it was already starting to show. When her elbow hit the table, the thud wasn’t loud, but the panic that jumped across Orlando’s face was. He squinted at her, finally noticing the way her posture had slumped just enough to be off.
“What did you do to her?” Orlando’s voice boomed across the table. “Hey—look at me!” He yelled at his wife. Her movements were slow, but she managed to meet Orlando’s gaze.
He picked up her glass, inspecting its contents. “What did you put in here? I swear if anything happens—”
“You swear what?” I finally let my anger surface, slamming my glass down, hard enough to rattle the table. “I told your bitch ass the last time we crossed paths to stay outta my fuckin’ way and to control your bitch. You’ve done neither.”
Yanna took a slow sip, still watching Bianca with that same soft smile while I delivered the real message.
“You got twenty-four hours to put Isabella in front of me, or you’ll be planning more than your wife’s funeral. Your son...”
I pulled out my phone, showing the video surveillance of his son’s house in Decatur. He stared at the screen, quietly. His shoulders stiffened when he recognized the street, the house, and the white BMW parked in the driveway. He didn’t bother asking how I got the footage. He already knew. We were both men with the money and means to get the info we wanted. My pull was just a little bit stronger than his, though.
“I will wipe out your entire bloodline. You remember what war with me was like...? Hmm?”
I leaned back in the booth and took a long look at both of them. Their faces were pale, eyes wide, and full of disbelief. For years, women and children had been off limits, but this level of disrespect couldn’t go unpunished.
Orlando’s voice dropped, finally cracking.
“No… no, you don’t gotta do this. We can work this out before this shit gets too far.” He shook his head, still processing my threats, watching the life drain from Bianca’s eyes. “What did you give my wife? You poisoned her?”
“That’s what we are doing right now. Evening the scale. Your wife has been busy. Her and her new friend... Isabella. Did you really think you could fund a hit, poison guests at my wedding, and it go unchecked? The way I see it, this makes us even.”
“Good riddance… right?” Yanna chimed in a little smirk on her lips. “I don’t know maybe you’ll make it. My father did.”
“I wouldn’t count on it. I say you got a good eight or nine hours. Do yourself a favor, take her home now, and at least make love to her one last time.” I told him honestly.
The poison was already starting to take effect, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
“Go take care of your wife. Or don’t.”
“You will pay for this.” Orlando started shouting and fussing but I was already standing. My demands had been made.
“No, you will if Isabella isn’t delivered to me in twenty-four hours.” I slid out of the booth, taking Yanna’s hand and pulling her with me. “You know where to find me. Clock’s already ticking.”
As we moved toward the exit, one of the owners peeled away from a nearby booth, catching pace with me for a few seconds. I didn’t stop walking, just spoke low enough for him to catch it.
“Good looking on the Moccasins. Make sure the girl gets paid… the server,” I murmured, slipping him a stack of hundreds. “For her services. She did good.”
He nodded once, and I continued toward the door, knowing tomorrow would be a whole new set of problems. Killing Isabella was going to create a problem with Gianni. There is a good chance that I would have to take care of her entire bloodline.
twenty-two
Ayanna
Iwas pacing. And not gracefully either, near the back entrance of our temporary home. Annoyed was an understatement… with Teo, my security team, and my brother.
Everybody was tripping.
