Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 140940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Tension gathered in my shoulders. “Mysh?”
She blinked and looked at me. “Yes, baby.”
I smiled at her use of baby. “What do you need from me? Say it. Anything.”
“You’re already giving me what I need, Kaz. You brought me here.”
“But is that enough?”
“I hope so.” She swallowed. “I’m not sure what Delphine has planned for me or how she can heal me, so. . .we’ll see.”
“Baba talked about my needing to get items to help you.”
“How do you feel about that?”
A fiery determination blazed in my chest. “Whatever you need, I will get.”
“But. . .it was something about the way Baba said it.”
I tilted my head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“Why can’t other people get the stuff? It seemed like you had to be the person to do it.”
“If it needs to be me, then I’m fine with that.”
“I don’t like the idea of your being away from me getting shit.”
“Mysh, you are the rhythm that makes my heartbeat, the song that soothes my soul.”
A warm smile spread across her face. “Kaz, don’t make me cry.”
“I would move mountains for you if need be or at least blow them up. If I have to get something for you to heal, I will do it.”
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you too.”
The SUV slowed down its speed.
Paolo shrieked. “Big Lizards, mysh!”
Emily and I snapped our view that way.
Outside of the window, two alligators lazily sunned themselves on a muddy bank.
Emily chuckled. “Those are alligators, baby.”
Paolo widened his eyes and glanced at her. “Nice?”
“No, baby. I wouldn’t say that they are nice. Very bad lizards.”
“Oh no.” Paolo turned back to the window.
I returned my attention to my mouse. “If you get scared or uncomfortable and want to leave for any reason, tell me. We will get out of here. Do you understand?”
“Kaz, I’m not leaving until Lunita is gone.”
Pressure built in my chest.
And then we turned down a rocky dirt path.
Paolo giggled. “House, mysh.”
I checked what he was looking at.
An old Victorian house painted in yellow with white trim loomed ahead. Two large bay windows decorated the front. A massive porch wrapped around the front of the house.
And on that porch, several Black men stood, holding machetes and guns. Each man was built like a fortress—tall, broad-shouldered, muscular, and imposing.
They glared at our approaching vehicles with fierce unblinking eyes.
I spoke through clenched teeth, “We should not have brought the kids.”
“We didn’t come here to fight, Kaz.”
“I do not like the way they are looking at us.”
“They don’t know us like that. It’s fair game when you are riding onto Black people’s property. It is what it is. You’re going to get mean-mugged.”
I snapped my view to her. “Mean-mugged?”
She grinned. “It’s a slang term for when people are staring at you in an aggressive way.”
“I will need to explain to them that the Lion does not like to be mean-mugged.”
“Relax.” She raised Emilio and kissed his forehead. “This is just an initial visit for all of us to feel each other out.”
“I have been on my best behavior, mysh.”
“Kaz, you would have slapped Rafael, if you wasn’t holding Emilio.”
Surely, my hand had burned to connect with the side of that idiot’s face. And little did my mouse know, after his pitiful roars, I made it a personal goal to slap the Comedienne before we left New Orleans.
The SUV came to a stop in front of the house.
As if hearing me, she shook her head. “In fact, I’m giving you Emilio now to keep your hands busy.”
Paolo climbed off my lap and got closer to my mouse.
I took Emilio from her arms. He stirred a little and then let out an exasperated sigh, returning back to slumber.
Up ahead, SUV doors opened in unison. My men stepped out.
To my shock, more Black men appeared from the woods lining the house. Each one gripped a weapon.
I tensed. “What is this?”
My mouse put her hand on my arm.
I gritted my teeth. “Next time, we do not bring the kids.”
She frowned. “I agree.”
Rafael left his car and headed forward.
The Black men on the porch spotted him and shook their heads. I didn’t think any of them liked the Comedienne at all.
For that reason, these men made me immediately like them.
Max got out of his SUV. Tisha and Lemon exited the same SUV and followed him.
Instead of heading to the house, Max came over to our SUV and opened the door.
We turned to him.
Max gave us a sad smile. “So, I forgot to tell you that they had a limited white man policy.”
“A what?”
“Only three white men can go inside her house.” Max gazed over his shoulder. “And the way dudes are yelling at Rafael, I think we may even have too many white men on the property. Shit may get heated.”
I was about to speak, but the house’s front door opened.