Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
“Can I finish this time without you fightin’ with hardware store customers, or tryna get your dick wet?! You know I have to get off this fucking phone, Kage!”
“Well, I don’t know pretty boy, can you?!” Kage burst out in a fit of laughter. “Get your panties out of a wad. I already understand.” he stated sternly. “I got it! Grandpa has the goods on you, he’s pissed that you put your hands on him but probably respects you a little for that, too, and he took his aggressions out on your father to teach you a lesson and show you who’s boss. He knows word spreads fast in our family, so it was also a message to let the rest of us know that he wasn’t gonna just roll over and take it. Uncle Reeves crossed the line, fightin’ words I ’spose, so he told Grandpa to turn you loose, or face the consequences.
“Grandpa felt like that threat on his life on account of you warranted a visit to the hospital or the grave. Either or. Now here you are, planning to fuck him up, get out of your contract that you never agreed to, and do it in a way that you don’t end up killed, and he sets you free with no strings attached. I don’t need you to draw me a damn map. Anything else? I’ve got houses to build, pussy to pummel, and huntin’ on my mind.”
“That about sums it up.”
“…But you’re not sure what to do, so you call your big cousin Kage since I know Grandpa Dickhead the best, right?”
“I know what to do, I’m just concerned about doing it is all. There’s consequences if I follow through with my plan. There’s also consequences if I do nothin’ at all.”
“You listen to me, motherfucker. This is life and death. All jokes and bullshit aside. Don’t hesitate, Roman, because he wouldn’t waste half a second debatin’ on how to deal with your ass, now would he? Between you and me, I blame myself for this.”
“Why? You have nothin’ to do with how our grandfather acts. He’s vile, ingenious, and out of his mind.”
“Yeah, I agree, big words and all, but if I hadn’t talked about my plan way back when, that motherfucker would’ve been dead when we were kids. I could have taken him out, killed him on the spot. End of story. I would have been put in a juvenile mental institution after I murdered him and released when I was eighteen on good behavior and so-called full mental recovery, without a care in the world. Free and clear. You live and learn. And I hope you and the others realize that he certainly doesn’t want me to work for him as part of no enforcement team, or no shit like that. Roman, this is personal. It started off that way, but definitely didn’t end on a high note. He just wants to punish me for way back then, if ya ask me. You though? He absolutely, positively with a capital, ‘P’, wants to exploit your occupational resources and cause them to be your own personal hazard. Every thang you’ve worked so hard for, he can make it go up in smoke. He gets off on control like that… makin’ folks squirm. Oh, and fun fact. He’s also jealous of you and Ryder. Always has been.”
“Me and Ryder?” Ryder was another of their cousins that was on the chopping block. Ryder lived in the country on his huge farm. A reserved man with a dark side. Beloved by most, feared by all. “Kage, I need to talk more to you about this later, but you’ve given me something to think about. Stay outta trouble, will you?”
“Tell trouble to stay outta me.” Then Kage ended the call…
Moments later, Roman found himself milling about in a sea of brand-new faces…
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Roman tossed on his best smile as he shook hands, charming to the fullest of his potential, and acting modest when Genesis’ family members complimented him in some fashion. He ate it up but pretended to pay it no mind. As usual, he had to explain to a few people that his job was nothing like how the stock market was portrayed in movies such as ‘Trading Places,’ or ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’
“Mama, Roman was the one that sent you and Daddy that gorgeous Bakersfield fruit basket yesterday,” Genesis announced as she led him into the kitchen that was decorated in black and white. Mrs. Caldwell wore a long green skirt, shimmery green blouse, and a sparkle in her dark eyes as she wiped her hands on a cotton tea towel with little embroidered doves on it.
“That was very thoughtful of you, Roman. I appreciate that, honey.” She walked up to him real slow and thoughtful-like, and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing. She smelled like vanilla and violets. When she let go, she looked into his eyes, her expression troubled. Tony and Genesis’ mother, having known him since he was nineteen, always seemed to recognize when something was off with him. He loved and hated that about her. He imagined her motherly instinct had kicked in regarding his worries, perhaps caused her to tap into his concerns surrounding his father. He broke eye contact.