As we stand here, I’m learning he also doesn’t know how to read the room. Although Ny has on shades, her body language says she’s not interested. Yet Keith won’t stop staring at her hungrily.
I give his neck a little squeeze. “Nah, she’s not for you. Your party is waiting inside.”
He nods and pulls a hand down his face, licking his lips. I laugh to myself. I guess she didn’t dress down enough.
I pat his cheek. “Come on, you’re going to love your guests.”
I have Ming and Holly inside. Because of her former brother-in-law, Reeshemah decided to change her name. I started calling her Holly because we found her in Hollis. It stuck.
I like Holly, I was right about her. She and Nyla have built a bond. Ny trusts her and she’s been one of the better recruits when it comes to combat and weapons.
Tonight, I want to see if she has a stomach for seduction and murder. Keith here has offered an opportunity and I plan to use it fully.
“Damn. Aight, aight,” he says as we step into the house and Holly and Ming come into view.
“Get this man a drink. It’s his birthday,” I croon.
Ming saunters over with a drink in her hand. Keith takes it and downs it without a second thought. Ming slips under his right arm and Holly comes to slide under the other as I step back out of the way.
“Uncle Kingston. Man, ya hooked yer boy up. This is lit.”
“Guh on. Ya enjoy yerself. Gio, come sit. Let’s chat.”
I go to sit in the accent chair as Kingston takes the couch. From here, I’m able to keep my sights on the girls and Keith. Ny comes and sits on the arm of the chair I’m sitting in.
“Yuh look like a bad woman I used to know,” Kingston says to Ny as he looks her over.
“This is someone I want you to know. If something happens to me, she’s the one who has the name you want.”
“Wuh stopping muh from killing yuh and getting dat name from she?”
“That bad woman you used to know, did you come to know her through his mother?” Ny says.
“Fah real.”
“Good. That bad woman was my mother. May she rest in peace, but my mother was child’s play next to me. You touch him, everything you love will cease to exist.”
Kingston sits back in his seat with a smile on his face showing all his teeth. He pulls a face and nods. I place a hand on Ny’s knee.
“Big chat, girl.”
“My guns are bigger, and I don’t pull unless I’m going to blast. Just like I don’t say shit I don’t mean and can’t back up.”
“Dis must be yer woman. She chat just like yuh.”
“She’s my business partner. She’s also my liaison to my grandfather. This friendship needs to look like it’s an old relationship between you and him. She’s going to step in to make sure that happens.”
“Ah. Ya know the favor we done fa yer muddah and grandfaddah?” I pause and stare at him. He waves a hand. “Never mind dat. I hear wuh yuh say. I like she too. Yuh kids are yer mouddahs’ trilden.”
“We are.”
“Now, fa wuh I need. Yuh see, I don’t like liards,” he says loudly. “If ya can lie to muh or about muh, yer a liability. To lie shows muh yer only ability. Yuh understand?”
I understand. Although I know it’s a rhetorical question. I like the way he puts it though. Liars are liabilities. Get it… lie-ability. I’m going to bank that one.
“It’s the only ting a liard relies on. The only ting dem know how to do. I don’t trust a man who has the ability to lie.
“I don’t like lies and I don’t like liards. Yuh steal from muh and lie, yer as good as dead to muh. I don’t care who ya are.”
I look over at Keith. He swallows hard and starts to look nervous, wiping his hands on his thighs.
“Now, for y ya here. I made a promise to his muddah, I wouldn’t murdah da boy. Yuh understand? I never break my word, but Keith is a liard and a t’ief. He must go,” he raises his voice at the end, spit flying from his mouth.
“Say the word.”
“Rasshole, he take muh fuh a goathead. He done.”
I nod at Holly and Ming. Holly pulls a gun and places it to the back of Keith’s head.
“Uncle Kington, please. I didn—”
He doesn’t get to finish. Holly pulls the trigger and turns to take a seat as if nothing happened. Good, good girl.
She’s ready.
My attention is drawn to the front door as it opens. I squeeze Ny’s knee, so she doesn’t react. I don’t want to look like I’m not in control of this situation.
Jace heads to the door to intercept my brother and defuse the situation. I’m going to have to have a talk with Dante. No doubt he found the spare key in my office. I purse my lips and turn my attention back to Kingston.