Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“And now you’re payin’ for it. We both will be paying for it if you don’t take him up on his offer.”
“I want you to stop calling me Lenny, Dad. You only do it now when you’re drunk. It’s no longer a term of endearment. I associate it with your discomfort and anxiety. They both stink. As far as his offer and how I’m gonna move forward, I’m still sortin’ this out. Some are even waitin’ it out. That’s not my plan, but I don’t blame them.”
“That’s a dead man’s game. He doesn’t get better with age, Lenny. He’s gotten worse with his demands. He is leaving a legacy behind,” the man stressed again. Fuck his legacy. “He wants to make sure he hands over the reins to the right people. Out of all of our family, he chose you, me, and some others to help him achieve this. So we’d have somethin’ to pass down to our own children and grandchildren. You know how big our clan is. You know some of your kin is resentful that your grandfather didn’t want them on his team! They’d jump at the opportunity you have before you, Lenny… sorry, Lennox… but he wants who he wants. Just like you’ve always been a person who went after what you wanted. You have to respect that. You haven’t responded to your grandfather’s proposal. That’s the only reason I contacted you so late at night. You need to, and you need to do it right away.”
“It wasn’t a proposal. It was blackmail, promises that I don’t care to entertain, and his typical threats.”
“Lennox! For fuck’s sake! You know he’s prepared to do exactly what he said he’d do! Did you hear me? This isn’t the time to—”
“Don’t tell me what to do. This isn’t your decision. It’s mine.”
“But it affects all of us, damn it!”
“You never had the guts to stick up for Mom and yourself, then she died and it was too late. Now you want me to fall behind you, to get the same treatment. I know full well what he said he’d do, and my time is not up. You had to get wasted to even have this conversation with me because you know he is dead wrong. His own grandson tried to kill him! That should tell you something.”
“Your cousin Kage is a damn lunatic. Certifiable! That sister of mine birthed a mental basket case. He’s been nuttier than squirrel shit from day one. You can’t really use him as an example.” He snorted.
“Look, stay in your lane, Dad, and let me figure this out.”
“There’s nothing to figure out! My father is no damn bluffer. If he says he’s gonna do something, he’s going to do it. Good, bad, or indifferent. You think I’m some pushover when it comes to him, but I did what I did to protect my wife and children! That’s strength! You’re here, alive, because of me! I stood up to him when he said things about your mother, but because you didn’t witness it, you think it never happened. And I’d do it again. I loved that woman! Damn you! You have no idea what she and I went through and the stressors we endured on behalf of you and Silva. How dare you, Lenny… how dare you…” Dad’s voice trailed, growing weaker with each word spoken. “You’re just like her though.
“Rebelling just to stick it to someone is foolish! You gotta have a plan. Now you listen to me, and you listen good! You tell your grandfather that you accept his offer, and you do it ASAP so we can move forward. If you give a damn about your mother, like you say you do, then you’ll put all that past shit behind you, and do the right thing. Your grandfather knows your weakness… and he is using it. Don’t lose everything, and all for nothing.”
With that, the man abruptly ended their connection. Lennox stared at the screen, which now noted the time and how long the call lasted before it faded to black…
CHAPTER SEVEN
Mother Nature
“Mama, I’m in the parking lot. See you in a little bit.” Nadia ended the call after leaving the voice message. She sat in her car for a bit, listening to ‘Good Good,’ by Usher, Summer Walker and 21 Savage. She grabbed her vape, but decided to put it down and just simmer in the moment. She whispered the lyrics to the song while snapping her finger to the slow, easy beat. After the tune ended, she grabbed her black and white snakeskin purse from the passenger seat, removed her key ring with the pink rabbit foot, got out of her car, locked it with her fob, and hightailed it towards her mother’s townhome.
Once she reached the door, she slid her copy of her mother’s house key into the lock and entered the dwelling. Inside, the cool air gave her chill bumps, and the alarm was going off. Mama always keeps it cold as a polar bear’s tits up in here… She locked the front door and went to the kitchen, her silver and white Skechers sneakers squeaking on the floor as she headed to the control panel to turn off the security system.