by Kiki Leach
"Or Taz, remember. I'll throw another invite in her direction tomorrow, but the truth is that I'm not certain she'll confess to the extent of her relationship with Chino while sober; let alone admit to being part of the reason this has all started in the first place. She'll never throw Snake under the bus even if he tossed her body into the engine to save himself."
"You gotta make her think he wouldn't."
"I don't know how the hell to do that with over thirty years of a relationship formed, Nikko, and not just with him or the club... She trusted him enough to go along with this shit -- she's the mother of his only son. Getting her to flip and burst this dam wide open might take the act of God Himself."
"Then we might need to start asking for His help," he replied. "'Cause the longer this shit goes on, the more vulnerable we become to it by default. And if Chino makes it outta here paid with no money going to either Snake or the Gambiano's, the shit he pulled on Benny is gonna look like fuckin' amateur hour compared to what those two assholes are gonna wanna have done to the three of us as a result."
"My God." I brought my hands to my face and unleashed a harsh, rattling breath.
"Comm'ere." He slid his arms around my waist and pulled me to his chest; the heat from his body radiated through my own. "Nothing is fuckin' happening to you, Cheyenne. I promised it wouldn't."
"I know. But you're still unsure if Chino or the Gambiano's are behind what happened to Dog after learning what he knew from Rox, and we can't be certain that Chino won't go back to Rikers or have someone inside actually attack my father now that he knows you were out there to see him. Not to mention the chance of still going to Snake."
"If we keep Marleena in the city, he'll steer clear; otherwise, he'd have to fess up about wanting to cheat that motherfucker out the cut he thinks he's still getting for this shit. And I've still got your old man locked down 'til the rest of this is done, baby."
"Yet another thing we still don't know, Nikko. Regardless of the wedding, Chino's unhinged unpredictability has become more of a factor than expected. Pulling that trigger on Benny in the way he did is proof that whatever time we think we have in keeping this mess from getting even bigger is shrinking by the second." He nodded. I sighed. "I don't mean to be so doom and gloom on this, but--"
"You're being honest, baby -- this shit is the goddamn truth. But it's not as if we're gonna sit the fuck around and play dead 'til they try making us that way." His arms tightened as I threw my own around his neck and rolled my fingers between the curls of his hair. He eyed me curiously and took in a breath. "I want you having something else with Deborah," he said.
"What do you mean?"
"You mentioned not being sure about her confessing to this shit while sober." He paused. "One way to change it is by getting her filled up."
"Get her drunk so that she can lose her shit on me again when she suddenly remembers between slurs and nearly choking on peanuts that her son saw us having sex and threw a fit for himself?"
"She won't attack you again for this shit."
"I'm not exactly sure you're understanding our relationship, Nikko; even after all that's happened between us so far."
"I get it, baby, completely. Contentious shit like my old man, but beyond it, she's looking for your approval. Seems like it could've always been that way."
"Approval of what?"
"I don't fuckin' know, something you might have to ask her."
"Sure, while she's drunk." I groaned as my arms sagged around his neck. I dropped my hands from his hair and sighed. "If you think this will get her to say everything she shouldn't otherwise, I'll do it. As long as Brandi is there, and maybe even Marleena to hold us back from throwing more insults or fists. Now what about you?" He looked aside and shrugged. "If I turn this into something like a bachelorette party to hide the fact that I'm solely looking for information, you need to have something of the same with the brothers, Taz included."
"Me inviting him to some shit like that would look suspicious as fuck, baby."
"Not to the club, though it might to him and Snake. I can fix that with getting Nix or Loco on board to ask him, though it also means I might need to tell one or both what the hell is going on beyond everything they already know."
"Might not be too good of an idea with more than the two of us knowing about this shit, Cheyenne."
"It will be if we end up dead," I blurted.
His eyes lowered in an instant. He parted his lips to exhale, then swallowed hard and slowly bobbed his head. "You want this right after shopping for the dress?"
"Next Saturday -- closer to the wedding. I'll let Brandi know what's up first and we can go from there."
He nodded in silence and leaned in to kiss me, then lowered his hands beneath my behind, picked me up from the floor with ease and carried me to the bed.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Time Bomb
With help from Brandi, I slid out of my heels and walked barefoot to the mirror with as much grace as a silk white dress that barely covered my bottom would allow, lifted my hands to my waist and sucked in a breath that was deep enough to hold my stomach in place.
She stepped back from me and threw a hand across her mouth to keep from barking out in laughter, then shook her head and muttered, "I'm sorry, Cheyenne, but this isn't the one for you either."
"No shit." I adjusted the straps of the dress and arched my back. "I look like I'm offering up a sample of punani for no less than a nickel near the corner liquor store."
"Nothing wrong with sex work," she said.
"Not in the least, but that's not exactly what I'd be paid for in this half-assed dress."
She latched onto my elbow and chuckled, then walked me to a bench near the wall on the opposite side of the dressing room. As I eased down and crossed my legs to keep from showing off what I knew I shouldn't, she sat down beside me and placed her hands inside her lap. "Have you thought anymore about what's going to happen between you and Nikko once this is over?"
"I'm not sure it will ever be over anymore," I told her, "and no."
"What?" Her mouth dropped. "You don't want to stay married to him after--?"
"We don't know what's coming now that we're certain about Chino's plans to keep that money for himself. Nikko is working out ways to stall the papers being signed after the wedding, but--"
"He hasn't said anything to the Gambiano's about it?"
"They would kill Chino before my signature was dry and set Nikko up for the fall once we were official in order to keep every dime."
"God, Cheyenne." I looked into her eyes for a long while, gauging the extent of her solemn expression, then turned straight ahead as she sighed. "Is this why you're choosing to back off?"
"No..."
"Then, what?"
"How the hell are we good together?" I questioned. "Every damn day, there is something worse on top of something else -- something out of our control that seems almost desperate to keep us from being even a little bit normal."
"What the hell is normal for anyone anymore, Chey?"
"I don't know. I thought I did outside of this world; and as crazy as it might sound considering how we met and why we're even here, I thought I could figure the rest of it out with him."
"You still can."
"How?!" I questioned. "Lena turning out to be Deborah has made an already bad situation worse, because this isn't someone we don't know and can toss aside later. Her connections to Ronaldo, Snake, Chino -- Rox -- all of whom are expecting to get something out of this while only one of them can come out on top... Where the hell does that leave the two of us beyond 'I do' except six feet under?"
"You think leaving Nikko is the solution for what you're not even sure could happen as a result of Deborah and everyone else involved with this lie?"
"I didn't say that--"
"You pretty much just did."
"Brandi--"
"Chey." She asserted her voice and narrowed her gaze. "You know that I didn't want to like your man out of
fear that you would lose who you are in who he is. But the truth is that I've never seen you happier with anyone else. He brings out the best and worst of you all at once, but also knows how to keep both sides in check."
"He doesn't run me."
"No one can do that, sweetie, but trust that many of us have tried."
I scoffed. "You're one to talk--"
"Which is how I know." She grinned. "I also know that everything is flipped inside out right now and it's making you anxious as hell about what could come next; it's all understandable." She brushed my hair behind my neck and lifted the back of my dress. "We already know that Marleena will remain quiet about Benny to Snake, and that after their "talk", he's still in the dark about who shot her and why."
"That could change if Chino ever decides to open his mouth to shake her down for the pictures she took for Benny. He's been calling Nikko's cell nonstop since Saturday to make sure he hasn't gone back out to Rikers to see Rox; Nikko said that he can tell Chino is terrified of him learning the truth about Deborah because it blows his plan to steal that money and run."
"Chino hasn't tried reaching out to Rox himself?"
I nodded. "Three times that we know of, yes, he has. But with Nikko making sure that he remains on lockdown, Chino can't get to him. It's another reason his loony, unpredictable ass is so damn close to losing his mind."
"What do you think Deborah is going to tell you about any of this, Cheyenne? Because we both know she's not going to snitch on Snake and it's not looking like she's willing to snitch on Chino either."
"What I want to know is why the hell Chino still wants anything to do with her after knowing that she snitched on him for Snake."
"She obviously promised him something in return for it."
"But what?" I asked. "Because her big ass mouth is the sole reason this is happening."
"Maybe their connection runs deeper than we think."
"Sure, but how deep? And at what cost to whatever the hell it is she's still giving to Snake outside of blow jobs?"
"Get her drunk enough this weekend and you might find out."
"That's if she actually bothers showing up today so that I can begrudgingly invite her out for that too."
"Knock-knock." Brandi and I looked toward the curtain at the front of the dressing room as Deborah poked her head inside and smiled. "My ears were burning."
"I bet." I lowered my attention to a bouquet of wilted white and yellow roses in her hand and scrunched my nose.
She pointed behind herself and widened her smile. "Your bridal consultant said that you two would still be back here."
"Mm." I redirected my attention elsewhere and nodded. "Good for her."
"You're late." Brandi hopped to her feet and sneered. "We've been here for nearly two hours already."
"I know, I know..." She stepped around the curtain and closed it behind her; her eyes drifted to the flowers as she walked toward me while casually extending her hand. "I wasn't exactly sure if you truly wanted me to still show up after all that happened."
"I re-invited you," I said. "That was kind of the point."
"She was afraid of an ambush." Brandi chuckled. "I guess believing that you would have Nikko try and rough her up?"
"My..." She stopped. "I don't think from what I've seen of him that he would be capable of doing something like that."
"No," I told her, "he wouldn't. Though I would, which is something you already know." She nodded. "That being said, my still wanting you out here was genuine. I know I'm being redundant, but the fact remains that whatever issues we have need to be buried before this wedding -- and I mean buried deep. Nothing can get in the way of Nikko getting his money or Snake getting what is still owed to the club."
"I agree."
"Good." I looked to the flowers again and pointed. "Where did you find those?"
"I've had them for a while now," she said. "I had planned to give them to you much earlier than this."
"Well, thank you, but you can save them for another time. Maybe this Saturday night."
"What's going on Saturday night?" she questioned.
"Drinks between possible dick swinging contests at Rudy's," said Brandi. "A mini bachelorette party for Chey that'll be set up in the VIP section with some of the girls from the club."
Her eyes darted back to mine; she smirked. "You want me to come for that too?"
"No reason why you shouldn't unless you plan on choking me again," I told her. "Though I'm not above lifting my foot a few inches higher this time if you do."
"Why do you want me there?"
"Just as I said, to keep the peace. A few drinks might loosen us up a bit -- minus the vodka, which will be off limits for obvious reasons."
A small smile parted her lips; her eyes shined in a way that reminded me of a 6am sunrise. "What time should I be there for it?"
"Brandi can pick you up, around 10pm."
"Is Nikko having a party of his own?"
"He is." I peered. "Why?"
"Only curious if the brothers are planning to show up for it."
"As far as I know, since it's being held at the club. Taz has been invited too."
"Wha--?" Her next breath caught before another word flew out of her mouth. "Nikko... asked... Malcolm... himself?"
I peeked at Brandi as she made a curious face at Deborah; I soured. "No, Loco and Nix did; another effort to keep the peace before this all goes down--"
"In proverbial flames?" she replied. I glared. "I'm sorry."
"No, you're not, but shit like that doesn't stop you from going on that way and never will."
"Chey." Brandi grit her teeth and widened her eyes; her brows arched as she looked me straight in the face and rattled her head.
I reached for her hands as she helped me to my feet, then turned to a curious Deborah. "Keeping the peace includes us not doing this shit over and over for as long as it's going on, alright? Now, you still agree to come out with us Saturday night?"
"Yes."
"Great. Like I said, Brandi can pick you up--"
"I'd like Marleena to come too," she interjected. "Hoping it will take her mind off of the last few days."
"That's... fine. I'd planned to invite her for it myself."
She lifted her free hand and opened her mouth to respond, but was cut short by the entrance of my bridal consultant, who strolled in with another too-tight-for-my-body dress draped across her arm that looked to be made from the flames of hell.
"Oh, absolutely fucking not." Brandi stepped directly in front of me and pointed straight ahead. "I'm helping you this time before she swings you across the room by the thread of your hair. Let's go!"
As the now ashen-faced consultant turned her back, Brandi shoved a hand into her shoulder, forcing her out of the room.
I chuckled as she followed and crossed my arms before Deborah recaptured my gaze and placed the flowers on top of the bench.
"How is Nikko doing?" she asked me in a low but concerned voice. "After what happened?"
"He's dealing with it in the best way that he can."
"How is that?"
"His own. What about you?"
"I'm dealing with it too, maybe not as well as he might be."
"Maybe not." I bit back any further response and cleared my throat. "Do you ever plan on telling me how long you and Chino were a 'thing' back in the day?"
Her brows lifted, then quickly lowered as her attention shifted. "Loco was talking out of his ass with that, Cheyenne; we weren't together long enough to matter beyond the time it happened."
"Really. Because you seemed more than pissed off while having my gun shoved against the side of his head."
"I explained to you before that I wasn't expecting for him to show up."
"And if he hadn't? I'm still lost on what the hell you and Marleena were expecting from Benny outside of a verbal confession."
"That was all we were looking for."
"Yet, you knew that you wouldn't get it -- drunk or not..." I paused.
"Snake is still in the dark about both Benny shooting her, and his being dead at Chino's hand."
She grimaced. "I thought Marleena said that you would tell him after their conversation later that day at the club?"
"I never said when or how I planned to bring them up. There's still too much going on and with..." I looked aside and tapped my fingers along the back of my arm. "With the Gambiano's wanting Rox dead at Nikko's hand--"
"What?"
I dragged my attention back to her and frowned. "The Gambiano's are convinced he stole the money he borrowed from them to hand over to Snake, who's claiming he doesn't have it. I never mentioned any of this to you before now--?"
"No, Cheyenne," she snapped. "You didn't."
"Sorry," I retorted. "What could you have done either way if I had?"
She tossed her hand out alongside herself, then dropped it to her stomach and shrugged. "When do they want Nikko taking him out?"
"They've yet to give him a date, but I'm assuming at this point that they're hoping to wait until after the wedding; because once I've signed the papers and everyone gets their due, it's over; at least we hope so."
"Why wouldn't it be over?"
"Lena," I said.
She made a face and blinked. "What about her?"
"She's still out there, and she's still a snitch. I can't trust that she will never come back and pull something like this again, but worse. Loco, Nix, Joker -- every brother feels the same way. Though I'm not sure about Taz as I haven't spoken to him directly."
"What about Snake?" she blurted. "Have the brothers voiced their concerns to him too?"
"I'm not exactly sure on that either, but there's a chance they'll discuss something of it during the bachelor party."
"That might be the last thing they choose to discuss with a healthy helping of tits in their faces, Cheyenne."
"Not necessarily -- No one said 'both' was impossible. Either way, her mouth is what got us here and it should be shut down permanently. How it happens...?" I lifted my shoulders and hands in question. "Who the hell knows. But it needs to, and it will."
"This sounds as if you're making a threat to this woman."
"I could be for what she's done," I said. "Would it hurt you personally if I did?"