by K. S. Adkins
“He is,” Diva smiles proudly. “How are you, Tim?”
“I'm good,” he says giving my woman breathing room. “Here for the poker tournament.”
“That's cool,” she says tucking herself into my side.
“I'm Ty,” I say shaking his hand. “Diva's husband.”
“Tim,” he says returning it.
Not able to help myself I add, “I like your Apple watch.”
“You're the worst,” she laughs jabbing my side and as for Tim he didn't answer.
Nope.
Homeboy closed his eyes then hit the ground face first.
Both of us were gawking at the guy sprawled out on the tile when I tell her, “You're lucky I found you when I did, sweet.”
“I'm never living this down,” she mumbles heading for the door.
Only we made it ten feet when she yells, “Oh come on!”
“What?” I ask putting myself in front of her.
“Remember cock ring?”
“Vividly,” I assure her.
“Well don't look now but...” she wasn't able to finish because cock ring and his band of merry fucks were flagging Diva down.
Running up to my wife he was about to hug her when I say, “Not happening.”
“Oh sorry, bro,” he says looking back at his friends. “I just wanted to say hi to Diva. I haven't seen her since uh...”
“Hi, Jake,” she says with a small wave. “How's it hanging?”
“Good thanks,” he says moving out of strike range. Motioning to his boys he waves them over and says, “Guys, this is Diva.”
Each of them looked from him to Diva and when it clicked their eyes widened and two of the idiots adjusted themselves. In front of my wife.
“Eyes up, motherfuckers,” I warn once.
But they were young, drunk, and in Vegas. This crew was a recipe for bloody knuckles.
So when one of his boys says, “Holy shit, this is the chick who got stuck on your dick?”
I did what any husband would do.
I kicked all of their asses while my woman cheered me on.
Two hours, one road side blow job and a lot of jokes later, we pulled into Travis's compound, and I won't lie; it was impressive. The driveway alone had to be two miles long.
Whistling under my breath I ask, “I didn't know investing paid this well.”
I mean hell, I had a fuck ton of money but I didn't have a compound.
Note to self: buy a bigger palace than Travis
“Far as I know, investing doesn't,” Ty says linking his fingers with mine. “Running drugs, however, does.”
“Ah.”
“We don't have to do this,” he says softly. “Brother or not, you come first.”
“I love you for saying that,” I say back. “But he's family. This can be fixed.”
Kissing the top of my hand, we close in on parking and looking around I ask, “Does Travis have a lot of security?”
“No,” Ty says frowning. “Why?”
“Shit,” I say unbuckling my belt. “I know those hummers.”
“Probably his fleet,” he says not seeing what I'm seeing.
“Baby,” I say facing him. “I have a confession to make.”
“I'm listening.”
“I may have called in a favor in the event things went sideways.”
“Let me guess, the army in the hummers?”
I was opening my mouth to speak when I hear, “Dahlia!”
I couldn't help it, I giggled. Rolling down the window I yell back, “Be with you in a sec, Pablo Jones!”
“Take your time,” he says with a rifle slung over his shoulder.
“Pablo Jones?” Ty asks eyeing him.
“Are you mad?”
Grinning he says, “No, sweet, I'm not mad. To be honest, he's the one guy I wanted to meet.”
Throwing my arms around him I say, “I love you so much, Ty.”
“Love you too, Sweet,” he says kissing me hard. “One thing though...”
“What?”
“Does Pablo know he's white?”
“Nope.”
“Didn't think so,” he says folding out. “Let's do this.”
Listen, I may not have romantic feelings for Pablo Jones but as a friend, I thought he was amazing. And knowing my husband wasn't going to flip about it, I ran to Pablo Jones and he caught me midair. “Oh Dahlia, it so good to see you.”
“You too, Pablo Jones,” I say waving at his men who bowed their heads in return. “But what are you doing here?”
“You called to say you needed dirt on Travis Cole, no?”
“Uh yes?”
“I am here,” he smiles showcasing his grill. “And I brought dirt.”
“For?”
“To bury him for you.”
“No,” I say quickly. “I needed dirt as in intel. Not dirt for a burial.”
“You American's and your euphemisms.”
Since I wasn't about to correct him, I motion Ty forward. “Pablo Jones, this is Ty Cole. My husband.”
With a loud whoop, Pablo pulls Ty in for a man-hug declaring, “My Dahlia found true love!”
“Good to meet you, man,” Ty says slapping him on the shoulder. “Diva has told me great things.”
Oh hell, here we go.
“About the fucking?”
“No.” Ty's eye twitched.
“The singing?”
“No.” Ty smirked.
“The dancing?”
“Fraid not.” Ty grinned.
“The killing?”
“Yes,” Ty says proudly. “The killing.”
“Dahlia saved my life,” he says kissing my temple. “I owe her everything. She tell you I asked her to marry me?”
“Can't say that she did, Pablo,” Ty says eyeing me.
Waving him off he whispers, “You know she's not a Catholic, right?”
Smacking his arm I warn, “Pablo Jones...”
“What?” he says with a golden grin. “I'm just saying.”
“Didn't believe in God until I met my wife, Pablo.”
“Meh, close enough,” Pablo says eyeing Travis's palace. “So, why is Los Poon at one of my customers homes, Dahlia? We killing him and taking over?”
“Actually,” Ty says slowly. “Travis is my brother and Diva and I are here to clear the air.”
“Killing him seems easier,” Pablo Jones argues.
“Can you keep yourself busy out here while we talk to him?” I ask sweetly.
“Of course,” he says lighting a joint. “Take your time.”
Nodding to Ty, we descend the steps of his brother’s home while Pablo Jones and Los Poon get stoned in the driveway.
As we climbed the ridiculous amount of steps to Travis's door, I had to ask, “How many men did you actually shoot down, sweet?”
Breathing heavy she mutters, “I hate cardio.”
“You work out with me all the time.”
“I've always said riding cock counts as leg day,” she quips. “God, this is a lot of fucking steps.”
“So how many?”
“Oh right,” she says pushing her hair away from her face. “I lost count at eighteen but Pablo's lieutenant said twenty-four was the body count, I think. Though I'm not sure because I was drunk and don't speak Spanish.”
Stopping her, I dip Diva in my arms and take her mouth hard. Panting for a whole different reason she asks, “What was that for?”
“You fucking amaze me, woman.”
“Well, I've got an open invitation to Pablo Jones' home, we could go and slaughter some cartels. I'm sure he'd love the help.”
Overcome by her, I whisper, “I love you, Diva.”
“And I love you, Ty.”
With Ty holding the enormous front door open for me, we step inside and I stop short.
I had never seen so many mirrors in my life.
And for a guy who ran drugs you'd think he'd have staff and security.
Reading my mind, Ty says, “Travis doesn't
trust easily.”
“It's so...”
“Quiet,” he says reading my mind. “I know.”
I was going to say lonely but we were both coming from the place so I said nothing.
“He stays in the West wing. Ready?”
“Ready,” I say squeezing his hand.
Climbing yet another ridiculous set of stairs, we get to a set of double doors and before I could say a word, Ty beats on the door.
“Travis it's me,” he booms in authority. “Open up.”
When nothing happens he takes his fists to the door threatening, “Open it before I kick it in.”
And when the double doors open, Travis stood there wearing a woman's kimono looking freshly fucked. While you could see the brothers resembled each other, Travis had nothing on my man.
“What are you doing here?” he asks Ty and looking down at me he asks, “Who's she?”
“She's here,” Ty says throwing his arm around me protectively. “Now let's put this bullshit to bed.”
“Who's here?” Travis blinks at us.
“Diva,” Ty replies dryly. “Like you ordered.”
“I'm aware,” he says slowly. “So who's this woman mean mugging me?”
“I'm Diva, stalker,” I say rolling my eyes.
“You're not Diva,” he says recoiling.
“Wanna put money on that?” I counter placing my hands on my hips to show I mean business.
“You're not my Diva. She's already here.”
“I'm Diva, Travis,” I stress again. “The same Diva you've been straight harassing for nearly a year.”
When the secondary door opens it's my turn to blink before blurting, “Diva?”
Smiling as only a woman well-loved could, Mom-Diva says, “Hi, Baby.”
“Well this explains why you've been playing hard to get, sweetheart,” Travis smiles adoringly at my mother. “This is your daughter then? I can see it now.”
When it hit me that Travis wanted my mother and not me I felt several emotions.
And yes, I was the asshole who was jealous of my mom.
But only for like a hot second, I swear.
Never one to miss anything Ty whispers, “Are you pouting?”
“Maybe?” I mumble, averting my eyes.
Chuckling, Ty pinches my ass and I got over it. Mostly.
Then, I watch with my jaw open as Travis salivates over my mom and as much as I wanted to hate this, I couldn't. For all his crazy ways, this man clearly adores my mom.
“She's my baby,” mom says softly. “My everything.”
Suddenly Travis takes a knee before my mother, takes her hand and whispers, “Marry me.”
She squeals “Yes,” throws herself into his arms and that's when Los Poon joined the party.
When Pablo Jones and company surrounded Travis and Mom two things happened.
The first is my mom dropped her sheet exposing herself to everyone and the second was Travis demanding to know what his supplier was doing in his house.
Stepping forward I get the room’s attention by whistling and I say, “Diva, Travis, this is Pablo Jones, Leader of Los Poon.”
In a total Mom-Diva move, she pulls Pablo in for a hug saying, “Any friend of Diva's, Pablo Jones of Los Poon.” Followed up with, “Oh I love your gold tooth.”
In shock, he looks from me to Mom-Diva and yells, “Two Divas!”
“Yes,” I smile at his confusion. “Diva is my mother.”
Looking her up and down and then twirling her he says, “Good news, Dahlia, you will age well.”
“Take your hands off my bride to be!” Travis says yanking mom to him. “And what the fuck are you doing in my house?”
Unbothered by his outburst Pablo Jones waves him off to say, “My Dahlia called me.”
“Dahlia?” Travis blinks.
“Me,” I wave proudly.
“And how the fuck do you know Pablo Jones, young lady?” Which is funny considering he had maybe five years on me. “This man runs a drug cartel!”
“Listen, daddy,” I deadpan but Pablo Jones steps forward interrupting.
“Dahlia saved my life,” he proclaims and his men grunt their approval of my blood thirstiness. “Naked and still wearing my seed she slaughtered the enemy! Even if she isn't Catholic, God himself sent her to me.”
“I didn't need to know that,” Ty groans pinching his nose.
“But it's true, husband of Dahlia. You should be proud,” he smiles broadly. “We only had sex once if that makes you feel better.”
Clutching my ass, Ty says, “Yeah man, much better.”
With nothing else to say I look around the room and before awkwardness could set in further, I ask Pablo Jones, “Do you like weddings?”
“Of course Pablo Jones likes weddings!”
Facing Mom-Diva and Travis I ask, “What do you say? Is today a good day for a wedding?”
“Yes,” they say in unison and everyone rejoices.
Heading down the extremely long winding staircase, Travis asks Pablo Jones, “Why exactly did Diva er, Dahlia call you?”
Without missing a beat he answers, “To kill you, obviously.”
To assure him I was over it, I yell back, “I changed my mind, Travis!”
“Wait,” Travis says holding a hand up. “You'd have killed me because she asked you to?”
Slapping him on the shoulder Pablo Jones says, “You like it between your Diva's thighs?”
“Yes,” he says proudly. “It's Heaven.”
Nodding, Pablo Jones says, “That's why,” and kept right on going.
Trying not to audibly, “Aww,” at the compliment, I look up at Ty and feign ignorance.
“Don't look at me like that, sweet,” he says with heated eyes.
“Like what?”
Pinning me to the bannister he growls, “It is heaven between your thighs and that pussy is mine legally, emotionally and spiritually. Unfuckingconditionally.”
Biting my lip, I was about to crawl up his body when Pablo Jones announces, “See, Dahlia? Your husband understands. I don't know why you don't get this.”
“He does,” I agree softly and looking up at my husband I whisper, “I do get it.”
“Is he opposed to becoming Catholic?” he asks looking at Ty more closely.
Placing his index finger over my mouth to shut me up, Ty looks at Pablo Jones and says, “Don't need to be Catholic to know God exists. My wife is proof he does.”
Liking that answer, Pablo Jones crosses himself and heads for the bar.
As my bride dances with every member of Los Poon, I couldn't help but smile.
I won't lie and say that men’s reaction to her didn't cause jealousy to stir in me but I refused to be a jealous man outwardly. Especially because I loved seeing her loved.
While no man will ever love her as I do, I'm honest to God grateful that all of Diva's wildness brought her to me.
So when Travis breaks away from Mom-in-Law Diva to come and talk to me, I stayed silent and let him do his thing. Travis, I should mention never shuts up. But I was letting it slide on his wedding day.
Setting his drink on the bar he says, “Can I be your big brother and your daddy?”
“Come again?” I ask pinching the bridge of my nose.
“How do you not get this?” he groans. “You married baby Diva thereby making her my sister in law. I married momma Diva thereby making baby Diva my step daughter so I'd be your daddy. See?”
“How about you explain to me how you told me to steal my Diva only to have ended up with her mom.”
“Oh that,” he waves off. “After what you did for me, going to prison and all, I decided you deserved your own happily ever after.”
“How did you know it would be her?”
“Ty,” he says bumping my shoulder. “I may not have been the best brother to you but I'm not stupid. How could she not be?”
Clinking my bottle to his glass I agree, “She is perfect for me.”
“See? Sometimes I ge
t it right.”
“How'd you come to meet Mom-Diva?”
“Initially, I went to one of baby Diva's signings because fuck you, Cocktales is brilliant. And I was standing there surrounded by screaming females when I saw her. When she left to get more books, I cornered her and it was like the fourth of July, Ty. When I boned her in the utility closet...”
“I get it.”
Smirking he says, “Yeah, I guess you do.”
“So then what happened?”
“We came here together and she told me how her one wish was that her daughter be happy, to find true love and here we are.”
“Thank you, Travis.” For everything...
“Holidays won't be boring...” was what he was trying to say when the sound of dual Diva's screaming filled the air.
Dropping my drink I was running full tilt with Travis keeping up and when we get to our women, Los Poon was loaded up, searching for a threat while Pablo Jones put himself in front of the women who were still screaming and jumping up and down.
Skidding to a halt, all of us men look at each other wondering where the threat was coming from and when one of Pablo Jones's men tossed me a rifle, I caught it midair.
“Uh what are you guys doing?” my wife asks safely behind Pablo Jones while Travis held Mom-Diva.
“Shh, Dahlia,” he says moving her to the left. “It's my turn to save you now.”
“Save me from what?” she whispers.
“A threat,” he says looking at me and twirling his finger basically saying she's loco.
“Threat?” she blinks adorably. “What threat?”
Pushing past Pablo Jones, I take my woman into my arms and ask, “Why were you screaming, sweet?”
“Oh!” she says clapping. “You all thought I was in danger?”
Yeses and Ci's all spoke as one.
“If you weren't in danger then what was the screaming for?”
Squealing louder than my ears can handle she shrieks, “Cocktales was just picked up to be a major motion picture!”
“So we aren't killing anyone?” Pablo Jones asks in disappointment with all of his men muttering a collective sigh.
“It's Vegas,” Diva says throwing her hands up. “You can kill whoever you want!”