Page 6 of Creole Kingpin
But do I really want to see Moses? After all this time?
The pounding in my chest tells me I’m all too affected. I take a long, slow breath, hold it for a few beats, and release it. I repeat that again and again until V taps me on the arm.
I whip around to look at him. “Can’t you see I’m dealing with some shit?”
He points in the opposite direction I’m facing and finally speaks. “Keira.”
Fuck.That’s right. He’s taking me to see Keira.
Keira, who doesn’t know about Moses. Because I never told her. Because I never toldanyonewhat happened between us.
At first, I kept it to myself because I wanted to have something special that was just mine. And when he never came back or got in touch, I realized it wasn’t worth the breath to tell anyone. Because it apparently didn’t mean shit to him, so I started believing it didn’t mean shit to me either. I decided he was basically a figment of my imagination, because nothing could be that good in real life.
As I give the fireplace one last hard look, I know something with certainty.
Mount did this on purpose.That motherfucker.
How could he know?I snort. That’s right. I’m forgetting that Mount knowseverything.
I haul in another breath and nod at V. “Lead the way. I’m ready. We’ll forget this little episode ever happened. Deal?”
He lifts his chin, which I decide to take as a yes, especially since he walks away from me. I follow him, but can’t help looking over my shoulder one more time at the fireplace standing between me and the man I’m pretty sure I could strangle with my bare hands right now.
How dare he just show up in my town after all this time like he’s welcome?
Another thought nearly stops me in my tracks.
Why would Moses request an audience with the king first? What does that mean? Is he staying? Asking for permission to set up shop here?
I don’t know what Moses has done for the last fifteen years, but after the first month of him being gone, I refused to let myself look for him. I did everything I could to erase him from my memory and scrub the phantom feeling of him from my skin.
When he didn’t come back for me, his message was loud and clear. So I threw myself into building my empire so I could have what I wanted most—freedom and power.
To this day, I remember telling Moses how I was going to make enough money that no man could ever tell me what to do again. Short of answering Mount’s summonses, I made that happen.
No man owns me.
No man controls me.
But why would Moses come backnow?
V grunts from the hallway, letting me know to keep up. I clutch my handbag to my side as I follow him through a maze, not even caring about the hidden entrances that normally fascinate me.
When we finally reach corridors done in black, white, and gold, I know I’m getting close to Keira.
What am I going to tell her?AmI going to tell her?
Part of me wants to, but the other part ...
How do I share my secret shame? That he didn’t love me enough to come back for me. That I wasn’t worth even a phone call or a check-in from time to time. That even a gangster realized you can’t make a ho a housewife.
Moses nearly broke me once. I won’t let him do it again. Whatever his reason for setting foot in my city, one thing is for sure—I’m not playing his game this time.
My heart clenches, trying to make a liar out of me.
Well, fuck that. My heart got me into trouble once, and I’m not going to let her throw my world into chaos again.
When V opens the door leading into an airy courtyard lined with brick walls, filled with greenery and a fountain, Keira looks up from a table, where she sits next to a little dark-haired dictator who takes after both her mother and father.
