Page 26 of Dom 3
“You got till tomorrow, don’t let the sun catch you without a decision,” I said again and those were my final words. I stepped toward the door, and my people scanned the hall first while I ran the empire with a closed hand fist.
Dique flashed his gold teeth at Victoria. “We gon’ check on business,” he said. “You call if you need anything.” His tone was ruthless and taunting.
I didn’t look back when I left because I never did. The elevator closed on our reflections and as soon as we stepped out, Miami swallowed us back up. Tone had one of the drivers to take him home before Shona started tripping and me and Dique hopped back into the Bentley and slid out the garage. Dique was in the passenger seat scrolling his phone, his chain gleamingloud against his hoodie. He had on that same grin that always meant it was either trouble, or a female involved.
“Yo’ you know we supposed to pull up on ma dukes and pops so might as well do that now. I need to pull up on Keondra and Amour, I told her we comin’ to get them,” he told me. “I’m ready for them to meet them, shit might as well… ain’t no need in hiding what they already know,” he explained.
We pulled into Keondra’s block in Aventura. The street was damp, and her house stood out with the fresh paint, and new car in the driveway that she probably barely drove. The security posted up just like I ordered. Two of my people leaned against one of the trucks, with their heads on a swivel, wearing black tees. When we rolled up, they straightened immediately, and I simply nodded at them.
Keondra opened the door before I even killed the engine. She looked… different. Like a cleaner, grown version of herself. Her hair was done in a long sleek ponytail, and she had on light makeup. Her nails matched the polish on her toes, and the long dress she wore stopped at her ankles but hugged every curve tightly. It had Carmen’s influence all over it and I liked it. It was much better.
“Look at this shit,” Dique said, leaning forward with his voice full of mischief. “Man, somebody done turned my lil baby mama into a first lady.”
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling hard. “Don’t play with me, Dique,” she said, locking her door behind her. “Carmen came through and said I gotta start lookin’ like money if I’m gon’ be attached to y’all crazy ass last name.”
I chuckled under my breath. Carmen was changing her already, and you could see it. That confidence hit a little different when you started believing you belonged.
Then a small voice called out from behind her. “Daddyyyy!”
Amour came running, with her ponytails bouncing, and little purse slapping her side, with her Minnie Mouse crocs lighting up with each step. Three years old and already had her daddy wrapped around her finger. Dique’s whole demeanor changed when she ran into his arms. He scooped her up like the world could end and he’d still choose her first.
“What’s up, mamas?” he said, kissing her cheek as she giggled before looking at me. She didn’t know me that well, but she knew exactly who I was because Keondra made sure of that. She showed the girl pictures constantly even before we knew she belonged to us.
“Hi Uncle Dom,” she cooed, turning toward me with a wide smile that could melt anything cold in me.Damn,I thought.
“Hey baby girl,” I said, holding out my hand. She smacked it with a tiny high five and then leaned her head on Dique’s shoulder like she always did.
Keondra locked up and joined us at the truck. My men opened the back door for her like she was royalty. She hesitated for a second, still getting used to this life. The way she looked around half proud, and half overwhelmed told me she was still processing what came with being under our name.
“You ain’t gotta be nervous,” I told her, motioning for her to get in. “You family now. Just act like it.”
“I’m good,” she replied, sliding in with her chin held high. “Just ain’t used to all this attention. Y’all be actin’ like this some presidential shit.”
“Nah,” Dique said, buckling Amour into her car seat. “We act like you the mother of a Royal, that’s what…. big fuckin’ difference.” He got in next to her, still grinning. Amour hummed something in the backseat while playing with her little pink iPad, with her legs swinging. Keondra turned her head toward the window, watching the Miami roll on by like she missed being outside.
“So where we headed again?” she asked, still focused.
“To the house,” Dique said.
She furrowed her brows. “What house?”
“Our parents,” he said, smirking as he scrolled his phone. “Time for you and Amour to meet Candy D and Pops.”
Her head snapped around fast. “What?”
Dique shrugged it off. “Man, don’t look so scared. Candy D don’t bite unless you give her a reason.”
“Boy, I seen the way y’all talk about her. Y’all act like she the damn mafia mother or somethin’. I don’t think I’m ready to meet her. I would’ve worn a different dress and not one huggin’ my damn curves.”
“She kinda is,” he told her. “And she gon’ have questions, so don’t get slick. Pops might be cool, but Ma? She gon’ read you like a Bible… and ain’t shit wrong with that dress,” he said turning around to look her up and down. He slowly licked his lips and shook his head.
Keondra folded her arms, pretending she wasn’t nervous while also pretending she didn’t see that. “I’m not scared. I’m just sayin’… this ain’t no regular meet the parents type situation. I don’t even like niggas mama’s with their phony ass.”
“Watch yo mouth,” Dique warned, looking her over. “You meetin’ royalty, baby. You better keep that Carmen polish on. Don’t slip back into hood habits and get kicked out when you barely just made it in.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Boy, please. Carmen said y’all mama already done heard about me.”
“She heard,” Dique said, grinning wider. “But she gon’ see for herself now. You gon’ be alright. Pops gon’ love Amour soon as he see her. He soft on grandbabies cause they been wantin’ one for a long time,” he retorted. I could see Keondra trying to act unfazed, but her knee kept bouncing. Dique noticed it too and chuckled. “You nervous, huh?”
