Page 61 of The Mob: Shio Cuppacio
“Well, Tune, welcome to the fucking family. You straight?” Ezio asked as he slapped hands with me.
I knew he was asking if my pockets were good, and even though I wasn't in a position to turn down any help, I did just that. If I wasn’t taking any chunks of change from my cellie, I definitely wasn’t taking any from Ezio. I had about a hundred and twelve thousand, mostly from Shio and the rest from my brothers. I wasn't rich, but I wasn't as fucked up as I was when I found out Stella and her scammer had run off with my shit. Still, I didn't like handouts. I worked for mine—always had.
I appreciated Ezio, but I was good. I was still driving the old Infinity and living with my sister. I didn't have any bills, not even a phone bill, since Shio blessed me with two brand new iPhones. I took that as a sign to use one for any business I handled, and the other for my personal usage. I hadn't bought any clothes outside of the suit we wore to see Don when he canceled on ourasses. My brothers had gifted me a new wardrobe, so I looked the part. I was blessed, and once I made this nuptial move, I’d be even more blessed. I never saw myself in the mob, but if it meant fattening my pockets, then I was all in.
I stood with my hand still clasped in Ezio’s. He embraced me in a brotherly hug.
“We Cuppacios are all fucked up, but we go to war for our own. You're one of us, so that means the same way I feel about these niggas, I feel about you. Time don’t mean shit when we share the same blood.”
“I appreciate that, bruh.” I shook hands with the rest of the clan, including Shio. He was still spaced out, but if the nigga said he was good, I wasn’t going to pry.
“Now that we got the meet and greets out the way… Aye, Essex!” Nel swaggered to the door of the booth with Vello shaking his head, but hot on his tail.“Let me spit some shit on the track. I’ll waive my feature fee.”
Nel pulled the door open without permission, alarming Essex who probably didn’t hear his ass through the walls of the booth. Still, he pulled the earphones from his ear and handed them to Nel with a grin, knowing what type of time Nel was on.
“Twin, you can’t even rap—” was all we heard from Vello before the door closed, shutting them in the soundproof booth.
“Aye…” Ezio diverted his attention to Shio.
“Yeah?”
“You sure you got that under control?”
My eyes shifted to Shio. He licked his lips and rubbed his hand down his wavy head. “Yeah. You know me… I’m not gone fuck her, Ezee.”
“Yeah. I knowyou, not her. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation hewill also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it,” Ezio quoted.
Shio’s eyes lit up.“Corinthians 10:13. You been reading your bible.”
“Nigga, I been reading that book of daily devotions you gave me.”
Shio beamed in approval. “You may as well come to church.”
“I may as well not. I tithe to your crooked-ass stepdaddy every Sunday, read my devotions, and I pray. That's all I got for ya.”
Shio nodded.
“I’ll take that. But I’m good, Ezee. I promise. You know ion make those without the intention of keeping them.”
They both looked at each other, communicating with their eyes, and even though I didn't know what was being said, I knew. Shio was a man of his word. Ezio knew it too. There were a whole lot of gaps in the story of this woman, whom he was now housing, but if he didn’t tell me, I wouldn’t ask. It wasn't my problem one way or another. I couldn't afford those any fucking way. These niggas could.
“Good. You always been the better Cuppacio. If it was me or Dumb and Dumber over there before we met our women, we would have started a whole war.”
“How so?” I butted in.
Ezio swiped his nose with his thumb. “We would have fucked.”
“Even though y’all don’t know what she looks like?”
Ezio eyed Shio again.“With the way this nigga all tense, I know she decent. He just better hope his faith in his restraint is bigger than his desires. Ion feel like shooting shit out with Mexicans. I’ll call Trump on them muthafuckas.”
We all laughed. I was all for making my bread, but a war? Nah, I ain’t sign up for that shit. I’d hoped my daddy’s son kept his dick in his pants. Temptation was a motherfucker.
Chapter 12
Glow
As I watched myself scarf down a large bite of a cheeseburger, I had to swallow back the bile that rose up my throat. On the plate in front of me were three double cheeseburgers and a platter full of French fries. I would never eat that much food, but I needed it for my thumbnail on the video I was editing. This review would not only go on my personal social sites, but also on my YouTube channel.
