Page 12 of The Mob: Shio Cuppacio
“She didn’t tell not one lie, though. My cousin is fine,” Scarlett said, breaking the moment of awkwardness.
“As hell!” Daylani yelled from her laptop, and all of the girls burst into laughter. I even joined in because it was true. He was fine as hell; a blind woman could see that.
“So what you saying is, even as a kid, Shio was the man with the plan?” I shifted my gaze from Scarlett to Pia since they’d grown up with him.
Pia leaned in like she was about to reveal a secret, and that had me scooting to the edge of my seat.
“I’m saying… Shio is the nigga that shows up after having studied everyone else’s plan. Plans they didn’t even know they had, so they damn sho’ didn’t knowhehad ’em. After learning everyone else’s moves, only then does he formulate his own, and I guarantee you… it’s no flaws in his. Give it time. I can promise you that the woman he ends up with is going to get the absolute best Cuppacio experience. Don’t tell Nel’s jealous ass I told you that.” Pia winked and sat back in her seat like she hadn’t caused me to shudder in mine.
Just as the subject shifted from Shio, my phone buzzed.
It was a text from the man of the hour. I’d never opened his text so fast before a day in my life.
Shio
You good?
Yes. You?
Shio
Always. You got plans next weekend?
Nope.
Shio
You do now. Be ready at seven.
I guess there was still hope for me to join the mob wives after all.
Chapter 3
Shio Cuppacio
“Married? Nigga, why the fuck didn’t you tell me this shit before setting up a meeting?”
Tunan unbuttoned the jacket to his tailored suit and hopped in the driver’s side of my truck. I didn’t know why the fuck he hadn’t bought himself one yet because he was forever driving my shit when we were together. I preferred to drive myself, but if my little brother wanted to chauffeur his big brother, who was I to interfere?
Tunan had been in Jagoda Bay for about a month, and I’d finally been able to convince Don to sit down and have a meeting with him. When we arrived at the Dungeon, Don sent a last-minute text saying something had come up and he would have to postpone. Peeling out of the Dungeon parking lot, Tunan shifted his focus from the road to the streets.
I still hadn’t had the chance to introduce my brother to my cousins, mainly because those niggas were too pussy whipped these days. I wasn’t complaining about those irresponsible niggas, though. Not one bit. In fact, I encouraged the new leashes they were rocking. However, Ezio had yet to resume his role of meeting with Goal every month to get our product. WhileI couldn’t duplicate myself, I knew Tunan would step in and help because he was hungry for security. I’d been trying to get Don to add the last Cuppacio to the roster, but the nigga had been acting petty. According to Reuchie’s laws, Tunan was in, whether Don met with him or not. I was trying to be courteous and respect his position by getting his approval. But Tunan was a Cuppacio just as much as my cousins and me. Don knew that, but he just wanted to be an asshole.
When Don canceled, I at least wanted to put Tunan on game of what was to be expected of him since I’d waited long enough for Don to do it. Telling him marriage was a high priority had this nigga acting like I’d just told him he had to cut off his left leg.
“I tried to tell you, Tune…”
With my phone in hand, I texted my pilot to confirm our plans for next Friday. It wasn’t often that I chartered a jet, but for quick and guaranteed trips, I was willing to spend the money. With these airlines frequently delaying flights, I needed to be sure I could get to my destination and back before my date with Glow on Friday night. My current itinerary had me flying out at six in the morning, handling my business, and returning to Jagoda Bay by four in the evening. That would give me enough time to shower, change, and arrive at Glow’s house with some time to spare.
“When? Hunh? Cuz I been here a month and not once did you say, ‘I can get you rich, but you gotta get married.’ What type of shit is this? Nigga this ain’t the Middle East! Fuck! I should have listened to my brother,” he said in a groan.
“I am yo’ brother.”
“Nigga, my REAL BROTHER! He told me you mobbing-ass niggas was gone get me tied into some shit, on my soul! Cancel the meeting. With the way that nigga canceled on us last minute, he don’t want me in the shit, no way. I’m super straight. ”
“Aye, stop putting shiton your soul. You in a new city, you not hurting for no bread, we good looking niggas, so what’s the problem?”
Even though Tunan was talking his shit, his demeanor was cool, and that let me know he wasn’t as fucked up as he was portraying to be about getting married. He knew how this mob shit went. Either he’d done his research, or he’d heard some shit from one of these groupie-ass niggas around Jagoda Bay. Marriage was inevitable, and I wanted him in, so he was going to have to do what everyone else had done: suck that shit up and find the best woman for the job.
