Page 36 of The Mob: Shio Cuppacio
Delicate Mafia didn’t need shit; I just loved talking shit. She had enough jewelry to rock a different piece for three months straight. Still, I was buying my baby some new diamonds. She could get whatever the fuck she wanted with her pretty ass.
“Three weeks is more than enough time,” I said as the pair walked toward the double doors. “I found my wife in a day on my first day out, got her pregnant, and popped up when the baby was due. I kidnapped her ass and forced her into signing papers she thought was from the mailman when, in reality, it was a marriage certificate. Her marriage certificate.” I chuckled at the memories that felt so long ago. “You got an advantage, nigga. You Cuppacios niggas kind of slow, so I see now I gotta put time clocks on that ass. You either get married in two weeks, or you can’t sit with us.”
“You did what?” Tunan had stopped walking and looked so confused at my story.
I wasn’t repeating a damn thing. I said what the fuck I said, and I ain’t regret shit about how I’d locked Dasani down.
Tunan sneered after realizing what I said. “Hold up… Never mind that. You just said three weeks?—”
“Yeah, well asking all them fucking questions made me lose my train of thought. We can make this shit a day if you want to keep going. Oh, and make sure you niggas at my house next Friday at six for my wife’s Sniff-and-Sip party. Don’t be late anddon’t come to my shit empty-handed. Matter of fact, bring a monetary gift for Mrs. Rinaldi.” I flicked my wrist to emphasize jewelry or diamonds. These niggas know I didn’t play about my Childish Titties.
“You dismissing us, gave me an impossible-ass timeframe to get married, and now you inviting us to a party? What the fuck is a sniff and sip? Ion do no drugs outside of weed,” Tunan said in a harsh tone.
Matteo stood up. “Nigga, what the fuck you tryna say?”
“Do we look like we play with our fucking noses, nigga? Sniff and sip. My wife is launching a fragrance line, goofy. Now, get the fuck out! I need to be attending a wedding or shown a marriage certificate in the next thirteen days. I told these niggas they had to have weddings, but since I’m a nice guy, I’m granting you thecourtesyof going to the courthouse. Plan a real wedding eventually, though. We likes to celebrate ’round this muthafucka. See y’all selves out, and don’t forget… spend big before showing up at my house, niggas. Oh, and Tunan?”
Looking fed up with my shit, he asked, “Wassup?”
“Keep yo’ hands to yourself. We don’t beat bitches over this way; only the pussy. Adios.”
When I saw that Tunan had served time due to domestic violence, I couldn’t do shit but shake my fucking head. Those damn Memphis niggas were out of control.
“Bye, Ike,” Matteo called out as they finally left the room.
“Aye, yo’! You wild as fuck.” Rut chuckled at our antics.
“Wild as them animals Preston likes to foster. Them niggas know I ain’t wrapped too tight.”
Matteo was back on his phone, typing.
“How’s Pearla?” I finally asked after we were interrupted by the Twin Towers brothers.
In the last few months, I’ve taken a liking to Pearla. She made her way into my heart, and I’d pulled down on her a few times.She was eating now, out of bed more, and looked like she wasn’t losing any more weight, so that was a good sign. She was too fucking young to be down bad about a nigga. I didn’t know if it was killing niggas, seeing Grind shot, or his marriage that had her hiding away from the world. She had us all wrapped around her damn finger, though. If she went too long without texting me, I would pull up on her at Rio’s. Now I understand why Matteo had done the same with my sister back when shit was chaotic. It was family over everything.
“She good.”
“Even if she’s not, she will be,” I assured. “That nigga, Grind?”
It wasn’t much retaliation needed because Pearla had stepped for him. Even though that nigga was married, he better empty his fucking pockets for Pearla when he woke up, if he woke up. She was the reason why he had a fighting fucking chance. All a girl had was her innocence until she didn’t. Once a good girl turned bad, it was no going back. Thankfully, Pearla was still a good girl, even though she and that little crew of hers were on some young and wild shit. Pearla has been too damn heartbroken to run the city with their asses lately, though. Her mood had forced all of them to sit the fuck down somewhere.
“Only reason I’m still spending my money on his hospital bills is because that nigga is showing signs of brain activity,” Matteo responded with a scowl on his face.
I nodded, not ready to elaborate on my thoughts concerning Grind just yet.
In my opinion, there were two positives to this situation with Grind. The nigga was already married, so if I offered him a seat at the table, he wouldn’t take me through loops and hoops like those fuck niggas from Chicago. And, he was still in a coma, so hopefully, he wouldn’t wake up until Pearla was clear across the country, living her best life with her degree in hand. I think tenyears of not communicating will do them both some good. The nigga was still expected to send her a hefty check for the rest of her life, even if he had to pass the money through us. He was forever indebted to my little cousin.
That hustling-ass nigga had fumbled the realest chick he would ever have by his side. But it was cool, though. Unlike the Cuppacio women, a Rinaldi woman didn’t need a man for shit. Real talk.
Chuckling randomly, Rut switched the subject. “You really gave that nigga two weeks to find a wife, though?” Rut smiled in disbelief.
“Hell yeah, I did. He better pluck a bitch off the street and get that shit done. I should have did the rest of them niggas the same way. They popping out babies before rings; gone have us ’round here deep as fuck like the Brady Bunch. Have niggas calling us the fucking bastard bunch.”
“You stupid. I’m ’bout to take Pearla some food before I take it in. Lil’ Gas Station wanna paint together tomorrow, and a nigga need a good night’s sleep.”
Rut started laughing, while Matteo looked at him like he was crazy.
“Chill, Rut. Don’t get his grumpy ass started,” I said, hiding my smirk. I stood, grabbed my two phones, and looked at Teo. “I’m sliding, too, nigga. Rut gone make sure the spot stay hot. I need to chop it up with ole Pearla P and remind her niggas ain’t shit.”
