“Let’s get his ass first,” Rana says with fire in her voice, pure hatred for Kennard that I’m too numb to muster up yet. I can feel my rage bubbling just beneath the surface. I tried to pin up my war-like tendencies in more socially acceptable ways. I resented the stereotype of theangryblack woman mainly because I felt like my anger was justified, but always had to be buried for me to get ahead.
Sexism on one hand. Racism on the other hand. Everywhere I turned, it felt like the world was against me. I told myself I had made it and that I had it all with my strong black king. The rock. The leader of my family.
The man in bed with a white woman right now.
My voice quakes with rage. I open my car door and standing up feels like I’m on someone else’s legs. I stare up at our big, beautiful country home.We made it.I’m about to burn this whole motherfucker down. And I can’t believe this is how my life turned out.
Chapter Two
Peter
Present Day, in downtown Buffalo…
The last time I was at Belladonna’s with Gino, he was getting the number off some waitress before all hell broke loose in Pittsburgh. Now, I can’t leave the house without my pain in the ass younger sister in tow. Michael won’t hear a fucking word of protest because apparently, I’ve been getting off easy for far too long. Bullshit. Just because I wasn’t stupid enough to get my eye hacked out doesn’t mean my life has been easy.
I have massive fucking problems at the casino. And I don’t know if anybody can get me out of this situation. Having to drag Flora along to this business meeting is a pain in the ass. She took forever getting ready, like messing with her hair is going to change the situation.
There’s no point in her dressing up since I’ll put a bullet in any man who looks at her or any man who even seems to attract her attention.
Pittsburgh is a big enough problem as it is.
Flora glares at me, but seems to catch herself before making a stupid comment. I’m more than happy to smack her cleanlyacross the face if she speaks out of turn. I’m nothing like my brother. I don’t want trouble and I very much resent having her presence in my life.
If I wanted children, I would have had them. Bearing responsibility for my sister holds no interest to me. Flora is… defective. Most of the women in this family are defective. There’s nothing obedient or submissive in their demeanor. It’s not just that.
They’re unnaturally cold. Look at Cosima. Michael might have accepted the situation because of its benefit to him, but from the outside anyone with half a heart would judge Cosima harshly for what she did to bind her former tutor and my older brother together. Angela is no better. She might be Luigi’s problem, but she’s always been a problem. Her first husband was a mistake, then she convinced a man outside of our culture to tolerate her, but even he ran off.
Now, Angela has a husband who she will surely wrap around her finger soon. I anticipate Pittsburgh becoming a much bigger problem if these women aren’t kept under complete control. The more we try to fix these women, the more their deviance and deficiencies show.
I’m not so quick to believe that now that they’re all in Pennsylvania, they’re no longer our problem.
“Why are you in such a rush?” Flora asks. “Haven’t you been single for the last five years? Maybe ten?”
“I’m not Michael. I will smack the shit out of you.”
Flora annoys me and sometimes, my brother annoys me too. Taking things easy with the women in our family has never led anywhere good. My sister at least heeds my warning, although this doesn’t change her status as a general nuisance, and dresses up for the bar in an outfit that doesn’t force me to leave a bruise on her… like the last time.
“I look like a fucking Mormon.”
“You don’t look like a whore or aspiring OnlyFans model,” I respond to her. “Which is good.”
“What I’m wearing has nothing to do with how men treat me.”
I understand what she’s saying, I really do. But considering everything going on in Pittsburgh, the last thing my blond sister who towers over nearly everyone in high heels needs is to make her physical appearance so… attention-seeking.
Michael’s lucky that Cosima never showed any interest in men, especially ones that liked her. Flora is the complete opposite. We’re lucky she hasn’t run away already.
“You look fine.”
“I look great,” Flora says, meeting my gaze with indignation.
“I’m your brother, Flora. Not part of your fucking fan club. Let’s get out of here.”
“I need to post first.”
“Put the damn phone down.”
I have the car valeted at Belladonna’s. Not exactly on the books service, but I tip $150 to keep my car off the main roads somewhere I can access easily in case the night gets away from me. I don’t plan on letting Flora more than three feet away from me.
