She disappeared behind the curtain, and I didn't move right away. I was left wondering if I’d ever been wanted that way… or if I even knew how to do the choosing right.
She stepped out looking like she'd said more than she meant to.
“Look, I’m not a real ass bitch give a fuck ‘bout a nigga, but I am a real ass bitch need a real nigga—and if not, stay away.”
“Well, we’re good then, huh?”
“Yeah, yeah. We shall see. Everybody says they’rerealuntil it comes time to show that.”
I stopped walking and turned to face her. I stayed calm, but she caught the shift. “Coco, I’m not everybody. Don’t put me in the same category as niggas who disappointed you before. When I tell you something, that’s what it is.”
She searched my face, and I could see her deciding whether to push back or accept what I was saying.
“You're right,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry. I’m still learning you.”
“That’s all I need to hear.”
We left the store with her holding my arm. Subtle, but not nothing. Maybe that was the problem; those little gestures were starting to feel normal.
Her hand on me felt too damn good. I’d spent my life keeping people at a distance, and here she was, slipping past every defense I’d built. That was dangerous. She was making that feel stupid. But watching her laugh at some TikTok clip, her favorite damn thing, I knew the truth: if she was the weapon, I’d still choose her.
Every time.
Three days before Taiwan's wedding, Pops called a family meeting at the estate. Inner circle only. He called it logistics. We all knew what that meant.
I rolled through the Belle View gates at sunset, shadows stretching across the same grounds where Coco first stepped into my world, where she’d watched Cyrus take his last breath. Fitting that we were back here now, her name still heavy in the air.
Inside, the usual suspects were posted up in Pops' study. Uncle Tommy in his chair with a bourbon. Big Mike on the sofa. A few other faces — the men who helped build this empire and hadn't forgotten it.
“Lesley,” my father nodded as I entered. “We were just discussing the wedding arrangements.”
“Taiwan’s wedding?” I asked, settling into the chair across from Uncle Tommy. “Everything’s handled. Venue’s secure, guest list’s been vetted.”
“Not Taiwan’s wedding,” Uncle Tommy said, his gravelly voice cutting through the cigar smoke. “Yours.”
The room went quiet except for the soft clink of ice against glass. I felt the shift in energy, the way conversations could turn from casual to deadly serious in the span of a heartbeat. I knew by the end of this, someone would have me fucked up.
“What about the wedding I didn’t have?”
“Well,” Big Mike leaned forward, “we've been thinking about this whole situation. The witness, the marriage solution.” He paused, studying my face. “It was creative, but some of us have concerns about your judgment.”
The mood in the room turned icy. My jaw tightened. If they thought they could question my decisions, they were dead wrong.
“My judgment? Here we go with this stupid shit again. I think y'all old asses on some hating shit.”
Uncle Tommy set down his glass, meeting my stare. “Nephew, we wonder if pussy got you thinking sideways. You ain’t never chased skirts.”
Every man in the room tensed. The disrespect was so blatant, so deliberate, that even they knew Uncle Tommy had crossed a line. I was on my feet before anyone could blink, my hand inside my jacket.
“Say that shit again,” I said, voice deadly calm. “See what the fuck happens.”
Uncle Tommy raised his hands slowly. “Easy, Lesley. We family.”
“Family don’t disrespect family,” I said, hand still inside my jacket. “And family damn sure don’t question the head’sdecisions unless they're ready to take his place. Is that what this is about? You wanna be me nigga?”
My father cleared his throat. “Nobody’s questioning your authority, son. They just want to make sure you’re seeing the full picture.”
I looked around the room, making eye contact with each man present. Let them see exactly who they were dealing with. Let them remember the only reason they were breathing was because I allowed it.
