La’Nova raised her brows, she looked at Luca with wonderment before licking her lips and answering.
“I think if you try to talk more… your real voice will continue to show up. But no.” She shook her head regretfully. “Someone introduced me to cigarettes when I was nine… It was a grownman. He offered me one the day my parents were murdered,” she stated flatly.
“A doctor…” Luca cut into La’Nova’s painful memories. “The twins and you… make me want to see a doctor for my voice.” He picked up his cup and took a big sip of tea.
Seconds later he was done with what was left in the cup. Luca motioned to his glove compartment. La’Nova opened it and pulled out a box of gloves without being instructed on what to do. Luca was done talking for now, he had to save his voice for later. A tap at the window made La’Nova roll her eyes. She looked at Roy through the heavy tinted windows and wanted to punch his cocky ass right in the face.
“You know that asshole?” She spat out in disgust.
“He’s my righthand.” Luca smirked.
Luca saw firsthand how Roy was with women. His handsome looks was always a disguise to most of them. They thought he was the type to wine and dine when majority of the time, Roy was always looking for a good time. He had no patience and no quality time to spend with a woman. The most a woman was good for in Roy’s eyes was a good time and emptying his nuts.
La’Nova got plenty of complaints from the women at House of Angels. He talked major shit to most of the women and hardly paid if Roy deemed them as a weak lay. To La’Nova, Roy was nothing more but a shallow man. He threw fits whenever he couldn’t get what he wanted.
“Damn, roll the window down!” Roy’s breath fogged up the window.
Instead of listening to Roy, Luca calmly put on his black plastic gloves and made La’Nova do the same. When he was fully satisfied and ready to step out of the car, he made his way to La’Nova’s side.
“Who else you got in there?” Roy cocked his head to the side.
“My Nova baby, be nice.”Luca signed the words.
“Nova baby?” Roy bellowed out in disbelief. “Nova baby, as in La’Nova? Mannnnnnn,” he drawled dramatically. “I should have known yo ass?—”
“Not now, we will talk later.”Luca signed the words sharply.
“Later? We had plenty of times to talk about what it is with you and this chick since Food 4 Less parking lot. I gotta admit—” Roy carefully scratched the top of his waves, frowning. “We pose to be like brothers! I should be knowing this type of shit!” Roy complained dramatically.
“We will talk later.”Luca signed, turning toward the passenger door.
He opened La’Nova’s door then stepped behind it like a gentleman for her to have enough space to get out. The cold night air caressed La’Nova’s face as she glared at Roy.
To La’Nova’s surprise Roy was dressed as sharp as Luca, wearing his own tailored three-piece suit. Roy’s suit was almost as black as his milk chocolate complexion. He had a fresh tapered fade, his waves were just as seasick as Luca’s. Roy tugged at the bottom of his goatee beard and balled his face up.
“We’ve both been busy, me with the boys and handling unfinished business…I’ll catch you up on everything later.”Luca quickly signed the words to Roy.
He knew he didn’t have to explain anything to Roy but didn’t want his brother to feel slighted. Since kids they confided in each other. Roy was more than just a friend, he was family. The only brother he considered having that didn’t pump the same blood as him.
“Shit, we need to talk. Asap. She not a good look for you—”Roy’s sign language was cut off by La’Nova smacking her lips and rolling her eyes hard at both men.
“Sign language is another language that I don’t know. It’s hell of rude to be speaking that shit while I’m standing here. I know you have some kind of manners, Luca…” She paused, snapping her eyes over to Roy. “I know yo freaked out ass has none at all.” She rolled her eyes hard at Roy.
“See what I mean by her not being a good fucking look? She got the mouth of a fucking toddler.” Roy spat.
Luca ignored them both as he calmly swaggered away from the arguing pair and set his focus on the run-down house in front of him. Tracy hadn’t paid for her lawn in months, and it showed. The grass weeds were knee high, covering the narrow walkway that led to her front door. The porch steps were cracked and in desperate need of a power wash.
The house had a pungent odor; you could smell the mold and rust from the outside. One of Luca’s men stepped out the shadows of the porch with a hot cup of tea at his earlier request. Luca nodded his head, accepted the hot foam cup then stepped back, waiting for the guy to pick and open the lock.
“The house is clear; three men are already posted inside. The woman has been identified; she has male company.” The guyspoke in a hushed tone as he focused on getting the worn-down wooden door to open.
Luca was satisfied in hearing that Tracy had a male guest inside. His plans weren’t to kill her because he knew it would hurt the twins. A lesson would be taught tonight to her and La’Nova.
The front door made a clicking sound. On cue, Roy got into capo mode. He stepped into the dimly lit living room and almost jumped out of his skin when a roach scurried over the top of his red bottom dress shoes.
“Shit! This bitch is nasty as fuck.” Roy gritted with his gun drawn.
“Stay behind me,” Luca whispered to La’Nova without turning to look over at her.
