“Mind your phone and watch your mouth,” Roy told Cain.
He shifted the gear in drive and drove around to the drive-thru.
“You like her.” Abel grinned.
“No I don’t,” he quickly lied.
The taste of denial sat bitter on his tongue.
“Y’all mind y’all business, she just a good lil friend of mine.”
“Hmph, good lil friend. I got a couple of those over on the south side.” Cain boasted goofily.
Roy chuckled, tugged at his goatee beard then quickly placed a big order for him and the twins.
Chapter 14
Cry for Big mama…. February 9th, 2026
La’Nova’s camper felt smaller with Luca inside of it. He sat on the edge of La’Nova’s narrow bed, knees spread, elbows resting on his thighs. His shoulders relaxed in a way they rarely were. After his break down when Lucille left his office, him and La’Nova grew close in a short period of time.
They gravitated toward each other naturally, both made sure that they didn’t overcrowd the other. La’Nova was comfortable enough to sleep in her camper except Luca wouldn’t let her. He couldn’t sleep well at night with knowing she was outdoors in a small space without him. Every night after checking in with the twins, Luca would wait until he knew La’Nova was out cold.
He’d trek across his huge lawn and into her camper to carry her inside to his bed. Luca always thought things out thoroughly. He talked to La’Nova about the twins but still hadn’t allowed for her to meet them. He had everything set in motion for that to happen once he officially proposed to her with a ring on bended knee.
He talked to the twins about La’Nova as well, so she wouldn’t come as a surprise when the boys finally got to meet her. All ofthis was new to Luca, so he went about things the way he saw fit, considering everybody’s feelings that mattered the most to him.
He eyed La’Nova quietly. She sat cross legged beside him, coloring book spread across her lap, markers scattered around her in different shades of purple. The small window let in the late afternoon light, warm and golden. She hummed under her breath another Rod Wave song.
Luca watched her hand move. The way she stayed inside the lines without trying too hard. He noticed her shoulders loosened the longer she colored, like she was finally somewhere her nervous system could rest. His eyes landed on the plastic ashtray that had a cigarette burning inside of it like a incense.
He’d gotten used to the cigarette smell mixed with her sweet vanilla and spice scent, and he embraced that shit. It was a part of her, and so far…. Luca loved every part.
“Why you like sad music?” Luca asked, cutting right into the peaceful silence that they both shared.
“Ain’t you a Don?” La’Nova asked him a question with a question.
“Yeah,” Luca whispered.
“So why you got so much time on your hands?” She placed a top on her purple marker and sat it down.
“You pose to be out killing people, sitting at long rectangular tables and doing whatever mafia bosses do with a thick Cuban cigar tucked in the corner of your mouth... Instead, you all up in my small space asking why I’m so in love with my husband Rod Wave.” She playfully rolled her eyes.
“I’m your husband.” Luca chuckled.
“Yeah, okay.” La’Nova held her hand out in front of her, she wiggled her fingers and giggled.
“Ain’t no ring from you on my finger… besides, even if or whenever we do get married, Rod Wave will forever and always be my first husband. You just got to deal with it boo.”
Luca let out a laugh before he could stop it. A real low and hoarse laugh. La’Nova’s eyes widened in shock before she laughed right along with him. Slowly, Luca’s face changed. His jaw tightened then relaxed, he ran his hand down the side of his thick chin strap beard and sighed.
“It’s not like the movies,” he stated calmly. “It’s for sure not what people read in all those street lit books either.
La’Nova unfolded her legs, stretching them until she was satisfied. Luca cooly reached over and placed her feet into his lap. Without giving it much thought, he rubbed over the top of her foot then slid his fingers in between her toes as he whispered lowly.
“My grandfather worked hard… Same with my dad. They made sure to build this so nobody at the top had to touch the dirt anymore… Everything’s layered. Structured… everybody serves a purpose.”
He started to count down without using his fingers.
