"Hey, handsome..."
"Aunt Nova, what the hell do you want?" Xerxes asked, staring at his aunt in the doorway. Lately, she was finding every way she could to get on his damn nerves. Maybe it was her way of cheering him up, which was unneeded. What happened to him months ago was in the past, and that's where he wanted to keep it. There was no need to bring up or talk about what happened between him and Amoy. X had come to terms with it, and it was a mistake, one that he couldn't erase.
"I have an idea—" His mouth opened to speak, but she quickly held up her hand. "Before you start complaining, hear me out. Our family doesn't need another war. I think I know a way to get Pierre without someone getting killed other than him and his followers." Now Xerxes was listening, causing him to sit up straight in his chair with a brow arched, waiting for Nova to elaborate.
"You have my attention."
"We invited him here. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but you could convince him that we believe Barkley—"
"That's not going to work, Auntie. Pierre wants Barkley dead for a different reason. The man feels like he was betrayed by his family— your family." He spoke as Nova arched a brow. "Has no one told you the truth yet? Pierre is related to you; he's a Maharaj. Your aunt's oldest son, and he wants yours and Barkley's bloodlines gone. The Wrights were dragged into this again because your cousin married Ark's father. If you ask me, it's a bunch of bullshit, but he thinks he was wrong, and unless you can put something on the table other than that. We're going to need a better plan." He explained as the woman took a seat next to the door with a sigh.
"My family sucks. They wondered why I ran and never looked back; it was because I felt like they were hiding shit from me. I hated that I was right. I hate it took thirty-something years to learn the truth after I started asking questions. Fuck, I'm seventy-nine and feel like a child who's just learned who her parents are. For years I asked my mom about my father, and he was looking me in the face the entire time. I know some of the things I do, I can't help it, but I joke around to hide my hurt. None of them know how painful it is to look at my damn nephew and see the man who was my father. I knew him, but not the way I should've."
"Auntie, I'm no therapist, but you did know him. I heard you talking to Dad a few months back. You told him Daniel was your only father figure until your mother married again. He was there for you because he knew. Sometimes we do things we are ashamed of, and you can't rewind that, but your mother didn't seem ashamed of who your father was. She didn't want you, your siblings, and your cousins to be confused. You know who you are. You're our crazy-loving aunt, my mother's best friend, a good mother, wife, and my Dad's aggravator. You're what keeps this family on its toes, Aunt Nova. I would never want to change that— Change you." He spoke as a huge smile spread across Nova's face. Xerxes sighed because he had a feeling she was about to say some dumb shit.
"Aww, you want this pussy, don't you?"
"Bye!"
"XERXES, I WAS PLAYING—"
"Leave Aunt Nova! I swear no one can be serious with you." He yelled as the woman stayed seated laughing. "I'm sorry, and thank you. I needed that talk from someone other than your father and the others. Now I'm going to give you some advice. What happened between you and Amoy wasn't your fault. The cards were already on the table, and all she had to do was play hers at the right time. The Nigerians wanted to divide and conquer but played the wrong hand. Rule number never sent a woman in to seduce an intelligent man—"
"That's kind of you, Auntie, but I wouldn't have fallen for her game if I were so intelligent." Xerxes understood what his aunt was saying, but it wasn't true on Xerxes's end. In his case, he was blinded by a beautiful face and smile that could've killed his entire family. He let her in, and for that, he could never forgive himself.
