Köhler Lies and Deception Book 11 of The Köhler Series

Back into the Game

Ephraim was curious to know what Melody's brothers had planned for them. They made it a point to come and drag him out of bed before five that morning and wouldn't tell him a thing. Then it was Mel's twin Elijah, who glared daggers through his head. He swore the man wanted to kill him, but their older brother Xerxes was keeping him calm. He also learned she had two more brothers, Lucas, and AJ, and five sisters. However, there were actually six because they counted Emiko, a young girl that her parents took in as their sister.

The women were cool, but Eph could see he had a lot of work to do to win over her brothers. This wasn't counting her father or mother, which he had yet to meet. Honestly, her entire family scared him, especially Xerxes, Elijah, her uncles, and her father... he was the main one. Ephraim had only seen him from afar before his heart attack, and the man looked dangerous for his age. He knew Luca was only in his late sixties, but he was buffed and looked like he could kill someone with his bare hands.

"Do you know how to fight?"

"What?"

"I said do you know how to fight? Damn, nigga are you fucking deaf or something? Get in the fucking ring and show me what you know. You want to fuck my twin, but you don't get to do that shit, and think life is going to be easy. Let's go, asshole, come beat my ass if you can."

"Eli, calm the fuck down." Elijah looked back at his older brother with a cocked brow as Xerxes sighed, shaking his head at Lucas. He could already see that he was about to make it hard for him, but he had to earn his place in their mafia if he wanted to be able to protect his child and Mel. So, with a heavy sigh, Ephraim stepped into the ring and got knocked on his ass just as fast.

"You know that was a cheap ass shot."

"Says the one lying on his ass. Get up bitch. Show me if you can handle me punk." Ephraim could hear the others sighing as he stood, and again, Elijah tried to take a cheap shot, but this time, he was able to see it and dodge. He wanted to play dirty, which was the only way he learned how to fight. So, he waited for his next move and hit him with a two-piece and an uppercut, taking him down. Although he didn't stay down long, and before he knew it, he was coming at him again. Ephraim blocked every move until he was able to make a shot, using that time to hit him in the torso a few times before another hit to the face.

Ephraim could see Elijah was getting upset with his fighting skills, and so did his brothers because Xerxes quickly jumped into the ring, standing between them as he gave his little brother a warning look. "Eli, enough. You know damn well this isn't how we work. Ephraim, good job. Let's see how you handle a gun."

"You're a bitch ass nigga sometimes. You know that? You wanted to see his fucking fighting skills then jumped in between us when I'm about to beat this bitches ass—"

"Elijah, if you're going to act like a child, maybe I should treat you like one. Quit whining like a fucking two-year-old. The damn test was to see if he could fight or handle someone with skills, but you got in the damn ring and fought like he stole your favorite toy. You're mad. I get it. Everyone standing here fucking gets it, but Ephraim wasn't the reason your twin decided to fake her death. Go to her and release your anger, not on him."

"Ephraim turned to the voice, and he quickly noticed where Melody got her beauty. It was their mom, and all of them had a piece of her; however, he had not met Mel's sisters yet, but he was sure they were just as beautiful. Anyhow, he quickly bowed as Xerxes elbowed him, shaking his head. He thought this was what he was supposed to do when meeting one of them, but he was proven wrong.

"That's what I was doing—"

"Boy, do not make me slap you into next week... Ephraim, I've been waiting to meet you. This was supposed to happen two nights ago, but my husband wasn't feeling up to dinner. Will you all be up to it today? Of course, this will be at the main house, Xerxes. Elijah, you and Elias could have your cooks whip us something good."