Dangerous Desires (Minnelli Mafia Series Book 1)

Back to Business

Miami, Florida
Security Division Headquarters

"I can't believe you niggas were already fathers." Zolan teased his cousins as he went over his files.

"Neither can I if we being honest." Apollo chuckled. "But I don't even remember life without Elyse." He smiles. Zo doesn't respond because everybody remembers the hell Apollo went through without her.

The trio of cousins let the conversation falter as they worked on their cases. Zolan notices something out of the ordinary.

"The diamond trade just disappeared." He pulls up the screenshots in curiosity. "That can't be." So he decides to dig a little deeper, coming up empty handed.

He grabs his hoodie and leaves the Division, deep in his thoughts.

When he arrives home, E is sitting in her favorite chair in the main room with her yarn and hooks. Her little belly growing every day. She'd decided to resign from her position with the cable company. But unknown to Zo, she was still putting her plan into action about having smartphones troubleshoot for the customer.

Working with Nora was what she did for half days. She, Ivy, Nora and now Skye spent a lot of time together talking about a new project that Mika and Brielle had discussed over cheesecake. A women's conference!

"Hey babe! You look scressed..." her little feet swinging from her spot on the couch with fruit not too far from her seat.

"But I am..." Zo stops and wonders if he could tell his girlfriend. Knowing his hands are tied, Zo speaks, "Jagger's diamond trade I've been tracking has suddenly disappeared and I don't know where to start to look for it again. And, he's trying to run for mayor."

"What is the name of the trade?" she asks. Zo shakes his head and pulls her feet in his lap. Physical contact was his love language. Eden wasn't always a fan of it but his style was rubbing on her.

"Your name. IntErnational Diamond Exchange and Negotiation."

"Get the fuck outta here. I should be rich then..." she chuckles. "I have a folder from my old apartment with my name on it and some weird ass codes in it. You think it'll help?"

"Anything would at this point..." Zolan nods his head, following her out of their apartment together.

To take his mind off the case, Zo looks over at his future wife with admiration. "We gotta go house shopping next."

"Why?" she eats an ice cream sundae. "I love the penthouse."

"So you don't want big rooms, wall to wall windows and a beach?" he remembers what she wanted her dream home to be. Eden blushes. "Yeah I remember."

"It hasn't been a year yet and I'm already pregnant." She fusses playfully.

"I mean we still taking our time...I just want to have a house before the baby gets here and I love you E but I refuse to take another lecture from Nana Diane about you not being in a house yet."

"I expected that from Grandpop Aries!" she laughed.

"Nah...Nana Diane specifically told me when they come down for the reunion; my mama and pops hosting it when my Auntie Sunday and Alex this year, that we better have some plans for a house before you give birth E."

"Okay, I don't give birth to like August. It's just February." She giggles.

"E...no. We getting a nice house and that's it." he grabs her thigh, ending the discussion. Eden knew she couldn't combat Nana Diane but she could finesse her way out of trouble with both of the Aries hehe. Even Cairo some days. He reminded her so much of her own father. Truth be told she loved the protection and quirkiness from all Zolan's male relatives. Nothing matches the fussing from Nana Diane though.

They walk up to her apartment and Zo could hear shuffling inside. He gently pushes her behind him, pressing his finger to his lips. Eden nods nervously.

Zolan draws his weapon. E is shocked...so this is real? She clutches on to his shirt, heart pounding like crazy. Quick on his feet, Zolan kneels in front of her.

"Go down to my potna Wesley's office. You remember where it is right?" she nods. "Okay go up there, tell him ZC sent you and he'll know what to do. Do everything he says until I come and get you. You can do that for me princess?"

"Yes." Eden whispers.

"Now gimme kiss." She does and steps away from him, taking off back toward the elevator. When Zolan heard the elevator's distinctive ping, he kicks the door down, his weapon still drawn.

On the other side sat Jagger waiting for Eden. Her place was completely trashed.

"I knew you'd come eventually." He smirked at Zo.

"What are you here for?" he asks, stalking his way to the man. Both have weapons drawn.

"You know why I'm here. You took my woman, now you aim to take my life." Jagger is much more deranged these days.

"You have two children, boys at home bruh. I didn't take anything from you. Eden left. You know that and I do too." Zolan turns his earpiece on.

"Don't kill him, we need as much information about this as possible." Professor Mamba speaks calmly in his ear. Zolan listens like he would his father. But he was also his father's son.

He raises the gun up and shoots the man in the shoulder before he could land a shot on him.

"Code 13, we need a bus on 2222 Ocean Drive, STAT." he calls for an ambulance. Then he makes sure Jagger is away from the premises totally before going back to the apartment.

Stunned that Professor Mamba let the man live again, he denotates a bomb found in Eden's bathroom.

"Did you get everything?" he watched her carefully.

"I'm fine babe. Hand me that box up there." She points. He does. "Here are the codes you need." She hands them over.

"Guh...keep on! I'ma get you pregnant again!" he kissed all over her face and neck in excitement.

In July, the Minnelli family was back together again. Only this time, Eden is huge with a baby boy. She was dead set on naming him Maverick after her father. Zolan liked another name but didn't contribute to the process.

"E! When you due chile?" Diane pulls her in for a hug. They were outside in Sunday and Alex's backyard.

"They say somewhere in late July but I'm hoping for August." She rubs her lightly kicking belly. "I'm ready either way."

"You better have a house to get discharged to. I called you last week about that." Nana was not letting up. Skye bounced Forrest on her thigh. Nora bounced Xander until Q came to get him and Ivy held up her daughter to Ant.

"Naaannnaaa...why y'all keep fussing about that?" Eden really acted like the baby wife now. Hehehe.

"Because it's easier when we come and stay a month after he's born."

"Huh?" Eden looks over in shock. The older wives all nodded and rubbed their hands Birdman style.

"Zolan doesn't know about this part but what happens is we older wives rally around the new parents and help them get settled. Sometimes our husbands come just so the baby can get their scent too. Then about four months or so we start the process of finding nannies so mommy can go back to work...if she chooses. And my favorite part especially, when the babies get older." She stops and points at Skye, Eden and Nora. "I send for them to spend a few weeks with us in the summer."

"Wow...all this support. I wasn't-" hormones caught her off guard.

"Mhm...now get to it on that mansion. I'm not gonna say it again. Stubborn butt." Diane fussed one more time.

"Yes ma'am." Eden wiped her eyes while her belly kicked excitedly.