Rise of the Oni (Book 8 of the Köhler Series)

ᔕᗴᐯᗴᑎTY-ᔕI᙭ | 76

"Bro! I need to talk to you... Damn what up Ri? I wasn't expecting to see you here. Where's my brother?" Elijah spoke. Riley arched a brow pointing to the stairs as Eli smirked a little walking away fast. He could hear Josiah saying something about him being silly and Riley laughing.

"Xerxes, you sure you want to eat whatever Riley is cooking? She had that evil look on her face. I think she plotting to kill you." He laughed as Xerxes stood in the middle of the bedroom floor staring at it like he had lost his mind.

"Riley knows better. What the fuck do you want?"

"First did you fuck her?" Elijah asked. Again, X just stood there glaring at his brother until he nodded sitting in the chair by the door. "I think I fucked up. Or maybe I made things right. Hell, I don't know." He said.

"And I told you that I'm not a fucking psychiatrist. I couldn't even help myself with my own problems how the hell do you think I can help you with yours?" He spoke sitting down finally sighing. "Riley cheated on me. I told her that I would forgive her if she could forgive me, but it keep replaying in my head. Her sitting there telling me that she did something with another man that wasn't me. I would have understood if it happen at the beginning of our relationship because of what I was doing but happened because of Mariah's lies. The sad thing was Riah told me that Riley was sleeping with Reece, and she tried to seduce me." He said while Elijah just sat there rubbing the back of his neck.

"She came to my office one night when I had you on a mission. Naked under a coat begging me to fuck her. I nearly killed the woman, but so for reason, I couldn't tell you what she had done. Shit, I was scared to tell anyone, so I kept it to myself and acted as if it never happened." Xerxes said looking down at the floor.

"X... I don't care what the fuck she did. Or if you would have given in, because at the end of the day. You are my brother through thick and thin. Mariah was a snake and snakes always get cut the fuck down as she did. Yeah, she hurt our family, but she is gone. So, stop beating yourself up. You didn't sleep with her. Hell should have killed her I would have understood. I asked her about the bruises, and she told me that Leah jumped her for no reason. You know Leah she confirmed it because she knew the truth. Leah didn't tell me until a few days ago. Didn't care then and I don't care now. You and Riley... you are going to make this work. Aren't you?" Elijah said as Xerxes nodded.

"Good! I was about lock your asses in a room together for a year or until you fuck the shit out of each other." He laughed. "It's in the past. The two of you love each other keep looking at that. Plus, I haven't seen Riley smile like that in months. Now I need to see my big bro smile... I slept with Zakiya." Elijah said as Xerxes looked at him surprised.

"YOU WHAT!? Dawg I knew it was about to fucking happen. Elijah, you never argue as much with someone as you did her. Now it's time for you to be happy forreal this time." Xerxes smiled which faded as he saw his wife standing at the door.

"Make sure she isn't another Mariah."

"Don't worry about that Ri. Trust me it was a feeling that I was fighting with. From the moment I saw that woman I knew. So, I had Vince, Leah, and Uncle Vic dig up everything they could on her. Still, I was scared to have feelings for another woman after Mariah. You and my bro though y'all are going to be okay. We all are. Sister Ida wants you two to do family night. Let's do it with family at the main house, and Xerxes you are moving back in...."

"No, I am not." Xerxes said making Riley's eyes find his with a worried looked. "That place doesn't feel like my home anymore. Staying there will only bring back all the feelings I am trying so hard to push away. I will stay here until Riley, and I are in a better position, then she can move in with me and the kids."