Category: CITW: Side Story

Chapter 130.7 The LC at Play

AN: All of these stories are running simultaneously. Unbeta’d.

Les’s POV—Day Two of the review

Lacing my bros meals with laxatives yesterday was child’s play. Literally. Now it’s time to make them pay but I decide to pull in the queen of payback herself for the biggest target.

“Hey, Steph.” I smile, hoping to relax her, but she tenses up. “I could use your help.”

“With?” The tone is both guarded and aggressive. Sigh.

“A little payback.”

“For who?”

“Well, I was hung out of my window naked. Seems only right I get them back.” Continue reading →

Chapter 130.5 Knowledge Drop

Bobby’s POV—Day 1

I leave Tank in the gym, contemplating the size of our organization, and follow Lucia to her office. Day one of the review is going well and I’m looking, searching, for something to ding NYC on. I haven’t found anything yet. Everything I see says that Les made the right decision leaving Javi in place each time.

This branch has rebounded.

Lucia unlocks her office and I follow her in and take a seat at the small table she crammed into her prep room. I see how Lucia is working on the office paperless initiative. Her office is unremarkable, a place clearly used to process receipts and paperwork. Her fax machine is overflowing with solicitations and her printer contains coupons to clip, but the scanner is whirring sheets of paper through at a fast clip. Otherwise, there’s nothing personal in this office, nothing that says Lucia! Continue reading →

I Learn to Waltz, Part IV

“Closing the Deal with the Right Fork”

Javi‘s POV

Every man here is in a panic.

Numbers come out in three days. We’re desperate to know if we tipped Trenton. I’ll have an office full of pissed off men if we didn’t.

Steph sent her pre-visit info yesterday.

Our review? In two weeks.

Conducted by who? The entire Leadership Core!

Ranger, Tank, Les, Bobby and Hector on-site, Tank, Bobby, and Steph doing the review, and Ranger and Hector meeting with the leadership.

So now the pressure is on. For Jorge, Drake, and Mack, this is extra special and nerve-wracking. This is the first time Jorge will meet the entire LC and he’s dreading it. I kept reminding him that he’s met Les, Hector and Steph. He knows them. It’ll be OK. Continue reading →

I Learned My Lesson

Friday after Thanksgiving

Les‘s POV

I’m staring at my computer screen, trying to make sense of what I’m reading, when Bobby walks in.

“Turn it off.” I look at him. He looks amused. “You’ve been staring at the screen for ten minutes. You aren’t reading. You’re brooding.” He hops on the other end of my bed and stares at me. “Talk, bro.”

I stare out of the window to the bleak Trenton skyline. It’s nearly midnight and the stars can barely be seen. I’ve been thinking about this problem for the past two hours and I’m no closer to a resolution. Bobby walked in at the right moment.

“How goes the paperwork?”

“Ric’s an ass,” he mutters, flexing his fingers. I smirk; nice payback, primo. “I’m nearly finished. I’d like to hand him the stack before he leaves for Miami.”

“Good luck.” Continue reading →

Your Struggle is Just Like Mine

A/N: The Final Thanksgiving story! I hope everyone enjoyed this. One Christmas story is done, but I’m still thinking about who to write for. The individuals who made this cut will be excluded from Christmas!
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Mack‘s POV

I head out to Rikers to schedule a Thanksgiving visit for the boys to visit Yala. I checked the schedule online. Black Friday and the Wednesday before. Thanksgiving is A-L. I sign us up for both days and head back to the SUV. Jorge’s with me this time and we head back to Brooklyn. We just signed a new contract but we’re not celebrating.

I’m not sure about continuing to do this. The boys are angry and unhappy after every visit. I know it’s important, not just to Yala, but to them to have contact with their mamí, but I’m not sure how to handle it. I finally called Candy and asked for some help. So did Jorge. His ex is making his life miserable, accusing him of sexually harassing his daughter. The ex hates him. She don’t want him to have any contact with his daughter. Jorge’s in and out of court right now fighting the charges.

We gotta be the most miserable daddies in all of NYC. We fucked the wrong women. Continue reading →

Cooking Lessons

Edna‘s POV

Helen waves at me from baggage claim. “Mother!”

I’m kissed and hugged but I’m tired and ready to go. “Let’s get my luggage and go, Helen.”

“What’s wrong?”

Nothing. Everything. I love Miami and I hate Miami. I love Larry and I hate Larry.

Helen grabs my suitcase and we walk out to the car. Frank’s there, with a RangeMan, and he has a smirk on his face.

He knows.

“Hey, Jailbird. How’s freedom?”

I glare at him and Helen looks at me. “Jailbird? Mother? What does Frank mean?”

Thanks, Frank. You and your big mouth. “Nothing, Helen.” Continue reading →

Nobody’s Perfect

Hal’s POV

Junior agreed to step in as XO for the week of Thanksgiving so I could take Candy home to meet my parents. I’m looking forward to it.

Candy’s nervous.

I’ve told her that my parents are conservative and traditional and she’s interpreting that as ‘judgmental’. I don’t think my family is judgmental but . . . let’s just say that the values of faith, family, and hard work are big in my family.

Candy’s upbringing was a little more . . . ‘bohemian’ might be the word my mother uses. Both of her parents are on their third marriages, she has a bunch of siblings and her family isn’t close.

My parents are big believers in the idea that you don’t marry a person. You marry a family. Continue reading →

Uneasy Truce, Part II

All conversations from here until further notice in Spanish. Conversations in Italics are English.

Mark’s POV

I wake at 0530 and go downstairs.

Hector’s there sipping coffee. I nod, he nods and I pour a cup.

Good coffee. I wait to see what he’ll say.

“I need to get started on the bread pudding. Fifteen minutes, maybe twenty. Just need to get the bread soaking.”

“OK. Nikki should be down in a moment. She has one turkey, I have the other.”

Nothing more is said. Nikki comes down, still yawning, and we prep Thanksgiving dinner and start on breakfast.

By 1330 I’m stuffed. Everything was excellent. Nikki’s a great cook and my tamale technique was given a tentative thumbs up.

“Nothing exploded,” Nando mutters, eating his fifth one.

Hector walks into the kitchen and every member of the family watches. Manny immediately runs in and climbs into a stool. Hector immediately checks to see he’s safe, but Manny’s clearly done this before. He’s in the seat and watching.

“Tío?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you gonna make bwead pudding now?”

Hector smiles. “I’m going to make the sauce. The bread pudding and the flan are almost done.” Continue reading →

Uneasy Truce, Part I

A/N: So brownc0at thinks that this behemoth of a chapter (which initially clocked in at 61 pages! Send her some love!) should be broken up into a two-parter. I bow to my beta’s wisdom. Part II will post tomorrow.

Mark‘s POV

I’m packing when Nikki calls. Boxers? Boxer briefs? Commando? I’m more comfortable commando but I pack one pair of each. Hector Manuel doesn’t need to see me nude.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Iceman!”

She’s the only person who can get away with calling me that. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Hector’s coming for Thanksgiving.”

My balls relocate somewhere near my throat before settling. Tough. Hector’s going to learn to put up with another man in Nikki’s life. I promised to come. I’m not avoiding her just because of him.

Besides, what’s the worst he could do to me? Beat me up? Slice me? Disappear me?

OK, time to stop thinking about Hector’s options. Continue reading →

Home is Where the Horror is

Armando‘s POV

“Is it wrong of me not to be excited about going to Miami for Thanksgiving?” Mari murmurs.

Nope. I don’t particularly want to be there either, but I’m going for my siblings. It’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and we’re in the Charlotte airport, one of the most confusing airports I’ve ever seen, boarding our plane.

“Well, technically we’re spending Thanksgiving with your family. My family is getting Black Friday.”

Mari sighs and smiles. “I know. First time in . . .” She looks at me. “Have we ever spent a holiday with my family?”

I shake my head. “Nope. We always hosted the holidays for my family.” I smile at her. “First time ever that you don’t have to cook, no one is in our house, and we get to come and go as we please.” Continue reading →