10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace (Caselli Family, #1)

by Jahquel J.

I was old enough to know that Steve Raye was the love of my mother’s life, but she wasn’t the love of his.

My uncle was powerful because of that name, and I wanted to make sure that we were powerful because of our abilities and name.

It was easier making friends when you were a child.

When you were my friend, I went above and beyond. I wanted to be there for you, and I often overplayed my part for people who didn’t deserve it.

No matter how my mother felt about her, she always encouraged me to have a relationship with her.

Nigga liked to play in the dirt…willingly,”

thinking that everybody wanted to be friends with the girl who rambled and struggled with ADHD. They all thought I was weird, and I hated being the weird girl.

I was going to fill that huge tub with bubbles, listen to my favorite playlist, and relax while watching an Adam Sandler movie - my comfort movies.

My mother thought she would have the man she married forever. He promised to love her, right before God. He gave her his word, and the minute that the signature on the certificate dried, he was doing him, breaking those very promises he had given her. I never wanted a love like that to find me.

“Actually, yeah. Hell yeah.”

“Like alive ones,”

“Wonder, the minute you let another nigga touch you is the moment you gonna see why they call me Menace.”

“Not for you.”

know that your life is always safe in my hands,”

“It means that I don’t have the right words right now, but I see and hear you.

Stevie was sent to kill me, and I was starting to think this shit was a scheme cooked up by Todd.

I don’t like when people hurt her.”

“I said great, bitch.”

The thief who steals grapes, and the man who counts them like one another.”

“I’ll survive. I missed talking to you this past week, Wonder.”

“I hate looking people in the eyes, but I need you to look at me, Wonder.”

my mother’s last name,

“I don’t like hurting your feelings, Wonder… it hurts my feelings.”

That woman should have protected him.

I missed hearing her though.

It may have started like one, but I don’t think it will end like one…

I can’t pay someone to handle your heart with care. That’s my job.”

“I’m stingy, Wonder… can I have you in my bed tonight?”

“I wanna make you feel that way, Stevie.” She looked at me. “You already do, Mitchell…

“I don’t like when somebody plays with my food, Wonder,”

“You’re perfect, Wonder. Don’t let nobody say anything different or I’m gonna kill ‘em for you… K?”

Definitely not picky when it comes to eating yours.”

I did a low squeal and danced while thinking about what that man did to me last night.

“Always.”

“I don’t like hugs, but I like hugging you.”

Miss Jenesequa was known for her spicy novels, and her novel I Got You

I never fit in, and I always felt like I was forcing myself to be someone that I wasn’t.

I hated to even sound like this, but I just wanted people to like me.

Highlight of my day was walking in the backyard and seeing Wonder sitting there. When she turned to look at me, there was excitement. Nobody ever got excited to see me, so it was different seeing and feeling someone actually radiate happiness when they saw you.

It was always me being the problem, when all the fuck I tried to do was protect them as best as I could. Who fucking protected me when I needed that?

“You don’t have to dream with me,

“If you’re not okay, you can tell me that, too.”

“Caselli,”

The thought of you sitting in that house alone before you met me brings tears to my eyes.

“I love you, too, Stevie.”

“Always want to know what you think.”

“Fuck it… they already think I’m weird.”

I was going to propose to Wonder. This shit started out on a rocky start, and because she didn’t want a typical wedding, I wanted her to have a proposal she would always remember.

Shit like that would have usually set me off, and with her it didn’t matter. Yeah, I spent a little time trying to get to sleep, but I would do it again for Wonder.

“I’ll shut the whole country down for you, Wonder.”