Before it could calm down, Keenan piped up from the corner, smirking. “Man, he better not think she gone give him none just ‘cause he bought a necklace. Fuck ’round and get his ass beat.”
“Beat the fuck up, too.” Jace co-signed.
“Keenan!”
“Jace!” Mel and Kasha blurted at the same time.
Nic smacked Keenan upside his head. “Boy, you better learn when to keep them thoughts in your head.”
“Jace, don’t make me act up,” Kasha warned. “And Jackson, don’t you say nothing.”
“Nah, let ’em rock. He needs to know that they’ll be consequences to any ungodly actions,” Buck interjected.
Liberty buried her face in her hands. “Y’all are so embarrassing.”
“Pretty necklace!” Dominic yelled. My poor baby didn’t know what was going on.
That broke the tension just enough for laughter to spill out again. The boy sat down, and Liberty hugged him quick before the men noticed.
***
By the time we pulled into the driveway, Dominic was slumped in her car seat… out cold. Getting her ready for bed was a tag-team effort. Rashad carried her in while I grabbed her bag. She barely stirred when I wiped her down and slipped her into her pajamas. By the time we were done, she was mumbling about balloons and cake, fighting sleep with heavy eyes.
Rashad laid her down gentle, tucking Bunny under her arm. “Night, baby girl,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. She sighed once before rolling onto her side.
When we made it into our room, Rashad peeled his shirt, and I admired him with no shame.
“You staring, Lovie.” He smirked.
“Maybe I am,” I shot back.
He gave me a smoldering look before he came to join me.
“I love everything about you. You know that?”
I nodded.
He turned toward me, eyes steady. “Didn’t think I’d get this far. Back then… I figured I’d die with my fists up before I ever had a shot at this… with somebody like you.”
“But you did.” I simpered.
He leaned back against the headboard, tugging me with him until I was curled at his side. His arm settled over my shoulders. “You remember the first night? You ain’t even trust sitting in the same room with me.”
“And you didn’t say a word half the time,” I reminded him, laughing. “Just sat there giving me my space.”
“I was studying you. I knew if I made the wrong move, I’d fuck up my chance, but look at us now. Married with a beautiful baby girl like her mama and our whole lives ahead of us.”
“I never thought I’d feel safe again… laugh this much… or love this easy,” I admitted.
He kissed the top of my head. “That’s all I ever wanted to give you. I wanted to be your safe place.”
“And you gave me that plus more.”
His lips brushed mine, with a kiss that said everything his words couldn’t. When he pulled back, his voice dropped to a whisper. “You’re my peace, Sophi… my win. Better than any fight that I’ve ever won. You and Dommy are my everything.”
“And you’re my calm… my peace. I didn’t think I deserved it, but you showed me I did, and for that I’ll always love you,” I whispered.
“I love you more, Lovie,” he murmured back.
We didn’t start easy, but we built this… brick by brick… day by day. A life I used to only dream about, and I’ll thank Rio for that.Had he not made my life hell, then this man couldn’t have come in and made it my heaven.
The End!!!
