She blinked. “’Lo…”
“Tell me you with me,” I said, my voice sinkin’ into a tone that made her bite her lip. “Tell me you mine and you ridin’ with me through whatever come next. Tell me you with me the same way I’m with you.”
She pressed her hands against my chest, her voice real soft but real sure. “I’m with you, ‘Lo. Through anything. Through all yo’ crazy. Through everything you come with. I’m yours.”
That was the moment everything inside me quieted down. All the noise in my head, all the impulses, all the anger, all the shit that usually made me feel like I was spiralin’ finally dropped into silence. Toni was my calm. She was the only person who could touch the chaotic shit without gettin’ burned.
I pulled her even closer and kissed her with everything I had. It wasn’t no gentle kiss either. It was deep, hungry, and full of every emotion we just threw on the table. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I held her by her waist like I was scared to let her go. And I was…
When I finally pulled back, she was breathin’ hard and her eyes was glazed over with that look that told me she wasn’t scared no more. Not of me or what I did. She was scared of what life would be like without me, and that was exactly what I needed her to feel.
I slid my thumb across her jaw. “We movin’ forward now,” I whispered. “Ain’t no goin’ back. You my wife. I’m your man, and we livin’ life exactly how we want.”
She nodded, leanin’ into me. “Okay, ‘Lo.”
I kissed her again, softer this time, then pulled her close against my chest. In that moment, it didn’t matter that there was a head on the floor or blood on the marble. All that mattered was us.
“We in this together,” I murmured into her hair. “Ride with me, Toni.”
She closed her eyes and whispered, “I’m here.”
And that was all I needed to hear…
That evenin’, Pressure, Renza and Pluto slid to the crib and we kicked shit off like it was a whole celebration. This was the first time everybody was at my mansion, and even though I played it cool, inside I was feelin’ like a king showin’ off his castle. I had spent so much time livin’ with Pressure while this place wasbein’ rebuilt, and now everything was done. Every wall, every gold trim, every black marble floor, every speaker installed up top and out back and every piece of furniture brought in just to match the dark vibe I like. I finally had my own crib, and it felt good as hell to see my family walk through the doors like it belonged to them too.
Toni and Pluto was in the kitchen when we walked in, pots goin’, seasonin’ in the air, and lil’ baby Kaylon sleepin’ in a carrier on the counter. Pluto had the soft music on from her phone, Toni was talkin’ shit while stirrin’ somethin’, and the whole kitchen felt warm and peaceful. Kaylon was only three weeks, but he already had that lil’ presence that made the whole room hush around him.
Pluto scooped him up and smiled. “Kay’Lo, you want him first?”
“Hell yeah,” I said, takin’ him real gentle. “Don’t ever play with me like I ain’t his god-daddy for real.”
She laughed and kissed his cheek before handin’ him over. Pressure stepped behind her, slid his hand across her hip and kissed her neck, then smirked when he saw me holdin’ the baby.
“You better watch his head, nigga,” Pressure said, even though he knew I already was.
“Man, I got my boy,” I muttered, rockin’ Kaylon. “Don’t start with me today. I better be able to see him whenever the fuck I feel like it. This my godson, nigga.”
Pressure grinned that cocky, unbothered grin of his. “Relax, nigga. Ain’t nobody keepin’ him away from you.”
Renza walked in behind us and peered down at the baby like he was lookin’ at somethin’ too tiny to trust. “Aye, that lil’ nigga gotta hit at least six months before I’m pickin’ him up. He look like he still remember bein’ in the womb. I ain’t pickin’ him up just for him to break in my hands.”
We all busted out laughin’. Even Kaylon made a lil’ grunt like he was tired of Renza’s shit already.
The weather outside was perfect, warm with a cool breeze movin’ through the backyard. We headed out back with our drinks, and I held Kaylon against my chest while Pressure watched his son with that quiet pride he always tried to hide. He and Pluto fronted like they wasn’t soft as hell about their new baby, but I saw it. It was written all over them. Pressure was smitten and couldn’t even pretend otherwise.
“Give him here,” Pluto said after a while, walkin’ outside. She had that glow goin’, that softness new mamas get. “He gettin’ hungry.”
I kissed Kaylon’s tiny forehead before handin’ him over. “A’ight, lil’ man. Go on back to ya mama.”
Pressure reached for Pluto, pulled her close with one hand and held his son with the other, kissin’ her slow. Then he smacked her ass as she walked away, talkin’ ‘bout, “Bring my son back full, girl.”
She rolled her eyes and walked in the house, but she was smilin’. Pressure watched her walk away like she was the only person on earth. Renza side–eyed him.
“She got yo’ ass trained, huh?”
Pressure grabbed his drink. “Nigga, mind ya damn business.”
Me and Renza cracked up.
