After a minute, she pulled back just enough to look at me. “You really don’t look at me like I’m too much?”
I stared at her because I needed her to hear this. “I look at you like you’re mine. And I look at your kids like they matter because they matter to you. That’s what this is. That’s what I’m on.”
Her face crumpled again, but this time there was some relief in it too.
I wiped her tears with my thumb and pressed my forehead to hers. “Ain’t nothing about your life that scares me off. The only thing that made me mad was you trying to carry it alone. From now on, if it comes for you, it comes through me first.”
A FEW WEEKS LATER
25
ZAHRA CARTIER
Saint held the door open for me with his hand planted at the small of my back in that possessive way that always felt protective.
March in Chicago was still a bit cool, but inside the restaurant was warm and cozy. A hostess greeted Saint by name and led us to a corner table.
Saint pulled my chair out and waited until I sat before he took his own seat. He looked too good to be real, even dressed down. He was wearing a hoodie under Carhart overalls and Timbs. But he was also wearing watches and jewelry that cost more than most homes.
His eyes stayed on me long enough to make me forget my own thoughts. No matter how long this man had been my husband, his stare still intimidated me and made me weak at the same time.
I picked up my menu and started to scan the options. “Have you heard from Sincere how Rhythm and the kids are doing?”
It had been weeks, and I still couldn’t believe what happened that night. But as soon as I felt shocked, I was reminded that myown psychotic ex and father had tried to do the same to get me away from Saint.
“Last time I heard, she and the kids are fine and healing well.”
My fingers paused on the menu, and I looked up at him. “I still can’t believe you ran into that burning car.”
“Yes, you can,” he chuckled.
My eyes narrowed at him finding this funny. “Saint, that car could’ve blown up at any second.”
His eyes stayed on mine. “I knew, and I still wasn’t leaving that nigga there.”
I hated that I understood him. I hated that part of me loved him even more for it.
“Saint, you can’t keep doing that. You can’t keep making decisions where your life is the price.”
“That wasn’t a decision, baby. That was instinct.”
“It wasstupid.”
He laughed again, but it died fast when I glared at him. “Kodi wasn’t going to die in that crash. Not after what he did to those kids and Rhythm.”
“I’m so happy Rhythm and those babies really made it.”
Saint slowly nodded. “They got lucky.”
“They were blessed,” I corrected. “Because that could’ve gone a whole different way.”
Saint chuckled with a shake of his head. “Icon been mad as hell he missed it. He actin’ like we had a party without him.”
I couldn’t help my laugh. “He was home with Royal, right?”
“Yeah, Royal and Livia had that bad cold. He did what he was supposed to do, but he hates he missed that action.”
I leaned forward, asking, “Are you ready to have to make that kind of decision?”
