That hit me hard.
Love looked down at his hands for a second before he continued.
“I missed a lot of shit being away from him, birthdays, school shit, first achievements that I had to hear my BM tell me over the phone, no videos. That shit is a different type of pain.”
I reached over and touched his arm gently.
“So I promised my son over the phone that I would never be in the pen again, and I did everything I needed to make sure that I kept that promise. I wouldn’t say I did shit the clean way, but I was smarter.”
“Damn, baby, that’s a lot.”
He nodded once.
“Yeah, it is. But at the end of the day,” he said as his eyes met mine, “the same nigga that survived all that shit still inside of me.”
The room got quiet for a second.
“I just learned how to control him better.”
The way he said it made the chill move across my skin.
He leaned over and kissed me. “You bring the peace outta me, Islah. Amir does too, that’s why y’all get the version of me that you do.”
“And everybody else?” I asked quietly.
He chuckled softly.
“They get whatever version they force out of me, and since I’m being honest with you, I’m glad that nigga is bringing out the old me, to remind niggas that I’m not to be fucked with.”
Chapter 5
Back to Business
The smell of bacon woke me up before my alarm did.
I cracked one eye open and reached my arm across the bed to pull Islah in, but felt the sheets instead.
I sat up slow, rubbing my beard while looking around the room. The TV was still on, low from the night before. I could hear Islah and Amir laughing and talking, and it brought a smile to my face.
I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and saw a few missed calls and texts.
My nigga was having fun with my game, sending me pictures of hotels they saw or thought they saw him at, stores, and gas stations. I looked at a few, then locked my phone and got outta bed.
I threw on my sweatpants from the night before and slipped into my Gucci slippers as I walked outta the room and down the hallway. I focused my eyes on Islah in the distance. The morning sun was hitting her just right while she stood behind the stove in a silk nightgown with a robe to match. Her hair was messy, but a cute messy. Her deep waves looked natural with her baby hairs sticking out.
I would marry her just like that.
Actually…
I would marry her right there in the kitchen if she wanted me to.
I leaned against the wall for a second, just watching her. My fiancée was at peace with a smile on her face, and I was gonna make sure she stayed that way.
Amir was sitting at the island, eating some strawberries and bacon while talking her head off.
“Nahh, but listen,” he said dramatically. “When I move in, I need a bigger TV in my room.”
Islah laughed while flipping pancakes. “Boy, why are you talking to me about this?”
