Page 113 of Addicted

As the courses kept coming, the conversation flowed naturally. Destiny told us about her college plans, how she wanted to study psychology. Stone actually engaged, asking her questions about her goals. I watched him, surprised and touched by how genuinely interested he seemed.

“That’s smart,” Stone said. “You got a good head on your shoulders. Keep Ish in line.”

Destiny blushed. “I try.”

“She does more than try,” Ish said, looking at her with pride. “She keep me focused.”

I reached over and squeezed my brother’s shoulder, grateful that he’d found someone good.

Halfway through the main course, Aurora started telling a story about a customer at the club.

“Wait,” she said, setting her fork down. “This dude from the other night irritated me for real.”

Kenzo glanced at her, already amused. “What he do?”

“I thought he was a normal customer at first,” she said. “Quiet, polite… all that.”

I raised a brow. “Already wrong.”

“Exactly,” Aurora said. “Five minutes in, he start talking about how he don’t believe in throwing money.”

Kenzo leaned back. “That’s when you walk off.”

“I tried to give him a chance,” she said. “Then hegon’ say, ‘I prefer meaningful connections over transactions’.”

I blinked. “In the club?”

“In the club,” she repeated.

Stone’s mouth twitched slightly.

Aurora shook her head. “So I said, ‘That’s cool. You still gotta pay for the connection in here.’”

Kenzo laughed. “What he say?” he asked.

Aurora picked her fork back up. “Nothing. The nigga finished his drink and left.”

“As he should,” Kenzo muttered.

Aurora shrugged. “I don’t mind conversation. Just not for free.”

Stone nodded once. “Fair.”

“You be having the weird ones,” Kenzo said.

Aurora smiled, a little smug. “But I always catch ‘em early though. They ain’t about to waste my time.”

Kenzo leaned over, pressing a quick kiss to her temple. “And if them niggas do try you, I’m on they ass.”

I couldn’t help smiling at the easy affection between them.

As dessert was being served, some kind of chocolate lava cake situation, Stone leaned back in his chair and looked around the table.

“Y’all know this is just the first of many trips, right?” he said. “We gon’ do this more often. Family trips. All of us.”

My heart squeezed. Family. That’s what we were now.

“Hell yeah,” Ish said, and Destiny nodded enthusiastically.