Page 143 of Addicted

“Appreciate it,” I said.

Indie came down the stairs, and Aurora squealed.

“Bitch, you look amazing!” Aurora said, pulling Indie into a hug.

Indie laughed. “So do you! And look at my niece!”

She took Kiana from Kenzo, cooing at the baby. I watched her, and my chest pulled tight for a second. She was such a good mother. To Italy, to Maddox, and even to Ishmael who she’d raised like her own son.

A few minutes later, Ishmael and Destiny walked in. Ish was twenty-one now, finishing up his senior year at USC. He’d grown into a man—tall, confident, smart. And he looked at me like a big brother.

“What’s up, Stone,” Ish said, dapping me up.

I pulled him into a hug.

“What’s up, lil’ nigga. You good?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” he said. “Destiny wanted to bring y’all a gift.”

Destiny stepped forward, holding a wrapped box. She was a sweet girl; smart, respectful, and she kept Ish grounded.

“Happy anniversary, Indie and Stone,” she said, smiling.

Indie took the box and hugged her. “Thank you, baby. You didn’t have to do that.”

“We wanted to,” Destiny said.

Antoine and Deacon showed up next with Tierra. They were running the empire now, and they were doing a damn good job. I didn’t miss that life. Not even a little bit. Because this—my family, my wife, my kids—this was everything.

Indie

Dinner was incredible. Brady had outdone himself.

He’d prepared a five-course meal of shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, filet mignon with lobster mac andcheese, and a decadent raspberry chocolate cheesecake dessert.

Everyone was seated around the long dining table, talking, laughing, enjoying the food.

Italy was sitting between me and Stone, and Maddox was in his highchair next to Stone, making a mess with his mac and cheese.

I looked around the table, my heart full.

This was my family. All of them.

After dessert, Kenzo stood up, tapping his glass with a fork.

“Aight, aight,” he said. “I wanna say something.”

Everyone quieted down, turning their attention to him. Kenzo looked at me and Stone, a rare softness in his eyes.

“Y’all know I ain’t the sentimental type,” he started. “But I gotta give credit where it’s due. Stone, you my brother. Been that way since we was kids. I watched you go from nothing to all this, my nigga! Everything we been through. Every obstacle. Every close call. All of it led to this moment and I couldn’t be happier for y’all”.

He paused, his jaw tightening.

“Indie. My sister. You changed my dog for real. Made him a better man. Watching y’all build this life together... leaving the game, starting businesses, raising your kids... it showed me what was possible. It’s why I got my own family now. I just wanted to say thank you. For saving my brother. And in a weird way, me too. I love y’all man!”

He raised his glass.

“So, here’s to five years of marriage, beautiful children, booming businesses, and a whole bunch of other fly shit. Y’all deserve it.”