Page 69 of Crown: Phase 4

“Why would you come back after I ignored you?”

“You promised me.”

“Y…yeah, well, you promised to be good to me.”

“And I was.”

“Not that night you weren’t.”

Danger’s face fell.

“I’m sorry. Please just let me in so we can talk about it. Then I’ll leave, aight?”

Staring at him, Caresha sighed before shutting the window and stepping away.

Danger’s heart dropped. For a second, he thought she’d gone to lie back down and leave him standing outside all over again. Then he heard the locks on the front door clicking open. The sound was like music to his ears. Quickly, he headed that way. He’d never moved so fast in his fucking life. As soon as Caresha opened the door, he advanced on her, pulling her into his arms.

“Sss,” she winced, and he loosened his hold.

“I’m sorry, ma.” He said, easing back. “How you feeling?”

“I…I’m okay. I guess.” She stepped back, putting some space between them. “What is it? I really don’t have anything to say to you.”

“That’s cool. I’ll do all the talking.”

After locking the door behind him, Danger gently took her hand and led her to the couch. He sat beside her and handed her the roses and gift bag.

“I don’t want your dying ass roses. I don’t want your funky ass gift either. Frankly, I don’t even wanna see you, but you won’t leave me alone.”

“Do you not wanna be around me ’cause you mad at me? Or ’cause you scared to be around me? You mad that I didn’t talk to you, or you mad ’cause you got hurt by some niggas who was aiming for me?”

“That you treated me how you treated me.” Caresha made it clear.

Sure, she was shaken up by everything that had happened, but she wasn’t upset with him about that. She understood that if she hadn’t taken his car, none of it would have happened. She was pissed about the way he’d handled her.

“Aight. Well, just hear me out.”

“I’m listening, even though I shouldn’t be.”

“I know I need to work on my communication. What I’m about to say ain’t no excuse. But at that time, a nigga was hurt. You know I just lost Mo. That shit hurt my soul, but then I met you. You walked into my life, and in the short time you’ve been here, you made my world better, Ree. I could finally cope. I could finally breathe and live again. Then, just as fast as I got that shit back, it felt like it was getting snatched away. I shut down when I’m hurting, ma. I bottle that shit up, try to bury it, and I ain’t my best when I’m like that. I was hurting ’bout you leaving, but again, that’s no excuse.”

“You damn right it isn’t. I get that you were hurt, and I get that you’re still grieving. But that’s not how you should ever handle somebody you claim to care about. Y…you hurt my damn feelings. You reminded me why I don’t even do this kind of thing.

I don’t want to give my heart to a nigga who can’t even communicate his feelings with me. A nigga who treats me differently when he’s upset. You were cold. That’s not okay. I didn’t do shit wrong. I can’t help that I was trying to elevate my life and made plans before I met you.”

“You right.” Danger threw his hands up in surrender. “You so fuckin’ right, and I’m so sorry.”

A tear slipped down Caresha’s cheek as she stood, needing distance from him before her emotions got the better of her. She couldn’t believe she had let him make her cry.

Danger reached for her hand, stopping her gently. “Ree, don’t give up on me. Don't walk away.” He pulled her closer, pressing his lips against the thin fabric covering her stomach.

“I just need to hold you. I almost lost you. That would’ve been the last straw. That shit would’ve torn me apart…broke me down…put me in the fuckin’ grave.”

“S…stop,” Caresha whispered, pushing lightly against his head.

“Nah, I can’t. I can’t breathe without you. Just let me hold you. I need to feel that this is real and that you’re still here with me. I miss the fuck out of you. I’ve been feeling like I’m dying. Point proven, baby. You stood your ground. I get it, I swear I do. I’ll never pull no shit like that again.”

Caresha licked the cut at the corner of her lips, frustrated by the emotions twisting inside her. What type of bullshit voodoo was this? She wanted to be rid of whatever spell had her standing there talking to the same man who had hurt her feelings and, somehow, still had her wanting to fall back into his arms after nearly losing her life because of the world surrounding him.