Page 25 of Kisses Behind The Spotlight 2: Finale

With my head held high, I controlled my breathing as I stepped in their path.

“Ummm, excuse us,” Janna’s husband said, and I saw the color drain from her face as she stopped chuckling and focused on her surroundings.

I faltered, unsure of what to say as my fists balled tighter.

“Janna, I just wanted to let you know that you birthed a beautiful, smart, funny, charismatic woman. If anybody should be hiding anybody, I should be hiding you. You’re a fucking recovering coke head and a deadbeat mom. My light shines without your powda head ass! You’ll pay for your crimes in hell.”

Her previously jovial crew were all shocked and confused by what was unfolding. My job was done. Turning on my Dolce and Gabbana flats, I strutted off, making sure I left her with a model walk she couldn’t compete with. We got four or five steps, and I spun back around to address the frozen group.

“Oh, one last thing. Your fillers look like shit, and that skinny barrel makes you look like an elder ant! I’m embarrassed that I slipped out of your worthless cooch.”

Arrogance surrounded me as I went back to the truck. “That’s what the fuck I’m talking about. Show them you got that dog in you!”

Stepp opened the door for me and helped me inside. The electricity coursing through me was electrifying. Stepp was right; that was the best high I’d ever experienced. I refused to eat at the same restaurant as Janna, and I didn’t want to discuss what happened with anyone else, so we retreated to the hotel, and Stepp went to grab food. My phone was ringing off the hook with calls from my entire family, but I wasn’t in the mood to talk. I texted the family group chat that I was tired and going to bed to shut them up.

We spent the rest of the week either cooped up in my hotel room, shopping, or doing an excursion I requested. After the night we ran into Janna, the energy was different. He wasn’t accompanying me as my security detail; we were moving like friends. I enjoyed his company and how vulnerable I was with Stepp. He was the only person who knew about my run-in with Janna, and it meant a lot to me that he kept that secret.

I didn’t want to deal with the somber faces or useless pity that my family would’ve bombarded me with if they really knew why communication became sparse during my time in Milan. When I talked to Stepp about the situation, there was no pity, just understanding. That was something I’d never experienced before; it was so rare to meet someone who didn’t have the utmost respect for their mother.

When the trip ended, we conversed in secret, met up a lot, and somewhere along the line, the sneaking turned into a year-long situationship we had to either nurture or curtail.

Stepp hopping out of the car to grab the pizza brought me back to reality. We were no longer in Milan, and everything wasn’t roses between us. Our situationship started with Stepp telling me no to an excursion that could’ve made me late to one of the most important moments of my modeling career. It ended when he told me no to more than a situationship before Thanksgiving last year.

We ended things a week before Thanksgiving, and I went to Cali for some retail therapy, where I met Travis and told myself I was moving on. Stepp and I steered clear of each other until Q’s birthday party. In the midst of Khaleesi almost killing Xain, my departure wasn’t at the top of anyone’s agenda. The week after Q’s birthday party, when I went to Miami to see Stepp for the last time, I gave him the ultimatum. All of me or none of me. Clearly, he chose the latter.

After grabbing the pizza, we went to his Airbnb. Stepp grabbed the pizza off the backseat, and we headed inside. I was starving, so we went into the kitchen to wash our hands and eat.

Killa came running into the kitchen, rubbing his head across my legs. I bent down to Killa’s height and showed him some love. His black coat and perfectly placed rust-colored markings were adorable now. But it took me some time to trust that big ass dog.

“Damn, she giving you more love than me, Killa,” Stepp complained, pulling a slice of pizza out of the box.

“What would you say if I told you the possibility of seeing my baby was the only reason I easily got into the truck with you?” I pried, looking up at Stepp while I continued rubbing Killa’s head.

“Cap. You wanted to be in my presence.”

I rolled my eyes and refocused my attention on Killa. “I missed you so much, handsome. I can see you missed me too,” I cooed.

“You miss Killa and his daddy. Why you wanna keep playing games? We miss you too. Come home.”

Stepp leaned down beside me and locked eyes with Killa. “Tell yo mama to stop playing and work it out.”

“Tell your daddy to stop playing the victim,” I sassed, standing to my feet.

Killa whined, roughly brushing against me for more attention while I washed my hands. Realizing his efforts were futile, Killa started whining.

“Aye, man, come on with all of that.” Stepp scolded him.

“I know you missed me, but I’m starving. Let me eat, then I’ll take you for a walk.”

Killa ran for the door, thinking I was ready to go. While he waited at the door, I pulled a slice of pizza out of the box and started eating.

“I need to smoke,” Stepp murmured before leaving the kitchen.

I slipped onto the counter to give my feet a break from the heels. The instant reprieve was satisfying. Killa returned to the kitchen to beg for my crust. I tossed it into his food bowl on my left.

Stepp sauntered out of the primary bedroom bare-chested, his upper-body sleeve exposed. His joggers sagged, and he had pulled his locs into a bun on top of his head. That cocky mother fucker caught me staring and flashed that seductive smile. I couldn’t stand the effect that man had on me. Slamming my eyes shut, I had to remind myself that sex with Stepp was off the table. No matter how good he looked or smelled.

After the internal pep talk, my eyes popped open, and Stepp was a step away, positioning himself between my legs. I narrowed my eyes at him and folded my arms across my chest. My game face was on.