Page 18 of Love Set Me Free

“What was that back there?”

“What was what?”

“Don’t act dumb.”

He chuckled and then stayed quiet for several seconds before responding.

“I thought I would be angrier when I saw her, but I wasn’t at all, actually. I kind of just felt bad for shorty.”

Paisley’s jaw dropped. “Youfelt bad forher?”

“Yeah,” he said with a nod.

“Why?”

He glanced at Paisley. “You don’t see that guilt she’s carrying around? It’s gotta be a heavy burden.”

“She deserves it.” Paisley crossed her arms over her chest.

Kydrick squeezed her thigh and didn’t respond for several minutes until they were almost home. Finally, in a low tone, he said, “I know what it’s like to carry heavy ass burdens for twelve years. Janelle knows she was wrong, but I never wanted her or you or anyone I loved to do that bid with me. Not in that way.Not in a way that tortured them. I served my time. Don’t you think it’s time to free her of her time served too?”

It wasn’t often that Paisley was rendered speechless. She might bite her tongue on a lot of things, but she always had something to say rolling through her mind, at least. This was the first time in a very long time she was left to fully process the weight of the perspective someone else gave her.

“The way I am so proud of you, Kyd!” Paisley squealed.

She looked at him in awe as he drove her car, swerving in and out of traffic. It had been a week since he’d been released from prison, and every day had been led with purpose. Kydrick clearly had a plan, and he took care to take the proper steps to get there.

“Let’s go to dinner to celebrate.”

The day had cause for so much celebration. That morning, his funds from his parents had been deposited into his bank account. Paisley knew how much that money meant to him for so many reasons. She could tell he was highly uncomfortable with living off her, and this money allotted him way more freedom than he had without it. Proud wasn’t even the word Paisley had to describe Kydrick. She was happy for him, amazed by his resilience, and though she tried, she couldn’t ignore the fact that she was turned on by him too.

On top of him getting his money, they had spent the day at the halfway house nonprofit she started. It was his first day, andshe showed him the ropes. Though he had the money from his parents, he still insisted on working at the nonprofit to give him some experience and also to pay some of his wisdom forward.

Paisley assumed she would need at least a week to get him settled, but he caught on quicker than she expected. When he helped a newcomer freshly released from prison with so much authority but also kindness, she knew he would be alright. The decision to let the manager on duty guide him tomorrow while she went back to the law firm was an easy one. Kydrick had proven he didn’t need her hovering, and she knew she needed to let go.

Kydrick glanced over at her with one hand on the wheel and the other on her thigh. He squeezed it and said, “You still ain’t cook for me yet. I been out a whole week, and we been eating at restaurants and shit. I’m starting to think you can’t cook for real.”

Paisley smacked her lips and punched him on his muscled arm, wincing slightly at the pain in her knuckles from the impact.

“I can cook. Have you forgotten that you’ve kept me busy this week? We’ve been running errands every day.”

He nodded with a grin, and she almost melted into the seat. He’d been opening up little by little each day. Small glimpses of the Kydrick she knew appeared more and more, and she loved it. Their friendship pretty much picked up right where it left off, but there were subtle differences. An underlying tension seemed to heighten whenever they were in the same room. They had yet to talk about his comments before the family dinner last week, but Paisley decided she would wait a little longer to bring it up again. The most important thing was keeping him comfortable and allowing him time and space to get adjusted.

Kydrick grunted. “So, you’re too tired to cook tonight?”

“Did I say that?”

He chuckled. “Bet, then we’ll go to the store off Orange Street so you can get whatever you need to make me something.”

Paisley giggled. “You always were bossy.”

Kydrick licked his lips and glanced at her. “It’s because I’m older.”

“By a few months.” She rolled her eyes.

They’d been having this debate since they were old enough to talk. Janelle was older than Kydrick by one month, and Paisley was younger than him by four. She always got the short end of the stick because she was the so-called youngest, even if it wasn’t even by six months.

“You gon’ cook for me or not, Paisley Pooh?”

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