Page 132 of The Love of Priest

Britain’s eyes widened a bit. She could have sworn Seven had claimed she and Jeremy had nothing to speak about, especially since Britain was of age and didn't really depend on either of her parents.

"Wow! That's news to me. Is that why she's been so grumpy lately?" she asked her father. "Britain, stop talking. You sound just like your father. Britain, you should really stop doing that face. You look like Jeremy," Britain mocked her mother.

Remy chuckled, knowing that those were things Seven was warranted to say. "I guess so. Phone call didn't go as well as it should've. I'll take accountability for that." Remy shrugged his shoulders with a sigh.

"Jeremy Pharaoh Demings, what did you do?" Britain narrowed her eyes at him.

"I just called out some things from our past. I guess it wasn't the time to tear the Band-Aid off. She was really trying to be nice. I give her that." Jeremy nodded. "I haven't had a conversation with Seven since God knows when. I had shit to say," he followed up with a scoff.

Britain let out a long sigh. She definitely wanted to get to a point where Seven and Jeremy could get along, but they seemed to always be at odds. All Jeremy wanted was a conversation, while Seven just wanted to move on and let things roll forward. Seven was okay with never speaking to or seeking anything from Jeremy as long as she lived. It was Britain who wanted to find her father and build a relationship with him, and she had been successful at it. Seven was just afraid that Jeremey hadn’t changed and that he was the same old Remy from the back in the day. She knew maturity came with age, but Remy was different. He was okay with being wild and living recklessly. Seven just wasn't on that type of time anymore. It used to excite her when she was younger, but now, it was just pitiful.

"I understand, dad. I really do, but sometimes you can be a bit abrasive and aggressive with getting your point across. Ma likes to grow defensive and shut down, so maybe you guys should try talking again with me there as the mediator," Britain suggested.

Remy let out a sigh while shaking his head. "I don't think that's necessary, Brit. There are certain things between Sev and I that I don't need you knowing."

Britain screwed her face up. "I'm 28. I think I can handle anything at this point."

Remy’s eyes seared into his daughter's. A look of amusement masked his face as he leaned back in his seat. "You can't even tell me you and Priest messing around, and you think you can handle me and your mama's drama?" He raised a brow at her.

Britain eyes widened in shock as she coughed abruptly, choking on some of the pasta she had just eaten. Remy couldn't help but laugh at the look on Britain's face. That confirmed it all. "You can't fool me, Brit-Brat," he told her.

A look of sorrow formed on her face as she eyed her father. "Sorry," she mumbled once she calmed her cough.

"For what?" Remy asked. "You're a grown woman." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Wait… you're not mad?" Britain screwed her face up in confusion.

Remy pursed his lips as he inhaled a deep breath. "Of course I'm mad. You know how I feel about Priest's situation. I don't want you involved in any way. Plus, you're the lead journalist for his trial now. You don't think that's a conflict of interest?" Jeremy knew Priest was a good guy, but he was also a product of his environment. Remy didn't want Britain having any parts of that lifestyle.

"It's nothing like that," Britain disclaimed. "We're keeping everything private."

"Not private enough if I found out," Jeremy pointed out.

Britain let out a deep sigh of defeat. "Okay, I screwed up. I shouldn't have gotten involved with him, especially with what he has going on, but I don't regret it," she clarified. "Priest is the best thing that's happened to me since I could remember. He's not what the world portrays him to be."

"Brit, he's exactly what the world portrays him to be. Trust me. I know," Remy stressed. Britain was fixing her lips to tell him he was wrong, but he beat her to the punch. "But I also know he has a heart, which I was privileged enough to experience. Priest has come a long way to become who he is now. The question is are you ready to deal with what comes with his lifestyle and his past?"

Without hesitation, Britain nodded her head in confirmation. "I love him, and he loves me," she confessed.

Remy’s eyes bore into Britain's. He was seeking any sign of uncertainty within her but couldn't find any. In fact, Remy was able to see that his daughter had fallen in love. A deep, stressed breath vented out of him as he shook his head at Britain. She took his gesture as a sign of disappointment.

"I'm sorry," she apologized once more.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Brit. You can't help who you love." He ran a hand down his face in distress. "Just be careful. Just please be careful.”

ChapterThirty-Four

Priest’s eyesshifted from the bezel of his watch to his dark tinted window. His vehicle was parked at the end of the street, and he had a perfect view of the home and the activity within it.He watched as the leather bag remained untouched on the front porch. He had Cyro drop the bag off on the front step of Sylvia's home a few minutes prior to his arrival. He was shocked to see Sylvia had yet to stumble upon it. The street was filled with darkness as the moon illuminated the sky. The suburban residential area Priest paid a good amount of money to keep Sylvia in was fairly quiet aside from a few cars coming in and out of the gated community.

Picking up his phone from his lap, Priest dialed his mother’s number. He hadn't spoken to her in a while. Their last conversation hadn’t really ended too badly. Priest knew the only reasons Sylvia was being distant now were either because she and Terrance had gotten into it, and he had likely left her battered and bruised or because they were financially fit at the moment and weren’t in need. The phone answered after a few rings, and Sylvia's hearty voice filled Priest's ears.

"What Priest?" She refrained from greeting him.

"Check your doorstep," Priest instructed her.

"Priest, what the hell are you talking about?" Sylvia furrowed her brows, rising from her spot on her couch anyway.

Priest didn't say another word. Instead, he waited for the door of his mother's home to open. From the car, Priest eyed his mother as she shifted her head around to catch a glimpse of anyone who was watching her. Priest, who was staked out in his car, went unnoticed by Sylvia. She glanced down and was met with the sight of the leather bag that was zipped shut. She was gifted a whopping total of $800,000.

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