Page 21 of Dom 4
“No, I am starting,” I replied keeping my tone lighthearted but still sharp. “Why are you out here with no shadows? You know damn well…”
She cut me off. “I told them to stand down. I needed a second without them breathing on my neck. They’re around though, don’t trip.”
I studied her and like really studied her. The way her posture was loose, and her shoulders were slouched. Her face was… soft like I’d never seen before. She wasn’t so guarded right now.Omg,I thought to myself.She likes him.
“So, you’re in the hood with no shadows because you wanted soul food?”
“Soul food and a break,” she shot back. “Both are very necessary. You should try it sometime, Mrs. Royal.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t do too much O.”
Malik watched the exchange, amused. He didn’t know what he was watching. He had no idea the woman across from him was the accountant, strategist, and co-architect of the Royal empire. He thought she was just beautiful, funny, and maybe dangerous in the sexy way. He didn’t know she was dangerous in the real way.
“Ya’ll sisters?” he asked.
O’Shynn answered before I could. “Something like that.”
I leaned back side-eyeing her. “Something like that?”
She smirked. “Baby steps, okay?”
We both laughed because we both knew what that meant. I lowered my voice just enough that only she could hear and leaned over. “You like him?”
O’Shynn didn’t look at him, nor did she smile or blush or none of that. She just sipped her fruit punch flop real slow. “He nice,” she said.
Which in O’Shynn language meant,he makes me feel safe enough to eat in front of him.I simply nodded because thatwas enough for me. Her eyes shot down to my stomach. “You hungry? Because you know you can’t just be surviving off protein shakes. You killed it in court today too, that deserves a good meal.”
“I ordered already,” I told her. “Well, actually the driver’s putting the order in for everybody and getting plates for the shadows too.”
The three of us sat there engaging like regular people and to the naked eyes we did look normal. The bell over the door chimed the way it always did when somebody was walking in, and nobody ever overlooked the bell.
Keondra walked in with Amour on her hip and a to-go menu already in her hand like she’d been here a million times and knew exactly what to do. Her hair was pressed straight with a clean middle part, and her edges were laid. She didn’t have any lashes touching her eyebrows nor did she have on loud neon nails or any see-through leggings. She wore a simple fitted sweatsuit with gold hoops, and a Gucci crossbody bag looking like a real Miami girl but she just wore it better now. Amour’s hair was in little puffballs with soft pink bows, and she looked rested and happy. Both of them looked… different. In a good way.
O’Shynn saw her first. “Oh hell,” she whispered with a smile on her face.
I turned and Keondra froze for half a second when she realized she was looking at me, O’Shynn,anda Philly Eagle himself. “Oh,” she said with her eyes big. “This look like a whole family reunion.”
She wasn’t wrong because that’s exactly what it felt like. She had two of Royal’s security with her. I just knew the workers were wondering about all of the security up in here today even outside of the building. Amour squirmed instantly reaching for me. “TT Carmennnn,” she said in that soft little voice that alwaysmade me melt in a way that only a baby or my husband could make me.
I reached for her, and she came right into my arms like she belonged there. I sat her in my lap with my arms around her and Amour rested her head on my shoulder like she trusted me while she kept patting my cheek. It was just the cutest thing ever. I hadn’t had experience with many kids, but it gave me a different kind of feeling.
O’Shynn leaned forward. “Okay now Miss Keondra. Not you showing up looking… decent.”
Keondra rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “I told y’all I was working on it. I can’t be embarrassing nobody no more. I got standards and shit now.”
Malik looked between all of us but didn’t speak. He was smart enough to just observe. He really didn’t understand how deep he was sitting in something right now.
Keondra sat down at the edge of the booth. “I came to get a plate before I head to the airport. I’m picking up Dique.”
O’Shynn raised a brow. “You picking him up? Not his driver?”
Keondra shrugged. “He said he wanted Amour to be the first person he sees when he gets off the plane. So yeah, I’m picking him up, of course with security.” She smacked her teeth.
For all the chaos, all the noise, and all the shit in this world that was messy and loud and dangerous there were still moments likethat.I was married to the best, and not just on paper anymore. O’Shynn was slowly trying to love so she didn’t destroy it and never have that opportunity again while Keondra was trying to learn how tomaneuver through a whole new life. Amour still had her little hand patting my cheek like I was all hers. We were not those girls from before we were bought into this world.
Keondra looked at me, and it was a long stare. Much longer than a rival and longer than a girl who used to stand outside fights just to scream or walk out of the house any kind of way. She looked like a woman standing beside us now and I liked it.
“You look happy,” she told me.
