Page 100 of Certified Pressure 4
Even at the weddin’, I hugged him, hugged my mama too, but I kept it short. I ain’t fake. I love ‘em, but I loved peace more. And my peace was Toni Roc.
Just thinkin’ about her made my chest loosen up. That woman had been ridin’ with me through everything, through all the shit I ain’t even talk about out loud. She was the kind of woman who made you wanna be better without sayin’ it. I used to think love was somethin’ that slowed you down, but she proved me wrong. She matched my energy, and gave me that same fire back every time I gave it to her.
And I knew right then, I ain’t wanna wait no longer.
I saw her walkin’ from across the room, that body of hers still lookin’ like temptation wrapped in silk. She had on that short gold dress, long red hair hangin’ down and barefoot with her heels in her hand. My woman looked fine as hell. Her skin was glistenin’ from dancin’ all night, and her smile damn near stopped me mid-thought.
She walked up, her eyes still full of joy from everything that went down earlier. “You good, baby?” she asked, her voice low and smooth.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m good. Just makin’ sure P ain’t leave none of his shit behind. You know how he get when he drunk.”
She laughed, that soft, raspy sound that always got me. “You right ‘bout that. He was wild tonight.”
“Wild but happy,” I said, watchin’ her. “That’s how I wanna feel. For real.”
She tilted her head, smilin’. “You already happy, ain’t you?”
“I am,” I said, steppin’ closer, slidin’ my hand around her waist. “But I’m tryna take that happiness up another level.”
She gave me that look, the one that said she knew somethin’ was comin’. “Oh yeah? What you mean?”
I leaned down, my lips right by her ear. “We goin’ to VYCE City tonight.”
Her brows pulled together. “For what?”
I grinned and kissed her neck slow. “We gettin’ married tonight.”
She froze, her mouth partin’ a lil’. “What?”
“Yeah,” I said, pullin’ back just enough to look at her. “We been engaged for a lil’ minute now. We just closed on the mansion by the water. It’s time, Toni. What we waitin’ for? I love you, you love me, and I ain’t tryna waste no more time. Love in the air, baby and I wanna breathe that shit in.”
She stared at me, her eyes glossed over with her lips curvin’ into a slow smile that melted me. Then she rubbed her hand across my face, her thumb brushing over my lip. “Let’s do it,” she whispered.
My heart jumped. “You serious?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”
That was all I needed.
I picked her up, her legs wrappin’ around my waist while she laughed. “Kay’Lo! My dress risin’ up!”
“So,” I said, grinnin’ like a fool while carryin’ her through the hall.
Her hair brushed against my face while she laughed loud, holdin’ her heels in one hand and clingin’ to me with the other. The smell of her perfume hit me like always, sweet and soft. When we made it to the whip, I set her down gentle, but before she could even fix her dress, I grabbed her face and kissed her deep.
Her hands slid up my chest, grippin’ my shirt while my tongue slid against hers. The taste of champagne still lingered between us, and her moan made my chest vibrate. I pulled back just enough to whisper, “I love you.”
She smiled up at me, her eyes shinin’. “I love you too.”
I opened her door and helped her in, then jogged around to the driver’s side. The night air was still filled with music from the reception, the beat faint but still hittin’ the soul. I sat in the seat, looked over at her, and all I saw was my forever.
We pulled off, the lights of the city stretchin’ ahead, and all I could think was how Pressure just found his forever, and now it was my turn.
VYCE City was waitin’, and before the sun came up, Toni Roc was gon’ be Toni Mensah.
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
Three weeks later…
