Page 14 of Certified Pressure 4
At first, I brushed it off. I couldn’t even be mad about the shootin’ ‘cause I knew where her pain came from. But to steal from me? That shit was different. That meant she wasn’t thinkin’ outta hurt no more.
The longer we rode, the more that shit ate at me. I was quiet, starin’ straight ahead while the anger kept buildin’ up. Pluto must’ve felt it ‘cause she slid her hand into mine again.
She didn’t ask me what I was thinkin’ or ask me why my jaw was clenched or why I ain’t said a word. She just held me. That’s what I loved about her. She didn’t force shit. She just gave me peace without even speakin’.
If it had been Kashmere ridin’ next to me, she would’ve been askin’ a million questions, turnin’ the whole ride into a fuckin’ argument. Pluto wasn’t like that. She just leaned closer, pressed her lips to my hand, and kept her eyes on the road ahead.
I looked over at her and really saw her this time. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, her face bare, and her eyes soft as she looked down at our son. I thought about all the dumb shit I did, and all the time I wasted tryna make somethin’ work with somebody who never saw me for who I really was. I had the real thing right in front of me this whole time.
When she finally looked up, I was already starin’ at her. Our eyes locked, and she tilted her head. “What?” she asked softly.
“Nothin’,” I said low. “Just… you.”
She gave me that look that always made me weak. She furrowed her brows a lil’ like she ain’t understand what I meant, but the look in my eyes told her everything. I could see it hit her. Her lips parted, and she looked like she was meltin’ right there in that seat.
Before I could even say somethin’ else, she leaned in and kissed me. Her lips was soft and warm. After a while, our lips pulled apart slow, just enough for that tiny stretch of skin to cling between us before it broke.
I looked at her again, breathin’ her in, and whispered, “I love you, Pluto.”
She smiled through her tears, her voice low but sure. “I love you too, Pressure.”
The car slowed as we turned through the gates of the Jungle Estate. Guards was everywhere, lined up with they weapons drawn, watchin’ every inch of the property. They opened the doors before the trucks even stopped rollin’.
My mama was waitin’ at the entrance, dressed in a white suit that shimmered under the lights. Even in fucked up situations, my mama moved like royalty. The nanny she hired was standin’ behind her, holdin’ Zurie’s hand. My girl was bouncin’ on her toes when she saw me.
As Kay’Lo rolled me out, my mama’s eyes filled with tears she tried to hide. She reached for my face, touched my cheek, and smiled. “Welcome home, son.”
I nodded, my throat tight. “We good, Ma.”
“I know,” she said softly, then turned to Pluto and hugged her. “You did well. You’ve both been through so much. Take your time to heal.”
She looked down at Prestyn, kissed the top of his head, and hugged Zurie close before lettin’ her run over to me.
“Don’t jump on him, Zurie,” Pluto warned, as Zurie froze mid-step.
Zurie smiled wide and said, “My P!”
I grinned through the pain and held my arms open just a lil’. “My Z.”
Her laughter filled the hall, makin’ everybody smile. My mama’s eyes softened as she watched us, then she hugged Pluto again and whispered somethin’ in her ear before turnin’ to leave. She looked back at me one last time, her eyes sayin’ what her mouth didn’t—get your mind right.
When my mama and her people finally walked out, Pluto shifted Prestyn in her arms and looked at me. “I’m going to stay downstairs with Zurie for a while,” she said softly. “Get her somethin’ to eat and nurse the baby. I’ll come up after.”
I nodded slow, my eyes on her. “A’ight, baby. Take your time.”
Kay’Lo pushed me toward the elevator, still jokin’ to keep me calm. “Nigga, you know I ain’t no nurse, right? Pushin’ yo’ big ass around this mansion ain’t in my job description.”
I chuckled, “Nigga shut up, and push me to my room.”
When we made it to my bedroom, shit felt real different. I could still feel Kashmere’s energy in this bitch, that wild mix of love and drama she always brought with her. I glanced around and saw a broken picture frame on the floor. Kay’Lo followed myeyes and muttered, “That bitch broke it. I cleaned up the glass, but it pissed me off just lookin’ at it.”
I shook my head slow. “Check the safe.”
He raised a brow but did what I said, draggin’ the safe over to the edge of the bed. I typed in the code and pulled the door open. My stomach dropped when I saw it was empty.
“She stole from me,” I said low. “The million I had in here… gone.”
Kay’Lo’s eyes widened. “She gon’ have to give that back in blood.”
