Page 53 of Certified Pressure 4
He blinked, confused. “What you mean?
“I mean that I lied,” I said. “My name is Kashmere Charm. I wasn’t being honest about who I was. I’m not married, and my husband isn’t dead. I was engaged, but he was abusive. I’ve been on the run ever since I left him.”
He leaned back, still processing everything. “You serious?”
“Yes,” I said, moving closer to him. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know how. I didn’t plan for us to get this close. I just wanted to start over, and I was scared he’d find me…But everything else I told you is true.”
I reached out and grabbed his hand, bringing it to my lips. “I swear that’s the only thing I lied about. I just didn’t want him to track me.”
He didn’t pull away, but he didn’t say much either. He just looked at me like he was trying to decide if he believed me. “So that’s it?” he finally asked. “That’s the only thing you been lyin’ about?”
“Yes,” I said quickly. “That’s it. I promise.”
I could feel the tears start to form again, but I blinked them away. “I just want us to move forward with a clean slate. I don’t want no more secrets between us.”
He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. “You got me feelin’ crazy right now, Kash. I been rockin’ with you heavy. You should’ve just told me.”
“I know. “I’m sorry.”
He looked up at me again, calmer now. “I just need to know everything from this point on is real.”
“It is,” I said, meaning every word.
After a long silence, I asked, “Did you talk to Nooré?”
He shook his head. “Not yet, but I’mma handle it. I ain’t tryin’ to live a double life no more. I just… I’on wanna hurt nobody more than I already have so I’m honestly just waitin’ on the right time.”
I nodded, biting my lip. “I hope you mean that, because I can’t share you no more. Not with our baby on the way.”
He looked at me for a long moment before pulling me into his arms. “I got you.”
And as I sat there against his chest, all I could think was that I was too deep to ever turn back now.
As the evening light poured through the window, I found myself thinking about my daddy. I hadn’t spoken to him since the day I called and Abeni picked up his phone. Just hearing her voice on the other end was enough to make me hang up and never calling back.
The thought of not having my daddy hurt, but I couldn’t afford to sit in that pain. I had to focus on what was in front of me. I had a baby growing inside me now. I had a man who said he was staying. I had a new start, and I couldn’t let my past take that from me.
I had to accept that I was doing this alone. I wasn’t just hiding anymore. I was building something that was mine.
Halo Key wasn’t just my escape. It was where I would raise my new family.
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
Today, we were going to visit Pressure’s parents and I was already halfway through getting Zurie dressed while he was in the room with Prestyn. The mansion smelled like his cologne and baby lotion, and I could hear him talking to our son in that deep, playful voice that always made my chest flutter. It was crazy to think about how far we had come. A few weeks ago, I was mad enough to pack up everything and leave, but Pressure had spent every day since making sure I knew how much he loved me. He’d been different lately, even softer in some ways but still that same strong, man I fell in love with. He cooked breakfast with me, took me and the kids out to the water, and every night, he made sure I fell asleep tucked under him.
I looked over at Zurie while she tried to buckle her own sandals, her little curls bouncing around her face. “You look so pretty, sissy,” I told her. She grinned up at me, proud of her sparkly pink dress. I brushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed her cheek before grabbing her bag.
Pressure walked in holding Prestyn against his chest, their skin almost matching under the sunlight coming through the window. Prestyn’s tiny hand was clutching the chain around his daddy’s neck. “You ready, mama?” he asked, looking me up and down like I was the only thing in the room that mattered. He had on a cream shirt that showed off his tattoos and some soft linen pants, and somehow, even holding a baby, he still looked like power itself.
“Almost,” I said.
He came closer and leaned down, his lips brushing the side of my neck. “You look good as hell,” he whispered. His voice was low and warm with that tone that always made my knees weak no matter how long we’d been together.
“Pressure,” I said, trying not to smile. “Stop, we gon’ be late.”
“I ain’t rushing for nobody but you,” he said, and then kissed me again before moving toward the door.
The ride to his parents’ house was smooth. Zurie sang softly in the backseat while Pressure drove with one hand on the wheel and the other resting on my thigh. Every now and then he’d glance at me, like he was checking to make sure I was still here. I looked at him and felt that same mix of peace and danger that always came with him. He was mine, and even when he made me mad, I couldn’t deny how safe I felt next to him.
