Page 93 of Certified Pressure 4
Abeni took him in her arms, rocking him gently with that same calm expression. “He’s beautiful,” she said lowly, smiling down at him.
“No, please!” I screamed, trying to sit up, my body trembling. “Please, Abeni, give me my baby! Please!”
She didn’t even look at me. Her attention stayed on my baby as she rocked him slowly. Then she finally lifted her eyes to the man holding the gun to Lyrick’s head.
Before I could say anything, the man pulled the trigger.
The sound was quiet but sharp, a quick pop that echoed through the room like it could’ve been a silencer. Lyrick’s head fell forward, blood dripping down his shirt.
I screamed so loud it felt like my lungs tore. My whole world collapsed. I had just brought life into the world and watched another one end.
Through my tears, I looked at Abeni, but she didn’t flinch. She just rocked my baby like nothing had happened. “You’ll live, Kashmere,” she said softly. “Only because my son wishes it. But understand something. Going to the police will be useless.Coming after me or my family would be suicidal. This child is your debt, and I came to collect.”
Her voice was calm, almost kind, like she was giving advice instead of destroying my life.
As her men began removing every camera from the walls, Abeni turned with my baby still in her arms and walked toward the door. Treasure followed in silence with her eyes low.
And then they were gone…
I was left lying there, bleeding, probably needing stitches, shaking, and staring at Lyrick’s lifeless body. The house was quiet again, but it didn’t feel like home anymore. It felt like the end.
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
The night before our wedding…
Ihad just gotten settled into bed and the house was quiet except for the faint sound of laughter and music drifting in from outside. It was late, and everyone who was still at the estate had either gone to bed or was winding down. Toni Roc was across the hall, probably on FaceTime with Kay’Lo, and my aunt Deanne had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room after helping me fold the last batch of baby clothes. The whole day had been long but beautiful, and it finally hit me that this was it. Tomorrow, I was marrying Pressure.
It was the night before my wedding. Even just thinking about it made my heart feel full.
These last few weeks had been a whirlwind. Between the bridal shower, the fittings, and all the family that came into town, it felt like everything had moved fast and slow at the same time. My girls surprised me with a trip toMarosa, a private island off the coast of Trill-Land. The whole place looked like paradise with clear blue water, white sand, and little glass villas built right over the ocean. It was luxury everywhere you turned. We spent four days there laughing, swimming, eating good, and talking about life. The nights were filled with music and mocktails since I couldn’t drink, and the girls still made sure I had fun. Toni got drunk enough for everybody, while Pressure’s cousin Zy’Lani was on the mic talking about how she better catch the bouquet next. That trip was exactly what I needed before the madness of the wedding kicked in.
When we got back, Abeni threw us a joint celebration atCloud 9 Dining.It was supposed to be a simple dinner, but it turned into a whole event. People were dressed like they were walking into a royal gala. The tables were covered in gold cloth, candles were floating in tall glasses, and there were huge portraits of me and Pressure hanging up on the walls. I remember sitting beside him, watching our families toast to us. For a moment, it hit me how far we’d come. There was a time we couldn’t even sit in the same room without arguing, and now we were being celebrated for the love we fought so hard to keep.
I looked down at my belly, rubbing it slow. The baby was due next month, and he had been kicking like crazy lately. This pregnancy felt different from when I had Prestyn. Back then, things were messy. Pressure and I were fighting, and he was engaged to Kashmere. I had spent most of that pregnancy alone, trying to act like I was fine, even though I was breaking inside. This time around, it was nothing like that. I had my man every step of the way.
Pressure had been so hands-on that I barely had to lift a finger. He wouldn’t even let me carry a grocery bag. Every appointment, every craving, every back rub, he was right there. Even with all his business moves and long days, he made sure his family came first. I had seen him with Prestyn every single day. Our son had him wrapped around his little finger. They were like twins walking around the estate, both wearing gold chains, both thinking they ran the world. Seeing them together made me love him even more.
I smiled to myself, thinking about how I had to get my dress adjusted four times already because of this growing belly. Every fitting, the seamstress would shake her head and say, “He’s growing fast, Pluto.” And I’d just laugh because she was right. The baby was strong, just like his daddy. My wedding dress was hanging up on the rack across the room now, glimmering in the low light from the lamp. White silk, hand-beaded, soft but royal. The top was fitted perfectly, and the bottom flared out like something out of a dream. It felt unreal that tomorrow I’d be walking down the aisle in it.
Pressure was out right now with Kay’Lo, Renza, Blaqson, and Uncle Lionel for his bachelor’s party. I had told him to have fun but behave, and he had just laughed, saying he was a married man already in his mind. I pulled out my phone and stared at the screen for a minute before unlocking it. My messages with him were already open.
Then, a new one popped up.
How’s my lil’ man?
That made me smile right away, but then a funny feeling hit me. That exact same message was familiar. I typed back without thinking.
He’s fine. Been kicking all day.
Not even a minute passed before his next message came through.
That’s good. I miss feeling him kick. Can I come lay with you tonight?
My fingers froze. My heart thumped once, hard. That was the same thing he’d texted me back when he was about to marry somebody else. I could see it so clear, like it had just happened yesterday.
Back then, I was pregnant with Prestyn, at home, trying to act like I didn’t care that the man I loved was getting ready to marry another woman. He had texted me that same message, asking how our baby was. Told me he missed feeling him kick. Then he asked if he could come lay with me. At that time, I had gone off on him, telling him he had no business wanting to lay with me when he was supposed to be with her. We argued for almost an hour, both of us saying things we didn’t mean. I told him to leave me alone, and he told me I’d never understand him.
But somehow, that night, he still ended up at my place. I remember the sound of his knock on the door, the look on his face when I opened it, the way my heart refused to listen to my head. He laid with me that night. We talked, we cried, and even though I knew it was wrong, I let him hold me like he always did. It was messy, but it was real. That was the night I realized no matter how much we tried to fight what we had, we could never stay away from each other.
