Page 72 of Tension

“I’m trying to build a life for us. I want to take care of you and all your needs. I don’t want you to want for nothing. If you never want to go back to work, you don’t have to.”

“I love that for me, baby. I truly do. But I love to work. I love taking care of all the mamas and babies. I also like the freedom to travel, too. I miss it so much. But what you need to understand is that I'm not some weak woman. Yeah, I've let some stupid shit slide, but we all have our flaws. I want us to build a life together.” I turned to look up at him.

“You need to trust me as much as I trust you. I trust you to lead me; trust me to follow and support our vision. Trust the people that you have placed in your life. No one can do it all on their own.”

He nodded, placing his face in my neck, inhaling my scent like it was the best drug.

“I know you're right. I'll try to let go and accept the help around me. Just be patient with me, Honeydew.”

“Always,” I told him, leaning into his touch.

VEL

“We got a surprise for you in a private room,” Matt said, clapping LL on the shoulder.

LL was one of my closest friends, days away from getting married. The four of us—Joe, Matt, LL, and me—were posted up at the Ladies & Gentlemen’s Club, already halfway between drunk and high.

The past few weeks had still been quiet, but I rarely let Chris out of my sight. I wouldn’t let up until I knew exactly who was causing trouble for her. Even now, I knew where she was.

“Hell nah,” LL said immediately. “She can come out here. I’m not about to disrespect Nia by going back there.”

What he didn’t know was that Nia was the surprise.

“Nigga, stop being scary,” I said, grinning.

“Then you go,” he shot back.

“Trust me… you don’t want me back there,” I said. “Can you just have a little faith in us?”

He eyed all of us. “Hell naw!”

He tried to dip, but we blocked him and started herding him toward the back. He fought us the whole way, making a scene big enough to turn heads.

I didn't think anyone had ever seen a grown man try to run from a stripper.

Joe leaned in and whispered the truth.

LL stopped struggling immediately, straightened his jacket, and headed toward the hallway like he’d planned it all along.

“It’s the Heaven room,” I called after him.

This club had three private rooms: Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell. The names just applied to the theme, but you could have the room set up to your liking.

Nia and LL had Heaven. Chris and I would be in Hell.

Chris and Jasmine were both here to help Nia get ready.

I spotted Jasmine and Joe already talking in a corner, and Matt had disappeared somewhere.

Then I saw her.

She was in a red leather dress that hugged every curve. I’d asked her to wear red, but damn.

The top circled her neck like a choker before plunging low to show all of her cleavage. The dress was backless, stopping just above her ass, which was sitting just right as the dress cupped under it. Red-bottom heels made her thick legs look even longer.

I couldn’t wait to see them wrapped around my head.

CHRIS