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“Liam, I’m supposed to be making people think I’m with Zane, remember?”

“I don’t give a damn about any of that. I just know I want you to be my wife. I told you I’ll take care of him. I’m not putting you at risk.”

“I think us getting married right now would only put us more at risk than we already are.”

“You go on this date tonight and keep playing along until I can get those videos.”

“Psalm has been working on it. If he can’t get into their system, I don’t think anyone can.”

“I’ll talk to him and see if there’s anything I can do to help. Don’t you stress my baby out worrying about his weak ass. I got you. I promise.”

“OK,” she said, nodding quickly.

“You trust me, right?”

“More than anyone,” she confirmed.

“Well, listen. Your family has life insurance on me. When I go see Psalm, I’m going to get him to make you my beneficiary. I’ve already left you everything I own in my will,” I explained.

“Liam, what are you talking about? You’re not dying.”

“We don’t know that, Divine. I need you to know this.”

She shook her head and pushed me away.

“I don’t want to talk about this right now. I just told you that I’m having your baby, and you want to talk about the possibility of you dying. I can’t, Liam.”

“Cook, you have to be strong, pretty girl. We never know what might happen. I could walk out that door and fall dead from a heart attack or something. I need you to know certain things. I pray that you and I live happily ever after for the next hundred years, but I have to be realistic, too.”

“I hate this,” Divine whined.

“I know, baby. Me too,” I said, kissing the top of her head.

“You owe me 150 years. I expect you to be here with me. Promise me, Liam.”

“I’ll be here in one way or another, but just in case it’s not on the physical plane, I need you to know that my mom left me everything. She left me their house, their company, four million dollars in a bank account, and around twenty-two million dollars in stocks and bonds. I had something drawn up while I was there to leave everything to you if something happens to me.”

“Liam!” Divine gasped, covering her mouth with both hands.

“I know, right?” I chuckled.

“You’re a millionaire?” she asked, still trying to make sense of what I told her.

“Well, I already was according to the bank statements she sent me every quarter. Her and my dad put money in an account for me over the years that I never touched because I didn’t want their money.”

“Liam, this is crazy.”

“I need you to know that if something happens to me, it’s all yours. My dad’s only request was that he get to live the rest of his life out in the house. He has a full nursing staff. He doesn’t need anything. He just wants to stay there. Well, he wants me to come take my mom’s place running the company, but I can’t leave you.”

“I don’t want any of that, Liam. I want you.”

“You got me, but you need to know just in case, Cookie.”

“Promise you’ll come back to me, Liam,” Divine demanded.

“I’m going to do what’s necessary to make it back to my wife and child. I love you, Mrs. Grimes,” I said, smiling as I kissed her on the nose.

“I love you more, Lee Lee. We need you, baby. Come back to us.”