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Britain returned from the closet with the garment bag in hand. "Yeah. I just thought you needed some brightness after today, so I lured you here to my bright-ass apartment," she laughed playfully.

"You lured me?" Priest raised his brow at her.

Confidently, she nodded her head. "Yup. You wouldn't be able to be without me, so you came right to my doorstep." She grinned as she took the initiative to unbutton his dress shirt.

A smirk graced his face as he sat his hands at her curvy sides. "I can't breathe without you,Gioia," he went on in an exaggerated manner, bringing them to laughter.

Once she got him out of his dress shirt, she sat it inside the garment bag as well. "So, how was it?" Britain asked as she took a seat at the end of her bed. She eyed him as he made his way to her dresser, taking his Richard Mille watch off and sitting it next to his cuff links.

He walked back over to her, where he laid right on top of her, wrapping his arms around her frame. "Short and concise," he mumbled as he applied light kisses along her jaw line.

Britain’s hands cupped his face, steering his head so he was making eye contact with her. "Are we talking about the same thing? Because it doesn't sound like it," she inquired, furrowing her brows at him.

He chuckled and nodded. "We are," he confirmed. "It really was short and concise, though."

After much consideration, Priest, Kaymen and J’Ru decided it would be in their best interests to show their faces at Leila's funeral. It was really hard to muster up the energy to act as if they were mourning, but like any other time, the three pulled through. Even J'Ru, who couldn't care less about Leila, was supportive of her now widowed husband.

Britain let out a light sigh as Priest rested his head on her chest. She soothingly ran her gentle hands over his waves, putting him in instant relaxation. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm okay, Britain," Priest told her, clarifying his emotions. Leila being gone wasn't hurting any part of him. She was just a steppingstone progressing him toward what he had going on next for himself.

"I know that, but…" Britain paused, trying her best to come to terms with the situation herself. "How do you feel about everything?" She tilted her head a bit in question.

Priest took in a deep breath. He knew he was coming off a bit insensitive due to being so emotionally disconnected at the moment, but he wasn't one to fake anything to keep a good image. He had no guilty conscience. He didn't think he ever would. Britain's questions and concerns were derived from her will to love and care for others. Priest didn't necessarily have that trait, which was more of a reason why he wouldn't be able to introduce her to that side of his life.

"I'm fine," he stated dismissively. "We have dinner tonight. Remy's coming." He shifted the conversation elsewhere, causing Britain to feel defeated. She knew he had more to say, but she wasn't the one he could confide in when it came to these kinds of situations. As much as Britain tried to convince herself that Priest was the same caring and lighthearted man all around, Priest really wasn't. He had a switch that he knew how to turn on and off. Leila's death was all business, and he wasn't about tomake it personal and mourn like he had done for Jamari. Like he said, he was fine.

"Yeah." Britain nodded her head. "I spoke to him.”

"He sounds up to it?"

Getting Remy out the house was long overdue for Priest. In a way, Priest wasn't totally crucifying himself because he knew Seven was still keeping Remy company, which was all Remy wanted. Britain was still unaware of her parent’s interactions, and Priest was going to keep it that way. It wasn't his business to tell, no matter how much he knew Britain would want to be informed of it.

Britain shrugged. "Couldn't really gage him, but we shall see."

"You should invite your mom," Priest suggested.

A scoff, followed by a laugh, aired out of Britain. "Those two in the same room would be a complete disaster," she declined, shaking her head. "Last time they interacted, my mom was taking a bullet out of him. I don't think things would go as smoothly as they did that night, especially if my dad isn't doped up on anesthesia."

It didn't bother Britain that Remy and Seven could never just be on one accord with each other. She’d tried her hand at being the mediator for her parents so they could have a conversation, but they both just pushed her away and claimed that she had no place in their issues. It seemed as if they were content with never speaking to each other. Well, that was how they made it seem. Britain officially washed her hands clean of the situation.If she wasn't getting shut down Seven, then she was getting turned away and underestimated by Remy. Then there were always Henderson's feelings to consider. She was starting to believe her parents when they claimed that their drama was just far too much for her to handle. She was learning to cope with it all.

Amused by Britain's lack of knowledge of her parents’ newfound friendship, Priest laughed. "Yeah, let's just stay out of it," he settled with a nod.

"That's a great idea," Britain agreed with a laugh.

Britain remained wrapped in Priest's arms as his eyelids shut. He rarely admitted how tired he was to anyone, but Britain could tell he was burned out. "Sleep," she encouraged him before applying a light kiss onto his lips.

Priest chuckled as his eyelids fluttered open and he resumed locking eyes with her. "I can't.”

"Why not?” Her brows furrowed in question.

He rose from his comfortable spot on her chest, sitting up next to her. "I gotta talk to you about something." His dark orbs continued to stare into her soft ones. His energy had shifted, indicating that whatever he wanted to talk to her about was serious.

Britain sat up next to him. "What's up?"

"Tomorrow," he began, piquing Britain's interest.

"Yeah, we haven't talked about how we're gonna go about things. Since I'm not withThe Timesanymore, I'm not sure if you'd want me in there."