Page 11 of Certified Pressure 3 (Certified Pressure #3)

We ate, sipped, and talked, the waitress keepin’ our glasses filled with champagne.

Kash kept glancin’ out at the view, shakin’ her head like she couldn’t believe she was really sittin’ here.

Every now and then she would reach for my hand, run her thumb across my skin, and I could tell she was fallin’ deeper just off the way I was lettin’ her in on this side of me.

Her life with me no longer had to just be tied to the Jungle Estate.

By the time we finished, she leaned back with a satisfied sigh, rubbin’ her stomach. “Best breakfast I ever had in my life.”

“Good,” I said, standin’ up and droppin’ a few bills on the table for the waitress. “Now come on.”

I grabbed her hand, led her back through the rooftop, down the elevator, and out into the garage where my whip was waitin’. She slid into the passenger seat while I reached into the back and pulled out a Louis Vuitton duffel. When I dropped it in her lap, she frowned and looked at me.

“What’s this?”

“Open it.”

She unzipped the bag slow, and her eyes damn near popped out her head. Stacks on stacks of cash, piled high, smellin fresh, ‘cause it just came out the bank. She looked up at me, stunned. “Pressure… what the fuck?”

I smirked and started the engine. “We goin’ shoppin’. I want you to go crazy. Get whatever the fuck you want. Matter fact, don’t even look at the price tags. Just grab what you want and bag it.”

She sat back, clutchin’ the bag like she couldn’t believe it was real, her mouth open but no words comin’ out. I pulled off, the engine growlin’ as we hit the street, and the city laid out in front of us like it already belonged to me.

The Crown District

When we pulled up to the mall, I looked over at Kashmere and she was sittin’ there with her mouth halfway open like she couldn’t believe I really brought her here.

The Crown District wasn’t no regular mall.

This was the spot that screamed money before you even stepped inside.

Big glass walls wrapped around the whole buildin’, fountains shootin’ up front like the water was dancin’ for the rich niggas walkin’ in and out, and valet had nothin’ but foreigns lined up back-to-back.

It was the kind of place that let you know if you ain’t got money, don’t bring yo’ broke ass here.

I tossed the valet my keys and gave him a head nod. Kashmere slid out the passenger seat and instantly linked her arm with mine, her nails diggin’ in like she ain’t wanna get lost in all the shine around us.

The glass doors opened and soon as we stepped inside, that cold air wrapped around us, smellin’ like expensive perfume and leather.

Everything in The Crown District gleamed with gold accents on the rails.

The ceilings was so high you had to tilt your head back to see the art painted up there.

The designer stores lined both sides, all the logos poppin’, from Louis to Dior to Cartier.

Kash’s eyes was movin’ everywhere, like she ain’t know where to start.

“Pick one,” I told her. “Matter fact, pick all of ‘em. We hittin’ every store you look at.”

She giggled and shook her head but I could see her body language change. That lil’ sway in her hips picked up as she dragged me straight toward Louis Vuitton.

Inside, she was like a kid in a candy store.

She picked up handbags one after another, pressin’ them to her side and lookin’ at herself in the mirror.

She tried on shades, heels, jackets, jewelry.

Everything she touched, I told the sales associate, “Bag it.” Kashmere kept whisperin’ I was crazy, but the glow on her face told me she loved every second of it.

She strutted out the store with bags stacked on both arms, and we hadn’t even made it past the first floor yet.

We went from Louis to Gucci, Prada, Cartier, Chanel.

She picked out a diamond bracelet, and I clasped it around her wrist right there, kissin’ her hand in front of everybody so she knew I had no issue lovin’ her out loud.

She tried on a pair of red-bottom heels, strutted in front of me with that look in her eye like she wanted me to tell her how fine she looked. I leaned back in the chair, grinnin’.

“You killin’ ‘em,” I said. “Bag ‘em up.”

By the time we hit Cartier, she was laughin’ loud, her bags stacked so high the associates had to carry them for her. She sat in one of the velvet chairs while I picked out a chain, somethin’ light but mean, and had them box it up for myself.

Halfway through all the shine and laughter, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, and the screen lit up with my mama’s name. The smile faded a lil’ off my face. I wasn’t duckin’ her call, but I knew what was waitin’ on the other side.

I answered. “What’s up, Ma?”

Her voice came through smooth and calm, and it always calmed me down no matter what was on my mind. “Hello, son. It’s good to hear your voice. How have you been? I trust you’ve been keeping yourself well?”

“I’m straight, Ma,” I said, glancin’ at Kashmere as she laughed with the associate about somethin’.

“That’s good,” she said softly. “I do miss seein’ you. You’ll come by soon, won’t you? We need to sit and talk. I’d like to know what’s going on in your world, and whether you’ve found the woman you mean to share it with.”

I rubbed my temple, lettin’ out a slow breath. “Yeah, Ma. I’ll come by.”

When I hung up, I felt that reality sittin’ on my chest. Kashmere was sittin’ across from me lookin’ like the happiest woman alive, bags of designer shit surroundin’ her, diamond bracelet glistenin’ under the lights.

But I knew the storm was comin’. I knew my mama wasn’t gon’ care that I chose Kash to be my wife, ‘cause she just wanted a nigga to get married, but she damn sure was gon’ wanna know why I chose her while Pluto carryin’ my baby.

That conversation was gon’ be long as hell, and I knew it.

I forced a smirk back on my face and stood up, reachin’ for Kashmere’s hand. “Come on, girl. We ain’t done.”

She jumped up quick, holdin’ onto me with a smile wide enough to light up the whole mall. “Pressure, I’m already set. I don’t need nothin’ else.”

“You don’t, but you gettin’ it anyway.”

We spent another hour runnin’ through stores until the associates was followin’ us like bodyguards, haulin’ all the bags. Kash kept kissin’ my cheek, whisperin’ I was spoilin’ her too much, but I ain’t see it that way. She was mine right now, and I wanted her to feel it.

By the time we walked out, valet had my car waitin’, trunk already open for the bags. Kashmere slid into the seat, still laughin’, and glowin’, like she couldn’t believe what just happened.

Back at the mansion, she damn near skipped toward the elevator with her bags, disappearin’ into my bedroom. I rolled up, lettin’ the smoke curl around me while I leaned back, but before I could even hit it twice, my phone rang again. This time it was Renza.

“Nigga, where the fuck you been?”

I chuckled. “Man, cut that shit. Where you at? I’mma pull up.”

He dropped the location, and I told him I was on my way.

Then I told Kashmere, “I’mma get up with my cousin real quick. I’ll be back later.”

She was too busy pullin’ heels out the boxes and hangin’ purses on the racks to even look up. She just waved her hand. “Go ahead, baby. I’ll be right here.”

I kissed her lips, grabbed my keys, and headed out. I switched cars, slid into somethin’ low and foreign, and hit the road.

The city lights blurred past while my mind drifted to Kay’Lo. That nigga had been MIA too long, and that shit wasn’t sittin’ right with me. I called him, and after a few rings he finally picked up.

“Where the fuck you been at, Lo?” I asked, frownin’.

His voice came through smooth. “Outta town. I’ll be back in a day or two.”

“Outta town doin’ what, nigga?” I pressed.

He paused. “Nigga, just like you got your business, I got mine. Worry ‘bout you, I’mma worry ‘bout me.”

I shook my head, grippin’ the wheel. “Nigga, fuck you.”

Kay’Lo laughed. “We’ll link when I’m back. Chill.”

“Bet,” I said, hangin’ up, but my mind was still movin’. That nigga was hidin’ somethin’, I could feel it.

I sped down the highway, smoke still sittin’ on my tongue, wonderin’ what the fuck Kay’Lo really had goin’ on.

Drahma Town

Tonight, me, Renza and Blaqson was chillin’ at one of the top strip clubs in Drahma Town, where the money never stopped movin’ and the women knew who to dance for.

We had one of the VIP sections tucked off on the second floor, glass walls lettin’ us look down on the stage while the dancers moved under the lights.

The music was boomin’, bass hittin’ the walls like the whole buildin’ was breathin’ with it.

Bottles was sittin’ on ice all around us, top-shelf shit only, champagne poppin’, and cognac poured heavy.

Smoke hung in the air, thick from the blunt I had burnin’ between my fingers, the Crown Gas I kept rolled just for nights like this.

I leaned back against the leather seat, blowin’ out a long cloud, watchin’ it curl up toward the lights while Blaqson and Renza went back and forth laughin’ about somethin’ stupid.

For a minute, I let myself just zone out.

Nights like this was supposed to feel easy.

Money, liquor, smoke, women all over the place, should’ve been enough to clear my head.

But even with all that around me, my mind was still locked on Pluto and the way she dropped that bomb on me right after I sent her packin’.

I tapped the ash into the tray and finally said, “Man… Pluto told me she pregnant.”

Both of ‘em stopped mid-laugh. Renza tilted his glass back, his brows raisin’.

“She told me that shit as soon as I slid the rock on Kash’s finger.”

Blaqson sucked his teeth and shook his head slow.

“Ain’t nothin’ but game, cuz,” Blaqson said, reachin’ for his own blunt.

“Nah,” I said quick, sittin’ forward a lil’. “I don’t believe she would lie ‘bout that shit.”

Blaqson blew smoke out the side of his mouth, smirkin’. “That ain’t even the part I’m talkin’ about. I’m sayin’ she might’ve did that shit outta spite, bro. You chose Kash, and then boom, now she sayin’ she pregnant. That’s a move, feel me?”

I leaned back, lettin’ his words sink in.

I ain’t wanna see it like that, but he wasn’t lyin’ ‘cause the timing was wild. Maybe a part of her did wanna shake shit up, and make sure I couldn’t just walk off clean.

Still, deep down, I couldn’t picture Pluto pullin’ somethin’ fake like that.

Not when it came to life… not when it came to me.

I exhaled slow, grindin’ my blunt out in the ashtray. “Either way, shit ain’t sweet between me and her right now. I been tryin’ to understand it, but I gotta move forward with Kash. That’s just what it is.”

Renza swirled the dark liquor in his glass, watchin’ the dancers below like he was thinkin’ before he even spoke. Then he looked back at me. “Cuz… do you even love Kashmere?”

I looked him dead in the eyes and nodded.

“Yeah, I do. Me and Kash always had chemistry. That’s never been a question.

She loud, she wild sometimes, but I love her.

Pluto though…” I paused, draggin’ a hand over my beard.

“Pluto brought a calm to me I can’t even explain.

She ain’t have to say much, just bein’ around her was like… I don’t know, it’s different.”

Renza leaned back with a half-smile, takin’ a sip. “Sound like you tryna say you love two women at the same time.”

Before I could answer, Blaqson laughed. “That’s possible as hell, nigga. I don’t know why y’all act like it ain’t.”

I shrugged, a lil’ smirk playin’ at my lips.

“Exactly. Y’all ain’t never been there, so don’t speak on it.

I love ‘em both for different reasons. But look… if one of ‘em can’t make up her mind, then I gotta go with the one that can. And that’s Kash.

She know what she want, and she want me.

I can’t sit around waitin’ on somebody who still tryna figure it out. ”

The table went quiet for a second, the music from below fillin’ the space between us. Then both of them nodded slow, respect all over they faces. They knew I wasn’t just talkin’ shit.

Blaqson reached across, holdin’ his glass up. “To you then, nigga. You got a fiancé and a baby on the way. That’s pressure for real.”

Renza chuckled, clinkin’ his glass against mine. “Congrats, cuz. You playin’ on two different boards right now. Engagement and a baby? Nigga, you up.”

I clinked my glass back but shook my head, lettin’ out a sigh that felt heavier than the smoke sittin’ in my chest. They was jokin’, but I knew it wasn’t all sweet.

I didn’t even know where Pluto was livin’ now.

She swore she wasn’t goin’ back to that ghetto-ass apartment with her toxic-ass parents, but I still needed her location.

That’s what bothered me. I refused to be the nigga sittin’ on his hands, waitin’ for her to toss me crumbs of information about my child.

I leaned back, my phone heavy in my pocket. The dancers moved under the lights, money flyin’ around the stage, but my focus was already somewhere else. I pulled my phone out, scrolled to one of my connects, and shot off a quick text: Need a favor.

I ain’t type nothin’ else, ‘cause once they read just that, they was gon’ know what time it was. I wasn’t about to let nobody play gatekeeper with my child. If Pluto wasn’t ready to hand me the details, then I’d make sure I got ‘em myself.

I slid the phone back in my pocket, pickin’ up my glass while Renza and Blaqson argued about which dancer had the best body in the club. On the outside, I looked like I was chillin’, a man enjoyin’ his night with his people, but inside, my mind was already movin’ ten steps ahead.

One way or another, I was gon’ find Pluto, and when I did, there wouldn’t be no question about where I stood in my child’s life.