Page 23 of Certified Pressure 3 (Certified Pressure #3)

Trill-Land, Jungle Estate

While Pressure was somewhere in the mansion, I sat in bed venting to Toni about everything I was feeling. My phone was on speaker, sitting beside me on the pillow while I stared up at the ceiling. I had a glass of wine half gone and a million thoughts fighting each other in my head.

“I just don’t get it,” I said, my voice low but irritated. “Like, if we engaged, why the fuck is he still talking to her? I’m not trying to be that insecure woman but come on. He told me I’m his future, so why she still a topic?”

On the other end, I heard Toni exhale, probably blowing smoke from her blunt. “Girl, that’s ‘cause they got a baby involved now. Once a baby come in the picture, it ain’t just some regular ex situation. You know how that shit go.”

I rolled my eyes, even though she couldn’t see me. “I know, but it still don’t feel right. I feel like I’m competing with a damn baby that ain’t even here yet.”

Toni laughed under her breath. “You sound crazy, but I get it. That’s some deep shit to deal with, especially with everything goin’ on. You love him, huh?”

“Love ain’t even the word,” I said, sitting up against the headboard. “That man got me in a chokehold, but at the same time, I be mad as hell. Like, I don’t wanna be no side character in my own relationship. I want my place.”

“You got your place,” Toni said quick. “You in his bed every night, right?”

“Yeah.”

“He proposed to you, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then there you go,” she said. “You already got it. Don’t let no situation shake you.

If that nigga wanted to be somewhere else, he would be.

You know how many women would kill to have what you got?

A nigga who actually wanna marry them? Please.

Stop stressin’ yourself out about what you can’t control. ”

I went quiet for a second. “It’s not just that, though. He didn’t even take me with him to tell his parents were engaged. He went out there by himself. Said he needed to handle some things, but I can’t help but feel like he didn’t want me there.”

Toni sighed. “Kash, men handle shit different. You know Pressure got a lot goin’ on. He probably just ain’t want no drama while he talkin’ to his folks. You know how them rich, old school families are.”

“Yeah, but I’m his fiancé. I should’ve been by his side,” I said softly. “I’ve been holding him down, showing up for him and doing everything I can to prove I’m solid. But it still feel like I’m fighting for space in his life.”

“I know what you mean,” Toni said. “But listen, if he asked you to marry him, that means he chose you. Don’t let that go over your head, bitch. Pluto might be havin’ his baby, but that don’t mean she got his heart. She just got that part of him. That’s it. That’s all.”

I didn’t say nothing for a minute. I just sat there, thinking about how true that was but still how much it stung. Pluto used to be my girl, like for real. We were close as hell, and now I could barely say her name without feeling my stomach twist.

“It’s crazy,” I said. “She used to be my best friend, and now look at us. She got my nigga’s baby in her stomach, and I’m sitting here pretending like it don’t bother me. I can’t even hate her. I just… I don’t even know.”

Toni’s voice softened. “You just hurt, and that’s normal. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Sometimes life just flip shit upside down. I ain’t gon’ lie, you stronger than I thought. If it was me, I would’ve been flipped this whole mansion upside down.”

That made me laugh a little, and it felt good. Toni had a way of makin’ me forget how heavy things were. She was rough around the edges, but she was solid, and she was my girl.

“I just don’t know what to do anymore,” I said. “Some nights we good. We’ll laugh, have sex, talk, everything feel perfect. Then other nights it’s like we strangers. We’ll sleep with our backs turned, barely say two words to each other. I don’t know which version of us is real anymore.”

“Both of ‘em,” Toni said. “That’s love. It ain’t perfect. Some days y’all gon’ be good, some days y’all gon’ be mad, but if you still got that pull, that energy that make you stay, that’s somethin’. You just gotta ride the waves, girl.”

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep ridin’,” I muttered.

“Yes, you do,” she said. “You a strong woman. You always been. You can handle Pressure. He wild, but he love you, and that’s what matter.”

I smiled, layin’ back down and starin’ at the chandelier hangin’ above me. “You always know what to say.”

“I know,” she said with a laugh. “Matter fact, get up. Meet me downstairs. I got a bottle and some weed. Kay’Lo and Pressure out back, and I feel like joinin’ ‘em.”

I chuckled. “Girl, it’s late.”

“And? You act like you workin’ in the mornin’,” she said. “Come on. We need to vibe, clear your head.”

I looked at the clock, then back at my phone. “Alright, gimme five minutes.”

“That’s my girl,” she said before hangin’ up.

I got up, slid into one of Pressure’s shirts, and fixed my hair in the mirror.

My eyes looked tired, but I wasn’t tryna let that show.

I threw on some slides and made my way to the elevator.

When I stepped out downstairs, Toni was already waiting, looking cute and comfortable with her hair up and a bottle in her hand.

“Bout time,” she said, grinnin’.

We hugged, then walked toward the back doors. The sound of music and low laughter drifted through the glass before we even stepped out. I could see Pressure and Kay’Lo sitting near the fire pit, smoking and talking like everything was right with the world.

Toni looked over at me and smiled. “See? They good now. Told you all that cousin drama was gon’ blow over.”

“Yeah,” I said, a little relieved. “I’m glad they made up. I was starting to think they’d never get back right.”

We walked out, and the air hit soft and warm against my skin. Kay’Lo spotted Toni first and held his arm out for her. She laughed and walked straight into him, sitting on his lap while he handed her the blunt.

Pressure looked up and saw me. The way his eyes landed on me made my stomach drop. There was something about that look that always got me. It wasn’t just lust; it was that deep kind of attention that made me feel like the only person in the world.

I walked over and sat beside him. He didn’t say nothing. He just stared at me like he was trying to read my thoughts. I smiled a little, then leaned in and kissed him. His lips were soft and warm, and when he kissed me back, it made everything inside me calm for a second.

He pulled away slow and kept looking at me, his hand resting on my thigh. I leaned closer, feeling that comfort I’d been missing.

Kay’Lo and Toni were laughing about something, and I glanced over at them. Pressure followed my eyes, and when he saw his cousin with her, he paused.

“Yo,” he called out.

Toni looked up. “What’s up, Pressure?”

He balled his fist and held it out. “My nigga.”

Toni grinned, got up, and bumped her fist against his. “My nigga, Pressure.”

It was like a truce, the end of whatever little tension was left between them. I smiled to myself, proud of him for that.

Pressure leaned back, grabbed his drink, and took a slow sip while his hand stayed on my leg. I leaned into him, laying my head on his shoulder. At this moment, everything felt peaceful.

Toni and Kay’Lo were playing around, laughing, and I could hear Toni’s loud voice going off. The sound made me laugh, and even Pressure cracked a smile.

It was one of those rare nights where it felt like everything was good again. There was no tension, arguments, or pressure from the outside world. It was just us.

I looked up at him, my voice soft. “I’m proud of you.”

He glanced down at me. “For what?”

“For letting that shit go with Kay’Lo,” I said. “For real. I know that wasn’t easy.”

He nodded slow. “Yeah, well, that’s my blood. We had to get past that.”

I smiled and rubbed his back. “I’m glad y’all good again.”

He kissed the top of my head and said, “Me too.”

We sat there for a long time after that, talking low, and just vibing.

Maybe things weren’t perfect, but sitting here beside my future husband, surrounded by family, I believed that everything really would be okay.

Days later…

Today, me and Pressure were having lunch with Toni and Kay’Lo, and I wanted to look good.

Not just regular good, but that fine that made people stare when we walked in.

I’d just showered with Pressure, and we’d been playing around in there longer than we were supposed to, so I was rushing to get dressed.

I flat-ironed my hair until it was bone straight, laid my edges, and did my makeup real soft but clean.

A little shimmer on my cheekbones, glossy lips and lashes that gave drama without looking too heavy.

I slipped into a fitted chocolate dress with my gold anklet and my chain that Pressure bought me.

I looked in the mirror and smiled because I knew I was about to turn heads.

When I came out the bathroom, Pressure was already dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed putting on his watch.

This man looked too damn good. His lineup was fresh, his waves thick and deep like he’d just come out the chair, his skin was glowing, and his cologne was hitting so hard it made me weak.

His arms looked strong as hell with veins popping just enough to make me remember what those hands did last night.

I walked right up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Damn, you look so good I could eat you,” I said, smiling up at him.

He bit his bottom lip and gave me that look that always messed me up. “You look good too,” he said before grabbing a handful of my ass, smacking it once, and pulling me closer.

I laughed and pulled away before things went left. “Baby, let’s go before we end up not making it to lunch.”

He smirked and shook his head. “A’ight, come on then.”