Page 43 of Certified Pressure 3 (Certified Pressure #3)

I didn’t say a word. I just stood there watching him, trying to hold myself together because seeing him like that made my heart skip in ways I wasn’t ready for.

Before I could move, Zurie spotted him.

“Pressure!” she screamed, her voice high and full of joy.

Pressure looked up, his face breaking into the biggest smile I’d seen in a long time. “Come here, girl!” he said, crouching slightly as she ran full speed toward him.

She jumped right into his arms, laughing hard as he caught her with ease. She still had her iPad in her hand, clutching it tight like she couldn’t let it go.

He looked at it and shook his head, chuckling. “You still on that? You probably ain’t put it down since I got it for you.”

Zurie giggled and nodded. “I love it. I watch my shows on it every day.”

Pressure grinned and kissed the top of her head. “Good. That’s what’s up.”

The bond they had already was something special. He wasn’t just being nice because she was my little sister; he genuinely cared about her, like he had known her all her life. Watching them made my chest swell with emotion.

When Pressure finally looked at me, the smile softened on his face.

He set Zurie down gently, his eyes never leaving mine as he walked toward me.

Every step he took felt like he was taking his time to take me in.

When he reached me, the first thing he did, like always, was rest his hand on my stomach.

His palm was warm against my skin through the fabric of my shirt, and the look in his eyes made my body tense up. He stared down for a second, then looked back at me.

“You been takin’ care of my baby?” he asked, his voice low, almost a whisper.

I rolled my eyes, trying to play it off even though my stomach fluttered. “I’ve been eating and sleeping, so yeah.”

He smirked. “Good. You been feedin’ my baby, that’s what I like to hear.”

That little line made something in me melt. He said it so casually, but it carried weight. He rubbed my stomach once more, then grabbed our bags.

“Come on,” he said. “Car’s right here.”

Zurie skipped behind him while I followed quietly. I didn’t ask where we were going or what he had planned. I knew him well enough to know everything was already handled.

Pressure opened the passenger door for me before going around to buckle Zurie into the back seat. There was already a booster seat waiting for her, still in the plastic, like he had bought it this morning. Once she was secure, he got in and started the car.

As we pulled away from the airstrip, I looked out the window, watching the city pass by.

The palm trees, the beaches, the luxury homes on the hills, it was all just as beautiful as I remembered.

Being back here brought back memories I had buried deep.

I didn’t know if it was the nostalgia or the nerves, but everything about this place felt like it was pulling me toward something bigger than me.

Pressure reached over with one hand, his other still on the wheel. He rested it on my stomach again, his thumb rubbing slow circles against it.

“You gettin’ bigger,” he said, glancing over at me with that smile that always made my heart race. “I can feel it.”

I looked down at his hand, biting my lip to stop from smiling too hard. “Yeah, I’m almost four months now. We should be finding out the sex soon. Maybe a week or two.”

He nodded. “I know. I can’t wait for that. I been tellin’ everybody it’s a boy.”

“And what if it’s a girl?”

He shook head, and said, “then she gon’ run me crazy the same way her mama do.”

That made me laugh, and even though I tried to hide it, I knew he could see it in my face. The car filled with the sound of Zurie giggling in the back, and for a moment, it felt like everything was okay.

A few minutes later, Zurie leaned forward between the seats. “Pressure, I’m hungry.”

Pressure looked at her in the rearview mirror. “What you wanna eat, lil’ mama?”

She thought about it for a second, tapping her chin dramatically. “Tacos and chicken.”

Pressure grinned. “Say less.”

He made a quick turn, pulling into the lot of a restaurant.

Inside, the smell of food hit us instantly.

He ordered tacos for Zurie, wings for himself, and some seafood pasta for me.

We sat at a corner table near the window, and the whole time, he and Zurie were locked in their own world, cracking jokes, talking about her games, and laughing like they had known each other forever.

I didn’t say much, but sat there watching them. Seeing him like that, comfortable, laughing and being gentle with her, said more than words ever could.

After we finished eating, we got back in the car. I noticed he still hadn’t said anything about the house or where we were going, but I didn’t question him. I trusted him, maybe more than I should, but something in me knew everything was already set up.

The ride grew quiet after a while with just the sound of the music playing low. My nerves were climbing again, that mix of excitement and curiosity twisting in me.

Finally, Pressure slowed the car and turned down a long private road lined with palm trees. The air looked golden from the sunset, and ahead of us sat a flat that looked straight out of a dream.

It was a single level home, wide and modern with tall glass windows and a white stone exterior that gleamed in the light.

The front lawn was trimmed perfectly, the driveway lined with white flowers and green hedges.

There was a small fountain near the walkway and water glistening under the last stretch of sunlight.

It was peaceful and rich, even though it was a flat.

Pressure parked the car and turned off the engine. Then he looked over at me and reached into his pocket, pulling out a key. He handed it to me without saying a word at first.

I stared at it, realizing what it meant. “This is…”

I felt my eyes start to sting, but I blinked fast, forcing myself to keep it together. I took the key and smiled softly. “Thank you, Pressure.”

He nodded. “You ain’t gotta thank me. You earned this.”

We got out the car, and Zurie jumped up and down as soon as she saw the house. “It’s so pretty!” she squealed, running ahead.

When we walked inside, movers were still unpacking boxes and setting up furniture. A cleaning lady was wiping down the counters even though the place looked spotless already. The air smelled like lemon and new wood.

The living room was wide and open with cream colored walls, soft white couches, and gold accents that made everything glow.

The kitchen had marble counters and tall cabinets, with a long island in the center that looked like it belonged in a mansion.

Down the hallway, I could hear voices from one of the rooms. Two men were in there setting up Zurie’s bed, a pink, white, and lavender comforter spread across it with matching curtains and a white dresser.

Zurie’s eyes lit up. “Pluto! Is this our new home?”

Before I could even answer, Pressure said, “Yeah, lil’ mama. This y’all new home.”

Her smile grew wider, and she started jumping on the floor with excitement. Then she looked up at him and asked, “Are you gonna live with us?”

Pressure turned to me, his eyes locking with mine for a long second. The look in his eyes made me bite my bottom lip. He wanted me to say yes.

But he finally spoke instead. “Nah, I’m not,” he said. “But I’ll be here… every chance I get.”

Zurie nodded, content with that answer, and ran off to explore her room.

I stayed there, staring at him, emotion bubbling up inside me. Everything he’d done, from the jet, to the house, to the care, it was overwhelming in the best way. He didn’t just talk about taking care of us. He actually did it.

Pressure looked around, his expression softening when his eyes met mine again. “Y’all good now,” he said. “Everything you need is in here. You ain’t gotta worry ‘bout shit no more.”

I swallowed hard, holding back tears. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Just live, Pluto,” he said. “That’s all I want.”

In that moment, I realized I was finally safe. Not because of where I was, but because of who made it possible.