Page 57 of Certified Pressure 3 (Certified Pressure #3)

The Holy Crown Temple

Today, I was about to marry Pressure, and words couldn’t even begin to describe how I felt inside.

I was marrying the love of my life and the man I’d been through some shit with.

The dressing room was full of voices and energy and everybody moving around to make sure I looked perfect.

Lexyz, Zy’Lani, Marli, and Journi were all here helping me with my gown and checking my hair and makeup like they were on payroll.

Toni Roc was sitting on the couch, sipping champagne and hyping me up like the loud sister I never had.

The mirrors surrounded us, big and gold-framed, catching the soft light from the chandelier that hung over my head.

My wedding dress shimmered under it, fitted in all the right places with long layers of silk and lace spreading behind me like something out of a royal movie.

The makeup artist had just finished my face, and when I looked at myself, I felt like a completely different woman.

I wanted Pressure to see me and lose his mind.

I wanted him to feel like I was the only thing that made sense in his world.

Last night still played in my head like a movie.

Toni had made sure my bachelorette party was one for the books.

She went all out with a private suite, personal chef, bottles lined up on every table, and music so loud we could feel it in our bones.

We danced all night. For a few hours, I didn’t think about Pressure, the wedding, or even Pluto.

It was just me and my girls having fun. Me and Pressure didn’t go home to each other last night, but I didn’t care.

I wanted him to miss me, wake up thinking about me and to see my face at the end of that aisle and know he made the right choice.

Toni walked up to me with a smile, her glass in hand. “Girl, you look expensive as hell,” she said, her eyes running over the gown.

“I am expensive,” I said with a laugh. “Pressure know what time it is.”

Lexyz laughed. “You look like you about to shut the whole Trill-Land down.”

“I plan on it,” I said, smirking at my reflection.

Zy’Lani stood behind me, fixing the straps on my dress. “You nervous?”

“Not at all,” I lied smoothly. “I’m ready.”

The truth was, I felt everything at once—excited, nervous, anxious, proud and…hurt.

My mother wasn’t here, and even though I said I didn’t care, deep down, I did.

I wanted her to see me like this, and see the woman I’d become.

But she had made her decision. But she had made her decision.

She never got over the fact that I stood up to her that day and told her about herself.

After she threw that wine in my face and put ms out, I realized we would never be the same again.

She couldn’t stand the fact that I finally saw her for who she really was.

At least my daddy showed up, though. He was the one who always supported me, no matter what. He told me earlier he was proud to walk me down the aisle, and that meant more to me than anything.

What hurt next was realizing Abeni hadn’t come to the dressing room to see about me.

I knew she was in the building because her people were moving around making sure everything was perfect, but she hadn’t checked on me.

I tried not to take it personal, but I couldn’t help it.

I was about to become her daughter-in-law, and she was treating me like I was the worst problem in her life.

I told myself it was fine because once I became Mrs. Mensah, she would have no choice but to respect me.

“Girl, your skin glowing,” Journi said, snapping a quick picture. “The blogs gon’ go crazy.”

“Let them,” I said, smiling. “They been talking since day one. I might as well give them something real to talk about.”

Everyone laughed, and I felt that wave of pride rise in me. This was my moment. After today, I would be Mrs. Kashmere Mensah. I had finally made it to the top.

Still, part of my mind wandered to Pluto.

I hadn’t seen her in months, but I knew she was now living in Trill-Land, pregnant and quiet.

I tried not to think about her or that baby, but every now and then, it hit me that the man I was marrying already had a family on the way.

I told myself that it didn’t matter. Once we were married, things would be handled differently.

His baby would be my stepchild, and I’d make sure it got what it needed, but Pluto wouldn’t be able to use that baby to control anything.

Toni turned toward me and grinned. “He not ready for you, Kash. He gon’ lose his mind when he see you.”

I smiled. “He better. I’m tired of being patient.”

Toni laughed. “You finally about to get everything you wanted.”

“I know,” I said softly. “And when that ring hit my finger, can’t nobody tell me nothing.”

Zy’Lani walked over and handed me my bouquet of white roses mixed with lilacs and soft gold petals, wrapped in satin.

It looked like money. I held it and stared at myself again in the mirror.

I looked perfect, but I still felt that little ache inside that came from wanting something so bad you forget how to breathe.

A moment later, Marli came back from the hallway. “They just said it’s about thirty minutes till start,” she said.

My heart skipped a beat. Twenty minutes…That was it.

“Okay,” I said, taking a deep breath and straightening my posture. “Everything’s good. Let’s just chill till they come for us.”

Toni grinned. “You ready to be Mrs. Mensah?”

“I been ready,” I said with a confident smile. “Now it’s time for the world to see it.”

Everyone cheered and clapped around me, and for a moment, the room filled with nothing but laughter and excitement.

I looked back at my reflection and smiled, running my hands down the front of my gown.

I told myself this was the beginning of everything I’d ever wanted, even if a small voice in the back of my head whispered that nothing about this was going to be simple.