Page 47

TWO MONTHS LATER

I was able to get attorneys on my father’s case immediately. He was already expecting to be released, but with the newfound evidence of Essence’s entrapment, we were able to get his release expedited.

He’s spending time in California for three weeks with some of our family members he hasn’t seen in a while. After that, he’ll return to our home.

Essence is being held without bail because her access to certain money and people creates a flight risk. Her trial won’t be happening anytime soon. It could be years before she goes to trial. I’m cool with her sitting her old ass in jail rotting until then. Hell, she made my Pops do it.

There was also evidence that no one was ever attacking her home. The attacks were created between her and Parker to bring more attention to her campaign and to try to set me up to take the fall. She is facing conspiracy charges on that, as well.

As they continued going through the storage unit, they found more evidence of her murders for hire. She’d apparently been responsible for having Theron James, her former bodyguard, killed. The man had made it look like Theron died of kidney failure.

Theron knew too much about her dealings and had been blackmailing her. We probably never would have known any of this if someone hadn’t spotted Derek Sawyer, the man who killed her on the jogging trail.

They didn’t actually spot him in person, but apparently, some kid who’d been doing a science project on birds had a camera set up in one of the trees. He’d been filming for a couple of days.

He was supposed to get the camera a couple of days later, but with all the storms, he hadn’t returned to the area. Apparently, he and his family had then gone on vacation for two weeks, and it wasn’t until he returned that he recalled the camera in the tree.

When he finally returned, he still hadn’t looked at it right away. But when he had, boy, he struck paydirt. He’d taken it to his parents, who in turn had taken it to the police. That’s how they’d been able to track down Derek Sawyer, who, in order to save his ass, gave up Essence Hamilton.

I wish that there were a way to charge her with my mother’s death. She’d finally died four years ago in a mental health institute from a heart attack. But there’s no way that we can, so I’ll just keep memorializing Mama in my heart.

A soft sigh from plump, subtle lips drags my attention back to the present.

My sunshine, Bayleigh, has been struggling with her sister’s death, as expected.

She holds a lot of guilt sometimes about their argument, but her mama and daddy are quick to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault.

They explained that they had been working to get Riley back on medication for her depression, but she had refused.

I love on her to make her tears subside, and I try to comfort her heart, but I know the best thing for her is to let her go through the emotions. Only time will heal her wounds. That and my love.

The boys are coming along fine, but Zechariah and I have been paying more attention to Zayn, trying to comfort him. He’s taking things better than expected, but that’s in part because he was never close to Riley, and in part because he has his hands full with the baby on the way.

I still can’t believe Bayleigh and I are going to be grandparents, but she’s excited about it now. She’s embracing the idea and building a better relationship with Shana. This baby is going to be a healing balm for all of us, especially for Bayleigh.

She lifts her hips from the bed and then descends slowly. My mouth opens wider as I groan my satisfaction. Bayleigh’s sweet little hum floats like music in the air as she rolls her hips in tight circles.

I suck at her labia before circling her clit with my tongue and then sucking it between my lips. When she cums she releases a cataclysm of tears, screams, and a violent orgasm.

I press my hand on her belly, lowering her hips to the bed again before I pull back, resting on my knees. I lick my lips before I lean down and kiss her softly.

“You want me?” I ask, wiping the tears from underneath her eyes.

“I always want you, baby,” she purrs softly.

“Just want to make sure you’re really good. It’s been a rollercoaster these last few months.”

“But I always want you, Zaire, especially tonight.”

I pull her hand into mine and kiss the ring finger of her left hand. No one knows about our decision except for our three gentlemen, because they were there supporting us.

Neither of us is wearing wedding bands; Bayleigh’s decision, not mine. She says that she’s not ready for the world to know yet, and she’s satisfied staying in our little cocoon.

Inside of both of our ring fingers are tattooed today’s date, 10.05.24, the date of our wedding.

In a small ceremony in a little church in Atlanta, Georgia, a friend of mine married us. We traveled to Atlanta yesterday. The five of us went out to dinner and saw a play at the Fox Theater. This morning, we all had brunch before heading to the church where Bayleigh and I were married.

After exchanging our vows, we headed to a tattoo parlor, and our boys watched us have our fingers tattooed as a representation of our street love. From there, Zechariah drove us to Hartsfield-Jackson airport, where Bayleigh and I flew out to Ojo Spa Resort in Ojo Caliente, New Mexico.

“You think these walls are as secure as the ones back home?” I ask when I plunge into her.

“Ohhh! I don’t give a shit, Z!” she screams as her warm pussy cloaks me like a leather glove.

The tight feel is enough to make me want to cum alone, but I’m not going out like that. I slide back out, and she sucks me back in.

This time, Bayleigh wraps her arms around my back, pulling me closer to her.

I kiss her closed eyelids and whisper. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“Waiting on me and never leaving. Most women would give up when their demands aren’t met on their timeline.”

“You had your reasons. I understood and respected them. No need to explain or justify to anyone else as long as you and I had an understanding.”

I lift again and sink. We go on that way for several seconds until I roll onto my side, and she rolls onto hers. Lifting her leg over my hip, I ease gently into my wife, loving the way that she feels around me.

We rock and roll back and forth, giving to each other all that we have and all that we are, same as we have for more than thirty years now.

I regret nothing. I’ve loved her without reserve. Every mistake, every heartache, every disappointment, and every victory, she’s been on this journey by my side. I’d do it all again as long as I could do it with her.

People have tried to take us down, but their attacks have served one purpose and one purpose alone: to make us stronger.

Together, we are a powerful, unstoppable force.