Page 12 of On Everything 2

"You don't have to thank me. Just help put that shit behind us by having dinner with me. I ordered takeout from Jake's Steakhouse. I figured we could enjoy it here instead of you having to get dressed and put on heels and shit for us to catch a bus or an Uber. You ready for your food now?"

"Yeah, I guess I could eat."

I shrugged my shoulders.

Kairo ran over to the kitchen, pulling out the go containers from the oven and a few plates from the cabinets.

I wasn't hungry at all because of the large meal I'd eaten earlier today, and although Kairo wasn't my favorite person right now, nothing in me could make me hurt his feelings.

I guess because I'm a good person, and this food did smell good as hell.

What would eating across the table from him hurt?

Shoot, maybe if we weren't super beefed up, our separation could be a little less toxic.

I sat down at the small black breakfast table Hov had put inside my dining area.

It was modern and sleek, just like all the other stuff he had in his penthouse in Brooklyn.

I placed my phone upside down on the table, but when a message chimed, I opened up my screen, forced to hide a smile when I read Hov's message.

Hov: You alright? Checking to see if you good or need anything?

Me: No, I'm okay. Thank you, tho. Can't wait to see you again.

I felt a rush so exhilarating hitting send on that text knowing that Kairo was feet away from me in the kitchen. Is this why men can't stop cheating?

After the microwave alarm went off a few times, Kairo was walking over to me, slowly balancing two plates in his hands.

"Alright. Here is your steak and lobster. Medium-well, just the way you like it. Hold on, I got you a knife too." He set the plates down, rushing over to the counter to grab the knives from the restaurant's to-go packets.

"Some steak sauce for you, too."

Kairo handed me the steak sauce and sat down across from me, rubbing his hand at the sight of our steaming plates.

On mine was lobster, steak, and whipped mashed potatoes that smelled like complete heaven.

Kairo had the same, only he had scalloped potatoes on his plate instead of whipped.

Most of the time, he would only eat potatoes in that form because he said mashed potatoes feel too much like throwing up. Kairo is a very picky eater.

The room was quiet as an apartment in the projects could be with the thumping from the bass of music in other units, and footsteps above us cutting through the dead silence.

Just thinking about it, that's probably why I slept so good at Hov's place.

There was no outside noise whatsoever and just the hum of the cool air flowing from the vents.

"So, how is your steak?"

"It's good. Yours?"

"It's straight. These potatoes are really hitting too."

Kairo grubbed on his food fast like it was going to run away.

When my phone chimed again from the table, I smacked my lips because I forgot I hadn't put it on silent.

"Yo, tell Pernelle that you and I are having a nice romantic dinner. All that gossiping shit can wait until tomorrow."

He laughed as I turned my phone back over.

Hov: I can come get you in a few minutes.

Me: let me get rid of this headache and then I'll call you.

I closed out of the message and flipped my phone back over on the table. One thing I can't have is Hov showing up right now. I'll have to ease out of here after this little dinner ordeal is over to keep down drama.

After taking my knife to my steak, I looked up towards Kairo, who was squinting his eyes at me.

"What?"

"You uh, sure that's Pernelle you're texting?"

"Yes, I'm sure it's her. Who else would it be?"

Kairo set his knife down and clasped his hands together.

"I don't know. I just hope that you know that playing with me is a dangerous game. Now I'm trying to do right, but don't make me nut up. That's all I ask."

"Kairo, it's no one. Just chill. It's Pernelle," I cut off his ranting before he could go on.

"Yeah, I guess so." He wiped a napkin across his mouth before he stood up from the table.

"I'm about to get something to drink. Do you want something?"

"Sure, what do you have?"

"Wine."

"Yeah, I'll take some."

Kairo looked through the cabinets for glasses and soon came back with two plastic wine flutes filled with red wine in both.

"What kind of wine is this?"

"I don't know, I got it from Silvias. She said she drinks it and I quote, rides Papi all night."

"Oh God. That shit sounds like Silvia." I replied, taking a sip from the glass and then another when I saw that it was both sweet and had a bitter undertone, which I liked.

Once I was done picking off the steak and potatoes.

I set the fork down slowly and leaned back in my chair because I felt full beyond measure.

Not only did I feel full, but I felt sleepy as hell, and I knew I could chalk that up to having the itis.

I stood up from the chair to take my plate to the trash can, but I couldn't quite catch my balance for some reason.

I pushed my hand off the wall to go the other way and stumbled into the kitchen before I felt Kairo helping me stand up straight.

"Here, let me get that." Kairo took the plate from my hand.

"Come on, go lie down for a minute."

He walked me into the bedroom with his arm wrapped around me as my body started feeling heavier by the second. My eyes kept fighting to stay open, but it was no use. I was succumbing to whatever the hell was happening to me right now.

"Kairo, damn. What was in that wine? Maybe I overdid it or something, because I don't feel right."

"Yeah, maybe you did drink too much. Just come on and lie down."

He kissed me on my cheek and then helped me onto the bed, taking my bottoms off and then my top without me asking. I was blinking heavily, trying to keep my eyes open, but it was becoming more and more impossible until they were completely closed.

"Kairo, I don't feel right."

"That's because you are drunk. Just go to sleep, Ciara. I'll be right back.”

Kairo left out of the room, and I was screaming for help inside, but on the outside, I couldn't say a word.

I know for a fact that the way I feel is because of something Kairo did, and I should have never trusted that he was trying to write his wrongs.

To him, he is never wrong, even when doing shit like drugging his own wife.

God, please protect me tonight.