Page 29 of Reckless Forever (Jennings Mafia Family #3)

I leaned back on the desk, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into my chest.

“How long have you been stuck?” I chuckled.

“Since you’ve been gone. Storm told them that I was their auntie, and they’ve been stuck to me like glue. This is a lot. I’ve never lived in a home with kids before.” She said as she collapsed into me. I laughed at her.

“I want a house full, seven or eight,” I said as her eyes shot to me.

“Judah, please. A little girl named Cupcake just ran me through the wringer, and you think I’m having seven of them?” She scoffed.

Before I could respond, her eyes searched mine, and her body tensed. “How did everything go in Bolivia. Is everyone….okay?” And I knew that she meant, 'How was Santos?' No matter what had happened, she loved him, and I knew that.

“That’s a story for later, baby. Right now, I want you to meet my parents. They’re here.” She immediately looked down at her clothes like she wasn’t properly dressed. Like I told her, we were going to the steakhouse instead of the living room.

“Judah.” She protested.

“You look good,” I said as I kissed her. Both our feet stayed planted as we kissed like I hadn’t seen her in years. With everything going on with this war, it felt good to finally focus on us again.

When we parted, she bit her lip and blushed, but she didn’t have another objection; she just took my hand and walked with me through the house.

When I rounded the corner, my mother was sitting at the table.

Juree on one leg, Jonah on the other, and Cupcake at the side of her, putting lipstick all over her face.

When I didn’t see my father or Blade, I knew they were somewhere together.

As soon as my mother looked up and saw us standing there, her eyes lit up, and she put Jonah down, threw Juree on her hip, and came over to Ivy.

“Hi, Mrs. Jennings. It’s nice to meet you.” Ivy said as she stepped into my mother’s embrace. My mom swayed her from side to side and rubbed her back.

“My name is Meena. I leave Mrs. Jennings to my daughters nowadays,” She smiled as she looked over her shoulder, winked at Kennedy and Storm.

“You are beautiful,” Ivy complimented moms.

“You took the words right out of my mouth. You are stunning, you look like a model.” Moms shot back at her.

“Dang Ma, I ain’t never heard you say that about me,” Kenn said as she rolled her eyes, and everybody laughed.

“Kennedy, please. I tell you all how beautiful you are every time I see you. Even Remy with that wagon she’s dragging behind her,” she laughed as she put Juree down, who had a fit.

Pops came around the corner with Blade on his back, and I was just glad the lil nigga ain’t choked pops out in the back room.

“Pops, this is my girl, Ivy. Ivy, this is my pops, Amar.”

He extended his arms for a hug, and she gave him a quick one. She didn’t even have time to greet him before he was on his bullshit.

“So, you’re the one who has my son in a war all the way in damn Bolivia?” He joked as we all burst into laughter.

“Unfortunately, it’s nice to meet you.” Ivy covered her face in shame.

My mother walked over to the table and pulled out two chairs. One for her to sit in and another beside her.

“Come over here, Ivy, let the men do whatever it is they do while we cook. I want to get to know you.” She said, patting the seat of the chair with a smile on her face.

I shook my head and let them rock and went back into the sitting room with my brothers and father.

I looked around the room and shook my head.

Not in disapproval but a little in disbelief.

Before I met Ivy, I couldn’t see any of this shit for myself.

Not being a family man, not settling down, no children.

Now I saw it all, and it happened damn near overnight.

I sat back against the couch and watched the scene unfold around me.

Pops is holding Cupcake. Trouble just took Jax’s own daughter from him and gave her some candy because he told her no.

I realized that this was the shit that I wanted.

The family that I created. My kids would have the dopest uncles and aunties, and the best grandparents.

The hours rolled through the day, but not quickly enough.

We watched some football, talked shit, made some bets, and I kept sneaking in the kitchen so Rainstorm could give me some greens.

Ivy hadn’t even given me a second thought; my moms kept her busy with chores in the kitchen and with talking to her and embarrassing a nigga with all those stories from my childhood.

“Dinner is ready, come eat,” Remy said as she peeked around the corner into the room where all of us were seated.

I was glad because I was ready to run through two or three plates. When my mind detaches, and I’m ready to take it there, I don’t really have an appetite. Now that this shit was over, I was ready to dig in.

We walked into the kitchen, including Zo and Sanchez, and sat in our chairs beside the women. I was seated between Trouble and Ivy.

I leaned over to her and kissed her forehead.

“You okay, baby?” I asked. Wanting to make sure she was comfortable. She smiled and nodded.

“Let’s all hold hands and bow our heads so I can bless the food,” Moms said. Me and Trouble looked at each other.

“I’m not holding your fucking hand. We can bump fists,” I whispered to him, and his nostrils flared. I know that nigga gets tired of me, but what can he do?

“Fuck you,” He chuckled lowly, so moms didn’t hear us cursing at the table.

When she was done blessing the food, I probably started eating before the prayer left the room. I was hungry, and moms always made sure that she fed us well.

“Kenn, you might be lazy, but the banana pudding is going to hit every time. Same time next week.” I said as I fell back in my seat and put my arms behind my head.

“You lucky Mama at this table,” Kennedy warned.

“So, fuck me, huh?” My Pops said as the table laughed.

I stood from my chair and pushed it in.

“Everybody, I have an announcement that I want to make.” The room groaned like I was about to crack a joke.

“Judah, we are full and sleepy. We are not in the mood for your games,” Remy said, tossing her napkin on her plate.

“I’m not playing games.” My voice came out more serious than I expected.

“Today, I just wanted everybody to know that Ivy is moving here permanently. You’ll be seeing her around a lot.”

Ivy’s eyes went wide, and I could see the smile already creeping up her lips. My pops whistled low. Trouble smirked, and moms just sat there smiling like she’d been waiting on me to say out loud what she already knew.

But her just moving to the States wasn’t enough for me. Not after leaving Bolivia with that letter.

I turned until all I saw was Ivy. She looked nervous, but she didn’t look away. My hand reached into my pocket before my brain even caught up. My heart was beating out of my chest.

“Ivy,” I cleared my throat, my voice rough.

“Before you, I didn’t even think this life was for me. Family. A home with kids running wild through the house. None of it. But now I can’t picture anything without you in it.”

Everybody went still, making me more nervous. Even Cupcake stopped tapping her spoon against the table.

I dropped down on one knee, right there beside the table, with my whole family watching. Ivy gasped like she really didn’t know where my speech was going. She covered her mouth, eyes already watering.

“Baby, I’ll spend every breath I got making sure I never fail you. Making sure I never fail us.”

I pulled the ring from my pocket and held it up to her. “So, Ivy… will you marry me?”

Tears fell down her cheeks before she even said a word. Then she nodded. “Yes, Judah. Of course.”

All their asses went crazy. Moms clapped and wiped her tears. Pops hit the table, and Trouble yelled out something about me finally not being a clown.

Kennedy’s mouth was on the floor, and Storm smiled so hard that if I wanted, I could’ve counted all her tooth gems.

I slid the ring on Ivy’s finger, then stood and pulled her into me. She kissed me like none of them were there, and honestly, at that moment, they weren’t. It was just me and her.

This was where I was supposed to be and who I was supposed to be with.