Page 46

River Ashland

Birthday Brunch

G lancing out the window, I groaned, reading the name of the brunch spot Chosyn told me about. Crown thought he was slick. Had I known this was his intention, I would've fought harder to stay in bed. I turned my focus from the lounge and gave Crown a deadpan expression.

"Four, fix your face," he said once he parked. Crown undid his seat belt, then did the same to mine. "Get out the car."

I scoffed, thinking this nigga had to be crazy to think I was getting out of this car.

"Four."

"What Crown?" I groused in his direction.

His eyes seared into mine, almost making me shy away. I held his gaze, refusing to back down. A low chuckle spilled from between his lips. Licking them, Crown grabbed my neck with his calloused hands. He flexed his fingers, pulsing his strength against my skin.

"Crown," I croaked as he jostled me forward.

"I don't wanna hear shit about you and Chosyn not talking. Y'all should've been made up, but y'all are stubborn."

"It's not me. I've reached out, she... ouch! Crown that fucking hurt."

Crown's teeth sank into my bottom lip. The pressure was sharp then floated into pleasure as he sucked the ache away.

"Crown," I shuddered, reaching for the collar of his Polo shirt to bring us closer together.

"Chill with your horny ass." He smirked against my lips. "Get the fuck out of this car and enjoy brunch with your sister. I'm not gonna say it again, Four." The finality of his tone ended the conversation. Crown kissed me once more and ruffled my curls.

"Stop." I giggled, pushing his hand away.

"Ight."

A notification on Crown's phone caught his attention. I used that time to reapply my lip gloss and fluff out my curls.

"You ready?" I asked, paying extra attention to the pinch in Crown's brows and tempered glare.

"Go inside. I'ma go handle something real quick."

"I can go with you, then we can go in together." I shrugged.

I didn't know what I was about to walk into, but I didn't want to do it alone. For all I knew, Chosyn would be on my ass as soon as I walked in. The two of us had never come to blows, but there was a first for everything. That proved to be true with Leah.

"Nah, go inside. Chosyn is waiting on you."

"Yeah, but what if?—"

"River, you gotta relax and get out your head. Chosyn is your sister. A petty ass argument won't change that. Go make shit right."

"Fine," I huffed.

Crown chuckled, then got out of the car, leaving his phone on the seat. I leaned over to get a better look at the screen, but all I could see before it went black was the contact name.

"Who's Syn?" I asked when he opened my door. Grabbing hold of my hand, Crown helped me out, then pinned me against the back door of his car.

"Why you looking at my shit?" he asked voice low and rough.

His eyes lingered on my face, dropping to my lips and back up again. My cheeks flushed from his scrutiny, heat crawling up my neck like he touched me without lifting a finger. Running my hands along his jaw, I bit back the moan his stare begged to pull out.

"You seemed a little stressed. I wanted to know who caused it so I can?—"

"So, you can what, Four?" Crown peered down, letting his lids fall lower than usual. His fingers pushed my glasses up with ease, then found their way into my curls.

"Four." Crown was barely holding on, same as me. Every tempered exhale from him was a breath I drew in to survive. Heat radiated off us both, but it wasn't lust. It was a need for me to protect him.

"What you gon' do to the person who stressed me out?"

His question was simple to those who didn't know Crown, but I did.

He told me how Emily betrayed him. What she did opened the scar left behind by his father.

He never wanted to be like him, yet Emily forced his hand.

Since then, he closed himself off, refusing to fall victim to the love he's known to end horribly.

I changed his outlook on the four-letter word, and I wanted to protect him from all things.

"Whatever is necessary to show them what happens when they stress the man I love."

"Oh, you love a nigga." He smirked, slipping his arms around my waist. His forehead pressed against mine, and when his eyes closed, mine did the same.

"I do," I answered.

"Fucking better. Real shit, I don't see myself doing this again if we don't work out."

My eyes snapped open, hands planted on either side of his face.

"Crown, there is nothing after us... this is it. We're end game," I told him.

"I hear you, Four. I do."

"Don't do that to me, Crown. Not after you showed me Cortez. Not after I fell in love with you. Please don't have doubts. I'm not Emily."

"That's why I love your ass the way I do. Now go inside and enjoy yourself. I'll be back to pick you up."

Slapping a kiss on my lips, Crown stepped to the side, giving me room to walk away. I took a few steps, then stopped to look over my shoulder. Crown winked, chucking his chin toward the lounge for me to go inside. I blushed, then blew him a kiss and continued the short walk.

Before walking inside, I turned around once more.

Crown was now in his car, but it wasn't him who caught my attention.

Parked a few cars away from Crown was the same black Nissan GT-R that I've been seeing a lot lately.

I stared intently, trying to place where I knew the car from other than the other times that I've seen it.

When nothing came to mind, I waved toward Crown, who smirked then grabbed the lounge doors.

I stepped inside the lounge, my heart thudding with nerves.

I adjusted the baby blue and white oversized knitted sweater I wore so it hung further off my shoulder.

I paired the sweater with ripped white jeans that clung to my hips perfectly and glacier blue feathered boots that stopped just below my knee.

"Hello?"

It was too quiet in here. No music, no chatter, just the faint smell of citrus and something sweet wafting around.

Even with the about silence, the lounge was gorgeous.

Soft lighting, velvet furniture in blush and cream, and gold-rimmed glasses already waiting on tables.

But it was empty. Right as I started to walk out, a hostess in all black appeared from around the corner, offering a gentle smile.

"I apologize for leaving you waiting. Follow me right this way, Mrs. Gravehart."

I simpered at the name she chose to use and knew it had everything to do with Crown. The hostess led me to a plush seating area near the front. I sat down, and within seconds, someone else was at my side, handing me a mimosa.

"Thank you."

He nodded, then disappeared with the hostess sauntering away behind him.

As I sipped from my glass, I glanced around for any signs of Chosyn.

I let out a long-aggravated breath and went to reach for my phone when I realized I'd left it in the car inside of my first birthday gift.

My birthday wasn't until this weekend, but Crown started with gifts early.

Expensive handbags and jewelry weren't something I was big on, but I appreciated them.

The few pieces of jewelry I got from Sincere weren't over the top.

They were simple, cute pieces that I was content with.

Crown wasted no time taking me from simple and cute to luxury and extravagant.

Since our first Christmas together, Crown has brought me nice things, but nothing like the classic flat Chanel bag in white caviar leather with platinum hardware.

Inside the beautiful bag, Crown hid a gorgeous Cuban link that wasn't thick and heavy like the one he wore on occasion.

The one around my neck was slim, delicate, but still bold enough to talk slick without me having to say a word.

Every platinum link was iced in diamonds so tightly that they caught light from every angle.

The necklace didn't scream. It whispered luxury.

A necklace without a timepiece was a waste if you let Crown tell it.

The watch was small-faced, feminine, but still heavy with shine.

The band was sleek with Cuban links to match the necklace.

Diamonds danced along the bezel, catching flashes of light every time I moved my wrist. Crown did his big one, and it wasn't even officially my birthday.

I finished off my mimosa, and the deejay's voice cracked over the speakers, startling the hell out of me.

"Mrs. Gravehart, you might want to sit down for this one. We have a special birthday performance for you!"

The lights shifted, soft purple and pink pouring over the stage.

From behind a curtain, Chosyn, Honey, Kyree, and Kysre popped out, offbeat, off-key, and loud as hell.

The four of them belted Brandy's Best Friend like they were auditioning for a record contract they knew they weren't getting.

Chosyn was doing okay leading the choreography.

Honey moved like she had two left feet and kept her ass in the back.

The twins didn't even know the words. They mumbled their way through the horrible performance.

Watching them, I broke out in tears. They came down heavy, slipping past my lashes and dribbling off my chin.

My sudden outburst had nothing to do with the song or the surprise.

It was more so the love that shows up even when friends aren't seeing eye to eye.

It was the undying love I thought Leah and I had, but Chosyn proved during our biggest fight.

I leaped from my seat and hopped on stage, yelling for the deejay to run it back.

Snatching Kyree's mic, I stood next to Chosyn, going word for word with my best friend.

"Remind me to never do karaoke with y'all non-singing hoes again," Kysre sassed, coming to take a seat next to her twin.

"No forreal," Kyree agreed, giggling.

"Shut your Milli and Vanilli asses up. Y'all weren't doing much until they played Lady London," Honey quipped, rolling her eyes.