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Roulette had inherited a child also. My time was near. I could feel it in my bones. Roaman was the last of our tribe that considered a life with children. Royce had no intentions of embarking on motherhood. Neither did Range.

Ding.

Dong .

The bell sounded as I stepped in front of the door.Koen’s timing was perfect. I knew, without a doubt, that it was him standing behind the wood. August was the youngest of the two. He was an enforcer. He wasn’t one to initiate much of anything.

Of course .

Koen’s eyes sparkled as the door crept open. They dipped from my head to my neck. To my chest. To my midsection. To my legs. And, finally, to my feet.

Koen,” I greeted him. “August.”

Both nodded, but didn’t move a single inch.

“Balle–” Koen cleared his throat, placing both hands in front of his black slacks.

“Yes?”

“You look beautiful. Please don’t make me have to shoot a nigga tonight. I don’t want to destroy your dress.”

“She has a washing machine,” August reminded him, adjusting his tie.

I stepped out onto the porch.

“You’re right, August, but I have never used one in my life and I don’t plan on starting tonight.”

I passed them both, finally stopping once I’d descended the three steps that led to my door.

“And Koen,” I paused.

“Yes, Balle?”

“I learned a very long time ago that some people just need to be shot. I don’t think he’s one of those people. Guns on safe. Please.”

“As much as I respect your request, it isn’t an option, ma’am,” Koen responded.

“Stay ready so getting ready isn’t an issue. Can’t afford to be late to that type of function,” August added.

With a sigh, I turned on the tips of my toes. There was no use.

Well, at least I tried .

“We should be leaving now. It’s near the seventh hour.”

Punctuality is a sign of respect. Don’t show up late… not unless you mean it . Richie had a way with words.

He was convinced that the best way to show a person you didn’t value their time or presence was to show up late to a scheduled meeting with them. Be it a date, business meeting, roundtable, or mediation.

“Right behind you.”

Koen and August started toward the lengthy SUV, ultimately making it to the doors before me. I slid inside, taking my position behind the passenger’s seat. With August beside me and Koen at the wheel, we pulled around the arch of my driveway.

I lifted my right leg over the left and rested both hands on top of it. The setting of the sun had begun. Its beauty was striking. Its artistry was something to behold.

Days I sat underneath its canvas after a long, tiring day that was taxing on my body and heart contributed to some of my best memories. As the youngest of eight, there wasn’t much solitude so those moments were cherished. It was only me, the lawn, the trees, the insects, and my mother’s garden.

A sigh pushed through my lungs. I sealed my lids and rested my shoulders on the seat.

Quiet now .

I silenced my thoughts, hoping for comfort as we crept down the street and closer to the hour reserved for time with Sac. Everything around me quieted. There were no words. No music. No worries. I inhaled, drawing in new air. Shortly after, an exhale pushed it back out.

I repeated the breathing exercise, slowly collecting my nerve endings and putting them back where they belonged. Since he’d taken the AirPod from my ear, I’d been a mess. It was clean up time.

Poised.

In-control.

Refined.

Confident.

Calm.

Composed.

Meek.

Mild.

Mellow .

I repeated the words over and over, reminding myself of who I was.

I’d been lost for far too many hours. The day was nearly done and I still hadn’t quite found myself yet.

Though wading felt wondrous, it was becoming.

I thrived off balance and stability. Something solid underneath me. A fixed foundation.

Balance.

Stability .

I craved them both. Obtaining them started by simply stepping fully into my role in the world. No matter how small or how extravagant it was. I was prepared to embrace my power and steal as much of it from Sac as I needed. He’d taken what I wasn’t ready to give. I needed it back.

“Balle.”

The SUV had come to a stop. I opened my eyes and leaned forward, pulling my skin from the seat.

“Yes, I know.”

Silence followed. August’s hand was on the door the next second, pulling it open. I stepped down and onto the pavement. The entry to the building of my family’s loft was in my line of vision. I placed one foot in front of the other until the doors parted, welcoming me inside.

7:00p

An internal alarm sounded in my head. Time wasn’t the only influence. At the elevator stood a handsome fella dressed in a pair of navy slacks and a beige shirt. It clung to his muscles, detailing his fitness addiction.

His sandy hair was freshly groomed. He seemed taller.

Thicker. Better than I remembered. It had only been a few hours since I’d marveled at his beauty, but it had intensified in a terrifying way.

The shorts and torn tee were rags in comparison to the threads adorning his frame. They increased his stock exponentially.

My God .

My heart danced in my chest at the sight of him. He was magnetic. I gravitated to him–mentally and emotionally. Physically, I was immobile. His abundance consumed me. It anchored me.

His eyes…

His eyes condemned me.

For leaving his side.

For spending hours away.

The anguish of his orbs revealed the effects of my absence as he turned to face me, realizing he was no longer alone. I had entered the building.

He missed me .

He placed one foot in front of the other, making his way to me. The flowers in his hand were a sight to see. Massive. Pink. And, requiring both hands to carry.

“Rome–”

“Good evening, Sac.”

“For you,” he said, extending the roses in my direction. “Fresh from the garden. Handpicked.”

“By–”

“Me,” he responded.

“You’ve done well.”

“I was hoping you approved.”

“I do.”

I tried accepting the flowers, but he wouldn’t allow it.

“They’re too heavy.”

“I can take them u–”

“No. You can’t, actually. Reservation is at 7:15p.”

He stepped around me, forcing me to turn my body to figure out where he was headed. He walked out of the back doors of the building and up to the awaiting vehicle. August stood with his hands folded in front of him.

Sac extended the flowers in his direction. He didn’t budge. With a shrug, Sac opened the door of the SUV.

Oh God .

August’s change of position forced me toward the double doors. As they opened, I strutted to the SUV. With a balled fist and cinched lips, I warned August against whatever was going on in that head of his. The deflation of his chest let me know he’d gotten the message.

“Sac, it’s fine. I ca–”

“You can’t, Rome. But, they can. And, when they’re finished securing your roses they can meet us at Georgio’s. We’ll be waiting.”

He sat the roses on the backseat and shut the door behind him.

“They need oxygen to live,” he informed them.

“So do you, my nigga. Keep playing tough and it will be extracted from you faste–”

“August!”

He closed his eyes, lowered his head, and sucked in a heap of air. Sac was near his side before I could protest. With his hands now folded in front of him, he tilted his head downward, matching the nasty glare August was shooting in his direction.

“I’m not the enemy. Neither am I a threat. I’m just a man who has encountered a good thing he intends to keep. Do what you’re being paid to do but consider it a free punch on the clock every time we’re together.

“Because, I’d hurt my damn self before I hurt her. Make sure you tell that to the man who hired you. Let them know their precious gem is in good hands. So calm down, my guy. I got her, just like you do.”

I could sense the shift in the atmosphere. I looked to Koen for help, but he was uninterested in halting the exchange. He was listening, intently. Studying, studiously. Analyzing, attentively. When his head lifted and fell, I was able to pull new air in my lungs.

He passed .

Whatever test Koen had put Sac through, he was pleased with the results.

“August,” he called out, finally, “Let the girl get to dinner. She hasn’t eaten since the last time he fed her.”

“Enjoy your night, Balle,” August released. The smirk on his face was condescending.

“She will,” Sac assured him, taking me by the hand.

We exited the front entrance of the building hand-in-hand. I slid into the passenger seat after the door was opened for me. Sac was around the SUV and lowering his bottom onto the leather within seconds.

“What happened?”

Sac’s reaction was both necessary and baffling.

“Being threatened by a stranger isn’t exactly how I planned to start our night, but I am pleased to have that moment behind us.”

“Threatened?”

“The moment I noticed you, I noticed the doors behind you and the man standing behind them, tapping the gun on his hips.”

I straightened my spine and removed my phone from my purse, prepared to make a call. However, my phone was slid from my palm and into Sac’s hand.

“The name of that playlist–” he demanded.

“I need to make a ca–”

“Date Night?” He chuckled. “Is that it or is that a new one?”

I settled in my seat, realizing what was happening.

“You made that for us? For tonight?”

I nodded. “Yes. I thought maybe you’d–”

“I do.”

“Do what?”

“Like it.”

“Good, because I worked hard on it.”

Sighing, I waited for the first song to play. My eyes were trained on the radio. Although the playlist felt corny half the time I was creating it, I followed the overbearing feeling in my chest that had driven the idea to reality.

“Feel better, Rome.”

I peered over at Sac. His finger hovered over my phone, waiting to press the play button.

“Feel better, baby.”

“I– I can call them off. They don’t mean any harm. They’re jus– They’re just following orders. I–”