Page 8 of The Love of Priest 2

Jeremy shrugged. "I'm doing alright. I'm ready to be a hundred percent, though."

Priest sighed as he rested his arms against his knees. "I never really apologized for all this shit," he began. "It had nothing to do with you. If anything, I should be the one recovering."

A smooth chuckle flowed from Remy as he exhaled a small cloud of smoke.

"Leonard been had motives from the jump, PJ," he reminded him as he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"He trusted me with a lot more than others, and I just outgrew him.

It was no hostility on my side. I just couldn't fuck with him knowing that he was just out here being a coward.

He don't get no respect from me, and I think he realized that the day he stopped by. "

"He got you before you could get him," Priest mumbled.

Jeremy nodded. "And that's another reason I just can't get down with him no more.

He's grimy. Leonard's the type of nigga to bite the hand that feeds him, and that shit don't sit right with me.

June, on the other hand, he's real. His loyalty to his brother just got him blind," Remy explained to Priest.

"June been hating," Priest disagreed with a scoff.

"That's just him staying loyal to Leo. He did what was right when he checked you about you spilling into his stomping grounds."

Priest let out a sigh as he leaned back in his seat. "So, what now?"

"You asking me what now?" Jeremy hiked his brow up. "You never did that before." He shook his head.

Priest shrugged his shoulders. "I gotta play this smart. I can't dive in headfirst in this situation."

Remy eyed Priest for a moment. He hated the fact that Priest came to him for advice about all the wrong things, but he couldn't just send him out there blind.

"Keep doing what you're doing. They expect you to come at them full force right now.

Don't," Remy instructed him. "You come back fully equipped and fully prepared… Right when they least expect it."

Priest nodded, retaining all the advice. "Bet. And where does that leave you, old man?" he questioned with a light smirk.

Remy waved him off with a chuckle. "I'm out. I trust you to handle it."

"You singing a different tune." Priest raised his brows skeptically. He was sure that Seven had talked him out of his prior plan of taking matters into his own hands with Leonard, but Priest really didn't mind. He actually preferred it this way.

"I've been there and done that," Remy waved off. "I can't keep getting shot, man."

"I feel you," Priest assured. "I'll handle it. I got you."

After a short while, Priest decided to leave. He never mentioned Seven because he felt like it was best to stay out of it; however, he was going to take Seven's advice. "Sunday, I'm having dinner at my restaurant. You gotta come through," Priest offered Remy an invite.

With a bit of hesitation, Remy shook his head. "I don't know, man. I'll see if I could make it."

"C'mon get out the fucking house, Rem. I'm sure Britain would be happy to see you socializing," Priest chuckled, hoping that would be enough to convince Remy.

"Do I look like the type of nigga who socializes?" Remy stale faced Priest.

Finding Jeremy's stale expression funny, Priest waved him off. "I'll see you Sunday, Rem," Priest told him as he began making his way to his car.Remy shook his head, knowing that Priest was now expecting him, and soon, Britain would be expecting him as well.

Pulling off from Remy's spot, Priest headed to Britain's apartment.

Since her place was closer to her mother's clinic, she decided to stay there during the week, and on weekends, she would be at the penthouse.

The back and forth may have been taxing for anyone else, but for Priest and Britain, it was comfortable.

They both had their own spaces and didn't have to be confined to just being together if things ever got heated.

Arriving at her apartment, Priest parked his car before stepping out.

With the use of his key, he gained entrance into the apartment, kicking his sneakers off immediately.

"We haven't gone out in a while. You down to do something tonight?

" he asked her as he sauntered over to her while she rummaged through the fridge to find something to snack on.

Priest stood behind her, causing a chuckle to drift from her lips. "You're in a very good mood," she pointed out as she rose from her bent down position with a bunch of green grapes in hand.

He shrugged as he wrapped his strong arms around Britain's frame. "I finally got Tasha to agree to move into my building," he proudly announced.

"Congrats," Britain smiled. "How'd you do it?"

He let out a heavy breath while shaking his head. "She's hard to get through to, but I think she knows I'm a man of my word."

"That you are,” Britain agreed with a nod of her head.

She hiked herself up onto her kitchen counter, and Priest parted her legs to stand between them.

She was still in her bright pink scrubs that contrasted her radiant sepia skin.

She made the uniform look nice with her gold necklace that accessorized her neck and her Apple Watch that wrapped around her wrist. Priest leaned in, kissing her lightly and tasting the grapes she had just eaten on her lips.

"You letting me take you out tonight or what?" He suavely licked his lips as he peered down at her.

She felt her face heat up as her cheekbones rose in a smile. "I mean, why not?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Why not?" he reiterated her response with a chuckle webbed within his words. "Word?" His brows raised.

"I'm joking," she assured him. "I would love to go on a date with you tonight," Britain corrected her response, earning another kiss on her lips from him.

"That's better." He nodded his head in a satisfied manner.

Laughter seeped out of her as she held a grape up to his lips and he ate it. "Where we going?"

He shrugged, just as clueless as she was. "I haven't figured that part out yet, but I'll let you know by tonight."

"You're a gem, y'know that?" she praised him while cupping his face in her hands. Priest's efforts and actions never went unnoticed. She was grateful for him.

She tilted his face down to meet his lips for another kiss. "‘Preciate it," he told her.

Together, they shared the container of grapes while Britain filled him in on her day.

She knew he could probably care less about whatever she was talking about, but the fact that he was so attentive and interactive warmed her heart.

He even followed the nicknames she made to heckle the annoying patients who constantly gave her a hard time.

"What went on with you today?" she questioned him once she finalized her long spill of her day.

He followed with a light sigh. "I stopped by your pops’ house.”

"Why do you sound so down?"

"I don't know. I just feel so guilty," he admitted with a shrug and a sheepish look on his face.

Britain knew she played a role in his guilt, and for that, she felt awful. "P, it's okay—" she began, but Priest interrupted her with a shake of his head.

"It's not okay, Britain," he stated with deep exasperation. "I let this shit happen right in front of my face. Remy always told me he wasn't going back to that life, and I brought that shit to his doorstep. If anything, I should be the one who's recovering," he vented in frustration.

"It didn't happen that way because it wasn't supposed to. Priest, stop dwelling on it. No one is angry at you or feels like you're the one to blame. We're rolling with the punches right behind you," she consoled him, hoping it would ease his worries.

Priest’s dark eyes bore into Britain's brown feline like orbs.

She knew he was about to unload whatever had been bothering him about the situation.

She was ready. "I fucked up," he began.She nodded, signaling him to continue.

"I didn't tell Remy I took the money. I didn't even tell J'Ru I found the money.

I tried to lead everyone through this plan blind, and it fucked me over. " He shook his head, shaming himself.

Priest usually never executed things that way.

Everyone was usually on one accord. He was just so determined to conquer his father alone that he forgot about the team behind him until the last minute.

In his eyes, Leonard had won this go-round.

The past traumas that affected Priest's life due to the absence of his father had completely taken over, unbeknownst of Priest. Leonard had won without even trying.

"P, it's okay. You can't beat yourself up for something that was a mistake." She slowly caressed Priest's face in hopes of easing his frustration.

"Brit, you don't understand.”

"Help me understand then, Priest.”

Priest grabbed ahold of her wrists, removing her tender hands from his handsome face. "P—" Britain attempted to say, but he interjected.

"I didn't pull the trigger," he chuckled bitterly as he hung his head low in shame.

"I spent my entire life plotting to kill him, and I couldn't pull the fucking trigger.

" The usual light voice he would use while speaking to her had completely diminished.

He wasn't necessarily overcome by anger.

However, his tone was cold and emotionless.

Britain tilted his head back up so he was looking at her.

His orbs had darkened as his jaws clenched.

"Even after he shot Rem and J'Ru, I still couldn't do it.

J'Ru and Rem are two of the most important people in my life, and I just froze when they were at their weakest." Priest breathed heavily as he thought back to the night.

"You should've seen the look on Leonard’s face.

He knew I couldn't do it, and that shit bothers me. "