while in my thoughts and feelings there was a knock on the door.
I looked toward the door and a second later, it opened. One of Pressure’s men stepped inside, his tone low but direct.
“Pressure wants to see you.”
I looked up at him and blinked slow. “I’m good.”
He raised a brow like he wasn’t expecting that response. “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
He nodded once, then dipped back out without pushing the issue. I figured that was the end of it, but I should’ve known better.
Not even five minutes later, I heard another knock—this one deeper, heavier and more certain. And then came the scent… that same strong cologne that clung to Kashmere last night. It hit the room before he did.
Pressure stepped inside like it was his place, because technically, it was. He was dressed in all black, crisp and clean, with a chain peeking from beneath his fitted shirt and that usual calm-but-don’t-play-with-me energy wrapped all around him.
He didn’t even sit down or ask how I was. He just leaned against the wall and looked around like he was deciding if I was worth the trouble.
“Get dressed,” he said, his voice smooth like velvet but firm as hell. “I’m ‘bout to bus’ a couple moves. I want you to ride with me.”
I sat up on the edge of the bed, keeping my expression neutral. “I’m fine right here.”
Pressure turned his head slow, finally locking eyes with me like he was just now giving me his full attention.
“Nah,” he said. “I ain’t askin’ you.”
He said it cool, but the energy underneath let me know he wasn’t in the mood to play back-and-forth. The shit wasn’t up for debate.
I opened my mouth to respond, to tell him I wasn’t really feeling up to it, but there was something about the way he looked at me that stopped the words before they came out. He didn’t look angry, didn’t even look impatient. He just looked… sure, like he already knew I was gonna do what he said.
I stood up slowly, not because I was afraid, but because my body was already moving before my brain could catch up.Pressure gave one final glance around the room, then walked back out like he knew I’d follow through.
And I did…
I brushed my teeth, showered quick, and took a moment to breathe before standing in front of the mirror. My natural curls had already dried into soft coils from the steam, so I just brushed them up into a messy puff and laid my baby hairs soft around the sides. I went light on the makeup—just a little concealer under my eyes, some gloss, and a few dabs of highlighter to keep it natural but fresh.
I slipped on a two-piece cream-colored lounge set that hugged me just right. The cropped tank showed off my flat stomach, exposing my navel piercing, and the wide-leg pants flowed against my skin with every step I took. I put on gold hoops, my necklace and a few rings. Then I sprayed a soft spritz of perfume, and a pair of white sandals that complete my look. I didn’t want to look like I was trying hard, but I wasn’t about to step out looking like I’d been hiding all day either.
When I took the elevator down and stepped into the main hall, Pressure was already waiting by the front door with a blunt between his fingers. He was standing there like a boss out of a movie with his head slightly tilted back, smoke curling around his jawline and watching me walk up like he had all the time in the world.
His eyes dragged down my body and lingered just long enough to make my skin warm.
“You ready?” he asked, grabbing my hand like it was second nature. His touch was warm and firm in a way that caught me off guard.
“Yeah,” I said, my voice calm but my chest thumping a little harder.
He turned to Renza, Kay’Lo, and Blaqson, who were all lounging in the den like they had nothing better to do.
“I’ll be back later,” Pressure told them, not offering a single explanation beyond that.
Kay’Lo raised his glass. “Handle your business, my boy.”
Renza smirked and nodded, and Blaqson just hit his vape like nothing surprised him anymore.
As we headed out the door, I turned slightly and caught sight of Kashmere walking past. She was in a lilac two-piece set with her curls tied up in a high bun, but it was her face that caught me.
She didn’t smile or frown either. Her expression was unreadable, like she saw me but didn’t at the same time. It was if she had already started building a wall I wasn’t even invited to knock on.
