“Do whatever you feel is necessary, Jela. No one has power over you but you. I’ll help you in any way that I can.”
“What about the relationship with your brother? I don’t want you two at war because you decided to help me.”
“Don’t worry about that. I just want you to focus on my niece and getting back to who you used to be. Everything else doesn’t matter, my love.”
“Your love?” I asked, feeling my heart flutter.
“Don’t take it the wrong way. It’s just how I speak.”
“Why are you single, Truce?”
He smirked. “Who said I was single?”
“You’re doing all of this for me, I just assumed you were. And you kissed me.”
“I haven’t found anyone yet who makes me want to settle down with them. I’m sure she’ll come along soon.” He shrugged.
“It’s just hard to believe that women don’t throw themselves at you.”
“Who says they don’t? Stop assuming things, Empress.”
“You’re right. My apologies.”
“You good.”
Scottlyn came crawling over to Truce, and he picked her up, sniffing her neck, making her giggle.
“You ever thought about being a father?” I asked him as I watched them interact.
“One day. I’m in no rush… I have to find the woman of my dreams first to make that happen.”
“You believe in marriage before babies?”
“I do. However, if the baby comes before the marriage, I’m not opposed to that either. I’ll just have to wife her during or after the baby comes.”
“I wanted that too,” I said, solemnly.
“What changed?”
“Your brother… He convinced me to give him a baby, and we would get married after. That was before he started putting his hands on me.”
His eyes lowered, and I could see the anger resonate in his eyes. “So hewashitting you?”
I didn’t want to confirm that Damien was physically abusive because the way Truce was looking, I had no doubt that he was going to do something to that man.
“It’s okay. I’m never going back, so that won’t be a problem anymore. So, please don’t be mad.”
“I’m happy you’re choosing yourself and your baby. I’m only upset because we both watched our mother go through the same shit. I don’t respect any man, brother or not, who could take advantage of a woman who can’t defend herself. That’s weak shit, and I tried to teach him how to be a protector.
“My father may not have been his father, but he never treated him any differently from me. He was always teaching us something that would bring longevity to our finances and our life spans. Dame knows better, but because he keeps talking to his bitch-ass daddy, he’s allowing him to get inside his head and undo everything that was taught to him.”
“Your father sounded like a wise man.”
“He was. Losing him made me appreciate life more than I did before. I tried the drug-dealing life after he passed away, but it didn’t feel right. The consequences behind that shit wasn’t worth what I knew I was capable of. I knew what I wanted, so I went and got it.”
I smiled. “Were you any good at it?”
“Made a million in half a year. I’m good at everything I do.”
