When she looked at him, she had tears in her eyes again. This time, she allowed them to fall, and he hated that. He never wanted to see her cry.
Without thinking, he asked, “Would you feel better if we went and got her?”
Her eyes widened. “Can we?”
He nodded. He didn’t really want to share his space with anyone else, but after this stint here, he would sell this place. It would be of no use to him anymore since people knew about it.
“Yeah, but I ain’t bringin’ no nigga here. You said she lived with her man?”
Teonny’s face scrunched up. “That’s fine with me. I don’t care for his ass anyway.”
Prosper nodded. As long as she understood that. Two women was one thing, but a nigga, . . . nah. He wouldn’t go for that. He didn’t trust anyone, but especially not a nigga.
“Let’s go then. We have to make it quick, and after this, we ain’t leavin’ again ’til I get shit figured out. Long as you and ya mama can handle those rules and she don’t tell nobody where weat, y’all can stay here.” Prosper didn’t know if she was in danger or not. He definitely didn’t think her mother was, but he would do anything to make her happy. If her mama being here would give her a sense of peace, he would give her that.
Like he had told her earlier, whatever she wanted would be hers. He had her for life.
Teonny couldn’t even lie . . . she felt more at peace when Prosper was around. The entire time he was gone earlier, she kind of went a bit stir crazy. She wasn’t used to being alone. After Angel and Kevin died, she bought a large home, thanks to Kevin’s life insurance policy, and allowed her mom and Jerome to move in. Teonny couldn’t stand the silence. She couldn’t stand the memories of that night . . .
And today brought all that right to her. Time with herself and silence, along with guns and death. It felt impossible to wrap her mind around.
As Prosper pulled into the driveway of her home, she watched as he looked around protectively. His caution only fed into her paranoia. She hadn’t felt this way in years. For a long time after her daughter and husband died, she thought the two men would come back for her and finish her off, especially now that she had more money than she knew what to do with. Kevin may have been a complete ass, but his death set her up for life.
It took years for her to get over her paranoia and a ton of encouragement from her mother. Now, she felt like she had been sucked back in time, and all those old feelings had come back.
“You good?”
Prosper’s voice brought her out of her deep thoughts. Teonny nodded slowly.
“Just trying to decide what to say to my mama.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Her mom was pretty easygoing, but she couldn’t just tell her to come with them for a few days, or possibly longer, without her man and with no explanation.
“I would appreciate it if you keep how I make my money to yourself,” Prosper said.
Teonny nodded. She wouldn’t tell her mother that anyway. They may have been best friends, but there were limits to what she would tell her. Prosper’s occupation was neither of their business.
She thought about it for a moment before saying, “I could . . . I could just tell her that we’ve been dating for a little while and we wanted to take her on a staycation. I mean, that safe house is huge and has a relaxing vibe. She would definitely go for that.”
Despite his eyes roaming the area carefully, the corner of his mouth tugged up into a smirk. “You tellin’ me we go together now.”
Teonny scoffed, though heat spread through her body at the thought. “No, Patrick. That’s just what we gonna tell my mama, unless you want me to tell her you’re some kind of kingpin. That’s what you are, ain’t it?”
The way he spoke earlier made her think he was a big dog in the streets and that she hadn’t realized who she had been talking to over the past few years. She saw him in a new light and wondered if she was spot on in her assessment.
The way he looked at her and then ignored what she said told her she was.
“Come on. Let’s get ya mama so we can get back. I don’t like bein’ out here like this, especially not wit’ you.”
“Why not have one of your men get my mom then?” Teonny asked as she reached for the car door.
“Bet not touch that mothafuckin’ door.” Teonny snatched her hand back like the handle was made of lava. She waited patiently for Prosper to get out of the car and open hers. She noticed the gun he tucked into his waistband when he got out of the car, and her pussy throbbed at the sight. She patted her purse and silently thanked God that she had made it out of the gun range with her girl. She would have felt completely naked without her. Of course, she had more in her home, but this one was her favorite. Prosper helped her out of the car as he spoke again. “Nobody can know where the safe house is, remember? I’m takin’ a risk with you and ya mama, but I want you to be good, so it is what it is.”
Teonny nodded in understanding. Prosper clearly had trust issues if he couldn’t even let one of his homies know where he was. Realization hit her. Prosper really was putting a lot of trust in her. He was the one in danger, yet he went out of his way to make sure she was safe as well. Her frosty heart thawed a little more toward him.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
Teonny led him up the stairs to her home. While she unlocked the door, he asked, “Yo’ people rich?”
She snickered. “Not even.”
