“And what are they?” I asked.
“Did you really kill those people like you said you did?”
The question caught me off guard. I tried my best not to show that on my face. There were questions that needed answering. That just happened to be one of them.
“For you.”
“Will you stop saying that?” she whispered like she was afraid someone might overhear.
“I did, baby. They would have killed you if I didn’t. My mom told the organization about you. She knew that I would never fulfill my obligation once she realized that I was in love with you. That’s what she came to tell me. I had to carry out a consequential mission to save you and guarantee that if I got the chance, we could be together one day.”
“Oh wow.” Her voice trembled, and her hand shook gently as she covered her mouth. “I don’t even know what to say.” Removing her hand from her face, I kissed the back of it.
“Now let me askyousomething. Is the reason you were so bound and determined to prove that Cashville was still dirty because you wanted to hurt daddy for not being there for you and our daughter?”
She tried to jump up, but I held onto her waist. “Stop running from me, Faith. It’s cool. I get it. I just need you to understand that I would have given you the entire world back then, and you deserve it even more now for holding it down without any help from me for so long.”
“Reed.” She sighed.
“I don’t want to hear it, Faith. I understand that you’re used to figuring it out on your own, but my woman doesn’t do shit on her own. I’m here now, baby, and I’m never going anywhere. You don’t have to do it alone anymore,” I told her, pulling the ring box out of my pocket.
Her eyes bugged as she attempted to stand. “What is that, Reed?”
“My commitment to you and our daughter.”
“We haven’t even got the DNA test done yet.”
“Didn’t I tell you to cut that shit out. You and I both know that’s my daughter. I bought this ring when I was out on my shopping trip that day. I almost got it the morning after you showed up and called yourself checking me on the red carpet. It has nothing and everything to do with you being the mother of my child,” I said, removing the ring from the box and slipping it on her finger. I wasn’t about to give her a chance to protest.
“What are you doing, crazy?” she questioned.
“You deserve the world, and I plan to hand deliver it to you piece by piece.”
“Then you wonder why I keep calling you delusional.”
“I have never wondered about that actually. I’ll be whatever I gotta be for the queen.”
“Boy—”
The door flew open, interrupting her before she could tell me that I was out of my mind.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Mr. Fuller, but it’s urgent,” Derrick, one of the clerks, said as he barged into my office wide-eyed.
Paula had taken the week off. I figured I could take care of myself for a few days. She hardly took days off, so I figured she wanted to avoid Faith. She needed a break with everything going on. I wish I would have thought of giving her some time off last week and avoided a few of those awkward moments between herand Faith. Then again, I wouldn’t have wanted her to think I was pushing her out because of Faith, even if I was.
Something was wrong. I knew it before the young dude ever gave me his excuse for running up in my office without knocking. I had to start locking my damn door. Anyway, the boy was only a few shades lighter than me, but it looked like every bit of color was drained from his face as his eyes bounced between me and Faith. His very presence shifted my mood. Yeah, something was wrong.
“What is it?” I asked, nudging him along.
“I think we might have a problem.”
“Do you think or do you know?”
“There’s a problem,” he verified.
“What kind of problem, D?”
“I’m not sure, but security asked me to find you immediately.”
