Page 88 of Gang of Roses: Rebel

I rubbed my belly. “This little one already got me off balance. I’m not about to break my neck trying to impress nobody.”

They laughed even harder.

“That’s our boss.”

I smiled as I looked around the room again. The gifts were nice, but seeing how much these people genuinely cared about me meant more than any of it.

“Seriously, though... thank y’all. Every single one of you. This company isn’t successful because of me alone. It’s successful because every person sitting at this table shows up every day and gives everything they’ve got.”

I paused, taking them all in. “And I don’t take that shit for granted.”

Just as the words left my mouth, my phone started ringing on the table.

“See,” Marcus joked. “Boss can’t even give a speech without somebody needing her.”

Everybody laughed as I reached for my phone. The second I saw Dice and Kash on the screen, a big smile spread across my face. It was my girls.

Since we had all moved to Vegas, the three of us were back to how it had been before Rose died. After everything we had been through together, being able to live our lives without constantly looking over our shoulders had changed us. We saw each other more, talked damn near every day, and somehow always found a reason to be in each other’s business. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“Hold on, y’all. My girls calling.”

I answered the video call.

“What y’all want?”

Dice’s face filled the screen first before Kash leaned into the camera beside her.

“Damn, bitch,” Dice said. “We can’t call our friend?”

“Not while I’m trying to run a company.”

Kash rolled her eyes. “Girl, please. Ain’t nobody in that office working no damn way.”

I narrowed my eyes. “How you know?”

The two of them looked at each other before bursting out laughing.

I slowly looked around the conference room. Everybody suddenly found something else to look at.

“Oh, hell nah.” I pointed at my employees. “What the fuck y’all done told them?”

“Us?” Kash asked innocently.

Dice grinned. “We don’t know what you talking about.”

That was when it clicked.

I looked at the gifts, then back at the phone.

“Wait a damn minute. Y’all knew about this?”

“Knew?” Dice laughed. “Bitch, who you think helped them?”

I threw my head back, laughing. “I should’ve fucking known.”

Kash smiled. “You really thought you were about to have our niece or nephew without us making sure you got a baby shower?”

My hand automatically went to my belly as I smiled at the screen.