Page 28 of Know Your Place

I rolled my eyes. I felt she was being dramatic. Sort of anyways.

I smiled softly as I thought about him. “I really never felt like any man could ever match me, but then I met him, and he proved me wrong.”

“He proved us all wrong, cousin. I never thought anyone could match your crazy ass either. I always thought if you did settle down, it would be with a poor man you would run all over.”

I grinned. “Yeah, that ain’t happening with Beretta. Is it weird that I kind of like that?”

Chyna cocked her head to the side. “Is it weird that I got wet watching Keegan beat my old landlord with an iron pipe?”

I cackled, remembering the day fondly. “Nah, that shit was super entertaining. I liked Keegan for you ever since then.”

Chyna shook her head. “Yeah, ’cause him and Beretta are the same kind of crazy in different fonts. I just know they were hell growing up.” No lies detected there. “What I’m saying is that it’s not strange to like a man who can put you in your place. That’s what he’s supposed to do. Men are leaders by nature. You won’t ever be in your soft girl era, but I do believe that you can learn to allow Beretta to lead you. You just have to open yourself up to trusting someone else with your heart other than yourself. It’ll come with time and patience.”

“And probably a lot of arguing.”

“Probably.” Chyna agreed. “But it’s what y’all do best. Ain’t no shame in that. It works for you guys. I think that, eventually, that arguing and shit will settle into comfortable, loving bickering.”

To me, it already felt like that. Even when Beretta did the most and caused scenes or hurt my feelings, deep down, I always knew it was rooted in love, and the same went for my actions toward him.

Love.

“Wow. This is really happening.”

“It’s really happening, Cousin, and I love it for you.”

I beamed, but my smile fell slightly when I thought of Beretta. “He’s going to kill me.”

“Why?” Chyna asked with her brows crushed together.

“I might have snuck out of his house this morning after we had such a vulnerable night together.” Guilt crept in because I knew if I was in Beretta’s position, I would knock all this shit over and knock his damn head off.

Chyna snickered. “Yeah, I’ma need you to leave. I don’t need him finding your ass over here and knocking me upside my head as a damn accomplice.”

My brows rose. “You’re really kicking me out to fend for myself?”

“Yup.”

I rolled my eyes as I hopped off the stool and stretched. “Fine. I need to shower and change, anyway, and then I’ll go back to his house and face my punishment. Maybe it’ll be a good one.” A lopsided grin overtook my features.

“Ew, you ain’t even wash your ass before coming over here?” Chyna’s nose scrunched, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I cut my eyes at her. “This is the last time I come to you for comfort in my desperate time of need.”

I stalked toward the front door.

“Oh, you’re extra sensitive this morning,” she teased.

I stuck my middle finger up at her. “Bye, rug rats!”

“Bye, Auntie!” they called out from the living room.

I opened the front door and ignored Chyna when she said bye to me. She simply laughed and closed the door.

In the car, I tossed my phone to the side, not wanting to see if Beretta called. All I wanted to do was shower and get back over there. If I was lucky, he would still be asleep and not even notice I was gone. I would even pack some clothes to keep at his place. Give this whole relationship thing a true try. And since his ass had a key to my place, he needed to be ready to make me one for his place.

A lazy smile formed on my face as I drove home, completely lost in thought and settling into the fact that I was a girlfriend now . . . and in love.

When I pulled up to my place, though, my smile completely dropped, right along with my heart. Beretta’s car was parked outside. He wasn’t in it, which meant he was already inside and probably pissed the fuck off.