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I didn’t have shit to say immediately. I ran through my head whether I ever told Nikki that shit.

“What happened to her ain’t never happening to you.”

“You can’t promise that. Nobody knows what they are capable of until you're in the moment. You told me yourself you didn’t go over there planning to kill her”

I looked down at my hands. There was no convincing Kyenna otherwise.

“So, what are you sayin’, Ky?”

“I’m saying I need boundaries.”

“What boundaries?”

“You stop having security report every move I make to you. If there is an actual safety issue, fine. Otherwise, I should be able to leave my house without you knowing where I had dinner before I make it through my gate.”

I didn’t like any of the shit she was saying. She could tell by how I started pacing.

“I’m not finished,” she said.

“Go ‘head.”

“You stop interrogating me about Lloyd. If I decide to have dinner with that man, that is my choice. If he kisses me on the forehead, that is my choice. You do not own me.”

“I kno’ I don’t own you.”

“You behave like you do.”

I rubbed my beard. “And what exactly are we if I’m supposed to sit around smilin’ while another nigga pursues you?”

“That’s what I came here to ask you,” she said, looking me in the eyes.

Now we were getting somewhere.

“What are we, Meek?” she asked.

We sat in silence for a little minute. I knew what I wanted to be, but saying it out loud made the shit real.

“I want you,” I said.

“You’ve established that a while ago.”

“Nah, I want you. I don’t want this sneakin’ shit forever. I don’t want you datin’ Lloyd. I don’t want no other nigga touchin’ you. I want to be able to come to yo’ house without takin’ a fuckin’ golf cart and payin’ security to keep their mouths closed. I want to wake up beside you and not have to leave before the sun comes up.”

Kyenna’s expression softened, but she still didn’t rescue me from saying the rest.

“I love you. There I said it.”

“Damn,” she said. “This scares me.”

“I don’t want you scared of me.”

“I’m not scared you're going to kill me or beat me. That’s not what I mean. I’m scared of what this could become. I loved your brother with everything in me, Meek. Now I’m sitting in his brother’s house trying to figure out whether I’m falling in love again.”

“You said falling.” I smiled.

“Don’t ruin the moment,” she said.

I got up and moved around the island. I stopped in front of her but didn’t touch her.