"You love me?" I asked.
He smiled and strolled over to me, then leaned down and lifted me bridal style. Duke carried me to the couch and sat down with me in his lap. I knew it was only a matter of time before he closed the distance between us.
"Hell yeah. I think I've known it since the night I saw you treating that broom like a stripper pole."
I swatted his shoulder. "I was not," I whined.
Duke chuckled and lifted my hand to kiss my knuckles.
"Nah, but I realized tonight that the baggage I carry with my mom was being pushed onto you. I don't talk about our dynamic much. But she had me young, so my grandparents raised me. I never realized how much I was still hoping she'd come back and treat me like her child. And if I'm being real, the house I have is because I always wanted that white picket fence life."
I stayed quiet and listened as he went into the details of the conversation he had with his mom that night. I felt for the little boy in him who had to sit with the truth that his mother had never been ready for him. But the grown man was able to get the answers he always knew and needed to hear out loud. It made me smile that she wanted to try. Duke was trying not to seem too excited, but as he talked about her I could see it written all over him.
"I'm glad y'all are going to try. But I'm sorry you had to hear some of those things to get to the other side. This really could be a new beginning for both of you."
Duke nodded and turned to face me.
"I don't ever want my stuff to push you away. It's not going to disappear just because I want it to. But know that I'm going to check it within myself the moment I feel it rising again. I want this and I need this. We're building something I didn't know I deserved, and I'm willing to actually listen this time."
I placed my hands on his cheeks and leaned in to kiss him. "You deserve more than even I can offer. I'm going to be better for you too. I'm not perfect and I still have a few things I need to work on, like earlier."
"Baby, I don't know if that was a trauma response. Yo' ass just wanted to argue."
I pointed toward the door. "Are we making up or not, sir?"
Duke cracked up and leaned back against the couch, then made a zipping motion across his lips.
"I'm done. Let me hear it. What do you want to do? If you choose to go back and handle your business, I'll be right by your side as your personal bodyguard."
I smiled.
"I don't want to go back just because I owe my fans, at least that's not the only reason. I want my entire life back. I want to be Solana Amore Wright, no exclusions. I worked my ass off for my career as an actress. I can afford to have help yet I'm afraid to touch my own money. I'm tired of being scared. I have to go back and take my life back."
I tried to read Duke's expression but couldn't tell what was going through his mind. Until he gripped my ass and smiled up at me.
"Well, let's go get yo' shit."
I leaned forward to kiss him, but he stopped me.
"I'm all for us going back, but we are not riding on any plane with ol' boy. He weird as fuck and we can get there on our own."
I nodded and closed the distance between us.
THE NEXT DAY…
Duke and I made our way to the airport. I had chartered my own jet, not the one Henderson was using. I let him know in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't be riding with him. Not tomention, we couldn't leave at the same time he wanted to go anyway.
Duke had to get a few things in place at Chrome and I needed to do the same with Sugar Kissed. I decided to close up shop for the week and left a note on the door letting my customers know I would be back up and running the following week. I hated to do it, but some things couldn't wait any longer.
By the time we had our bags packed and everything squared away with our businesses, it was well into the afternoon. I knew we were in for a long flight, so it was in our best interest that I chartered something private. I pulled out my card for the first time since I had been gone and felt a strange mix of nerves and relief when it went through without issue.
I had to call my bank using my new number to let them know the purchase was mine, since the card had been sitting dormant for so long. Duke drove my car to Straton Bay so we could head to the private airstrip. The moment we pulled up, the staff moved quickly and helped load our luggage beneath the plane without a word.
I had chosen Premier Wings because they were known for their discretion above everything else. I knew that when the flight landed and we left the lot, the world wouldn't know I had returned to California. At least not until I was ready for them to.
Duke had been quiet the entire ride over and remained that way once we boarded. I knew this was pulling him far outside of his comfort zone. He never said a word about it. All he did was hold my hand. I tapped his shin lightly with the tip of my foot.
"Everything okay? I know this is a lot. But it wouldn't have been good if we went through a regular airport. We wouldn't have been able to move comfortably."