“How did—where are you taking me?” she asked, trying to sit up. I helped her to an upright position, moving all the material of her dress. I wanted to snatch that shit off and burn it, but I was patient.
“I have the jet gassed up and ready for take-off. I’m not trying to force you, Dinny, but I need to know that you're ridin’ with me.”
She blinked several times before her hand went to her head and rubbed. “Zion, what have you done?”
“What my heart told me to do.”
She shook her head. “I—this isn’t right. There were cameras and bloggers there. This is going to be all over social media, Zion. It could destroy his reputation.”
“Dinny, on some real shit, I don’t give a fuck about his reputation. That nigga can never get another acting gig in life, and I wouldn’t feel the least bit sorry about what I did. All I give a fuck about is you.”
“This will destroy my reputation, too! Do you care about that?”
I shrugged. “I do, but I don’t. I care because I want you to do and be whatever it is that you want to be. But I don’t care, because whatever you need, I can provide. Just as I always had.”
“Zi, . . . this is wrong.”
“Was it wrong when you rode my dick last night and told me how much you missed and loved me?” I asked, coolly. The slap that followed had me closing my eyes, wishing I hadn’t said that shit. I couldn’t help it, though.
My feelings were hurt.
“Don’t talk to me like that in front of them. As a matter of fact, don’t speak to me like that at all. I haven’t seen you in ten years, Zion. You disowned me, and now you want to come back as if everything is just supposed to go back to how it used to be?”
“I expect us to growtogether,Dinny. I know shit will never be how it used to be, but I’m determined to make it better, . . . greater. We can’t do that if you're trying to run off and marry another motherfucka. You made me a promise; now you want to break it for some washed-up actor? Nigga needed you to upgrade his image and status because nobody was fucking with him after that little drunk shit he did in the club. How that shit work, Dinny?”
Her eyes ballooned at my revelation. “How did you know that?”
“I spent the last six hours researching his bum ass. Obviously, he was competition, but now I know his ass ain’t shit compared to me. And that’s not me being arrogant. I’m just stating facts.”
She looked out of the window and sighed. “I can’t leave like this, Zi.”
“So you want to go back to him? I know what I did was fucked up, but if that’s who you want, I won’t force you to come back to me. I’ll have Meek turn the truck around and take you back tohim. As much as it will hurt me, all I want is for you to be happy. If that’s with him, I can’t do shit but respect that.”
She didn’t speak, but the tears flowing down her face had me pulling her close to me and kissing her forehead. Her arms circled my waist, and my arms wrapped around her. No more words were spoken as we rode in silence the rest of the way to the airstrip.
Killa turned and looked back at us with a smirk on his face. “Told yo’ hard-headed ass,” he directed to Jordin.
She reached up and mushed his head. “Shut up and mind your damn business.” She sniffled. I shook my head and kissed her head, hoping this trip would be beneficial for both of us.
We landed in St. Croix eight hours later.
It was 11 p.m. by the time we made it to our private villa. Before we boarded, Jordin questioned me about her items. When I opened the trunk to retrieve them, she was befuddled. I explained to her that Jessie had already brought her things to me earlier that morning when I set up the impromptu trip. She cursed under her breath about killing Jessie before she turned and stomped up the steps to the jet.
That was eight hours ago, and she hadn’t said a word to me since.
It was cool, though.
I knew she needed time to process everything, and I knew she was worried about the outcome of this situation. But I already had plans to fix whatever was broken between us on the trip. I needed her to understand that what we shared was meant to be, no matter how long ago it had been.
The car pulled into the driveway, and I stepped out, retrieving our bags from the trunk, then opened the door for Jordin. She stepped out and looked around before heading toward the door.
I tipped the driver and followed her up the walkway. Opening the door, I let her in first, then went inside and locked the door behind me. Jordin stood in the center of the living room, looking around at all of the red roses surrounding the room.
There was champagne and strawberries on the table, with rose petals on the floor and table. I could feel the thick tension still floating between us, and she looked at me, folding her arms across her chest.
“So what now?” she asked.
I looked at her. “Now, we love again.”