Chapter 5 #2
He locked up behind us, and as we walked to his car, I let him hold my hand, still a little in my feelings…
But trustin’ that maybe this time, he meant what he said.
I was ridin’ in the passenger seat with the top down while Renza had one hand on the wheel and the other laced with mine, bringin’ it up every few minutes to press a kiss against the back of it like he needed me to feel him without sayin’ too much.
The music was low, some smooth R&B playin’ through the speakers, and the night air felt good against my skin, coolin’ me down in a way I needed after earlier.
I’m not even gon’ lie, I was still a little in my feelings, but I had made the decision to let that shit go and just enjoy my time with Renza.
I turned my head slightly, lookin’ over at him while he drove like nothin’ in the world fazes him. His jaw was set, his eyes were focused ahead, but his thumb was still rubbin’ slow circles over my hand like he was remindin’ me he was here.
After a minute, he glanced over at me. “You good, baby?”
I looked at him, then back out at the road. “Yeah, I’m good.”
He watched me for a second longer than he needed to. “You sure?”
I nodded a little, lettin’ my fingers tighten around his. “I said I’m good. I’m just hopin’ for the best with you, that’s all.”
He didn’t say anything right away, but I felt the way his hand shifted in mine, like he took that in for real. Then he brought it up to his mouth again and kissed it slower this time, his eyes flickin’ back to the road.
Renza always knew how to slide back in like nothin’ ever happened, and he never pressed back too hard when I said shit that might’ve felt heavy.
Still… I squeezed his hand back and didn’t force him to respond.
When we finally pulled up to his cousin’s mansion, I sat up a little straighter, takin’ it in. Even though I had been here a few times before, it still hit the same every time.
The gate slid open once Renza put the code in, and we drove through slowly, the lights from the driveway guidin’ the way.
He parked next to a line of cars that I wasn’t even about to try and count, then cut the engine off.
Before I could even reach for the handle, he was already out the car, comin’ around to my side and openin’ the door.
“Come on, Big Mama,” he said, holdin’ his hand out.
I placed mine in his, lettin’ him help me out. The second I stood up, he pulled me in close and pressed his lips to mine like he had been waitin’ to do that again.
“Mmm,” he murmured against my mouth before trailin’ his lips down to my neck, kissin’ along it.
I let out a light breath, my hand comin’ up to his chest while I turned my head just a little, feelin’ the warmth of him and catchin’ that light scent of his cologne that always did somethin’ to me.
“I’m glad you came with me,” he said against my skin.
“You didn’t give me much of a choice,” I replied, smirkin’ and rollin’ my eyes while I brushed my hair from my shoulders.
He laughed softly, pullin’ back just enough to look at me. “I meant what I said. I ain’t takin’ you back home tonight.”
I raised a brow. “Oh, for real?”
“For real,” he said, noddin’ once. “You stayin’ with me. I don’t care what you talkin’ ’bout.”
I shook my head a little, but I couldn’t even hold back the smile that tried to come through.
He grabbed the back of my hand again and kissed it, then reached up and pinched my cheek before rubbin’ my chin.
“I really do adore you, baby,” he said, lookin’ at me in a way that made me pause for a second.
“And I love you,” I replied, really meanin’ it.
He smirked, then took my hand and led me toward the house.
Soon as we stepped inside, it was quiet, which made me feel how big the mansion really was.
Our footsteps echoed a little as we walked further in, Renza’s hand still holdin’ mine. After a few seconds, I started hearin’ voices from the back.
By the time we made it outside, the whole setup came into view, and I couldn’t even lie. It was nice.
The patio was lit up with warm lights strung across the top, givin’ it that soft glow that made everything look good without tryin’ too hard.
The music played low in the background, some smooth shit that blended right into the night.
The table everybody sat at was full of food and drinks like it was just another regular night for them.
Which I guess it was, because this was just what they did.
A whole outside kitchen was set up to the side with chefs movin’ around like they had this down to a science. The grill was goin’, plates was comin’ together, and a bar was set up not too far from it where drinks was already bein’ made and brought over.
I caught sight of the food first.
They had steak fajitas laid out on cast iron skillets, still sizzlin’, shrimp and chicken tacos stacked up with fresh tortillas, street corn covered in cheese and spices, loaded nachos piled high with everything on ’em, quesadillas cut into triangles, rice and beans on the side, guacamole and chips set out like it was endless, and different salsas sittin’ in bowls that looked homemade.
Everything smelled good as hell.
Renza squeezed my hand as we walked up, and that’s when everybody looked over.
Pressure was leaned back in his chair with Pluto tucked up against him, his arm around her while she rested into him like that was her spot for real. Toni was sittin’ close to Kay’Lo, and he was leaned in, sayin’ somethin’ low to her before kissin’ her neck like it wasn’t nothin’.
I took that in without reactin’, just noticin’ it.
“Look who finally fuckin’ made it,” Pressure said, his tone already jokin’.
“Man, don’t start,” Renza shot back, pullin’ a chair out for me before sittin’ down beside me.
Toni gave me a small smile and a nod. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I replied, keepin’ it simple.
Pluto did the same. “Hey, Reni.”
“Hey.”
I wasn’t overly friendly, but I wasn’t cold either. I just… kept it where it needed to be.
“Do you want something to eat or drink, Reni?” Pluto asked, already glancin’ toward the chefs.
I paused for a second, then nodded. “Yeah, I’ll eat. Thank you.”
She gave a small smile and waved one of them over. “Just let them know what you want.”
I leaned slightly forward, lookin’ over everything again before orderin’ what I wanted, then I sat back while they moved off to fix it.
Renza leaned closer to me. “I thought y’all said y’all was watchin’ the game.”
“That shit been over, nigga,” Pressure said without even lookin’ at him.
“Damn,” Renza muttered. “Ain’t nobody at least text me the damn score?”
“Bitch, you don’t never text me the score,” he replied.
“Fuck you, lil’ boy,” Renza shot back.
They kept goin’ back and forth, jokin’, talkin’ shit, and I just sat there listenin’, takin’ it all in.
The food came out not long after, plates set in front of us and drinks followin’ right behind. I thanked the chef before pickin’ up my fork.
While they talked, I listened to not just what they was sayin’, but how they moved with each other.
Kay’Lo stayed touchin’ Toni like that was second nature. He kept his hand on her leg, leanin’ into her, kissin’ her whenever he felt like it. Pluto stayed right against Pressure, and he kept his arm around her like he wasn’t lettin’ her go nowhere.
I watched all of that without sayin’ nothin’, just takin’ it in while I sat here.
There was no jealousy sittin’ on me, not even a little bit. I was just payin’ attention and noticin’ how they moved with each other like it came natural.
I leaned slightly into Renza, and he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer without even thinkin’ about it, but even with him holdin’ me, I could still feel the difference in how he moved compared to his cousins.
It wasn’t that he didn’t touch me or show me attention, because he did, but it wasn’t as open or as natural as what I was watchin’ across the table.
Kay’Lo stayed all over Toni without it lookin’ forced, kissin’ on her, keepin’ his hand on her, talkin’ to her in between everything else like she was always part of the moment. Pressure wasn’t as loud with it, but he kept Pluto close.
With Renza… it felt a little more contained.
He still had his arm around me and still pulled me in, but it didn’t flow the same way, and I couldn’t tell if that was just how he was or if it was somethin’ else I hadn’t quite figured out yet. I didn’t question it. I just noticed it.
I took a sip of my drink, lettin’ my eyes move around the table again while they talked, laughin’ about somethin’ I only caught half of.
I found myself watchin’ more than I was talkin’, just payin’ attention to how everything moved around the table. The more I sat here, the more I started pickin’ up on the way everything seemed to center around Kay’Lo and Pressure without nobody even sayin’ it.
It wasn’t forced, and it wasn’t loud, but it was there.
Toni stayed leaned into Kay’Lo, laughin’ when he laughed, followin’ his lead in the conversation without ever really takin’ it over, and Pluto moved the same way with Pressure, soft, calm, and right there with him while he did most of the talkin’.
Even when she spoke, it still felt tied into him somehow, like everything circled back around to them.
I wasn’t sayin’ it was a bad thing because there was nothin’ wrong with a woman lovin’ her man and movin’ with him.
But sittin’ here, lookin’ at it from the outside, I couldn’t help but notice how much of them seemed wrapped up in that role, to the point that I didn’t even know what they did outside of bein’ wives and mothers.
Maybe they had their own shit goin’ on. Maybe they didn’t.
I hadn’t been around enough to know, and Renza never spoke on it, so all I had to go off was what I was seein’ right in front of me.
And what I was seein’… It just wasn’t how I moved.