31. Pressure Mensah
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
The next day…
I was standin’ in the middle of my bedroom, feelin’ anxious as fuck.
My head was clear enough to know what I had to do, but my heart felt heavy like I was about to carry weight I couldn’t put down.
Tomorrow or next week, it wouldn’t matter—somebody’s heart was about to get broke today, and I was the one swingin’ the hammer.
Kay’Lo was leaned up against the wall, rollin’ one like this was just another day in Da Trill. “Man, don’t overthink it. You already know in your heart who you wanna be with,” he said without lookin’ up.
“I hear you,” I told him, “but it ain’t about that. This ain’t no regular shit. This ain’t just ‘pick one and keep it movin.’ These women gave me their time, their energy, everything they had in ‘em. I’m ‘bout to tell one of ‘em that it ain’t enough. That’s not a light thing to me.”
Blaqson sat on the edge of my bed, lookin’ like he felt sorry for me. “Still, bro… you been through eliminations before. This one just hittin’ different ‘cause of who’s standin’ out there.”
He wasn’t wrong.
After a minute, I straightened my shirt, adjusted my chains, and nodded toward the door. “Let’s get this shit over with.”
We all took the elevator down toward the foyer.
The doors opened, and there they was—Zaniyah, Toni, Kashmere, and Pluto.
They hair was done up, makeup beautiful and dresses hittin’ like they wish I would make the mistake of sendin’ them home.
They looked like they was ready to step out to go on a date, not stand here waitin’ to hear which one’s dreams I was about to cut short.
I stood there for a second, lettin’ my eyes run over each of them.
Zaniyah looked calm but I could see her hands clasped tight in front of her, like she was tryna keep it together.
Toni had that confident smirk she always wore, but I caught the little shift in her stance that told me she wasn’t as relaxed as she looked.
Kashmere’s chin was high, her eyes locked on mine like she was darin’ me to break contact first. And Pluto…
Pluto’s eyes were soft, searchin’ mine like she was already bracin’ herself for whatever I was about to say.
My heart felt heavier with every second that passed.
I finally called out, “Toni.”
She pressed her hand to her chest, exhalin’ as if she’d been holdin’ her breath since I walked in. She came up, hugged me tight, kissed me on the cheek, and stepped to the side.
Then I said, “Zaniyah.”
Even my boys looked surprised. Renza glanced at Kay’Lo, who raised his eyebrows like he didn’t see that comin’. Pluto and Kashmere exchanged a quick glance, both of them caught off guard.
I decided last night that I couldn’t keep both Pluto and Kashmere in this house. I was in love with both of ‘em, and I knew it. Keepin’ them both around was only makin’ shit harder, and somebody had to go so I could actually focus.
I looked between them, my eyes burnin’ the longer I stood there. Pluto had tears already streamin’ down her face, and Kashmere’s eyes was glassy even though she was tryin’ to hold her ground. My chest was tight, and my throat felt dry, but I kept my voice steady.
“Pluto… you mean a lot to me,” I said. “What we shared in my room the other night… that ain’t somethin’ I’ll ever take for granted. You calm me down and make me feel like a man when I’m around you. That’s not easy to do.”
She nodded slowly, tears fallin’ harder now, her chest rising and fallin’ quick.
Then I turned to Kashmere. “And you… you got that fire I don’t ever wanna put out. You beautiful as fuck, and even though you drive me crazy, you make me wanna buckle up and enjoy the ride.”
They was both lookin’ at me, breaths uneven, and I felt like I was standin’ on the edge of somethin’ I didn’t wanna jump off of.
“I gotta let one of y’all go,” I said, my voice lower now. “And?—”
The sound of the doorbell cut me off.
Everybody froze.
Confused, I looked over my shoulder. “Renza, go see who the fuck that is.”
He walked to the door, pulled it open… and there she was.
It was…Ka’mari.
She stepped inside, struttin’ and swayin’ her hips as her heels clicked across the floor.
Every eye was on her. She stood there like she’d never left my life, dressed in a fitted cream dress that hugged her curves, the diamonds I bought her drippin’ off her body. Her hair was slick, makeup done up, heels clickin’ against the marble as she walked toward me.
“I’ve been doing some thinking, Pressure,” she said, her voice smooth. “And I want to work this out.”
The whole room went silent.
Pluto’s tears froze on her cheeks. Kashmere’s lips pressed together like she was holdin’ back every word she wanted to spit.
Toni and Zaniyah both shifted, their eyes dartin’ between me and her.
Renza, Kay’Lo, and Blaqson was dead still, watchin’ like they was front row at a car crash they couldn’t stop.
I didn’t move or blink.
Because Ka’mari standin’ in this damn foyer… lookin’ good as fuck…just changed everything.
TO BE CONTINUED…