Chapter 16
Days later…
I was ridin’ in the passenger seat, lookin’ out the window while Renza drove with his hand rested on my thigh. His palm was warm and grounded, and every now and then his thumb moved slowly across my skin. I didn’t interrupt it. I let it sit there and let myself feel it.
I felt good in a way that settled me because, for once, I wasn’t overthinkin’ him. I wasn’t tryin’ to figure out what he meant or where I stood. Renza had been showin’ me where I stood, and I could feel it in the way he kept me close without sayin’ too much.
I leaned my head back and let my eyes follow the view as we drove.
The city shifted behind us, and the closer we got to the water, the more everything opened up.
The docks stretched out along the shoreline, lined with boats and yachts that looked expensive from a distance.
The whole area felt quiet and clean, and everything out here just looked like money.
After a while, Renza lifted his hand off my thigh and reached for his blunt. He lit it back up with one hand while keepin’ the other on the wheel, pullin’ from it slow. I turned my head and looked at him, really takin’ him in.
My nigga looked too damn good. His skin was that deep, rich chocolate that didn’t need light to stand out.
It carried its own glow. His waves were brushed down clean with a sharp taper on the sides, and everything about him looked put together without him tryin’ too hard.
He had on some simple but fresh shit, fitted just right, and whatever cologne he had on sat in the car with us and stayed.
I let my eyes linger before I shifted in my seat and smoothed my hand over my dress.
The cream-colored fabric hugged my body in a way that felt soft but still showed what it needed to.
My sandals were a warm caramel tone, clean and simple, and my Birkin matched perfectly.
It was the same caramel shade with smooth leather, and it felt like money in my hand every time I picked it up.
Finally, we pulled into a private marina not too long after, and it didn’t look like anything I was used to.
Security stood at the front, and the gates didn’t open until they checked Renza’s car.
Once we got through, the road led straight toward the docks.
It was chilled as hell, with nothing but high-end boats lined up on both sides.
Renza pulled into a reserved section close to the dock and cut the engine, his hand already moving before I could even think about mine. I stayed seated, watchin’ him step out and come around the front of the car, and a second later, he was right there on my side.
He opened my door and held his hand out to me.
I placed my hand in his and stepped out, my sandals hittin’ the pavement while he kept hold of me just long enough to make sure I was good before lettin’ go.
Right after that, he reached back into the car and grabbed both our luggage with one in each hand.
“Come on, baby,” he said, noddin’ toward the dock.
I fell in step beside him while he carried everything, and when I lifted my eyes toward the water, a huge beautiful yacht was sittin’ out there waiting on us.
The yacht sat out on the water and was hard to ignore.
It was massive, layered with levels stacked on top of each other, with glass wrapped around the sides and staff movin’ across it like it was a full operation. It didn’t look like somethin’ you just got on. It looked like somethin’ you lived in.
“Damn,” I mumbled under my breath, not even tryin’ to hide it.
The closer we got to the boat, the more people I started to recognize.
Renza stepped forward like he was already in his element, and I stayed right beside him.
“Wussup, Mama? he said.
The woman who turned toward us had a presence that hit before anything else did.
Her skin was deep and flawless with that rich dark skin complexion that looked soft and expensive at the same time, and it carried a glow.
Her features were sharp in a way that stood out without her doin’ too much, from the way her eyes sat to the shape of her lips.
Everything about her just looked put together.
Her hair fell down her back in thick, full waves, styled clean and laid like it was done with care, and every piece of jewelry on her looked like it was placed exactly where it needed to be.
Diamonds sat around her neck and ears without lookin’ loud, but just enough to remind you who she was without her havin’ to say it.
And she was already holdin’ a glass of wine, standin’ there like she had nowhere to be but exactly where she was.
“Reni,” she said as soon as she saw me, her face breakin’ into a smile like she already knew me.
Before I could even say anything, she stepped forward and pulled me into a hug, one arm wrapping around me while she kept her wine glass lifted in the other like it wasn’t new to her.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you in person,” she said as she pulled back, her eyes moving over me in a way that felt more welcoming than judging. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, smiling back at her. “It’s really nice to meet you too.”
Renza’s dad stepped forward next, and I greeted him with the same respect, givin’ him a hug and speakin’ polite. He carried himself different, more reserved, but it still felt welcoming.
I moved through the rest of his family, greeting everybody with the same respect, takin’ my time.
I saw Pressure, standin’ off to the side with that same straightforward look on his face, and I gave him a hug when I reached him. “Hey,” I said.
He nodded at me like he always did. “Wus’ good?”
Kay’Lo was right there not too far from him with Toni close by his side, and I greeted both of them next. Toni smiled at me, warm and easy, and Kay’Lo gave me a quick hug before steppin’ back.
Then my eyes landed on Pluto. She stood there with her hand resting low on her stomach, and this time, it was more noticeable than before. Her belly had grown enough to see it clearly through what she had on.
I stepped up to her and wrapped my arms around her without hesitation, and she hugged me right back like it wasn’t no tension there at all.
“Hey,” I said low.
“Hey,” she replied, just as calm.
I pulled back and gave her a short smile, lettin’ the moment be what it was.
Renza looked out at the yacht and shook his head. “Y’all could’ve just took my boat.”
His dad smiled. “Your boat isn’t nearly as big as your mother’s.”
A couple of them laughed, and Renza just looked at it again like he couldn’t even argue with that.
We made our way on the yacht with our luggage, and the second I stepped on it, I realized I hadn’t seen nothin’ like this before. It wasn’t just big. It was detailed.
There were open deck areas with seating that looked like it belonged at a luxury resort.
A pool was built into one side of the structure, surrounded by lounge chairs and shaded sections.
The inside opened up into full living spaces with polished floors, soft lighting, and wide windows that showed nothing but water.
We walked through a hallway that stretched longer than I expected, with doors on both sides that led to rooms I couldn’t even count. Staff moved through the space quiet and efficient, setting things up, and making everything feel effortless.
There was a full dining area with a long table already set. A bar sat off to the side, wrapped in glass with bottles lined up. The lounge area had deep couches and low tables, set up for people to sit and stay for hours.
We went up another level, and it just kept going. There was a theater room, a space set up for massages and facials, and more bedrooms that looked like somethin’ out of a high-end hotel. Everything felt finished, and nothin’ felt thrown together.
By the time we found a room, I slowed down just to take it in.
The room was big, fully furnished with a king bed, a sittin’ area and a bathroom that looked better than most places I’d been to. The windows stretched from the floor up, and all you could see was water.
“I can’t believe I’m even on somethin’ like this,” I said, lookin’ at Renza. “This shit is crazy.”
Renza stepped up behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pullin’ me into him before pressin’ his lips to mine.
“Get used to it,” he said low. “We gon’ be doin’ more of this.”
I smiled against his lips and kissed him back, lettin’ that sit with me.
After we got settled, we made our way back to where everybody else was. The setup was already goin’. Chefs were cookin’, plates comin’ out fresh, drinks being made at the bar and everything looked clean and gorgeous as fuck.
Me and Renza found our seats together, and I sat close to him without thinkin’ about it. My body leaned into his naturally, and I let myself settle while I took everything in.
I sat with him with a drink already in my hand, surrounded by my man’s family, and for the first time, it all felt like somethin’ I could step into without question.
This was something I could get used to.
Some time passed, and I couldn’t even lie… I was actually enjoying Renza’s parents.
Bein’ around them, I could honestly see where he got his humor from. Nyori had a way of talkin’ that pulled you in without you even realizin’ it, and the more she asked me about myself, the easier it got for me to answer her.
We was sittin’ at one of the long tables on the upper deck with the sun sittin’ low enough to cast that soft glow across the water while the music played in the background.
Plates had been passed around already, drinks stayin’ full without anybody havin’ to ask, and the whole setup felt effortless in a way I wasn’t used to.
Nyori sat across from me with another wine glass in her hand, leanin’ in just enough to keep our conversation between us even with everything else goin’ on around the table.