10. The Promise Fulfilled #3
“The fuck was that about?” he snapped, his voice low but dangerous. “I told you to call her and see if she home. That’s it.” She tried to pull her leg away, but his grip tightened.
“So, what was all that extra shit?” he continued, eyes cutting into her. “All that talking, all that emotional ass shit. That’s not what I said to do.” Her chest rose and fell fast, trying to steady herself, but the pain was still pulsing through her leg.
“I just...”
“Don’t,” he cut her off, squeezing harder for a second before finally letting go. “You always doing too much.” She shifted in her seat, rubbing her thigh, her voice smaller now.
“I was just trying to.”
“Trying to what?” he said, leaning back, shaking his head. “You don’t get paid to think. You do what I tell you to do.” Silence filled the car, thick and suffocating.
“I had to sound sincere,” she said, her voice cracking as tears spilled over. “What else you wanted me to do?”
The truth was, when she called her, she hadn’t planned any of that.
She didn’t know she was going to get so emotional.
Didn’t know what she was going to say. It just…
came out. Because that’s what happens when the love is real.
When the regret sits heavy on your chest and won’t let you breathe.
You don’t rehearse it. You don’t control it, it spills out.
And in that moment, she wasn’t thinking about Chill, or the plan, or what she was supposed to do.
She was thinking about her. About everything she messed up.
About how some apologies come too late… but still beg to be heard.
Kira didn’t know why she picked up the phone.
Honestly, she thought the two of them would never speak again.
Things had never gotten to such a weird place in their friendship, but whatever was going on between them, she had already forgiven Jazz.
She just didn’t feel like she could ever fully trust her again.
She was having such an emotional night. Like she was carrying the world on her shoulders.
The bright lights of the Apollo faded behind her as she stepped out onto the street, the energy of the night still buzzing around them.
Music spilled faintly from inside as the doors swung open and closed, people laughing, talking, living.
But Kira felt distant from all of it. Sincere walked beside her, glancing over.
“You good?” he asked, noticing the shift in her mood.
Kira nodded, but it wasn’t convincing. “Yeah… I’m good.
” He didn’t press her, just reached for her hand, giving it a light squeeze as they walked toward the car.
She tried to be present. Tried to shake the feeling sitting heavy on her chest. But Jazz’s voice kept replaying in her mind.
It’s not what you think… Kira stared ahead, her expression tightening slightly. Something about that call didn’t feel right.
“You looked so happy before. Now you look like you been in deep thought.” Sincere glanced over at her.
“I pay attention to everything.” Kira gave a small shrug.
“It’s nothing. Sometimes I just overthink.
” Sincere shook his head slightly. “Nah… it’s a difference.
” She looked over at him. “A difference?”
“Yeah,” he said, his voice calm but sure. “Overthinking comes from fear. You start creating problems that ain’t even there yet. You stress yourself out over what might happen.” He paused for a second, then continued.
“But discernment… that’s different. That’s when something in your spirit don’t sit right. Ain’t no proof, ain’t no clear reason… it just feel off.” Kira stayed quiet, listening.
“That feeling don’t come to confuse you,” he added. “It come to warn you.” Her chest tightened slightly. Sincere pulled up to her place and leaned in, kissing her passionately.
“We can’t keep doing this,” he said softly, resting his forehead against hers.
“We need our own place… together. I put a ring on it. You can play house with me.” Kira smiled, letting out a small laugh as she rubbed her belly.
“Being engaged and being married are two different things,” she said playfully. “But… we can work on it.”
I would spend the night, but I have a lot of business to take care of in the morning,” he said, letting out a quiet sigh as his hand lingered on hers. His thumb brushed slowly across her fingers like he was trying to memorize the feeling.
“And I know if I stay,” he added, shaking his head with a soft smile, “I’m not going to get anything done…
because I hate leaving you.” Kira laughed, her shoulders relaxing as she looked at him.
She tilted her head slightly, studying his face, then reached up and adjusted his collar gently, her fingers lingering for a second longer than necessary.
“I know,” she said softly, her smile warm, because she felt the exact same way.
Sincere got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side, opening her door like he always did.
Kira smiled softly as she stepped out, placing her hand in his.
He didn’t let go, lacing their fingers together as he led her toward the doorstep.
“Here come the hard part,” he said, letting out a small breath, his grip tightening just a little. Kira shook her head, looking up at him. “No… here go the hard part for me.” She stepped closer, her hands sliding up his chest, holding onto him like she wasn’t ready to let go.
“I swear I’ll be back tomorrow after I finish getting shit in order,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his thumb lingering against her cheek.
“Ma, you always top priority.” She searched his eyes for a moment, then nodded, her expression soft but heavy.
Neither of them moved. Like if they stood there long enough…
they wouldn’t have to say goodbye at all.
Sincere kissed her on the lips and said, “I love you, Mrs. Holloway. Get some sleep.” She smiled liking how the words Mrs. Holloway came to her ears.
“Okay, baby. Have a good night,” she said softly before turning and walking inside.
She shut the door behind her and immediately kicked off her shoes, letting out a small breath as the night settled around her.
She reached for the lock, her hand just grazing it.
The door suddenly shoved open. She stumbled back.
Fear and shock ran through her veins, her body going stiff as her heart began to face.
“How rude of you,” Chill said, stepping inside like he belonged there.
He looked around, his eyes scanning everything, jealousy creeping in as he took in how well she was doing for herself without him, like it chipped away at his sense of manhood.
You think you something, don’t you? You not shit without me.
If it wasn’t for me, you’d still be at home with your mother.
I paid for you to go to school, to be somebody, bitch…
don’t you ever forget it. You just said fuck a nigga and moved on, huh? ” he added, gripping her arm tightly.
“Get the fuck out of my home!” she snapped, feeling trapped. “How did you find me? Why are you even here?”
“Kira, we are for life. What the fuck are you talking about?” he shot back, his voice rising. She snatched her arm away from him, backing up, her chest rising fast.
“You acting like you don’t know me… like you don’t love me or some shit.”
“I don’t love you, what the fuck you mean,” she said, shaking her head, her voice trembling but firm. “Get out! Get out now!” She pointed toward the door, her whole body tense. “Before I call the police.”
“You think I give a fuck about the police? I’ll kill you and me, we both will be dead in this bitch,” he said coldly as he pulled out his pistol.
Everything inside her went still. Her heart pounded so loud it felt like it might give her away, her breath catching in her throat as her body locked in place.
In that moment, she knew, life as she knew it could be over.
She had never seen Chill like this, so cold, so dark.
Like something inside him had snapped and there was no coming back from it.
And all because, she had finally chosen herself.
You still have time to make all this right, Kira.
You can come back home with me. We can start over and act like none of this ever happened.
For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other.
Silence, heavy and thick. Then Kira’s phone began to ring.
She didn’t want to take her eyes off him for even a second to answer it. And then, the door swung open.
Jazz rushed in, her chest rising fast, her eyes scanning the room. Sitting in the car, waiting, had been eating at her conscience. She couldn’t take another minute not knowing what could possibly be going on. Kira turned, and the second she saw her, everything clicked.
“Jazz… how could you?” she said, her voice breaking. “You told this nigga where I stay. That’s why you wanted to know if I was home or not.” Her face twisted with hurt and anger. She didn’t give a fuck about nothing that Jazz wanted to say at that point not giving her room to talk.
“I even forgave you… you dumb ass bitch!” The room shifted. Everything escalating faster than any of them could control.