2. TRUTH #3
“You’re going to kill it,” I said quietly.
She looked at me, eyes shining.
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
She pulled me into a hug—quick and tight—then pulled back and wiped her eyes.
“Okay, enough of that,” she said, laughing. “Let me show you the shampoo bowl situation because the plumbing was a whole thing—”
She launched into a story about the plumber and the water pressure and how she’d had to call him back three times before he got it right.
I listened, smiling, watching her light up.
This was what freedom looked like.
This was what it looked like when you stopped waiting for permission and just did the thing.
“But, yo,” Raven said, her tone shifting. “I gotta get out of that shop I’m at now. Like, soon.”
I frowned. “What’s going on?”
She leaned against the reception desk and crossed her arms.
“Those bitches are hating on me,” she said flatly. “And I mean hating. I got way more clientele than any of them, and they know it. So, they doing shady shit.”
“Like what?”
“Like double-booking my clients so they show up, and I’m already with someone.
Like ‘accidentally’ using my products and not replacing them.
Like talking shit to my regulars, trying to convince them to switch to another stylist.” She shook her head.
“Last week, one of them told Miss Carolyn—you know Miss Carolyn, been coming to me for years—told her I was about to leave the shop, and she should find someone more ‘reliable.’”
“Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.” Raven’s jaw tightened. “And the owner don’t do shit about it because she scared that if she checks them, they’ll leave. So, I’m the one getting sacrificed to keep the peace.”
“That’s fucked up.”
“That’s the beauty industry,” Raven said bitterly. “Crabs in a barrel. Can’t stand to see another woman win.”
I looked around the shop again.
At the chairs. The dryers. The fresh paint.
“How much longer before you can open?” I asked.
“A month. Maybe six weeks if I can get the rest of the equipment and stock the shelves.” She sighed. “I just gotta hold on a little longer. But girl, I’m tired.”
“I know.”
“Like, I’m really tired, Truth.” Her voice cracked slightly. “I been grinding for years. And every time I get close to something good, somebody try to tear me down.”
I walked over and put my hand on her shoulder.
“Not this time,” I said firmly. “This time, you’re getting out. And you’re going to build something they can’t touch.”
She looked at me.
Nodded slowly.
“Yeah,” she said. “Yeah, you’re right.”
The door opened behind us.
I turned—
And there was Kaisen.
He was wearing dark jeans and a fitted black T-shirt that showed off his arms. His taper was fresh, and he had that easy, confident walk that made you look twice.
Raven’s eyes went wide.
“I knew that muthafuck was fine too,” she said under her breath.
I elbowed her.
“Raven!”
“What? I’m just saying.” She grinned. “You got taste, sis.”
Kaisen walked over, smiling at me like I was the only person in the room.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey.” I felt my face heat up. “Kaisen, this is my sister Raven. Raven, this is Kaisen.”
Raven extended her hand, still grinning.
“Nice to meet you, Kaisen.”
“You too.” He shook her hand, then looked around the shop. “This your spot?”
“Yeah. Well, it will be. Still getting it together.”
“It looks good,” he said. “Real good. You got vision.”
Raven beamed.
“Thank you.”
Then she pulled out her phone and made a show of looking at the screen.
“Oh shit, I gotta make this call real quick.” She looked at me. “I’ll be outside. Y’all take your time.”
She walked out before I could protest.
The door closed behind her.
And, suddenly, it was just me and Kaisen in the empty shop.
He walked over slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.
“How you been?” he asked.
“Good. Tired. The morning sickness is—” I stopped. “You don’t want to hear about that.”
“I do.” He stepped closer. “I want to hear about all of it.”
My breath caught.
He was standing right in front of me now, close enough that I could smell his cologne—something clean and woodsy that made my stomach flip.
“I brought you something,” he said.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope.
Held it out to me.
I stared at it.
“Kaisen.”
“Take it.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.” His voice was firm but gentle. “I don’t want you to need anything, Truth. Especially not while you’re pregnant.”
I took the envelope with shaking hands.
Opened it.
There had to be at least ten thousand dollars inside.
“Kaisen, this is too much!”
“It’s not.” He stepped closer. “Go buy yourself a new pregnancy wardrobe or something. Get whatever you need. I just want you to be comfortable.”
My eyes burned.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I care about you.” He said it so simply. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And I want you to know that.”
I didn’t know what to say.
So, I just stepped forward and hugged him.
He wrapped his arms around me immediately, pulling me close.
And I melted.
God, I melted.
His body was solid and warm, and he smelled so good. For a moment, I let myself just be held.
Let myself feel safe.
Let myself feel wanted.
“Thank you,” I whispered against his chest.
“You don’t have to thank me.”
I pulled back slightly to look up at him.
His eyes were dark. Intense.
And then he kissed me.
Deep. Slow. Sensual.
His hand came up to cup the back of my head, his fingers threading through my freshly done hair. His other hand settled on my lower back, pulling me closer.
I kissed him back without thinking.
Without hesitating.
My body responded immediately—heat flooding through me, my pussy clenching, reminding me that I hadn’t had dick in months.
And God, I wanted it.
Wanted him.
Wanted to feel something other than confused and stressed and caught between two men who both made me feel things I wasn’t supposed to feel. Taking money from Kaisen was crossing a line, but with him, the lines were blurring more and more with each encounter.
Kaisen’s tongue slid against mine, and I moaned into his mouth.
His hand tightened on my back.
And I knew—knew—that my lack of sex was being weaponized against my better judgment.
That I was letting my body make decisions my mind wasn’t ready for.
But I didn’t stop.
Didn’t pull away.
Just kissed him like I was drowning and he was air.
Then—
“Ahem.”
I jumped.
Pulled back so fast I almost tripped.
Raven was standing in the doorway, phone in hand, grinning like the cat who ate the canary.
“My bad,” she said, not sounding sorry at all. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
My face was on fire.
“Raven—”
“No, no, don’t stop on my account.” She walked past us toward the back of the shop. “I just need to grab my purse. Y’all continue.”
Kaisen cleared his throat.
Stepped back.
“I should probably go,” he said, his voice rougher than before.
“Yeah,” I managed. “Probably.”
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then leaned down and kissed my forehead.
“Text me later,” he said quietly.
“I will.”
He walked to the door, gave Raven a nod, and left.
The door closed behind him.
Silence.
Then Raven burst out laughing.
“Girl!” She doubled over, clutching her stomach. “You about to have the time of your fucking life!”
“Raven.”
“Two fine-ass men! Both of them checking for you! Both of them putting money in your pocket!” She wiped her eyes. “Sis, I’m not even mad. I’m impressed.”
I covered my face with my hands.
“This is a mess.”
“This is entertainment,” Raven corrected. “And I got a front-row seat.”
I groaned.
But underneath the embarrassment, underneath the confusion—
I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Kaisen had kissed me.
The way my body had responded.
The way I’d wanted more.
And the way I still couldn’t stop thinking about Amai.
But I’d be crazy as hell to let a good man like Kaisen slip through my fingers.