Page 103 of Serenity
“To prevent any future lawsuits as a result of her actions. That’s all I could do, Bee.”
Despite obtaining consent to record, I didn’t have consent to share the videos with Mya. I wasted no time rounding up the three women Mya threatened to show the tapes to. Before she could get to them, I did. Staying ahead of her bullshit was essential. All of the three women agreed to sign non-disclosure agreements in exchange for a check. Considering I never uploaded the videos to any sites, they were content to accept the funds and walk. If Mya ever misused the content, she would face jail time.
“Hmm,” Serenity mumbled. Sliding back into bed, she issued a look that could melt the Arctic. She wasn’t happy despite my coming clean. She wasn’t happy with how I’d chosen to handle things. An unsettled soul dwelled in her bones. This shit was bothering her. Disturbing her peace.
“Mya’s not a threat, Bee,” I vowed, pulling her close and running my fingers up her spine.
I needed Serenity to grasp that I was taking things seriously. Nothing or no one would jeopardize what we’d been growing.
“I never felt threatened by her, Duke.”
“Good,” I said, laying a kiss atop her head.
Silence and deep breaths consumed our airspace.
“So, once the settlements are finalized, will this all go away?”
“I don’t see why it would ever resurface,” I said, scratching my chin. “She—Mya has placed her alimony on the line with the threats and attempts to extort me. It’s still a work in progress, but I just wanted to keep you informed.”
A mile a second, Serenity’s thoughts ran with the revelation. It was apparent in her silence and far-off gaze.
I could have taken Mya to court and sued her for blackmail and extortion threats. I could have had my legal team file for a petition for modification of alimony payments, but Mya had burrowed herself back into her little hole. Mya’s ass wasn’t a threat. Me and Serenity were good.
“And you’re telling me all this because I found the tapes?” She asked, jarring my turbulent thoughts.
Intrusive wasn’t the intent, but she needed her questions answered. All of them. She needed reassurance. She needed the safety I’d carefully curated over the course of our relationship.
“I came home intending to share all of this shit with you. I didn’t know I’d be walking into a war zone. An angry hive.”
“I didn’t mean to make you feel like that. I don’t ever want you to feel like you can’t come home to peace.”
“I don’t think it can ever become that with you, Bee. I wouldn’t allow it for one, and secondly, I’d let you know if I ever felt like you were compromising my peace. This ain’t that.”
“Promise?”
My assurance was necessary. She required it like nourishment, sleep, and every breath.
“Of course,” I confirmed, pulling her closer under the sheets until her thigh was touching my dick. “Bee, your concerns are valid. We shouldn’t be dealing with any of this shit right now.”
“But we are. And you told me you’re handling it, so my heart is at rest. Right here,” she said, palming the center of my chest. “I don’t want you to ever feel like I’m not here for you. I am,” she vowed, raking her fingers through my goatee. Massaging my fucking chin.
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
DIRTY THIRTY
My evolution was so damn beautiful. In exchange for a thirty-inch wig, I opted to wear my natural hair. Styled in a bob, Barbie executed the silk press immaculately. In exchange for long, dramatic lashes, the natural lash extensions my lash tech installed were next-level impeccable. The Retrofête mini dress with over one thousand hand-sewn crystals and opals was tea. The body it clung to was even bigger tea.
My thick-toned legs boasted quads and calf muscles. It tattled of my dedication to the gym. The crystal-studded Demure clutch paired flawlessly with rhinestone strappy heels.
Imported from Israel, the luxury bridal and evening wear designer May Mashiah did her big one with the dress. Ethereal tulle, buttery silks, and a sexy silhouette gave off radiant energy.
Seductive high slits, asymmetrical cuts, and intricate draping voiced what time it was.
Dirty thirty.
This was my coming of age. My stepping into a new era of growth. My motherfucking time to shine.