Page 82 of Serenity
“At the hint of pain, you’re going to a fucking hospital to get checked.”
“Fine,” she shrugged.
From the sauna, we went to the mud baths. From the mud baths, we rinsed our bodies clean in preparation for a deep tissue massage. After our massages, I issued a deep-tissue internal massage of my own, watching as the remaining tension fled her body.
Despite the shift in the deal with Solari, she was excited about finally beginning construction on the new spa. For the remainder of the afternoon, I was shown blueprints and plans for construction. The optimism was lost on me. Still wary of Solari’s reputation, I didn’t say much. I just wished she weren’t so fucking stubborn. Wished she’d let me be of assistance.
We spent the evening in one of the spa’s hotel rooms I’d booked. Serenity needed the time away from society to decompress. Staggering mountain views entombed us, aiding in the task. At such an elevated height, there was no phone service or wifi, only proximity to God himself. Serenity had really done a thing with the spa’s location, and I couldn’t wait to see what she’d do with her second location. Despite my leeriness, I was proud of her.
“Their falafels really are the best in the city.”
“I believe you. I’ma stick to this gyro.”
As Bee gushed about her meatless Monday selection, I wasted no time devouring my gyro. Lunch at Greek Geek had easily become one of our favorite spots over the last few weeks. Off and on, we’d seen each other since my return from Dubai. She’d been busy with the expansion, but we prioritized our time together.
“What’s the plan for Thanksgiving?”
Frozen with her falafel wrap positioned near the opening of her mouth, Serenity blinked daftly. The lack of response was indeed a response. It let me know she hadn’t thought about us at all. My chest seized at the prospect. Not once had I considered being away from her during the holidays.
“Need more time?” I probed, hating the way my chest further constricted as I asked.
“It’s just—”
“What’s good, boy?”
Tracking the movements of the soul walking up to our table, I grinned. As Supreme approached, we slapped five. The speechless expression, like a membrane over Serenity’s face, was further amplified as her older brother nodded in her direction, wholly unbothered.
“Reni.”
Closing the distance between them, Supreme hugged his sister. Thoroughly tickled by the flowering events, I relaxed in my seat and ate my fries, playing it cool. Supreme sat down next to Serenity, draping an arm around her back.
“So…” I started, prompting Pre to add to Serenity’s mystified expression.
“When were you gonna tell me you were loving the crew?” He finished.
“Pre—” I warned.
“My bad,” he smirked and amended. “When were you gonna tell me you were loving a member of the crew, Reni?”
Bee was speechless. Blinking several times, she failed to locate a syllable. Like a tango, her eyes darted back and forth between me and Supreme. The way she shrank around her brother was a rare sighting. Never had I witnessed the force of a woman to retreat in the presence of anyone. Far removed from the confident, sassy persona I knew her to wield, this version of Serenity explained why she’d been hesitant to tell her family about us.
She was the baby and, as such, still struggled to assert herself with her family. Discomfort aside, I let Supreme cook because I was tired of her holding fast to the notion that she was hiding us.
“I asked you at sibling night last week if you were seeing someone in my circle.”
“What she say, Pre?” I asked, dipping in ketchup and munching a fry. This was news to me. Shifting in my seat, I sat up a bit straighter.
“Duke…” Serenity shot her brother a look of censure, but already I’d heard enough. She swallowed, shifted her hair, and started the anxious bounce with her legs under the table.
“You know what, D3? I’ma leave that between the two of y’all. Anyway, it was good to see you, bruh. You too, Serenity.”
“Wait,” suddenly finding her voice, she called out to him as he rose.
“Hmm?”
“You’re not mad?”
“Why would I be mad, Serenity? The family has known about you and Duke from the start. And baby girl?” Supreme’s voice lowered, “You a grown ass woman. What you do and who you do it with is none of my business unless it’s one of the homies. I’m a little disappointed you didn’t feel secure enough to share this intel with me, but thankfully, someone did,” he added, cutting his eyes toward me.