Page 220 of Own It

He started to shout and argue, but I cocked my fist back, sending it between his eyes and putting him to sleep.

Afterward, my brothers and I tied his ass up well, put him in the van in my garage, and made the trip out to the warehouse to imprison his ass there.

“What’s the plan now?” Josias quizzed. “I want this over with.”

“Me, too, but a bullet was too simple, quick, and easy for a nigga like Nate. I need a little time,” I replied, making a phone call on my burner and nodding for he and Ayan to dip.

They were both puzzled, but I appreciated the fact that neither of them questioned me.

* * *

Forty-eight hours later . . . Cape Cod . . .

“That prenatal massage was amazing, but I still don’t appreciate how you left me there.” Daylin complained as she rode in the passenger seat of the rental I was driving.

“I had to handle something, baby.” I smirked, reaching over to touch her stomach. “My baby got you mean as fuck.”

“So.” She moved my hand from her stomach. “This is a vacation for us, meaning no work, Rakim.” She shook her head, folding her arms as she stared out the window. “The sun is down already.”

“I know. I’m gon’ make it up to you.” I pulled into the driveway of the home we’d been staying in, then climbed out to assist her in doing the same.

Once she was to her feet, close against my chest, I cradled her face and kissed her. She attempted not to reciprocate but eventually did, smiling against my lips.

“I still don’t forgive you,” she whispered.

“What can a nigga do?”

“Buddy read my next book with me,” she said, laughing heavily when she noticed the way I tensed.

“Daylin.”

“Rakim.” She lifted her brows. “Either that or I can be upset for the remainder of the trip, which also means no sex.”

“Can I try something else first? And if you still mad at a nigga, I’ll buddy read or whatever the fuck it’s called.”

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes as I took her hand into mine. “But I can promise you it won’t work.”

I chuckled, saying, “Aight.”

I led Daylin into the home and then straight through to the backyard that was equipped with a porch and private access to the beach. She started to run her fucking mouth about it being too late to go on the beach until we stepped out there, the scenery rendering her silent.

“Rah.” She murmured at the sight of beach sand before us, littered with rose petals, electric candles, red, pink, and white balloons, all leading up to a sign made of roses asking if she would marry me.

Her hand fell from mine as she shielded her mouth, eyes glossing over as she looked between me and the setup, walking so slow she might as well have been going backward.

“Come on, woman.” I snickered at her, waving her down the makeshift aisle lined with petals.

“This is . . . oh my gosh.” She still hadn’t dropped her hands from her pretty mouth as tears began to ski down her supple cheeks.

When I got down on one knee, she gasped and looked away as if she didn’t know this was happening and couldn’t bear to look.

“Look at me, Baby.” I begged, and after a few seconds, she turned to peer down at me. “From the first time I saw you, I knew you were special, and low-key, that shit scared the fuck out of me. I hadn’t forgotten about you since, Daylin, and when I got the crazy ass idea to help my cousin, the fact that you were the doctor’s daughter was nothing short of serendipity. As wild and delusional as the shit may sound, I felt like it was a sign from God telling me to go get you. And I’m happy as fuck that I did, Baby.

“You are truly the best thing to ever happen to me. It wasn’t boxing, it wasn’t my businesses, it was you. I couldn’t imagine and don’t want to imagine what the fuck my life would be like had I not kidnapped you.” I smiled, and she giggled through the abundance of tears she’d shed. “Life before you was just some monotonous shit on autopilot to the point where I can barely remember it. Only after you did the days become memorable and worth memory banking. If I thought you would’ve accepted the first night I encountered you, I would’ve proposed then, but a nigga ain’t that crazy. So now that I love you, and I’m pretty sure you love me, will you marry me?” Unable to help it, I kissed the small pudge in her dress that had only just started to form.

“Of course, and if you asked that night at the party, I probably would’ve said yes.” She beamed, her eyes gleaming as I chuckled while sliding the ring onto her finger.

Rising to my feet, I bent down to allow her to circle my neck with her arms as we kissed. My hands grabbed at her plump and perfect ass as I tongued her down, incapable of ignoring the way goosebumps arose along my skin at the feeling of her warm body against mine and the scent of her skin and hair. I was obsessed for real.