Page 35 of Crown: Phase 4

Caresha laughed and bumped her knee against his. Danger looked at her for a moment longer than necessary, taking in everything about her all over again. He was used to women wanting something from him…money, attention, access to the club, or the chance to say they had been with a Knight. Caresha never moved like that. And she showed up for him in ways he hadn’t known he needed.

“I’m serious about what I said earlier.” He told her.

Caresha lowered her fork. “About me staying?”

Danger shrugged, trying to get his thoughts together.

“Maybe not you moving in. I mean, I know it’s too early for all that. We agreed to take our time. But I do want you around more. I like coming home and seeing you here. I’m feeling you, Ree.”

Caresha’s smile softened at him wearing his heart on his sleeve for once.

“I’m feelin’ you, too. So much.”

She wanted to say more, wanted to have the talk she’d told Nivéa she would have with him. But the call had changed shit. She didn’t want to tell him how much she adored him and wanted a title, only to turn around and drop her news on him. Caresha felt like the news should come first. That way, he’d understand that the distance wouldn’t change how she felt about him. She still wanted this and hoped he wanted it as well.

A slight grin touched Danger’s lips before his expression grew serious again.

“I’m not playing no games with you. Fuck this talkin’ stage. I want you to be my lady.” She didn’t have to tell him she wanted a title. He was already on it.

“I wanna be your lady.” Caresha replied before she could catch herself. She couldn’t help it. Her heart took over before her brain could remind her, You need to talk to him first.

Satisfied with her answer, Danger resumed eating, already planning to dick her down that night and take her shopping tomorrow afternoon before hitting the streets.

Meanwhile, Caresha sat there feeling conflicted. His confession warmed her heart, but it also made what she needed to tell him even harder. She looked down at her food, pushing a piece of mashed potato around her plate as she tried to figure out how to say it.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” She said after a while.

Danger glanced at her. “What you mean?”

“About you. I wanna know more.” Most of what she knew about Danger came from what little she had seen, what Nivéa had told her, or whatever little pieces he allowed to slip out.

“Nothing more to tell. What you see is what you get, ma.”

Danger returned to his food, hoping the conversation would die there. He was the type of nigga who hated getting all deep…unless it was some pussy he was digging in. But the conversation didn’t die; Caresha wouldn’t let it.

“No. Everybody got something they holding inside. Tell me something I don’t know that you feel I should know. Maybe…your deepest, darkest secret.”

“Ree, what the fuck, ma?” Danger shook his head.

“Why you wanna know all that? I thought you were tired and wanted to eat real quick so we could get in bed.”

“I am, but I wanna talk first.”

Danger grew quiet, thinking it over. Truthfully, he thought she already knew everything that mattered. She knew about the Knights, his depression from losing his best friend, his temper, where he rested his head, and who his people were. Then a memory surfaced…one he rarely spoke about because saying it out loud forced him to admit how far he had once fallen.

“I used to do coke.”

Caresha laughed. “Nigga, stop playing.”

Danger didn’t crack a smile.

The laughter slowly faded from Caresha’s face as she looked up from her plate. Only then did she notice the look in his eyes. Pain. Regret. Embarrassment. Danger rarely looked ashamed of anything, but she could see it in the way he avoided her stare and tightened his jaw.

“Really?” she asked.

“Yeah. Back when I was younger, I tried it once, liked the rush, and shit got outta hand.” He paused, turning his fork between his fingers. “I went to rehab and everything. A nigga was spazzing out.”

Caresha stared at him, trying to connect the man sitting beside her with the image he had spoken of, forming in her mind.