Page 141 of Addicted

“I love you, too,” I said.

He pulled me into his arms, holding me tight against his chest. I closed my eyes, breathing him in. I’d just been taken, held hostage, used as leverage. But here, in Stone’s arms, I felt safe again.

I thought about how we got here. About that night in the warehouse, when Stone had planned to kill Ishmael. When I’d offered myself to save my brother’s life.

I never would’ve imagined that the man who’d taken me and held me captive, would become the love of my life. That I’d be pregnant with his child. That I’d be planning a future with him. That he’d leave the drug game because it was what I wanted.

But here we were.

And I was thankful for everything that had happened, because Stone was my soulmate. Our love was meant to be.

I knew that no matter what came next, we’d face it together.

Epilogue: Six Years Later

Indie

“Mommy, can I wear my princess dress?”

I looked down at Italy, who was standing in the doorway of our bedroom with her hands on her hips. My baby girl. Five years old and already had more attitude than me and Aurora combined.

She had my eyes, light brown with gold flecks, and Stone’s bone structure. High cheekbones, full lips, and that same intense stare that could cut through you.

She was beautiful, and she knew it.

“Baby, we talked about this,” I said, walking over to her. “You’re wearing the dress Mommy picked out for you. The pink one with the flowers.”

Italy pouted, her bottom lip sticking out.

“But I wanna wear my Elsa dress.”

I crouched down so I was eye level with her.

“Italy Amelia Wright,” I said, using her full name. “We are having a very special dinner tonight for Mommy and Daddy’s anniversary. You wearing the dress I picked out, and you gon’ look beautiful. Understand?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. Just like her daddy.

“Fine,” she said, dragging out the word.

I kissed her forehead and stood up.

“Good. Now go find your brother and tell Daddy I said to get y’all ready.”

Italy ran off, her little feet pounding against thehardwood floors. I shook my head, smiling.

That girl was gon’ be the death of me.

I walked over to the full-length mirror in our bedroom and took myself in. I was wearing a custom piece from my own line—Indigo Rain.

It was a deep emerald green dress, cut to fit me perfectly, with a high slit up my left thigh and a low-cut back. I’d paired it with Giuseppe Zanotti heels and Cartier jewelry. My hair fell in loose curls down my back, my makeup soft but precise. Gold shadow, winged liner, a nude lip.

I didn’t have to second-guess it anymore. I knew exactly who I was looking at.

It was crazy to think how much had changed in six years.

Stone had kept his promise. He’d left the game before Italy was born. It wasn’t easy because niggas didn’t just walk away from an empire like that, but he did it. He handed the reins over to Antoine and Deacon, and he and Kenzo focused on going legit. They expanded Velvet and Chrome, opened up a few more clubs, invested in real estate, started a security firm.

And me?