My Ruin

56. Steady

Lamonte's POV

5 months later...

Everything has been moving steadily.

Ashanti has been doing great as her own boss, Charliese is growing too fast and too beautiful; I need to get another damn gun to be honest. My two beautiful girls get too much attention.

Anyway, my business has been growing as well, stronger than it was.

We decided to also move into a new house. There were too many bad memories at that place. We moved into a suburban neighborhood, filled with white people. The schools were close and off the charts as well as a nonexistent crime rate and surveillance on every street corner, which I was a little iffy on.

But at least I know nothing would happen and if it did, I'd know where to start.

I want to protect my family and I feel like I've done a shitty job so far. I installed alarms in our house on the windows and doors, surveillance around and in the house. Nothing was getting past me.

Anyway, the house was a 6-bedroom, 4-bathroom house with an extended back house that was about a mile back a part of our property. Ashanti wanted it so I got it for her and I put it in her name. We still kept our old property and decided to just rent it out.

We, well Ashanti and our family, are still planning the wedding but slowly, I guess.

We get married on September 25, which is our anniversary, and it is 2 months away.

From what I gathered, it's going to be in a glass house, outdoorsy vibes with a waterfall... some romantic things like that. The color scheme is lilac, blue, and white, I think. I got the measurements for my suit among my groomsmen, and Ashanti and her girls were doing the same.

I can't wait to see her in that wedding dress.

She's going to be the most beautiful bride, an even better wife, and the best mother to our baby girl.

I can't wait to marry her.

Mrs. Ashanti King.

That has a nice ring to it.

Ajax has been pulling up a lot of my slack, like handling employees so I promoted him with the title of   chief operating officer (COO). My father has also been helping out, not like he ever left really.

Charliese has been a delight. Many parents complain about children taking up all their time and keeping them up at night, but we haven't had any issues with her. She's a peaceful baby.

Ashanti has been doing a good job leading her company it's been about 3 months since she's been completely on her own. Of course, I offer her some advice and I'm here when she needs me. She's handling it well along with being a mom. She even takes Charliese to work with her sometimes. I admire her for it.

I watch the TV hearing my phone vibrating on the glass table. I pick up the call from Ajax, "The Peters want to sue..."

"What do you mean? For what?"

"They are saying we scammed them for the price of the property, and they are trying to back out of the contract," Ajax says sounding stressed.

"Set up a meeting tomorrow for 10 am and I'll straighten it out," I sigh rubbing my eyes just as soon as Ashanti walks through the door.

"Hey, baby. What's wrong?" she looks at me sensing my demeanor as she gets undressed in front of me curling up beside me, in nothing but her underwear, on the fur couch in our bedroom.

I voice to her about the work-related issue.

She looks at me and laughs, "Baby, if they are going to sue. I can represent you."

We talked about it some more and I decided to make her company our official law representation and keep the company on payroll.

"Would you have ever thought that we would be here?" she looks at me fiddling with my fingers as she puts her legs in my lap.

I rub her feet smiling, "From the first time I saw you."

"I fucked up so many times, but I was just scared of the life I thought I didn't want.  Now, I couldn't imagine what my life without you or Charliese would be like."

Ashanti paused for a moment before staring at me with a pained expression, "Did you envision this with Raquel?"

I looked at her letting out a sigh, "I did while we were in college. Before she cheated on me with my best friend, but when we were sleeping around, behind her husband's back for the last few years, no I didn't. And even when I did feel that way for her it is nothing like the connection you and I have." I pull Ashanti to my body holding her tight, "I wouldn't wanna be with anyone else."

She lets out a sigh as she crawls in my lap facing me; a tear falling down her cheek, "Don't leave me please."

I wipe her tear looking at her, "Why would you think that? I'm not going anywhere."

"I keep dreaming of you dying in my arms. Is there a reason for that? My therapist thinks that I still feel like you're going to cheat on me and leave me for another woman and that my dreams aren't really about you dying," she says out of breath letting it all out.

"Do you?"

She looks at me confused, "Do I what?"

"Do you still have pent up anger towards me for cheating? Be honest," I look at her expectantly.

She thinks for a moment before looking back at me, "A part of me feels like you might cheat again but another part of me is saying you wouldn't. He wouldn't break up the life that we built together."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she stated with no hesitation.

"No, you don't, but I understand. I haven't given you much reason to in the past. What can I do to make it better? Do you want to share locations? Do you want to check my phone? Whatever it is you want me to do or not do, I will listen. If you are ever not comfortable with someone or something, tell me and I will handle it," I look at her rubbing her back as she relaxes into me, but she doesn't say anything.

We stay in this limbo for a few minutes before she kisses me harshly on the lips tugging at them.

"I do trust you" she whispers on my lips before burying her face in my neck.

I play in her hair, rubbing her scalp and giving her light kisses on the top of her head.

Charliese coos in the bassinet and before Ashanti has a chance to get up, I lay her down on the couch and grab my baby girl, rocking her as I walk while both my girls just stare at me.

This is all I will ever want...

ALL I will ever need.

_____