A couple days had passed, and Tank and Kayla were now leaving Oklahoma City after dropping the final load off at Walmart. They were now heading home. It was late in the evening, and Tank had just gassed up when Kayla persuaded him to let her drive.

Tank eyed her briefly, his lips twitching in amusement before he gave in with a nod. "Ain't too much traffic out here, so why not?"

Kayla beamed, sliding into the driver's seat with excitement. She adjusted the seat, got comfortable, and gripped the steering wheel with confidence. "See, you act like I can't handle this."

Tank chuckled as he leaned back in the passenger seat, stretching his legs. "Ain't 'bout that, baby. I just know how you get distracted."

Kayla smirked knowingly but didn't respond as she pulled the truck back onto the road, smoothly maneuvering the massive eighteen-wheeler like she'd been doing it for years.

Truth be told, she wanted to help him out since she'd been wearing his ass out this entire trip. But Tank didn't mind. He had a goal in mind—to put a baby in her—and all the fucking they'd been doing? He was convinced by the time they got back to Atlanta, she'd be pregnant if she wasn't already.

He rubbed his chin, watching her as she focused on the road, her hands gripping the wheel with precision. She looked good as hell driving his truck. Confident. Sexy. His.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath.

Kayla glanced at him, brow raised. "What, baby?"

Tank shook his head, smirking. "You just look good as fuck drivin' my truck, that's all."

Kayla giggled, biting her lip as she kept her eyes on the road. "I like driving it. Makes me feel like I'm really a part of this."

"You are," Tank said firmly. "Ain't no 'feelin' like it.' You my woman. This our shit."

Kayla's heart fluttered at his words, warmth spreading through her chest. She wasn't used to this kind of love—unapologetic, possessive, real.

She reached over, resting her hand on Tank's thigh, rubbing slow, teasing circles. "I love you, Tyler."

Tank exhaled deeply, his large hand covering hers, squeezing gently. "I love you too, Kayla."

The silence between them was comfortable, the only sound was the hum of the engine and the smooth roll of the tires against the pavement.

Tank watched Kayla drive, his mind racing. He knew what he wanted. A family. A future. And he wasn't about to let nobody get in the way of that.

Not Darling. Not Dina. Not anyone.

Kayla kept driving as Tank eyed her from the passenger seat, his mind working overtime.

"When's the last time you had your period?" he asked, his voice low but firm.

Kayla shrugged, keeping her eyes on the road. "I don't remember. They're irregular," she informed him casually, like it wasn't a big deal.

Tank's brows furrowed as he leaned back in his seat, rubbing his chin. "Irregular, how? Like, every couple months or what?"

Kayla nodded. "Yeah, sometimes I'll go two, three months without one. It's always been like that."

Tank sucked his teeth, thinking. "So, you could be pregnant right now, and we wouldn't even know."

Kayla smirked but didn't respond. She knew exactly what he was getting at.

Tank exhaled, shaking his head. "Shit, we should stop at a Walmart and grab a test."

Kayla giggled, gripping the wheel tighter. "You that eager to know?"

"Hell yeah," Tank said without hesitation. "You already know what I want, Kayla. If you pregnant, I wanna know."

Kayla chewed on her bottom lip, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. The idea of being pregnant with Tank's baby was something she had been craving, but now that the possibility was real, her stomach flipped.

"I mean..." she started, glancing at him quickly before focusing back on the road. "If I am... would you be okay?"

Tank gave her a look like she just asked the dumbest question in the world. "Okay? Girl, I'd be the happiest nigga alive."

A slow smile spread across Kayla's face. "So, we stopping for a test?"

"Damn right," Tank smirked, pulling his phone out to check the nearest Walmart on their route. "We stoppin' at the next one I see."

Kayla's heart raced as she gripped the wheel tighter. The thought of seeing a positive pregnancy test made her breath hitch. If she was pregnant, that meant she'd have a piece of Tank forever. A baby would solidify everything between them, no matter what anyone had to say about it.

Kayla agreed to stop at the next Walmart, but she made it clear she didn't want to take the test until they got back home to Decatur. Tank agreed, but his excitement was damn near uncontrollable. His knee bounced, and he kept glancing at Kayla like he could already see her belly swelling with his baby.

"I swear, I feel it in my soul," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his chin. "You pregnant, Kayla. I just know it."

Kayla bit her lip, her heart thumping. "You don't know that for sure," she said softly, but deep down, she hoped he was right.

Tank smirked. "I do, though. I been fuckin' you raw damn near every day, and I know my shit hits."

Kayla's face heated, and she turned her attention fully on the road, gripping the wheel tighter. She wasn't new to sex, but Tank was the first man who ever made her feel like she was his in every way that mattered. The way he looked at her, touched her, protected her—claimed her—made her crave him in ways she never craved anyone before. And now, with a baby possibly growing inside her, she wanted that connection even deeper. She just didn't want to disappoint him.

"I hope I am," she admitted in a small voice, so quiet that if the truck wasn't so silent, he might not have heard her.

Tank turned in his seat, his light brown eyes locking onto her. "What you say?"

Kayla exhaled, gripping the wheel. "I hope I am," she repeated, louder this time.

Tank grinned wide, reaching over to squeeze her thigh. "Good, 'cause I ain't tryna hear no 'if.' You pregnant, Kayla. Ain't no other way around it."

Kayla swallowed thickly, her stomach twisting with nerves. She prayed he was right. She wanted to see that test show two pink lines. She wanted to see his face when she told him it was real. She wanted to feel him hold her belly, knowing he put his baby inside her.

The thought sent a shiver through her, and she pressed the gas a little harder.

Kayla eased the big rig into the Walmart parking lot, turning into an open space near the entrance. The store's bright lights illuminated the lot, casting a glow over the quiet night. She cut the engine, exhaled, and looked over at Tank.

He was knocked out, arms crossed, head tilted slightly to the side. Even in his sleep, he looked good—relaxed, peaceful, yet still every bit of the man she knew could be on go at any second if necessary.

Kayla licked her lips before reaching over to shake him. "Tank... baby, wake up."

He groaned low, eyes slowly peeling open as he stretched. When his gaze met hers, it was like he remembered exactly where they were supposed to be, and his whole face lit up.

"We here?" His voice was deep and raspy from sleep.

Kayla nodded. "Yeah, I figured you'd wanna grab them tests before we head home."

Tank smirked, rubbing his hands together. "Hell yeah." He sat up, rolling his shoulders before reaching for the door handle. "I'm 'bout to buy every damn test they got."

Kayla chuckled softly as she hopped down from the truck locking the door before following him inside.

Walmart was damn near empty this late at night, just a few workers restocking shelves and a handful of customers moving through the aisles. But Tank, he walked in like he owned the place, one arm slung over Kayla's shoulder, guiding her straight to the pharmacy section.

When they reached the pregnancy tests section, he wasted no time.

"Grab 'em all," he muttered, reaching for the shelves. First Response, Clearblue, generic brands—he stacked box after box in his arms, not even bothering to check the price. Kayla watched in amusement, arms crossed.

"You know I only need one, right?"

Tank shot her a look. "Nah. You takin' all these. I need to see multiple confirmations. I want that shit in bold print, loud and clear."

Kayla rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the smile tugging at her lips. His excitement was damn near contagious, and deep down, it made her feel... safe. Wanted. Like she belonged to him in a way no one else ever made her feel before.

As they made their way to the self-checkout, Tank pulled out his wallet, tapping his bank card onto the machine. He didn't even blink at the total. Once the bags were in his hands, he turned to her, smirking.

"Aight, let's get home."

Back in Decatur, William leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the thick folder in front of him. The contents had his full attention—every detail, every piece of Kayla Knight's past laid out in black and white.

"A missing person report," he mused, his lips curling into a slow, knowing smirk. "Now, that's interesting."

Darling leaned forward eagerly, eyes bright with satisfaction. "I knew something was off about that girl. She just up and disappeared?" She scoffed. "Her mama's probably been worried sick."

Dina chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, lucky for her, we're about to do a good deed." She tapped her manicured nails against the table. "I say we call her mama up. No need to waste any more time."

William glanced at the paperwork again, his sharp lawyer mind already running through the possibilities. This was a goldmine. Not only did this give them leverage, but it also gave them a way to completely shake up whatever fantasy Kayla was living with Tank.

"Hmmm," he drawled, smoothing a hand over his neatly pressed button-down. "We have to do this right." He looked between his daughters. "We contact Mrs. Taylor, get a feel for her. See if she has been looking for her daughter then we'll make sure she knows exactly where to find her."

Darling smirked. "And when she does?"

William's eyes gleamed with something dark and calculating. "Kayla won't have a choice but to face her past. And when she does, Tank will see her for exactly what she is."

Dina crossed her legs, completely satisfied. "Perfect. Now, let's make the call."

In Richmond, Martha sat up in bed, her back pressed against the headboard as the television flickered across the dimly lit room. Vince lay beside her, his large frame taking up most of the space, one arm lazily draped over his stomach as he stared at the screen. But Martha wasn't paying attention to the show.

Kayla was on her mind. Constantly.

Gwen's harsh words still echoed in her head, repeating like a broken record—You're a terrible mother.

Martha knew Gwen was right. She had abused Kayla, physically, emotionally, and mentally. She allowed her anger, her bitterness, and her own damn issues to shape the way she treated her child. And worst of all, she turned a blind eye to Vince's attraction to Kayla. She let it happen. Didn't stop it. And now, her firstborn was out in the world, running. Because out there—on the road, with a stranger—she felt safer than she ever did at home.

The thought made Martha sick to her stomach.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. An unknown number.

Her pulse spiked. Could it be Kayla?

She snatched the phone up and answered quickly, her voice thick with hope. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Martha Taylor?" a deep voice asked on the other end.

"Yes, this is she," Martha replied, gripping the phone tighter.

"This is Officer William Bennett calling from Decatur, Georgia. I'm reaching out regarding your missing person's report on Kayla Knight."

Martha sat up straighter. "You found my daughter?"

"We have reason to believe she's in Decatur," William continued smoothly. "She's been seen traveling with a man named Tyler Carter."

Vince turned his head at the mention of Kayla's name. His interest piqued instantly.

Martha's heart pounded. "Where is she? Can you give me an address? A phone number?"

"Unfortunately, I can't disclose her exact location just yet," William lied effortlessly, his tone professional. "But if you come to Decatur, we can work together to bring her home."

Martha exhaled sharply, her fingers digging into the sheets. "I'll be there," she said without hesitation.

Vince smirked, rubbing his chin as he sat up beside her. "That's right," he murmured. "She's been gone too long. That lil' girl think she grown, but she got another thing comin'. She need to learn what happens when you run off like that."

Martha swallowed hard, a sick feeling creeping into her chest.

She knew exactly what Vince meant.

He wasn't looking to welcome Kayla home.

He was looking to punish her.

But she didn't argue. Didn't protest.

Because deep down, Martha knew she is a coward.

However, she has a second chance to bring her home.