I made it to Brazil, here y'all go!

Tank laid in the silence as he held Kayla in their bed, his strong arms wrapped protectively around her. She had calmed down since earlier when her mother and that sorry excuse for a man she called a stepfather trespassed on the Carter's Compound. He'd done what any real man would do—handled that motherfucker without hesitation. And he didn't regret a damn thing.

Kayla had been too caught up in her panic to notice at first, but when the ambulance pulled up and they had to scrape Vince's sorry ass off the ground, she saw it. Saw the damage Tank had done, saw just how deep his love for her ran. He had kept his promise—to protect her, to defend her. Because she was his, and he wasn't about to let nobody come in and shake up what they were building.

She rested her hand on her small belly, feeling the flutter of life growing inside her. She didn't know she could love Tank more than she already did, but tonight proved otherwise.

He kissed the top of her head, his grip tightening around her. "You good, baby?" His voice was low, deep, filled with nothing but concern.

Kayla nodded against his chest, exhaling slowly. "Yeah... I just... I never thought I'd have this. A family. Real love."

Tank shifted, leaning up on one elbow so he could look down at her. "You do now. Ain't nobody takin' that from you."

She stared up at him, her brown eyes glossy with unshed tears. "I love you, Tyler."

That was it for him. He didn't hesitate. He leaned down, capturing her lips with his, pouring everything he felt into that kiss. It was deep, slow, possessive—he needed her to feel it, to know she was his, just as much as he was hers.

His rough hand slid over her belly, his thumb tracing gentle circles over the slight curve. "Both of y'all mine."

Kayla melted against him, sighing softly. "Forever?"

Tank smirked, his lips brushing against hers again. "Forever, lil' bit."

Tank didn't rush her, didn't push for anything more than this moment, holding her, protecting her, loving her the way she deserved. His fingers traced lazy circles over her belly, his other hand tangled in her curls as he held her close.

"You feelin' okay?" he asked, his deep voice vibrating against her.

Kayla nodded, her body relaxing into his warmth. "Yeah, just tired. Drained."

"I bet," he murmured. "You been through a lot today. But it's over. They gone. Ain't nobody comin' back 'round here fuckin' with you. I put the fear of God in 'em."

She swallowed, remembering the sight of Vince's bloodied face. She should've felt some sort of guilt, but she didn't. That man had tormented her for years, and now, for the first time, he was the one in pain.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Tank lifted her chin so she had no choice but to look at him. "You ain't never gotta thank me for doin' what I'm supposed to do, baby."

She blinked back tears, overwhelmed by the love she felt for this man. He wasn't just talking. He meant every damn word.

A soft knock at the door made them both turn.

"It's me, baby," Sherri's voice called softly. "Just wanna check on y'all."

Kayla wiped her face and nodded at Tank, who got up and opened the door. Sherri stepped in, her eyes immediately locking on Kayla.

"How you feelin', baby?" she asked, concern lacing her voice as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Kayla offered a small smile. "I'm okay, mama. Just... tired."

Sherri took her hand, squeezing it. "That's understandable. But listen here, you ain't got nothin' to be embarrassed about. You hear me? You part of this family now. We gon' protect you, love you, make sure you and that baby got everything you need."

Kayla swallowed hard, her chest tightening. She had never had this. Never had someone, a mother figure, genuinely love her without conditions.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Sherri smiled, rubbing Kayla's hand before standing up. "Y'all get some rest now. Tomorrow's a new day."

She kissed Tank on the cheek before slipping out of the room.

Tank climbed back into bed, pulling Kayla against him again.

"You ready for a new day, lil' bit?"

She nuzzled against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart.

"As long as I got you, I'm ready for anything."

Gwen sighed heavily as she parked outside the Decatur Police Department, rubbing her temples before stepping out of her BMW. She was exhausted from the drive, but more than that, she was furious—furious with Martha for dragging her into this mess, furious with herself for not seeing the signs sooner, and furious that Kayla had to endure so much pain alone.

She pushed through the double doors of the police station, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. An officer at the front desk looked up, offering a polite nod.

"Help you with something, ma'am?" he asked.

"I'm here to bail out Martha Taylor," Gwen said, her voice clipped.

The officer smirked, clearly amused. "She's been quiet since she got booked. Didn't even ask for a lawyer."

Gwen sighed. "She probably too embarrassed. She knows she fucked up."

The officer stood, motioning for her to follow. "Come on, I'll take you back."

As Gwen walked through the station, the air smelled of stale coffee and disinfectant. They reached the holding cells, and there, sitting on the hard metal bench, was Martha. Her usually well-done hair was a mess, her face looked like she hadn't slept, and her hands trembled slightly as she looked up at Gwen.

"Gwen..." Martha's voice was hoarse, weak.

Gwen folded her arms. "You got some damn nerve, Martha. I should leave you here."

Martha swallowed hard, her eyes glassy. "I know I messed up..."

"Messed up?" Gwen scoffed. "You better be lucky you're my only sibling. You let that man put his hands on your daughter. You let him terrorize her, and for what? Because you wanted to keep a man? A sorry-ass, no-good, sorry excuse of a man? "

Martha dropped her head. "I was scared."

"Kayla was scared too! And you didn't do a damn thing to protect her!"

The officer cleared his throat. "You can keep talking to her once she's processed out. Come sign the paperwork."

Gwen exhaled sharply before following him back to the front. She signed the necessary forms, paid the bail, and within thirty minutes, Martha was being released.

As they stepped outside, Gwen turned to her sister. "Let's get something straight. I ain't doing this for you. I came because of Kayla. She's pregnant, Martha. And she damn sure don't need you showing up in her life causing more problems."

Martha's face paled. "I—I know. I saw her... She looked happy. That boy she with, Tank... he loves her."

Gwen gave her a sharp look. "Damn right, he does. More than you ever did."

Martha flinched. "I just... I wanna make things right."

Gwen shook her head. "You don't get to decide that. Kayla does. And if she don't want nothing to do with you, you better respect that."

Martha nodded slowly, knowing deep down that Gwen was right.

"Come on," Gwen said, walking to her car. "Let's get a hotel. You ain't about to show up at that girl's doorstep unannounced."

Martha followed silently, the weight of her failures heavy on her shoulders.

As soon as Martha slid into the passenger seat, Adonis twisted in his seat, his expression hard.

"You really got some nerve, Ma," he snapped. "Bringing that piece of shit around Kayla like that? What the fuck were you thinking?"

Martha flinched at his tone but said nothing.

"Nah, don't go quiet now," he pressed. "You had all that mouth when you were siding with Vince. You let that man do God knows what to Kayla, and now you wanna act like you're some sad, broken mother? Miss me with that bullshit."

Gwen sighed as she pulled out of the police station parking lot. "Adonis, cool it."

"Hell nah, Auntie!" he shot back. "We supposed to just sit here and act like she didn't just pop up, trying to ruin Kayla's peace, you lucky them folks ain't bury Vince out there. And I don't blame him!"

Janay smirked, popping her gum. "Whew, this is better than reality TV."

Adonis shot her a glare. "Shut up, Janay. You love to run your mouth, but you ain't gonna do shit to help."

Janay scoffed. "Help with what? Kayla is good. She livin' like a queen with a man who would kill for her. You act like she ain't better off without us."

Martha turned sharply toward her daughter. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Janay shrugged. "I'm just saying, ma. Kayla always got the short end of the stick with you. Maybe now she finally winning."

Martha's chest ached at her daughter's bluntness. "I never meant to hurt her."

Adonis let out a bitter laugh. "But you did." He turned back around, shaking his head. "And you might not ever be able to fix it."

The car fell into silence after that, the weight of the truth suffocating Martha as Gwen kept her focus on the road.

The tension in the car so thick it felt like a tangible force pressing against her chest. Martha sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her hands clasped tightly together in her lap. She wanted to argue, to defend herself, but what could she say; Adonis was right. Janay, as messy as she was, had a point. Kayla was better off without her.

Gwen sighed, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "We ain't here to attack nobody. We here to check on Kayla, make sure she's really okay. And after that? We mind our damn business."

Janay smirked, looking at her nails. "That's if she even wants to see y'all."

Martha flinched at the thought. Would Kayla even let her get close again? She had every right to turn her away.

"She's pregnant," Martha whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "I should be there for her."

Adonis shook his head, looking out the window. "Too little, too late."

The weight of his words sat heavy in Martha's chest.

Kayla let out a soft sigh, her head resting slightly against Sherri's lap as the older woman ran the brush through her curls. It was comforting, the way Sherri handled her—gentle yet firm, like she had all the time in the world to care for her. The rhythmic strokes of the brush, the hum of an old gospel tune rolling from Sherri's lips, the warmth of the morning sun kissing her skin—it was a moment of peace. A moment Kayla needed.

She wrapped her arms around her legs, her oversized maxi dress draping over her knees as she gazed out at the land. The garden in the distance, the horses grazing, the family members moving about, all giving her a sense of security she hadn't known she needed until now.

"You gettin' any sleep, baby?" Sherri finally broke the silence, her voice as soft as the breeze rustling through the trees.

Kayla shrugged, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns against her shin. "I try, but my mind doesn't ever turn off."

Sherri nodded knowingly, setting the brush down before placing her hands on Kayla's shoulders, squeezing gently. "That's 'cause you done been through too much, baby. Too much for someone so young."

Kayla swallowed hard, blinking back the sting in her eyes. "I just..." She exhaled, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what to do with all this. The love. The safety. I'm not used to it, mama."

The older woman's heart ached at the confession. She slid her arms around Kayla, pulling her into a warm embrace, rocking her slightly. "You don't gotta do nothin' but let yourself have it. Let yourself be loved, baby. That's all we want for you."

Kayla felt herself relax into the hug, into the words, into the truth of it. Kayla melted into Sherri's embrace, soaking in the warmth that radiated from the older woman. She closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling the scent of lavender and fresh earth that clung to Sherri's dress. It was comforting—safe. Something she wasn't used to but desperately needed.

"I still feel like at any moment, it's all gonna disappear," Kayla admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Like I'm gonna wake up and be back in that house, back to being scared."

Sherri cupped Kayla's cheek, tilting her face up to meet her gaze. "Ain't nobody takin' you back there, baby. You hear me? You belong here now. With us. With Tank. Ain't nobody gon' touch you ever again."

Kayla nodded, but deep down, there was still a sliver of fear she couldn't shake. The past had a way of creeping up, even when she was finally free.

The screen door creaked open, and heavy footsteps approached. Tank.

"Hey, baby," his deep voice rumbled, filled with concern.

Kayla turned her head slightly, taking him in. He was fresh from the shower, his skin still dewy, a pair of loose basketball shorts hanging low on his hips. His light brown eyes softened the second they landed on her, and in that moment, she realized just how much she needed him close.

Without a word, Tank crouched down in front of her, his large hands resting under her dress on her bare legs. His thumbs rubbed slow circles against her skin, grounding her.

"You good?" he asked, eyes locked on hers.

Kayla nodded, but Tank saw through it. He always did.

"You still thinkin' 'bout them?" he asked, jaw clenching slightly.

Kayla sighed, lowering her legs and letting them rest on either side of him. "I don't want to, but it's hard to stop."

Tank exhaled sharply, his fingers tightening slightly on her thighs. "Ain't no way they gettin' to you again. You hear me? Ain't no way."

Kayla reached out, cupping his face, running her thumb over the stubble on his jaw. "I know."

Tank turned his head, pressing a slow, lingering kiss against her palm before looking back up at her. "Then stop worryin' 'bout them. We got bigger things to focus on." His eyes flickered down to her belly, and the corner of his lips lifted.

Kayla followed his gaze, placing a hand on the small curve of her stomach. "Yeah. We do."

Mama Sherri stood, patting Kayla's shoulder. "I'mma give y'all a moment." She leaned down, pressing a kiss to Kayla's forehead before stepping inside, leaving them alone.

Tank shifted, moving up onto the porch beside her. He stretched his long legs out and pulled her into him, tucking her against his side.

"We got an appointment tomorrow," he murmured, resting his chin atop her head. "We get to see our lil' man again."

Kayla smiled, the thought warming her from the inside out. "You really think it's a boy?"

Tank chuckled, hand rubbing slow over her stomach. "I know it is. Ain't no way I ain't gettin' a son first."

Kayla laughed softly, the sound light and genuine. It felt good.

"And if it's a girl?" she teased.

Tank smirked. "Then she gon' be spoiled rotten and ain't nobody gon' be able to tell me nothin'."

Kayla shook her head, leaning into him. "You already got it all planned out, huh?"

"Hell yeah," Tank admitted, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Ain't nothin' in this world I want more than this right here."

Kayla's heart swelled, and for the first time in a long time, she let herself believe that everything was truly going to be okay.