𝔘𝔫𝔰𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔡. || 𝔗𝔯𝔦𝔭𝔭𝔦𝔢 ℜ𝔢𝔡𝔡

𝔑𝔬 ℌ𝔬𝔩𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔅𝔞𝔠𝔨

No Holding Back

"I'd do anything just to keep you close, but I ain't gonna let nobody come between us."

The silence was slightly calmer as Jade stood in front of me, her arms crossed tight over her chest. I could tell from the look in her eyes that she was still processing everything, still trying to figure out if she could trust me after what had gone down. I was ready to get into it, but I knew I had to let her lead. I wasn't about to push her any further than I already had.

She let out a slow breath, her eyes locking onto mine with a look that held more curiosity than anger, like she was waiting to see what I'd say next. "So, about the VMAs..." she began, her tone calm but cutting right through the silence between us. "You just stood there while Coi was runnin' her mouth. Tell me you understand how that looked, right?"

I exhaled, trying to keep my frustration in check. I knew she was right, and I knew I'd messed up, but damn, it was hard to admit that I hadn't handled it the way I should have. "I get it, Jade. I know I should've stepped in sooner. I should've shut her down before she had the chance to say anything."

Her eyes narrowed. "So why didn't you? She's out here talkin' reckless, making me look like a fool, and you just stood there. It was like you ain't even care."

My jaw clenched, and I took a step closer, looking her straight in the eyes. "It ain't like that. I care, Jade. I care more than you know. But I thought ignoring her would be better than giving her the reaction she wanted. I didn't wanna give her the satisfaction."

She crossed her arms tighter, clearly not buying it. "You really think that worked? She got what she wanted anyway—she got in my head, and she got you to act like I was nothing. That's what she wanted, Michael."

"I know that now." I ran a hand over my face, trying to find the words to make her understand. "But I'm done with her. I was done with her before you even came around. She just don't know how to let go. She's been playin' these games, thinking she still has a place in my life, but she's wrong. You're the only one I'm thinking about."

Jade's expression softened, but the doubt was still there. "You say that, but then you let her disrespect me like that. I need to know you're not just talkin' outta ya ass, Tripp. I need to know you're actually here for me, that I'm not just another one of your bitches."

I reached out, putting my hands on her shoulders, pulling her in just close enough so she could see I was dead serious. "You ain't neva been no 'bitch' to me. I should've said something, and I should've shut her down. But I'm saying it now—I'm here for you, and I'm not letting anybody get between us."

She looked away, like she was trying to hide the hurt in her eyes, but I could still see it. "I need more than just words, Tripp. You can't let people walk all over me like that and then think you can just say sorry. I'm not a fool, and I'm not about to be played."

"I know that, J. And I'm not asking you to believe me right now. But I'm telling you, I'm not letting Coi or anyone else mess with us again. You can hold me to that." I took her hands in mine, feeling the tension start to ease just a bit, but knowing we still had a long way to go.

She finally looked back at me, her gaze steady and strong. "Then prove it. Show me that I'm not just another girl in your life. I can't keep doing this if I'm always looking over my shoulder, wondering when the next thing is gonna blow up."

I nodded, letting her see the truth in my eyes. "J, you know you're it for me. Coi's been done—I'm way past that. I ain't tryna mess with nobody else. Whatever I gotta do to make this right, I'm on it. You're the one, period."

For a moment, we just stood there, letting the weight of everything hang between us. I could feel the tension starting to break, like we were finally getting somewhere. Jade took a deep breath, the fire in her eyes still there, but now it was mixed with something else—maybe a little bit of hope, maybe a little bit of trust. It was a start, and that was all I could ask for.

She stepped back, her arms uncrossing as she let out a long sigh. "Alright. But I need you to know that if you pull any of this shit again, I'm out. I'm not dealin' with anybody else's drama, and I'm not letting you drag me into it."

"You won't have to," I said, my voice firm. "I'm not letting no shit like this happen again. I'll handle it, and I'll make sure you never have to question where you stand with me."

She nodded, a small smile finally breaking through. "Then let's see if you mean it, Tripp. 'Cause I'm not sticking around just to get played."

I reached for her hand, pulling her close enough to press my forehead against hers, letting her feel the promise I was making. "I got you, lil baby. I mean it."

In that moment, with her hand in mine and our eyes locked on each other, I knew I was willing to do whatever it took to keep her by my side. This was it—no more holding back, no more letting the past creep in and mess with what we were building. I was ready to fight for her, to prove that I was in this for real. And for the first time in days, I felt like we had a chance to move forward, together.

This wasn't the end of the struggle, but it was the start of somethin' real. And as long as I had her by my side, I knew I'd do whatever it took to keep it that way. No holding back, no looking back. Just me and her, taking on whatever came our way.