4.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

The next morning, I woke up feeling well-rested and fine as hell. I slipped my Hello Kitty slippers onto my feet, stretching my arms before making my way over to the mirror. My silk pajama set clung to me just right, and my skin was glowing. I looked tea, bitch.

Satisfied, I fluffed my hair and left my room, expecting to see Ren posted up outside my door like she was last night, but she wasn't there.

Huh.

I figured she must've gone home, which was fine by me—I needed a break from having those sexy ass eyes on me all the time. I made my way downstairs toward Daddy's office, my slippers making soft taps against the marble floors, but as I passed by the gym, I heard movement inside.

I rolled my eyes, already assuming it was Malik, probably showing off for some girl on FaceTime. Still, curiosity got the best of me, so I pushed open the frosted glass doors.

But it wasn't Malik.

It was Ren.

And she looked too good.

My breath hitched before I could stop myself.

She was mid-workout, dressed in a black sports bra and fitted shorts that showed off every toned muscle in her legs. But what had me standing there like an idiot was her tattoos.

I could finally see her whole sleeve, the black and gray ink running up her toned arm in a pattern of roses, skulls, and script I couldn't quite make out. But then my eyes dragged down to her leg, where another tattoo piece wrapped around her thigh and calf, making my stomach feel like I just missed a step.

She was dripping in sweat, her  dreads pulled into a loose bun, with some strands clinging to her forehead. Her dimples barely showed, but I could see them peeking out as she licked her lips and glanced at me.

"Mornin', Ms. Hill."

Her voice was deep and dripped with that accent, smooth like honey and just as slow.

I sucked in a breath, regaining my composure as I crossed my arms. Ms. Hill?

"Call me Doll."

Her eyebrow lifted slightly as she wiped her face with a towel, those rings on her fingers flashing under the gym lights.

"That so? Thought we was keepin' it professional."

The way she looked at me as she said it—like she knew exactly what she was doing—made my knees feel weak.

I huffed, tilting my chin up. "What's professional about you being half-naked in my gym?"

Ren chuckled lowly, taking a step toward me, and I suddenly felt way too warm.

"Ain't nothin' unprofessional 'bout workin' out. But you? You look like trouble."

My mouth opened slightly, but I didn't even know what to say to that.

I rolled my eyes instead, flipping my hair over my shoulder. "Whatever. I was looking for my daddy."

"He in his office. You need an escort?"

I wanted to say yes, just to have an excuse to walk next to her, but I forced myself to scoff.

"I think I can make it on my own, Ren."

Her lips curled into a small smirk, and I had to look away before I embarrassed myself.

"Go on then, Ms. Hill. Don't get lost."

I turned on my heel, leaving faster than I wanted to, feeling her eyes on me the whole way out.

I made my way to Daddy's office, still feeling a little hot from that run-in with Ren. I shook it off, flipping my hair over my shoulder before stepping inside like I owned the place—because, let's be real, I kinda did.

Daddy was sitting behind his massive oak desk, looking all serious, flipping through paperwork while talking on the phone. I barely spared it a glance before plopping down in my pink plush chair, the same one he got me when I was younger so I'd have a place to sit while I watched him handle business.

I crossed my legs, tapping my freshly done nails against the armrest before dragging out the sweetest, most spoiled voice I could.

"Daddyyyyy, can I have some money? Rina and I wanna go shopping."

I knew exactly what I was doing—Daddy never said no to me.

He barely looked up, still listening to whoever was on the phone, but he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out the black card.

Yup, the unlimited one.

I grinned, reaching out and snatching it before he could even blink.

"Thank you, Daddy! Love you!" I said quickly, already bouncing up from my seat.

He finally glanced at me, sighing like he knew I was about to go crazy in Chanel.

"Don't go overboard, Babydoll."

I gasped, clutching my chest like he just offended me. "Daddy, when have I ever gone overboard?"

He just gave me a look.

I giggled, flipping my hair again as I tucked the card safely into my phone case.

"Don't worry, I'll be good. Promise."

He shook his head, already half-tuned out, and went back to his work, and I took that as my cue to dip before he changed his mind.

I was already texting Rina, telling her to get ready ASAP because we were about to have a shopping spree for the ages.

After securing Daddy's black card, I felt like the baddest bitch alive.

I strutted out of his office, already texting Rina to get ready, but before heading upstairs, I decided to swing by the gym again.

Call it curiosity.

Or maybe I just wanted another excuse to look at Ren's fine ass.

But when I pushed open the frosted glass doors, she wasn't there.

I frowned slightly, my eyes scanning the empty space. The only evidence that she had even been there was the towel she'd left draped over one of the weight benches. I chewed my lip, suddenly feeling a little disappointed.

I tried to shake it off, turning on my heel and heading upstairs to my room. But the second I reached my door, I felt her presence.

And Lord.

Ren was back in her black suit, standing posted up against the wall like she never left. Her dreads were still damp from her workout, pulled back into a low bun, and the way her suit jacket stretched over her toned arms made my stomach feel funny.

But what got me the most was her scent.

I could smell her the second I walked by.

That deep, rich cologne mixed with something a little darker, something almost spicy. It smelled like money, power, and a man that don't play about you—except she wasn't a man.

I almost forgot what I was supposed to be saying.

I cleared my throat, trying to keep my voice steady. "We're leaving for the mall soon."

Ren's deep brown eyes flicked to mine, unreadable, and she gave me a simple nod. Just a nod.

No questions, no comments—just straight business.

Ugh.

I rolled my eyes and stepped into my room, closing the door behind me.

I leaned against it for a second, pressing my hands to my chest.

Why the hell was my heart beating so fast?

I flopped onto my plush pink bed, letting out a deep sigh before pulling out my phone. With a quick tap, I FaceTimed Rina, and she picked up instantly, the screen showing her sitting in front of her vanity, fixing her lashes.

"What's good, bitch? You ready?" she asked, tilting her head while pressing her lash into place.

"Not yet. I was about to start, though." I sat up, flipping my camera so she could see my full silk pajama set. "I look tea, huh?"

She smirked. "Always. But you better hurry up 'cause I'm tryna hit every damn store."

I laughed and grabbed my makeup bag, setting up my phone so we could get ready together. We were talking cash money shit about what we were gonna buy, who we were gonna see, and how we just knew niggas were gonna be in our faces when I suddenly got a notification.

A follow request.

I squinted at the username, and my mouth dropped open.

"Bitch!" I said, cutting Rina off mid-sentence.

She paused, mid-eyeliner. "What? Who died?"

I turned my phone to face me, dramatically pointing at the screen. "The girl I twerked on the other night just followed me!"

Rina's eyebrow shot up.

"Ohhhh?" she dragged out, putting her liner down. "Love triangle?"

I sucked my teeth. "No, bitch, relax."

"Why not? Y'all had a lil' moment. She was all over you—"

I cut her off real quick. "No, 'cause I just went to her page and—bitch—she ugly up close."

Rina let out a dramatic gasp, dropping her brush.

"NOOO! Don't do her like that!"

I was already screen-sharing, my nails tapping on my screen. "No, bitch, look!"

Her face popped up big on Rina's screen, and we both went silent.

Rina pursed her lips, tilting her head.

I gave her a knowing look.

Then we both busted out laughing.

"Oh, nah." Rina wiped a fake tear. "That was the Henny working overtime that night."

"I swear I thought she was cute!" I covered my face, dying.

Rina smirked. "See, this why I don't drink like that."

"Bitch, shut up, 'cause you was throwing ass on that random dude, too!"

She gasped. "And he was fine, thank you very much! Unlike Ms. Catfish over there."

I cackled, swiping out of her profile so fast. "I'ma just leave that request sitting."

Rina snickered. "Cold world."

I flipped my hair. "It is what it is. Now, let's get back to slaying. I got a body to eat these fits up."

Rina rolled her eyes but grinned. "Aight, let's get it."

And just like that, we went back to our bad bitch business.

I stepped back from my full-length mirror, taking one final look at myself. Yeah, I ate this up. The black bodysuit hugged me just right, snatching my waist while the cropped jean jacket added just the right amount of edge. I adjusted the strap of my Marc Jacobs tote, making sure the logo was sitting pretty before grabbing my gloss and keys.

As soon as I stepped out of my room, Ren was already posted up by the door, arms crossed, that usual serious expression on her face. Her tattooed hand rested near her hip, and I could see the way the fabric of her blazer slightly stretched over her toned arms.

She was fine as hell, but she also got on my nerves.

I kept walking like I ain't see her, reaching for my pink G-Wagon keys. My fingers grazed them for a split second—

Then, her hand was already on them, snatching them up like she paid for this damn car.

I sucked my teeth, rolling my eyes. "You really on that?"

Ren glanced at me, completely unbothered. **"Your daddy's orders."**Her smooth Louisiana accent just made it more annoying.

I let out a dramatic sigh, tossing my tote into the passenger seat before sliding in. At least she opened the door for me this time.

The ride to Rina's was silent, per usual, except for the faint hum of whatever R&B song was playing through the speakers. I kept sneaking glances at Ren's hands on the wheel, those same tattooed fingers tapping lightly against it. The rings on her fingers caught the sunlight, and I tried not to stare too hard.

She really had to be this fine and this annoying?

We pulled up to Rina's house, and before Ren could even put the car in park, Rina was already outside, bouncing down her driveway in her Dior slides. She had on a cute little baby tee and low-rise jeans, hair laid as always.

She slid into the backseat, the smell of her vanilla perfume filling the car.

"What's up, Ren?" Rina greeted with a smirk, always being messy.

Ren just gave her a small nod through the rearview mirror, barely reacting.

Rina turned to me, wiggling her brows as I whispered, "Bitch, behave."

She giggled but sat back, and just like that, we were off to the mall.

Time to do some damage.

The mall was our playground, and I was here to have fun.

Me and Rina were bouncing between stores, arms already stacked with shopping bags. Every few minutes, we'd stop at a mirror to check ourselves, posing like we were in a Teen Vogue ad.

Ren, of course, was trailing behind me like a shadow, holding my bags like a damn personal assistant. All my bags. Not Rina's.

Rina squinted at her. "Damn, you got favorites, huh?"

Ren just shrugged, adjusting my bags on her toned arms like they weighed nothing.

I bit back a smirk, but an idea hit me. If she was gonna be all overprotective and obedient, then let's see just how far that went.

I turned to Ren, tilting my head, pouting my glossed lips just a little. My voice was soft, sweet—just the right amount of needy.

"Ren, can you carry Rina's bags too?"

Her jaw twitched. Oh?

She didn't move for a second, just stared at me, eyes dark, expression unreadable. Something shifted in her posture. She wasn't stiff anymore—she looked like she was considering something.

If this was Wyatt, he would've rolled his eyes and told me to shut up. But Ren? She was actually thinking about it.

Oh, noted.

Rina looked between us, clearly picking up on something. Her eyebrows lifted, and she smirked.

Ren finally spoke, voice low. "Your father only assigned me to you."

My stomach flipped at the way she said it. Like she was reminding me who she belonged to.

Rina muffled a laugh, grabbing her own bags dramatically. "It's cool, I don't need you anyway, Ren."

Ren didn't react, but I swore I saw a flicker of amusement in her eyes.

Yeah. She liked that.

I hummed, walking ahead, swinging my hips a little more than necessary.

If she wanted to act unbothered, let's see how long that lasted.

Rina leaned in close, voice full of mischief.

"She staring at that ass, babydoll."

I cut my eyes at her, lips curling into a knowing smile. Oh, I already knew. I could feel those eyes burning into me. The same way they had been all day. Ren could play it cool all she wanted, but she was watching.

And if she wanted to stare? I was about to give her something to look at.

I pretended to be unbothered, tossing my hair over my shoulder, all nonchalant. Then, just as we were walking past the next store, I "accidentally" dropped my pink Dior lip gloss.

"Oops."

I let my voice stay light, innocent, bending down slow, arching my back just right. The kind of bend that had Wyatt grabbing me by the arm in public.

But Wyatt wasn't here.

Ren was.

And just as I reached for my gloss, I felt it—a light press of warmth against me.

Ren.

She must've been walking too close, too distracted—because she bumped into me, just barely, my ass pressing into her for half a second.

But that second was long enough.

She froze.

I straightened up, smirking to myself, pretending like I didn't notice. But I did. And I definitely noticed when she took a slow, deep breath behind me, like she had to re-center herself.

I turned, just in time to see her rebuilding her walls. Her jaw clenched, her stance stiffening up again like she was forcing herself back into business mode.

Rina was damn near choking on laughter beside me, covering her mouth.

"Doll, you ain't shit," she whispered, shaking her head.

I slid my lip gloss back into my bag, grinning.

Ren wanted to be professional? Fine.

But I could tell. I had her just a little shook.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

After we wrapped up our shopping spree, arms full of bags from every luxury store in the mall, we headed back to my place. Rina, of course, tagged along—because where else would she be?

Ren was back to her usual post, standing outside my bedroom door, arms folded, looking like a damn bodyguard straight out of a movie. I had to force myself not to watch her too hard as I walked past.

Me and Rina snuck off to Malik's room, and the second we stepped in, she leaned in and whispered in my ear,

"Thank you, bitch."

I rolled my eyes. "You're welcome, loser."

She wasn't even trying to hide how giddy she was. It was actually disgusting. She liked my brother more than me, and I was starting to take it personal.

Malik was posted up on his bed, PlayStation controller in hand, locked into whatever game he was playing. He barely looked up when we came in.

"Yo, get out."

I flopped on his bed dramatically, throwing one of my bags at him. "No, bitch. Pay attention to me."

Rina was already digging through her bags, pulling out outfits, her eyes flickering toward Malik every few seconds.

"Mally, look," she said, holding up a cropped hoodie. "You think I should wear this to that party tomorrow?"

I squinted at her. "Rina, what party?"

She waved me off. "You wasn't listening. Anyway, Mally—?"

Malik sighed hard, finally pausing his game. "Rina, I don't care what you wear."

She gasped like he shot her. "Wow. That was mean."

I fake wiped a tear. "He treats us so bad."

Malik groaned, rubbing his temples like we were the most annoying people on the planet. But I saw the way his eyes lingered on Rina a little longer than necessary.

She noticed too.

She smirked, biting her lip, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

Oh, this girl was so gone for him.

I rolled my eyes, snatching one of my bags back from Malik. "Anyway, we came to distract you from your ugly-ass game, so stop ignoring us."

He muttered something under his breath, but he still leaned back and let us take over his space.

Rina and I went back to showing off our new stuff, Malik throwing in his half-assed opinions every now and then.

But I saw it.

The way Rina kept stealing glances at him. The way Malik was way too aware of her being in his room.

I just shook my head. My best friend had it bad.

After we packed up our shopping bags and left Malik's room, Rina was practically floating. She was smiling down at her phone, probably replaying every second of that little exchange in her head.

I side-eyed her as we walked to my room. "You so down bad, it's embarrassing."

She sucked her teeth. "Girl, shut up. You just mad 'cause Ren got you feeling things."

I ignored that.

When we got to my room, I kicked the door shut behind us and flopped onto my plush, oversized bed, sighing like I had just worked a full shift at the mall instead of shopping.

Rina dropped her bags dramatically on the floor, then climbed up next to me.

"I'm sleeping over, by the way."

I didn't argue. She always did this anyway. We both knew she wasn't going home.

I grabbed my remote and turned on my massive flatscreen, scrolling through movies while Rina started taking off her jewelry.

I was mid-scroll when my phone buzzed. Wyatt.

"Where you at?"

I groaned. "Nowhere you need to be." I tossed my phone across the bed and turned my attention back to the TV.

Rina smirked. "Still won't block him though."

I sighed, rubbing my temple. "I don't even know why he still tries. It's so exhausting."

"Because he knows you ain't got the heart to leave him for real."

I rolled over and gave her a look. "Be for real."

She laughed, throwing a pillow at me. "I'm just saying. If you really wanted to cut him off, you would. But you like a little toxicity."

"No, I like being spoiled."

She snorted. "Exactly. Toxic."

I threw the pillow back at her, and we both fell into laughter before settling under my plush pink blankets.

After a while, the room got quiet, except for the sound of the movie playing in the background.

I checked my phone one last time.

No messages from Wyatt this time.

But one from Ren.

"Let me know if you need anything."

Short. Simple. But I reread it twice anyway.

Rina peeped over my shoulder before I could even lock my phone.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Your bodyguard checking on you?"

I threw my phone on the nightstand and turned over. "Goodnight, Rina."

She laughed, but she didn't push it.

Soon enough, her breathing slowed, and I knew she was asleep.

I closed my eyes, but my mind was racing.

Ren was just my bodyguard. She was just doing her job.

So why was I smiling like a damn fool?