9. Derek’s Destiny

DESTINY

The water from my shower beat down on me, mingling with my tears until I couldn't tell where the water ended and my tears began. I felt like such a fool. What the hell was I doing with this man?

Sure, he felt like the same Derek I loved as a young girl, but he wasn’t anymore. He was now D-Truth, an international hip hop superstar who had his fair share of women—the best of the best: models, actresses, singers. And I was supposed to be convinced that after all that, he just wanted me? Maybe here in Juniper, but once we stepped out into the real world together, it would be a different story. There would be women waiting for him, beautiful women, accomplished women, including E’Lana.

Knowing Derek had been with other women was one thing, but seeing it in such an explicit way made me feel sick to my stomach. Of course, I’d been with other guys too, plenty before I chose to be celibate, but it still hurt a little. Logically, I knew I had no right to be upset, but still. I knew it was the past.

E’Lana was not here in Juniper, and Derek was so far up my ass I barely had moments to myself, so I knew he was not doing anything—or anyone—but me. They probably did all kinds of freaky stuff, and she enjoyed it so much that she was still calling him. And he didn’t even tell me.

I was initially playing about him sleeping on the couch. Sure, I was absolutely pissed about him hitting Johnathon with my car. It was uncalled for, no matter what Johnathon said. No other grown-ass man would have done what Derek did, but Derek wasn’t anyone else—he was a man fiercely protective of me, always had been—a man who would set this town on fire if it came down to it, for me. But we weren’t kids anymore, and he wasn’t some unknown.

He needed to be more strategic and level-headed, and I planned to have the conversation in a more hushed tone once I told him to come to bed. But once I saw the picture, it seemed the couch was the best place for him to sleep. I needed to re-center myself, remind myself that we’d been separated for ten years, that we were both with other people during that time, and remind myself that he never stopped loving me and was in my house fighting for me every day—remind myself that there was nothing to worry about when it came to us.

As I got dressed for the day, I no longer felt like the confident, educated woman I had grown into—I felt like the insecure girl in my dorm room, constantly worrying about what her rapper boyfriend was off doing and with whom. Looking into the mirror, I suddenly felt small and inadequate as I slipped into my maxi dress and tried to do my makeup for the first time in ages.

Derek said I was beautiful, but I looked nothing like E’Lana or any of the other girls he mentioned. I was putting on the makeup as a mask because I didn’t need him to see that I’d barely slept all night, that I’d been crying. I needed to look put together.

I gave myself a once-over and tried to smile, but all I could think about was E’Lana. I hated that for me. Of course Derek wanted her. Would he answer her call one day? Maybe not now as we were reconnecting, but maybe once the newness wore off.

When I opened my bedroom door, the house was eerily quiet. Derek was nowhere to be found. It was the most silent it had been since he stepped foot back in Juniper. The blankets were still on the couch. I peeked outside, noticing my car still in the driveway, but realized my extra set of keys were missing. I let out a deep sigh, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. At least we didn’t have to talk about everything right now. Yet, I couldn't help but wonder where he’d gone without a word. No text, no message—just gone.

But I couldn't dwell on it. I had a vendor meeting to conduct, and I needed to focus. I arrived at the venue within ten minutes, and before I knew it, the place was filled with every vendor on our list. I put on my game face, ready to tackle the day, even with the weight of Derek’s absence lingering in the back of my mind.

“When do we get to meet D-Truth?” Miss Edlebell asked with a smirk on her face.

She had to be about 65 years old, and we’d only met recently when she signed up to be a vendor at the Jubilee. She sold soaps, lotions, and other body care products that she made alongside her daughter, who was sitting next to her, shaking her head in embarrassment.

“I can’t make any promises on whether or not you’ll be meeting D-Truth, but what’s most important is that the community is coming out, and we’re anticipating that it should be a successful day for your business,” I smiled from the podium, trying to keep things professional.

“Well, I wanna meet his fine ass,” Miss Edlebell added, pulling a chuckle from everyone in the room, including me as she sat down.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I laughed, shaking my head. “But let’s focus on making this event a memorable one for everyone.” The crowd buzzed with excitement, and I could feel the energy in the room heighten.

“Destiny, what about parking and what if it rains?” another vendor asked.

“Great questions,” I responded, diving into the details.

The meeting continued smoothly, with people either raising their hands to add something or just blurting out their questions and commentary. Everyone was excited, and I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of pride in how the event was coming together, despite the turmoil I was experiencing with our headlining musical act.

“Great meeting,” Eden said with a wide smile as everyone began to file out. “You seem a little distracted, though,” she added, narrowing her eyes as if she could see right through me.

“It’s just been a weird morning, but I’m good,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light.

“What’s wrong? Scared Miss Edlebell is about to steal your man? She’s giving stiff competition,” she teased.

I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh. “Right? I might have to keep an eye on her.”

Suddenly, both mine and Eden’s phones started going off. If someone needed me, they could always call Eden, but if it was Derek, I wasn’t trying to speak to him right now. I needed to focus on my vendors, so I didn’t even both to check. Eden looked at her screen in confusion, tapped a few buttons, and then her eyes widened.

“We have a big problem!” Eden announced, her voice high-pitched with panic.

“What’s going on?” I asked, feeling a knot form in my stomach.

“Shit! It’s all over social media,” Eden said, waving her phone. “Johnathon’s father... he’s going on and on about Derek, saying Derek shouldn’t be performing at the Jubilee and is calling for a protest.”

“What?” I squealed, my heart racing.

Eden pulled me into the back office of the Community Center, found the remote, and turned the TV on, switching to a local news station. The screen showed a live broadcast from Freedom Park, where Johnathon’s father, a prominent local activist and preacher, stood in front of Harriet Tubman’s statue with Johnathon by his side.

“Derek was a danger to our community when he was a resident of Juniper, and now he poses an even bigger threat to the community at large,” Johnathon’s father boomed, his voice dripping with righteous indignation as he pointed to the sky with each word to emphasize his point. “He spreads songs of violence and sex into the hearts and minds of children all over the world.”

The camera panned to the men flanking him, their faces etched with stern determination, standing like a wall of moral judgment. The crowd gathered around them, murmuring in agreement, their eyes reflecting the weight of the preacher's words.

This wasn’t good.

Eden, still by the TV, turned to me with a determined look. “We need to get ahead of this.”

I was too stunned to speak and looked back at the TV.

“Now I don’t know how other people are raising their kids, but as residents of Juniper, we raise our children as a community. I don’t want my kids here exposed any further to D-Truth’s music. He should not be performing at The Juniper Juneteenth Jubilee when it is about uplifting Black people, while he makes money from damaging and degrading our people!” Johnathon’s father, Pastor Lyman, continued, his voice booming with conviction.

The scene on the TV was almost surreal, it all felt like a direct assault on everything Derek had worked so hard to create.

Eden stepped closer to me, her eyes filled with concern. “We need a plan, Destiny. We can’t let them control the narrative. A protest or boycott would sink everything we’ve been working so hard on.”

I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. “We need to have a press conference, a statement... something to counteract this.”

Eden agreed, her expression determined. “We’ll crush this by showing what an upstanding citizen Derek is today and how he’s been an asset to Juniper. He’s always donating money, though anonymously, but maybe this is the time for him to show people what he’s been doing and how he’s been positively impacting the community, including the youth that Pastor Lyman seems to be so concerned about all of a sudden.”

“Right,” I said, thinking quickly. “We’ll grab testimonials from people he’s helped.”

Eden nodded, already typing notes into her phone. “I’ll start reaching out to people. We can have the press conference at Freedom Park, right where Pastor Lyman made his speech. We’ll turn his stage into ours.”

I swallowed hard, knowing I needed to paint the full picture of what was happening so that Eden would be in the loop.

“This feels personal. Derek and Johnathon got into it last night,” I said, plopping down on a chair.

“Got into it?” Eden asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, they exchanged words, and then things went farther than they should have,” I said, not wanting to share exact details like the fact that my car was used as a weapon.

“Farther than they should have like they fought?” she asked, eyes wide. “If we’re gonna talk about him being an upstanding citizen—”

“No, things didn’t get that crazy,” I lied, thinking about the fear that must’ve been in Johnathon’s eyes when he realized that Derek was just as crazy today as he was back in the day, maybe worse.

“Derek told you this?” Eden asked.

“Yeah, he told me everything. We got into an argument about it. I told him to sleep on the couch—”

“What?”

“But when I woke up this morning, he wasn’t here. I’m thinking he’s with his parents or his brother,” I added.

Eden chuckled, finally not looking so stressed as though this wasn’t a terrible situation. “Now your men are fighting over you and causing a ruckus in Juniper.”

“I don’t have men,” I said, falling back into the couch. “Just one very protective man and an ex with a bruised ego.”

Eden laughed. “And now we have a shit storm on our hands. Plus, clearly you and your man have some talking to do. No wonder you were distracted today.”

In my heart, I knew I had to do something. Johnathon and I had history, and despite everything, there was still a part of him that respected me—or so I hoped. If I could appeal to that, maybe we could resolve this mess without further drama. I knew that ultimately Derek’s could handle the fallout, but a genuine retraction from Pastor Lyman would carry more weight and credibility. Plus, it would show the community that we were unified, that we could resolve conflicts internally without escalating them into a public spectacle.

Besides, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was partly my responsibility. The Jubilee was my event, my chance to shine and prove myself to Juniper. I needed to protect it, even if it meant swallowing my pride and reaching out to my ex. Johnathon’s father was no D-Truth, but he still held considerable influence around here. Convincing him to back down would defuse the situation and allow us to focus on what really mattered: making the Jubilee a success.

This wasn’t just about Derek. It was about the vendors, the community, and the months of hard work we’d put into this event. I couldn’t let one feud derail everything we’d built. If I could talk to Johnathon, make him see reason, we could avoid the protest and the negative press. We could turn this around and show everyone that Juniper was a place where people came together, even in the face of adversity.

I could handle Johnathon. I had to believe that. With a plan forming in my mind, I grabbed my phone and started composing a text to Johnathon.

"Destiny, what are you thinking?" Eden asked, noticing the shift in my demeanor with her annoying self.

"I need to talk to Johnathon and his father directly," I said, my voice steady. "If I can get them to back down, it'll save us a lot of time and trouble."

Eden looked skeptical. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

I nodded. “It’s the only way to save the Jubilee and take the heat off Derek. I have to try.”

Me: Hey, Johnathon. It’s Destiny. Can we talk?

Seconds felt like hours as I watched the dots appear and disappear on the screen. Finally, a reply came through.

Johnathon: What’s there to talk about, Destiny?

Me: Your dad’s choice of words about our musical performer at The Jubilee. You’re jeopardizing everything I’ve been working towards and what the community is looking forward to. Can we meet and talk about this?

More dots. My heart pounded in my chest.

Johnathon: Fine. Meet me at Freedom Park by the Marcus Garvey mural in 15 minutes.

“I’m gonna go fix this,” I said with determination.

“Was that Derek?” Eden asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

“No.”

Her eyes widened. “That better not be who I think it is. Destiny, you can’t be serious. Speaking to him could make things worse. And if he and Derek just got into it, it wouldn’t be wise—”

“Eden, just let me do what I’m doing,” I cut her off, feeling the weight of her disapproval as I ignored a call from Derek. She shook her head in disappointment.

Derek: Answer your phone.

I bit my lip, fighting the urge to respond to Derek’s text after not speaking to him since I left him on the couch. He must have caught wind of the news and what was happening on social media.

“Don’t do this,” Eden pleaded again, her voice softer now, tinged with concern.

“I’m sure The Mayor will be calling soon. Deal with him till I get back,” I insisted.

Eden's eyes were wide with concern, her fingers tapping nervously against her phone.

“Destiny, you’re walking into a trap,” she warned, her voice trembling slightly. “This isn’t going to end well. Think about it.”

I squared my shoulders, steeling myself for what I was about to do.

“This is bigger than Derek and me. It’s about the community, and I won’t let it be torn apart because of this feud.” I said, my voice firm.

Eden sighed heavily, her expression a mix of worry and resignation. “Be careful, okay? Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment.”

“I won’t,” I promised, giving her a reassuring nod. But inside, I wasn’t so sure. “Meet me back at the office.”

Ignoring another call from Derek, I grabbed my keys from my purse and headed out. The drive to Freedom Park was filled with dread and determination as Derek continued blowing up my phone. We’d have to talk later—I didn’t want to think about that picture of him and E’Lana, and I definitely didn’t want to hear him going off about Johnathon.

I needed to focus on what I was about to do. Talking to Johnathon was the best way to defuse this situation and save the Jubilee.

When I pulled up to the park, I saw him standing by the mural, arms crossed, looking pissed as ever. His tough exterior was hard to miss, but as I got closer, I noticed the faint scratches on his right cheek—nothing too crazy but noticeable once I was close enough. Beneath that angry facade, I could see he was hurt about something.

Being this close to Johnathon now, after having been back in Derek’s arms, there was no comparison. Derek’s presence, his love, his touch—it all felt right. But I needed to put that aside for now and focus on the mess in front of me.

“Thanks for meeting me,” I said, my voice steady, though my nerves were anything but.

Johnathon didn’t uncross his arms. “Make it quick, Destiny. I don’t have all day.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of his anger as I sat on a nearby bench. He followed me and did the same, the tension sitting on the bench in between us though he sat closer than I expected him to.

We hadn’t been this close since the night I broke it off with him. Since then, I’d done my best to avoid him in our small town, though it hadn’t been easy. The night I ended things, he’d pleaded on the steps until Nate was called. After that, he stopped. I always suspected his father had something to do with that.

“Johnathon, this has gone too far. What happened between you and Derek—it seems it got out of hand. But what’s happening now, what your Dad is doing is affecting the whole community. Your father’s words... they’re damaging. And they’re not fair.”

“Not fair?” Johnathon scoffed. “Nothing my father said was untrue. Derek’s a menace. He always has been.”

“No, he’s not,” I said firmly. “He’s changed. He’s done so much to turn his life around.”

“Changed? He attempted to run me over last night. Almost cost me my life!” he insisted, his voice rising with anger.

“You pushed him,” I countered.

“Didn’t take much. He’s still a hot-headed thug.”

“You called me names. He defended me,” I said, my voice unwavering.

Johnathon’s face twisted with frustration and sucked his teeth. “He’s dangerous, Destiny. He’s always been dangerous and one day he’s gonna turn his temper on you. It’s only a matter of time.”

I winced at Johnathon’s words refusing to believe that.

“He’s not perfect, Johnathon, but neither are you. Neither am I. We’ve all made mistakes. But Derek is trying to make things right. He’s here, in Juniper, giving back to the community. He’s not the same person he was.”

Johnathon’s eyes flickered with something unreadable. I could tell he was just about done with this conversation. One thing about Johnathon was that he saw the world in stark black and white, never making room for the grays. It’s one of the reasons I could never see myself with him for too much longer. Sometimes I felt like my opinion didn’t matter, like it was his way or nothing. He’d always back up his reasoning with a Bible verse, using it like a shield against any counterargument. It was suffocating, as thick as the fog over Freedom Park in the early morning, and it was one of the many reasons we had to part ways.

“What do you want, Destiny? Having me meet you out here to plead for Derek Harris is crazy. He fights everyone, and now he can’t handle this on his own, so he sent you?”

“He doesn’t know I’m here,” I said firmly, my voice steady even though my heart was pounding.

Johnathon’s face twisted, those words clearly touching a nerve. His jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought he might walk away.

“I want your dad to retract his statements. Publicly. Talk to your father. Make this right,” I pleaded, trying to fill the thick silence between us with my words. The weight of the situation pressed down on me, as heavy as the oppressive humidity of a Juniper summer.

Johnathon looked away, his jaw clenched. “And why should I do that?”

“Because it’s not just about Derek. It’s about the community. We need to come together, not tear each other apart,” I said, my voice softening. “Please, Johnathon. Do this for Juniper. For all the vendors who have been working overtime because they’re about to have more business at this one event than they have all year. They’ve spent time and money preparing, don’t take this away from them.”

He was silent for a long moment, and I could see the internal battle he was waging. Finally, he sighed. “I’ll talk to him. But no promises, Destiny.”

“Thank you,” I said, relief flooding through me.

Johnathon shook his head, his anger giving way to something softer, more vulnerable. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again. I can’t forget what he did to you.”

I thought back to those days when I was broken by Derek. “I can’t forget either, Johnathon. You heard about it second hand, but I lived it.”

“I lived it with you, Destiny. For three years,” he insisted, his voice heavy with disappointment and hurt. “He broke you, I helped you heal, and now you’re back with him. Giving him your heart, your mind… and your body after I helped you through everything.”

Guilt washed over me. Johnathon had been a good boyfriend overall, a rock when I needed one most. He was there for me, praying over me, praying with me, helping me find my strength again. And while I appreciated it, life had taken a turn and given Derek and me a second chance. I was excited about the future, although last night’s chaos made me question if anything had truly changed.

I looked at Johnathon, his eyes filled with a combination of pain and confusion. He didn’t understand how I could go back to Derek after everything. And part of me didn’t either, but I had to push through with this conversation.

“I appreciate everything you did for me. I really do. But I have to follow my heart. I’m a grown woman, Johnathon. I don’t need you to make decisions for me, and I don’t need your approval.”

He looked at me, the vulnerability in his eyes mingling with frustration. “I know you’re a grown woman. I just...I care about you.”

“I know you do,” I said softly. “But I need to make my own choices. Derek has changed, and so have I. We both have a lot to make up for, but we’re trying.”

Johnathon sighed again, running a hand through his hair.

“I was never gonna be good enough, was I?” Johnathon asked, his voice suddenly laced with sadness and resignation.

“You were more than enough,” I countered, feeling the weight of his words settle in my chest.

“But I wasn’t him,” he said, his eyes filled with a pain that mirrored my own.

There was nothing I could say because, deep down, he was right. He wasn’t Derek.

Johnathon stood up before I could find words, not acknowledging the wound he had opened up. “Alright. I’ll do what I can. But be careful, Destiny. Please.”

“I will,” I promised, my voice barely above a whisper.

Feeling somewhat satisfied, I got up. “Thanks for meeting with me, Johnathon.”

“There’s nothing else you want to talk about?” he asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

I knew where this was going, and I didn’t have time for it. “I have fires to put out that you and your dad started,” I said, waving my iPhone and forcing a smile.

“Despite everything, if you wanna be friends…” Johnathon said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his khakis. “I would like that. I miss you.”

Stay strong, Destiny.

“There’s always a possibility of friendship, but I really have to go, Johnathon. Your father has added to my workload thanks to his speech.”

He shook his head in understanding and walked away. I turned on my heel and headed towards my car, my heart pounding in my chest. This morning had been too much already. As I entered the parking lot, I realized it was about to get worse. My stomach felt like it had dropped to my feet.

Derek was leaning against my car, arms crossed over his chest, stance wide. Ready for war. How did he know I was here? Eden.

“This what we doing now, Destiny?” he asked, I stopped dead in my tracks. “Ignoring my phone calls so you can meet up with your ex behind my back?”

“Derek, I—”

“Why you up here talking to that clown, Destiny?” Derek asked, struggling to keep his cool.

“I’m trying to fix the mess in the media, Derek. He said he’s gonna talk to his father.”

He shook his head, almost laughed. “He’s playing you.”

“Johnathon said—”

“I don’t give a fuck what Johnathon said,” Derek interrupted, pushing off the car and closing the distance between us.

The way he was approaching me made me unconsciously take a step back, trying to keep some distance between us. It made him stop, as though my reaction to him brought him back to reality. Suddenly, he cocked his head to the right before slowly walking towards me again. He gently cradled my chin, forcing me to look at him.

“What? You think I’m the monster they say I am? You think I would ever hurt you? That’s why you keep taking those Plan B’s and fucking up your hormones instead of having my baby, Des?” His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it cut through me like a knife.

My mouth instantly went dry at his question. He really kept bringing up this baby thing no matter how much he tried to downplay it. His eyes were locked on mine, making it impossible for me to look away. I wasn’t scared of Derek, but I was taken aback by him being here. Not only were our issues from last night unresolved, but now I’d added more shit on top of our mess.

I felt a pang of guilt. “I didn’t think—”

“Exactly,” he cut me off, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear. “You didn’t think. You just acted.”

“I just wanted to help,” I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “He seemed sincere, Derek. We need to give this a chance. For the community.”

“For the community?” Derek spat, his frustration palpable.

I pushed through. “Yes! I just left a vendor meeting and so many people are counting on us to help put their business in the black this year. This is more than a musical performance, for some people it’s how they’re going to get more exposure for their business. I had to do something —-”

“You think I’m not doing everything I can?” Derek’s voice softened, but the edge of hurt remained. “Destiny, I have a team of media professionals that I pay a stupid amount of money to keep on retainer. You know how much real shit they have spun for me? This is light work. Johnathon’s daddy ain’t stopping nothing. He’s not about to ruin everything you’ve been working on, and he can’t even hold a candle to me cause he didn’t like the way I punked his bitch ass son. When I say I’ll handle something, that’s exactly what I’mma do. I don’t need you on secret missions, meeting niggas on benches in the middle of the park like you Olivia Pope and shit.”

“So you do pay attention when I put Scandal on?” I smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

Derek's lips twitched as he tried not to laugh, but he didn’t fully smile as his hand dropped from my face.

“I pay attention to everything you’re into, Princess. Always have, always will.” He paused, his eyes searching mine. “But you gotta trust me, okay? Trust that I’ve got this, that I’ve got us.”

I sighed, feeling the tension slowly ease from my shoulders. “I do trust you, Derek. I just... I wanted to help.”

“I know you did. And I love you for that. But coming here meeting up with Johnathon, this was some bullshit, and you know that. That’s why you didn’t answer my phone calls. You know you’re wrong.”

I sighed, knowing he was right but not wanting to admit it.

“First, you put me out. Now you got me up here looking like a stalker, hiding behind trees trying to see what my girl is up to,” he complained. “It took everything in me not to drag you off that bench, bend you over this car, and spank you in broad daylight.”

“I—” The words died on my lips as the image made its way through my mind. I found myself biting my lip as heat moved through my center. “I didn’t put you out,” I forced myself to say.

“You put me on the couch. Same thing.”

“It’s not—”

“Over an old ass picture from when we weren’t even together,” he continued, his voice laced with frustration. “While you sit up here with that man you know is still in love with you,” he said, gently holding my face in both his hands.

The intensity in his eyes softened a bit as he took a step even closer. I could feel the tension between us, the anger and something deeper, something that had always been there, pulling us together no matter how hard things got.

“Derek, I’m sorry,” I said softly, meeting his gaze. “I should have told you about meeting Johnathon. I was just trying to fix things without making it worse. But I see now that I went about it the wrong way.”

He nodded, still looking a bit hurt but understanding. “We need to be on the same page, even if we’re in the middle of a fight, it’s still us vs. everybody.”

“I woke up and you were gone.”, I pouted.

“You obviously needed space from me,” he said, putting more distance between us.

I rolled my eyes and let out a deep breath as I leaned on the car parked next to mine.

“If you saw that picture and it was me and Johnathon—”

“I would have felt the same way,” he finished. Derek uncrossed his arms. “I know even though the picture is old, you don’t wanna see that shit. I don’t blame you. We still have that to sort through, but what I’m upset about right now is you inserting yourself in some shit that I’m supposed to be handling. Why you thought you had to play hero is beyond me.”

“I need to make sure my event is good 'cause when we get out into the real world and you get back with E’Lana—”

“What you say?” Derek’s brows furrowed as he quickly closed the distance between us.

I hadn’t even realized what I said until suddenly there was no space between us, my insecurity wrapped around us. He seemed utterly shocked by it too.

“I—” I stammered, suddenly feeling exposed, my words hanging in the air like a confession. His eyes bore into mine, demanding an answer, and I felt the weight of my fears crashing down on me.

Suddenly Derek’s phone went off, and I brushed a tear away as he answered, though his eyes were locked on mine the entire time he was talking to whoever it was.

“Yeah...I’m with her...we’ll be right over,” he said before hanging up and shoving the phone in his back into his back.

He raised my chin, forcing me to look at him again as my eyes fell to the floor briefly.

“We’ll continue this conversation later,” he growled. “And you better think of a safe word in the next couple hours ’cause when we get home, that ass is mine.”

My eyes widened, and I was sure I instantly soaked through my panties, despite still wanting to tear into him about his stunt with Johnathon. The mix of anger and desire swirling inside me was almost unbearable. I wanted to yell at him for the chaos he'd caused, but the intensity in his eyes and the sexual energy radiating off him had me feeling weak in the knees.

“Now get your ass in the car so we can get to this meeting” he commanded, pulling the passenger side door open for me to get inside.

I sat right in, and he closed the door before getting in the driver’s seat and pulling off.

The tension in the conference room was palpable. I glanced around, taking in the faces of everyone assembled: The Mayor, Derek, Eden, and on the screen via Zoom, Marcy, Derek's manager, along with his PR team and a few other key players. This was the moment we had to come together and strategize.

“Alright, folks,” Marcy’s voice crackled through the speaker. “We’re here to make sure this whole situation doesn’t blow up any further and to save the Jubilee that you have been working so hard on. Derek, you’ve been in tougher spots, but we need to act fast.”

The Mayor nodded, leaning forward. “We need to focus on the positive impact Derek’s had on the community. We need to hear from real citizens, videos, anything that shows he’s been a force for good. And we need them now.”

“I’ve already started reaching out to people for testimonials,” Eden added, typing furiously on her laptop. “We’ll have a few ready by the end of the day.”

“Good,” Marcy replied. “We also need to prepare a strong statement from Derek himself. Something heartfelt, addressing the community directly. We need to show them who he really is.”

Derek leaned back in his chair, frustration on his face. “I’ll do whatever it takes. Just tell me what you need.”

One of the PR pros, a woman named Margot, chimed in. “For the statement, Derek, we need to strike the right balance between vulnerability and strength. You need to acknowledge your past, but focus on the positive changes you’ve made. Highlight your commitment to the community and your role in the Jubilee.”

Another PR expert, Michael, added, “We should also address the accusations directly but calmly. Emphasize that the Jubilee is about unity and celebration, not division. Make it clear that your performance is meant to uplift and inspire. Because this literally touches home for you, we’re gonna let you take the lead and then Margot and I will revise and polish things up a bit if needed.”

Derek nodded, taking it all in. “Got it”, I watched Derek nod, his jaw tight. He looked over at me, and I could see the weight of everything we’d been through in his eyes. “I’ll handle it,” he said quietly.

“We also need visuals,” Eden added. “Photos, videos of Derek at community events, donating, working with kids. We need to flood social media with positive images and stories.”

“I’ve got a ton of footage,” Derek said. “My team can start editing it together.”

“For sure,” Marcy said. “We’ll coordinate on that. Destiny, we need you to help rally the community. Your voice is powerful here. People listen to you.”

I swallowed, feeling the weight of her words. “I’ll do whatever I can. I’ll talk to the vendors, the local businesses, anyone who will listen. We need to show a united front.”

The Mayor chimed in. “We should also consider a live event, a press conference. Something public where Derek can speak directly to the community.”

Eden nodded. “Freedom Park would be perfect. We can set it up for tomorrow. Make it a community gathering. Turn this negative press into something positive.”

Marcy’s face lit up on the screen. “That’s a great idea. We’ll get the ball rolling on that. Derek, Destiny, you both need to be there. We’ll get our tickets booked and touch down tonight to prepare.”

“We’ll be there,” Derek said firmly, his eyes meeting mine with a look of resolve.

As we continued to strategize, I felt a sense of hope. We were all in this together, fighting for Derek, for the Jubilee, and for our community. We had a plan, and we were ready to execute it.

“Alright, team,” Marcy said, her voice strong and commanding through the speakers. “Let’s get to work. We’ve got a lot to do, but I know we can turn this around.”

Everyone nodded, determination etched on their faces. As the meeting wrapped up, I felt a surge of gratitude for the people around me. We were a team, and we were going to make this right.

“Great job, everyone,” I added, my voice firm but sincere. “Let’s show Juniper what we’re made of.”

As people began to leave, I felt Derek’s gaze burning into me. The anger and heat radiating off him were like nothing I’d seen or felt before. His jaw was clenched, his eyes dark with intensity.

The entire ride home had been a silent storm, tension crackling between us like a live wire. All I could do now was pray for my poor kitty, which I was sure Derek was going to blow to smithereens as soon as we got in the house. I just hoped that whatever had in store wasn’t gonna get The Law called on me again.