Page 19 of Mark My Words

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Stormi Livingston and I are not together.”

The reporter gasped.

“We haven’t been for months now. In fact, I came home and found her and my best friend having sex on my bed. It’s been over for us since then, but she refuses for some reason to tell the public the truth.”

He paused.

“Stormi, this game you’re playing ends now. I gave you time to tell the facts, but you forced my hand. On the bright side, my friend is available. You should give him a call.”

Malik turned and reached for the door of his truck.

“I am so sorry to hear that,” the reporter said to his back, and Malik paused again, then turned back toward her.

“I’m not. We were never meant to be together anyway.” He paused. “Truth is, I never got over my first love, Destiny St. Clair. And I’m a believer that all things happen for a reason and sometimes a season.”

He gazed into the camera.

“Destiny, I hope you can forgive me for lending my love out to anyone even when we were apart. You will always be the one for me. Now and forevermore. Today, my heart beats for you like it has done every day since we were on opposite sides of the earth. But I don’t want to be without you for a moment more. And if you’ll do me the honor of being my wife, I’ll make you the happiest woman alive. I promise, Belle, you won’t regret it.”

The reporter’s eyes were misted, and she fanned her face to slow down the emotion, gathering in her tears.

Malik glanced at the reporter. “Have a good day.”

With that, he entered his truck, and the camera followed him as he drove down the street. The reporter collected herself, then went back to take them to a commercial, but Destiny had all but tuned her out.

Did Malik really just propose to her on live television?

“Yes, he did.”

Her eyes shot up to Mrs. Jernigan. “Did I say that out loud?”

Mrs. Jernigan smirked. “Yes, you did.”

Destiny covered her heart, her eyes darting before she shot around Mrs. Jernigan and grabbed her keys off a nearby coffee table. “I’ve gotta go.”

“Don’t mind me,” Mrs. Jernigan said as the front door slammed. “I’ve got a date with a friend myself.”

She snickered, then strolled down the hallway and eased out of the door, glad that her son was not there to pester her about her whereabouts.

Chapter Eight

He wasn’t at his mother’s house. He wasn’t at the hotel that he told her he was staying at, so where was Malik Jernigan?

Blowing out a deep breath, Destiny sat against her driver’s seat as her mind whirled with thoughts. It had only been thirty minutes since Malik’s confession and proposal, and already the radio station was airing his words over and over, with local DJs talking about how wild it was.

Destiny felt the same. It was wild. And while he told her he would take care of it all last night, she hadn’t a clue how he could manage to do such a thing. The happenstance of the reporter being where she was allowed him to clear the air and clear the air he did. But where was he now?

Sitting at a different gas station across the street from his hotel, Destiny scanned the road in front of her, looking to see if any of the trucks pulling in were him.

“Why didn’t I get your number last night?” She sighed again but decided she would wait around for a while until he returned.

* * *

The sun was setting,and Destiny had yet to come home. Pacing back and forth on her front porch, Malik summoned his patience, knowing at some time she would have to return.

A creak from inside the house caught his attention, then a latch could be heard before the door was opened.

---