“You’re going out, and you know Marquise is coming home in two hours?” she questioned.
I slanted my head to the side before I answered. “Yes, I’m going. I will see Marquise in the morning when he cools down. He will soon understand I did everything for the health of our friendship.”
Jhae leaned back on the couch, cradling her stomach as she laughed. At one point she wiped the corner of her eye to stop a tear. Marquise and I had been beefing hard. He was resisting the reshaping process. Last night after the game, things escalated into a screaming match.
“Malcolm and Marquise are identical in looks only. Malcolm is quiet and calculating with his temper, but Marquise will show his ass in public,” she warned.
I rolled my eyes as I retrieved my vibrating phone from my pocket.
Tracy
Downstairs, the man will not let me up.
Me
Headed down.
“And the reason you’re telling me this?” I questioned.
My brows hiked temporarily as I encouraged her to answer.
“You’ll find out,” she said.
I waved Jhae off and headed toward the front door. The streets of L.A. called my name and tonight I was answering. Last night when Marquise expressed how he wanted to see me, it set off caution lights. I’ll admit he was easier to control over the phone while he was on the road. When he gets out of line, I end the call. We needed to curve this expectation that I would be in his bed waiting for his arrival. I’m not his girlfriend.
Tracy and I held hands as we entered Drummer’s album release party. The venue size allowed for a large crowd but still left room for people to network. Artwork of hip-hop artists hung on one side of the wall with exposed brick on the other. The floor plans were open with a bar in the middle serving guests on both sides.
Drummer’s latest song echoed out the speakers and I swayed to the beat. Tracy gripped my hand, and I followed her across the room to the bar. She ordered something, but I rejected the offer when she pointed to her drink. It’s too dangerous for a woman to drink at these events.
“Check out this new Icey,” the DJ said.
As soon as the hard beat dropped, I raised one hand in the air and extended my tongue.
It’s ice everywhere...aye...aye....,I sang to the top of my lungs, blending in with the crowd. The energy from the atmosphere and music fueled me, confirming I made the right decision coming out tonight.
Two hours passed, and the party hadn’t reached its peak, but I’d made great connections and retrieved some phone numbers. A few artists wanted to work with Jhae on some remixes and features. They were too happy to pass their information after Midwest Records ghosted their request.
“What you doing in L.A.?” a masculine voice whispered in my ear.
I shifted my body, finding the source. Noah stood before me, tall and fine as hell. We had a brief fling before he moved to New York last summer. Although he cut his locs, his boy next door charm remained the same. I motioned for him to lean down with my finger.
“I’m working for Jhae now,” I said into his ear.
He stepped back with a teasing smirk. Noah was exactly what I needed to get my mind off Marquise. He could scratch this sexual itch I had. One quick roll in the sheets and things would be great, at least for me. My phone vibrated in my hand, and I struggled to divert my eyes from him.
Marquise
I’m here and you’re not. How the fuck do that make sense?
“Aww shit, your man caught up with you,” Noah whispered in my ear and I rolled my eyes before leaning into him.
“I’m single,” I said with hidden uncertainty as I bit down on my bottom lip.
Marquise
I guess you think I’m playing.
“Since you got your phone out. Plug in my number,” Noah said.
