“Oh, uh, aight.” Dex scratched his head, feeling just as stupid as he looked. “What’s going on though? Do I need to get in?”
“Did I invite you in?”
“Nah, but my girl-
“Is handling business right now, and if you are not her manager, then I need you to back the fuck up.”
Dex peered over at Tyler, who was waiting for him to crash out or snatch her out of the car, but he didn’t. Instead, he backed up a little, prompting Darryl to roll the window up. Tyler laughed under her breath and shook her head. This couldn’t be the same man who liked to cut up when other male artists asked her for features or when random niggas liked her pictures on social media. The humble man on the other side of the truck didn’t look like the asshole who loved grabbing on her when shit didn’t go his way. His jealousy was selective and now was one of those times he decided to act like a coward.
“Yea, but like I was saying,” Darryl continued. This time, Tyler laughed out loud, causing him to pause. “What?” he queried, confused.
“You really just gone keep talking like you didn’t dismiss that man?”
“Man?” Darryl frowned. “Dex ain’t no fucking man.”
“Mmmm.” Tyler tooted her lips. “Tell me how you really feel.”
“Shittttt,” he dragged. “You know how I really feel.” Darryl touched her thigh, prompting the goosebumps to reappear. “I’ll tell you one thing, you’d never have to worry about that nigga putting his hands on you.”
“Look, you’re cool and all, but this-” she placed her hand on top of his and removed it from her leg, “Ain’t that. If this isn’t a business matter, then I need to leave. I’m not a victim, so you don’t need to worry about me.”
“That tough girl shit always turned me the fuck on.” He licked his lips. “You know, I still remember how you taste.” Darryl scooted closer to her, ignoring the discomfort on her face. “You were so sweet and just from dipping my tongue in that pussy I could tell you were tight as fuck. Shit, I can see why thatnigga be trippin.’ With pussy that sweet, I’d have you tied down with four, five kids.”
Tyler’s eyes widened and her mouth went dry. Darryl was a daring motherfucker to proudly boast that he ate her pussy. She tried to forget what he did, but every time he saw her, he reminded her that he was a rapist, that he took advantage of a drunk eighteen-year-old while everyone else turned a blind eye.
“Unlock the door,” Tyler uttered, casting her eyes to the floor.
“My fault, I’m not trying to scare you,” he chuckled. “I’ll chill, but look, I heard about your lil problem at the precinct, and I had my people take care of it.”
“Dex bailed me out.”
“That nigga don’t have enough money to bail you out. Don’t act like I don’t know you’re carrying that nigga. I did that shit and made the problem go away. The Amber chick shouldn’t be a problem.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“What I tell you the first time I heard your pretty ass voice, huh?” Darryl nicked her chin. “I’m going to take care of your pretty ass, and when you ready to boss up with a real nigga,” he touched her thigh again. “I can really take care of you.”
“Thanks for bailing me out. As far as taking care of me, I can take care of myself.” Tyler moved his hand and grabbed the handle to exit the car.
“I hear that, but uh, take this contract. Yours ended and I need to have this one signed so I can file it. I’m also going to need you to work with Amber. I signed her, but I want you to write her a couple of hits to get her started. She’s not you, but she haspotential. I was thinking you could take her under your wing, you know, on some lil sis shit.”
Tyler calculated all the ways she could tell him to kiss her ass, but then again, he’d probably do it with no problem. Darryl had her royally fucked up. Instead of telling him, she took the thick envelope and exited the truck.
“It’s not ideal,” Darryl called after her. “But this is the business.”
“I hear you,” Tyler nodded. She waited until the truck pulled off before tossing the contract right in the garbage. It would be a cold day in hell before she wrote anything for the big booty bitch Dexter tried to fuck on. Sucking her teeth, Tyler headed back into her building. She was no longer in the mood to run. All she wanted to do was crawl under the covers and sleep the day away.
???
Logic stumbled into the kitchen in search of a bottle of water. His mouth was dry, and his stomach felt queasy from all the drinking he had done the night before. What was supposed to be a quick drink turned into Logic joining a dice game and breaking everybody’s pockets. With extra money in his pockets and a full liver, Logic went home and passed out on the couch.
“Somebody had a good night.” Shugg tooted her lips. She was sitting at the kitchen table, scrolling on her phone and eating a grilled cheese sandwich. “We saw you on the Shade Room,” she enlightened him.
“For real,” Logic mumbled, pulling an open bottle of water from the refrigerator. Glancing at the clock on the stove, heturned to face his sister while taking a seat at the table. “What time Ms. G leave?”
“About an hour ago. She needed to get ready for church. You know ain’t nothing coming between her and her God,” Shugg stated. “Plus, we don’t need a babysitter.”
“She’s not babysitting, she just making sure shit straight.”
