“Ready for what?”
“To leave. I just said we going to the studio.”
“Kas, I can’t just leave in the middle of my shift. I’ll come to the label when I get off. Won’t be but another few hours.”
“Ight, hurry up though. Gimme a kiss.” Not waiting for Yanna to accept or deny his request, Kas swathed his arm around her waist and pulled her body into his. With his free hand, he tilted her chin, pressing his lips to hers.
Like they were the only ones in the room, the two engaged in a kiss. His hand traveled down her waist, landing on her ass as he gave a squeeze. A soft moan escaped her lips when his lips voyaged to her neck, prompting her to push him away.
“Alright, gone on before I have you meet me in the bathroom.”
“Shit, come on.”
“Kas, no.” She giggled. “I’ll see you later.”
“Not too much later, though.” He demanded, planting one last peck on her lips. “Now tell me you love me.”
Yanna’s cackle could be heard over the music as she backed away. He knew damn well she wasn’t going to say it. For Yanna, uttering those three words were forbidden. Like a studentat Hogwarts who wouldn’t say Lord Voldemort aloud. It was the sentiment that shall not be named. She felt as soon as she let the words leave her lips, it would grant Kas some sort of superpower. As if he'd suddenly know the perfect way to use the words against her. Irrational, but Yanna's emotions typically only made sense to her.
“Bye, Kas.”
“That’s ight, you ain’t gotta say it. I love yo sexy ass though!”
“I know,” Yanna stated with a shake of her head, disappearing into the crowd.
The three hits of an 808 signaling Kas’ producer tag cracked through the confines of the studio suite, located inside the headquarters for the Wonder City Music Group record label. Kas’ head nodded, and pride filled him. The hedonistic sound skillfully mixing in with a classic R&B melody was a fusion of Kas’ raw talent and Yanna’s unique ear for beat building. Onyximmediately loved the track and put his pen to it. Currently, Troi was in the booth laying her vocals and bringing it all to life. Since she’d sworn off the music industry as an artist, they would be using the song as a reference track to be rerecorded. Kas released an exaggerated scoff, cutting the track and pressing the intercom to speak into the booth.
“Nyx, nigga damn, can you leave her alone?”
Onyx was inside the booth with Troi, and they kept having to stop because he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her. Every time she hit a note a specific way, Onyx seemed to be entranced, compelling his hands to touch her, subsequently messing Troi up. She’d just executed a run so smooth, Kas could understand why his brother became excited.
“My bad, my bad. Baby, don’t be singing for me at home like talking about, so I feel like I’m at my own private show right now. She know how I get when me and her in the booth together.”
“Well, control yo self until y’all get home, muh’fucka. You keep fucking her up. Troi baby, have some willpower or something, damn.”
“Alright, Nyx, keep your lips off me so I can finish. I usually kill these tracks in one or two takes, and you messing up my record. Let’s get through this last verse and adlibs.”
“You got it, baby,” Onyx replied. Giving Troi a look that said she was in for a time when they got home that night.
Onyx managed to contain himself long enough for Troi to finish the final verse, but as soon as she recorded the adlibs, he lost it again. It was Troi’s own fault. She knew Onyx loved when she sang his music, and her mimicking one of his popular adlibs had him gripping her waist, causing her to giggle.
“Get the fuck out, Nyx!”
“Ight, I’m coming. Give us a minute.”
“Nigga, hell nah. Bring yo’ ass out my booth right the fuck now.”
“Ight, here I come. Aye, baby, when I get you home, girl.” Onyx let his words linger, knowing she knew what it was. “And what the hell you meanyobooth, nigga, this my shit.”
“It’smyshit when I’m in here, bitch. Tender dick ass nigga.”
“I can’t help that my fiancée is the shit.” Onyx playfully pushed Kas, taking a seat at the control table, admiring Troi as she finished her adlibs. Just as she was finishing and stepping from the booth, Onyx received a text that the new artist had arrived. “Aye, they just let the artist up, her ass right on time.”
Kas busied himself doing a bit of mixing on the reference track. He didn’t pay much attention when he heard Onyx letting the new singer into the studio suite, or when she was introduced to Troi.
“And this is Kas, WCMG’s producer, who you’ll be working a lot with. Kas, this is Zahra, the singer I was telling you about.”
“Sup,” Kas spoke unenthusiastically, briefly looking up at the girl then having to do a double take.
