Leedren brushed a hand over his head. “Been a long time coming. Don’t tell your mother, aight?”
“Why not?” Asao frowned.
“It’s probably best if I don’t give her time to think about it.”
Asao stared at his father, now understanding where the conversation about his past had come from.
“Ah shit, your ass is nervous about coming home to your wife,” Asao said with a smile.
“I’m not nervous. It’s just been a long time and a lot of shit has changed.”
“Not with y’all though. She loves you, Pop. She might not like how you handled things but she understands. She wants you home.”
Leedren nodded. “Maybe, just don’t tell her.”
“Aight, I got you.”
They spent the rest of their visit catching up. Asao promised to be there to get his father the day of his release. When he made it to his car, prepared to make the three-hour drive back to Crescent Falls, Asao’s heart was lighter. His father was coming home…
“I can’t believeyour man owns Cap’s place.” Samari watched her girl walking around the open space they had frequented multiple times over the years. The entire building looked different because of the fresh paint, new furniture, and expensive studios that replaced the old one. But the memories were ingrained in both of their minds.
“I don’t have a man.” Samari kissed her godbaby’s fat cheeks while she frowned at the toy phone in Jomie’s hands. She gripped it between both, attempting to press buttons, mocking the act of making a call before she placed it to the side of her face and babbled away like she was talking to someone.
The toddler’s actions brought a smile to Samari’s face because there was no way to look at the pretty brown beauty and not smile.
“Did he make you cum today?” Samari kept her eyes on Jomie when she rolled them.
“Sex is not a commitment, friend.”
“True but signing you to a new label while making sure to get you away from the label that fucked you over is definitely boyfriend material.” Samari glanced at the doors to Track Killaz where Dom was saying goodbye to the two women who had been occupying his time after he’d worked with two of the younger artists who’d recently joined the Track Killaz team.
“I feel like I’m being reckless with my career,” Samari admitted.
“But?” Sheree questioned.
Samari grinned because her girl could read her like a book. “But I like him and this feels good.”
“Then why are you trying to act like that’s not your man?”
“Because I want both him and this.” Samari looked around the studio.
“Okay and what’s the problem?”
“Industry shit never works. There’s too much pressure to be what the world expects you to be.”
“Then keep people out of your business,” Sheree said, as if it just made sense. Her life was simple. Her world was centered around her husband and daughter. She hadn’t experienced a life where people were constantly shoving a camera or microphone in her face just to get a clip or soundbite. One they planned on twisting and manipulating to be what they wanted. Samari had. Not just with her career but with her personal life as well. She barely had half the status of Asao, so she could only imagine how being attached to him would feel.
“That never works, and the minute they think they have a story, they’ll run with it. Even if there’s not one, they’ll make up one.”
“People are going to talk. You already know that and who the hell cares what they make up as long as you don’t buy into it. You deserve this…” Sheree pointed to the soundboard. “Andhim. Don’t forget we have a plan. Jomie needs a best friend, so I’m going to need you to be pregnant very soon.”
“Bruh, are you in here trying to get Samari to trap my boy with a baby?” Dom’s animated voice had Samari and Sheree turning toward the entrance, watching as he smoothly crossed the room, tugging at his jeans. The smug grin on his face enhanced his handsome features—mocha skin, Caesar cut, low-set eyes, and dimpled smile. He was attractive, had a chill personality, but was definitely a hoe, which dismissed any interest most women would have ever considered.
When they’d arrived at the studio, Samari and Sheree were privy to the sounds of him receiving head from one of the women he had just escorted from the building. Although he was in the room built out to be the sleeping quarters, Dom’s instructions were loud and clear.
His commands of ‘”suck that shit”, “you better swallow”, and “stop fucking playing” had Samari and Sheree rolling their eyes with their mouths dropped because they could tell the woman was a good listener based on the responses she provided. When Dom finished and walked out of the room with not one but two women, all they could do was look at each other and shake their heads.
“You can’t trap a man who’s willingly handing over his future babies,” Sheree said with a shrug.
