“I’ve apologized,” Remedy said.
Desi folded her arms and gave Remedy a pointed look. “You apologize? If that’s the case, Officer Dannon is still waiting on his. Did she tell you that she sent her probation officer’s wife screenshots of him trying to get at her?”
“You know when I said you don’t hold water? This was what I was talking about,” Remedy grumbled.
“Girl, I’m looking at this man and his hold on you, you’re going to be his wife. Might as well tell him how we met in theprobation office and I talked you into coming to amateur night with me. We’ve been friends ever since,” Desi said with a giggle. “Although I was sure you were going to be a kingpin. Tone said you’re a manager.”
“Yeah, something like that. Let me guess, he made you a couple of promises,” Erys replied, sitting down and gently pulling Remedy down in one motion. She had him on brick and it was her job now to cover it up.
“A few. Studio time, a manager, a deal hopefully. I’m tired of being in the club,” Desi huffed. “Rem knows I can sing.”
Remedy draped her arms around his shoulders. “She can. She’s singing happy birthday to Ernie in a few.”
“I’ll see if you can really sing or not. If I like what I hear, we’ll be at the studio tomorrow night with Jamani. If not, you’ll have to find another way out the club,” Erys informed.
Remedy chimed. “You better kill it, Desi.”
“I like this shit,” Desi giggled, looking at how beautiful they were together. “You really got my girl gleaming like a Trae Way diamond. I love it. I won’t let you down, Rem.”
Desi squealed before she walked away, leaving Remedy to nuzzle her face into the side of Erys’. The subtle motion allowing his shoulders to relax.
“I hope she can sing for real. I’d hate to tell her it’s not happening,” Erys muttered, enjoying the freedom she was experiencing. The freedom he wanted to stay.
“She can sing. I might need a signing bonus.”
“That’s the payment?” Erys toyed.
“Mm mm nope,” Remedy buzzed, watching Ernie stand on the couch and thrust his hips. “Go get your daddy before he breaks something. And you have to carry him everywhere.”
“Give me a kiss first,” Erys muttered, turning her face to his.
“Two hits and the man is gone,” she giggled, kissing him.
“Want to see what I’ll do with three?” he teased. “Don’t answer that. Of course you do.”
20
“He’s knocked,” Remedy spoke as she moved toward the stairs, finding Erys. From what she could see from over the banister in the open living space, everything was spotless. There was no evidence that they’d thrown a party and had a house full of people almost two hours ago. She was still in her dress and heels per Ernie’s request. “I was coming to clean up.”
“You weren’t going to cook, throw a party, and clean up too. We weren’t doing that,” Erys replied, tapping her hips and motioning her back up the stairs. “Especially not looking that damn good, Strawberry. Don’t pull that dress down either.”
“Erys,” she giggled, turning around and feeling his hands pull her dress up.
“Nah, baby, My name is Slick Silk Sniper,” he replied, stopping her to bite the cup of her ass. “Shit been calling me all night.”
Remedy hurried up the stairs playfully trying to get away from him. The silliness, the willingness to be wrapped up in him were all new layers of herself she was discovering. Then there was the desire. Erys had a key that unlocked it and she couldn’t get enough of him.
“Can I at least wash this party off of me? Or do you want to watch?”
“You keep it up, you’re not leaving this house,” Erys grumbled closing the door behind him and following her into the bathroom. Remedy watched him undress her and she did the same, touching and fondling each other in the process. She appreciated that Erys had a sense of control about himself. He wasn’t in a hurry to bend her over. He wanted to study her, wrap her in intimacy that would soothe her overthinking and heal the parts of her that still weren’t so trusting.
Out the shower, dried and moisturized, they wobbled to the bed. Erys positioned himself between her thighs, head on hermidsection, a breast in his hand like he was an overgrown child. Remedy let a soft smile ease over her face.
“How you get into music?” she asked, swirling her fingers over the silkiness of his jet black waves. “Or is this something Tone roped you into?”
“Tone definitely roped me into being a manager but I didn’t have shit else to do. Music though. Whether I was stealing shit in Trae Way or in the middle of nowhere, I had music. I studied it more than I studied anything else. Subconsciously. Kinda like what you do with fashion. A trained nurse who can put that shit on and make my pimp ass daddy look less crazy.”
She laughed. “I’m finding that you and your daddy are easy nuts to crack.”
