Page 109 of Just Like Summer

Cairo laughed.

“You laughing because you know your reputation proceeds you. I didn’t want to get beat up and questioned later. I’m a pretty nigga,” Sincere joked with ease. “That you?”

“Yeah, getting him signed. You found one?”

“Nah, I’m here for the views and the vibes. Both at the same time is the time I’m on. How’s Kamilla?” he asked, getting to the part of the reason he was occupying space.

“This shit with Rowdy threw her off.”

“Yeah, I could see it. First time I found about his diagnosis was when he started tripping on me. The weed and the liquor was enough to set him off. Anyway, when you see her, tell her we took care of the manager issue. Nigga won’t be seeing shit, saying shit, or walking nowhere. Dropped him and left him.”

“Will do,” Cairo muttered, seeing in real time, how both sides of L.O. looked out for his heart.

“Make sure when Lucci signs him, y’all tell that temperamental nigga I’m getting on a track with him.” Sincere’s head turned when a woman switched by. “And there goes a view right there I’m trying to catch a vibe with.”

Cairo chuckled to himself listening to the hardbottoms hurry off. “Chasing pussy got to be tiresome.”

East wrapped up his moment on stage and then stood in the wings by Cairo.

“How you feelin’, Azul?” Cairo asked.

“Like I’m flying,” East admitted.

“Remember how it feels right now. Don’t forget it.”

The pair waited another twenty minutes for the other artists to perform and then the results to be announced. The deejay’s chuckle into the mic made East sway. He hadn’t won anything in his life, but the mere fact he was here standing next to Cairo meant he was on the right track. It also meant that this had to work out or he would be couch surfing again or worse, back in prison.

“Y’all give it up for muhfuckin’ East Way P and producer C4! Yeah, them niggas worth all the hype,” DJ Hype Report announced, throwing Cairo a nod.

As he nudged East back on the stage to get his money and trophy, Cairo threw a nod back. Purposely, Cairo had omitted the fact that the winner got a thousand dollars and a featured spot on the Hype Report. He wanted East on the stage just to feel what flying felt like.

They moved off the stage after East put the check in his shoe.

“I got a proposition for you,” Cairo started.

“I’m all ears,” East said, blindly trusting him.

“Let’s fly back to L.O. I’ll put you up in an apartment, set you up with a manager, and we prep for El Jefe. The next two weeks are crucial. You got to lay low, build your muscle up, and get ready for how this shit is about to take off.”

“I’m not trying to sound like a simp or no weird shit like that, C4. But on everything, I’ll follow you off a cliff if you said I could fly,” East stated, solidifying that Cairo’s ear hadn’t led him wrong.

“Then let’s fly, nigga,” Cairo replied.

An hour and a half later, they were on the private jet headed back to L.O. True to his word, Cairo had East in one bedroom apartment outside of the city in a decent neighborhood. Before he left, he gave him a roll of cash and a directive to get a bed, food, any necessary items he needed to survive and not to get caught up in no bullshit.

Next stop, Nate’s to press Dania about where his woman had run off to. Upon knocking, he was met by the cutest little girl he’d ever seen. His heart melted when she looked up at him in her princess dress, full sass, and her hand on her hip.

“Are you my Uncle Cairo?” she asked.

“That’s me,” he assured, lowering himself to her level. “Are you my niece Malayna?”

“That’s me,” she cheered, before throwing her arms around his neck.

Cairo hugged her and Nate antagonized him.

“Big ass C4, a sucker for a princess with a sassy ass attitude. Awww. Welcome to hell,” Nate joked and Cairo flicked him off.

He stood with Malayna in his arms. “Dania, I don’t smell shit cooking.”