Empire State of mind

Chapter Forty-Five: Mediator

Shelby's POV

I stand with Luscious, Thirsty and Jamal as I watch Freda's music video that he got, she ain't bad and frankly my beef with her over now that her creepy ass father is dead

"See that....how could you let her go" My father asks Jamal and I just sit on the counter near by texting Tay, her and Tiana tense for no reason and I gotta talk to both of them at some point

"Aight look she dope but I didn't have a choice" Jamal says and I scoff, he did but he ain't push hard enough to

"Keem would have signed her....Shelby would have signed her and they don't like each other....look Jamal don't makes me regret putting you in the position I did" My father says causing me to pucker my lips

Ooooo he said the thing

"You put me in this position because I'm a artist...a real one...because of my music...now I held everything down when you were inside, I kept everything afloat...I didn't say anything now you gon jump down my throat because I couldn't sign some random hood rat" Jamal says and I laugh

"What's funny Shelby" Jamal says trying to be threatening

"Nigga you sound like the mothafuckas at every other record company....this business was built on "hood rats"...you a "hood rat" not some polished princess, you grew into this business unlike Hakeem who was a nepotism baby almost from the start....I was a hood rat...you sound like a bitch not a business man...you been bitchin and pissy with everyone since we got locked up and expect respect when you can't even respect the type of people that are funding your lifestyle...your so far gone it's disgusting" I say and Jamal glares at me

"You don't run the company...you don't know what your talking about since you only been around a year...not your whole child and adult life" He rebuttals and I shake my head

"This is why....no one respects you....you got your freshly cleaned drawers up your ass so far you can't see how your a hypocrite...dad...you can deal with your former hood rat son...I'll be with Tay and Tiana" I say before bumping Jamal as I leave out the door

I take a limo to Empire and close my phone as I texted both of them to come out and talk to me, I wait a bit before looking to see them coming out together

"Get in...y'all know I can't be in there" I say and they roll their eyes before getting in the car

"So what you want baby, we got dancing to do" Tay says and I laugh a bit but I notice Tiana looking out the window with a scowl on her face

"Tiana what's your beef with Tay all of a sudden...you gotta talk because I won't have my girls fighting over some shit...we grown, we talk about shit now" I say as Tiana looks at me angrily

"It's nothing I wanna talk about" She says and I sigh

"Is it because of Tay and I fuckin" I ask bluntly and Tiana looks at me shocked

"How you-

"I'm not stupid,I can read you like a book and the way you been avoiding me and how your face changed when Tay came on to me at the house after I got out...was enough...you jealous and why" I explain calmly

"Yea especially since you wanna feelin Hakeem at the old place they was at" Tay asks just as confused as me

"I wasn't feeling him, feeling him ok....it was just so he ain't get suspicious because he knows how I am too" Tiana explains

"But that doesn't explain why you jealous of Tay and I...you fucked up with me so I'm confused" I say and Tiana sighs

"I'm aware alright...look I don't wanna go into shit before knowing how I feel so just drop it...I'll fix my attitude and I'm sorry Tay and to you Shelby" Tiana says before quickly getting out of the car

"That was weird" Tay says and I nod

"Yea but let her be...she gotta figure her shit out and she not finan come to me and tell me what's really going on which I appreciate" I say and Tay nods before moving to my side

"So.....I've been missin you" Tay says suggestively and I laugh as she starts kissing my neck

"Your messy as fuck...let me get my driver out of here" I say while laughing as I hear the car door open and close before being locked again

"Now we good babygirl" I say before cupping Tay's face and bringing her into a heated kiss, she straddles my lap and starts grinding on her and I grab her ass and squeeze it

Thank god for tinted windows
————

I walk through the grass with flowers in my hand and my brothers and Tay by my side, we visiting my mama today since I haven't done that in what's felt like a while

"You got her a good spot" Armani says as he looks at my mothers crypt that I got her in a private area of the cemetery

"Yea...got her sittin on that hill she loved" Damon says as he make our way to my mother's grave and I smile down at her

"Hey mama....sorry for the wait.....god I miss you" I say as we all put our flowers down and lay on the grass

"You think she'd be happy about our little plan for your fam" Armani says and I chuckle

"She'd want no part but would ask all about it" Tay says causing us to laugh

"Let's tell her about it" I say, my friends nod and we start talking about our plan and laughing as we reminisce about the stories we all have about mama and her crazy antics

"You babay ass kids sittin and jokin around at a cemetery" I hear causing me to look up over and see my father walking up with his security, flowers in his hand

"Hey Dad...what you doin here" I say and he smirks before leaning down and putting the flowers down

"Hey...Mr.Lyon" Damon says awkwardly as he sits up, Armani and Tay just sit up and mean mug my father heavily causing his smile to get wider

"Can I have a moment with my daughter" He says and they all nod before walking off to probably talk shit about my father like they usually do

"They don't like me" My father says as he helps me up off the ground and wraps his arm around my shoulders

"No...they don't, they ain't forget about you abandoning me" I respond causing Luscious to look at me with a blank stare

"Did you forget" He asks and I hold back an eye roll

"I won't ever forget" I say and he nods before pulling me closer

"I wont stop making up for it...your my daughter...and I won't let you go" He says as he looks from me to my mother tombstone

I sigh as this feels like the funeral...

Flashback.......

I stand in front of my mothers casket as I stare it almost into the ground, she's really gone now like it's real now

"You ok Shelby" I hear my father say but I don't respond, I hear him sigh as I don't even look at him

I'm happy he's here but I'm not happy he's here, I want to accept this but I can't

"I know your still getting used to this arrangement....I am too...but just know" Luscious says as she wraps his arm around me

I look up at him and see this stern look on his face

"I'm never going to abandon you again" He says and I feel my icy heart melt little bit at this because I can tell he's serious

I just hope he'll keep his promise

A/n yuhhhh, I wanted to get this out since I haven't been able to write for this story in so long so I apologize for the wait but yea....Luscious and Shelby are close but trust and believe, Shelby ain't gon forget what happened

Enjoy:)