King of the Empire (Completed)

Chapter Fourteen: The Watch

Chapter 14

JAMAL FIXED HIS outfit. In a whirl wind, six months had gone by and it was already December. It was time for the album release of Poisoned Hearts. It debuted on the Billboard charts and there was a slight buzz in the air. Everyone was eager for Jamal to take after his father and become a big star. Everyone was excited and loved his music. Everyone was either talking to him or talking about him. Jamal sighed heavily.

Everyone except who mattered the most.

Lucious Lyon.

Six months since the wedding. Six months since Lucious found out that Jamal was gay. And six months since Lucious last talked to him.

Anything Lucious wanted to know, Lucious let Jamal know through Hakeem, Becky, and any other associates with attitude problems.

Jamal had stopped begging Lucious after a while.

It hurt, yes, but his father raised him to brush things off.

Jamal had spent his time, burying his hurt in his music, spending time with Hakeem, and preforming at Dem Love Notes café.

Andre had also begun to brush Jamal off. Jamal knew it had nothing to do with him personally. Andre was busier than ever with his promotion and now he had a wife to tend to.

Jamal still missed his brother.

Jamal shrugged and yawned. He decided to release the album on the eighteenth, the day before Cori's birthday. She of course was happy that he thought of her but insisted that she needed nothing.

Typical Cori.

Jamal fixed his coat and entered Empire. He had to do a press conference on his album.

"HEY DAD! DIDN'T your album release today?" Four year old Hakeem asked as their father came into the apartment.

"Aren't you boys supposed to be in bed?" Lucious asked instead of answering Hakeem.

Jamal and Hakeem nodded, stuffing their face with ice cream.

Lucious chuckled and wiped Hakeem's mouth with his hands. "Don't eat too much of that. Its past midnight and I don't need either of you bouncing off the wall." Lucious let the boys finish and put their dishes in the sink.

Lucious sat down on the couch rubbing his face. He forgot that he had wiped Hakeem's messy mouth with the same hand and groaned at the stickiness.

With his adorable mischievous grin, Hakeem sat next to him and Jamal on the other side.

"You tired yet Dad?" Hakeem asked still grinning.

"I am. So don't try nothing." Lucious eyed Hakeem. "Y'all need to go to bed. Jamal, you got school in the morning."

Jamal snuffled a yawn. "But I'm not tired yet."

Lucious rolled his eyes. "Sure you aren't." Lucious looked at his watch. "It's 1 in the morning. Go to bed."

Hakeem grabbed his father's wrist looking at the watch. "This is cool Dad. Where did you get it?"

Lucious laughed, standing up, and hauling his sons on his shoulders. "Nice subject change Keem. But I'm serious, you have to go to bed." Lucious opened the door to Hakeem and Jamal's bedroom. "Go brush your teeth." He said setting them down.