"Hey baby...it's me again!—Bakari sighed.— Sweetheart please come home...I'm not mad or upset with you Ry. I just want you he-"
Before Bakari could finish his hundredth voicemail to Ryder the front door opened and slammed shut. He waited patiently on the couch as the sound of footsteps became closer and closer. Soon his fiancé appeared dawning a fresh face, slightly hair tucked behind her ears and wearing a sweats.
"Hey..." Ryder said lowly as she smirked nervously.
"Hey baby..." He replied with the same uncertainty of how they were supposed to go about striking up a conversation. Seeing she wasn't moving from her spot Bakari was up on his feet.
He wasted no time wrapping his lady up in his arms. It took her a minute to relax before she returned his hug. "Baby I missed you so much." He whispered in her ear.
He felt Ryder shake in his arms before feeling a wet sensation on his chest. He then realized she was crying.
"I'm sorry." She uttered before breaking down.
Bakari's hands then moved from around her waste to her face making her look at him. "Baby you have nothing to be sorry for...you did nothing wrong! Stop crying my love." He reassured her as he wiped the tears from her face.
"Please don't leave me because of this!" She continued to cry making Bakari's heart hurt for her.
"Ry I would never leave you baby..I love you too much to let what that evil ass bitch said break us up. Nobody's opinions of you matter to me!"
"You promise?" She asked and Bakari nodded.
She took his hand leading him back on to the couch. Ryder laid her head on his shoulder as he wrapped her up in his muscular arms. With the other hand he grabbed the glass of D'usse he poured earlier handing into her.
"Thanks...you might need it more than I do though once I tell you everything."
Bakari's eyes landed on the glass before returning to Ryder's brown orbs. "I think I'll hold on to it...for now!"
They shared a short laugh for the first time since she'd been back home. Letting out a hard breath, Ryder takes a beat before telling her fiancé about the hardest time in her life, that lead to the horrendous Whitley Weathers interview.
**********
By the time Ryder finished speaking Bakari was now guzzling down his third glass of D'usse after downing the original glass.
"Please tell me that's it?" Bakari asked after setting the empty glass down with a hard huff due to the burning liquid going down his throat.
Ryder sighed. "Yeah! That's everything...Oh! And I think Del'Rio is the person who sent me a letter at our engagement party!" She mumbled quickly causing Bakari to eye her pointedly. He grunted before reach for the liquor bottle, but was quickly stopped by his fiancé.
"I- ....think you've had enough." She told him before taking the glass away. Sitting up from his slouched position Bakari spoke. "Baby why didn't you tell me about this!? We are partners! No matter what it is, if somebody is threatening you over something you have to tell me Ry!" Bakari frustratingly explained.
"Ugh! I know babe, but I was fucking scared! I didn't want to know the horrible things you thought of me if you knew the shit I went through and lose you because of it. Hell! I don't even know what you think of me now and it's killing me!"
Bakari looked at Ryder like she'd lost her mind.
"Fuck you mean what I think of you!? Ryder the way I felt about you three years ago when I met you, is the same way I felt about you when I put that ring on your finger, and it's the same way I felt walking into our engagement party...and Ryder Kennedy who will be Mrs. Jordan come April, it's the same way I feel today. Baby! I need you to trust that I mean what I say that it's fuck everybody's opinions! Because I fucking love you! You trust me right!?—Ryder quickly nodded her head.—then no that I'm with you 100% and ain't shit a Whitley Weathers or Dumb Rico, Del'Rio, or whatever the fuck his name is can do about it! After today I don't wanna hear you ever question whether or not people's opinions about you matter to me, you understand me!?"
Ryder nodded. "Nah! I need you to say it and mean that shit! Do you understand me!?" He ordered.
"Yes! Yes! I promise you'll never hear me question you again!" She uttered quickly feeling like a child being chastised by her father. Crazy enough it also made her tingle down below. She didn't know whether she should go sit in the corner like a bad kid or suck the skin off his dick.
"Tomorrow I'm hiring private investigators so they can find his bitch ass. And if he sends anything else you tell me immediately alright?"
"Okay!" She nodded.
"And another thing! Stop looking at me like that?"
Ryder frowned. "Looking at you like what?"
"You know what I'm talking about...you wanna suck my dick don't'chu!? I know that lil Pussy got wet when I used my big boy voice." Bakari joked making Ryder bust out laughing.
"Boy bye! Don't nobody want that lil thang." She shot back jokingly.
"Yeah whatever! This lil thang be having you climbing up the wall like the exorcist." Bakari shot back making Ryder gasp slapping him playfully on the arm.
The laughter soon died down before Bakari reached to grab Ryder's hands, making her look at him in his eyes. "All jokes aside...I just want you to know that I love you so much! And that you can come to me about anything okay!?"
"Okay!"
"I Love you baby."
"I Love you too B!" She smiled.
**********
Over at his Downtown condo Dakota was finishing up a workout at his home gym. Normally he and Erika would train together, but ever since Nina's video premiere party she's been extremely distant.
She rarely made time to see him, nor did she call or even attempt to return any of his messages when he would text her, and honestly Kota was tired. He was ready to formally put a title on their relationship, but once Erika began to switch up on him and act funny those plans changed.
After taking a shower to rid himself of the manly musk scent off his body.
Now freshly bathed, Dakota scrolls through his messages as his meal prep warms in the microwave, reading the group chat with his guys as Bakari let everyone know Ryder was good and at home.
Clicking out of the chat his thumb hovers over Erika's contact. He'd been hesitant to call her the last couple days. Without a second thought Kota clicks audio call and the phone begins to ring. Just when he thinks the call is about to go unanswered again..she picks up!
"Yeah."
Yeah!? Is she serious?
"Uh!...Hey I- I'm glad you actually answered the phone this time." He said awkwardly.
"Well here I am...wassup!? You good?"
This girl is gonna drive me to drink. She luck I l-...never mind.
"I'd be better if I'd seen or at least heard from you the last couple of days...What's up with that?"
"What do you mean?...I've been busy so obviously I haven't had time to see you or talk like I used to." Erika replied back in snarky manner.
"So you don't think there was a better way to tell me that, then just not saying anything at all or without all this attitude you giving me now!? I would've completely understood if you communicated with me like Kota I'm super busy, I haven't had anytime to myself I'll get back to you when I can. But instead I get this grumpy ass woman I've never met before versus the one who knew how to communicate like an adult!"
Erika scoffed. "Last I checked I don't have to communicate a damn thing! Especially when I'm not your girlfriend!"
Oooh! So that's what this is about!?
"So is that what this is about? If you wanted to be my girlfriend or thought we were ready for that step why didn't you just ya know...talk to me about it? Something you're obviously not trying to do."
Erika laughed sarcastically. "Nigga you got some nerve! The problem is yo ass! And how you allowed them skanky ass bitches touch and fondle ya black ass...then had the nerve to reduce me to a fucking friend!" Erika hissed.
Dakota sucked his teeth. "Okay so what!? I agree they were being a little touchy but I wasn't about to let shit get any further than what you saw...besides you were not my girlfriend nor did you express that you were ready for that step. So me innocently flirting didn't register in my head that that was a big deal. And must I remind you that night I was in your bed, in your crib, eating your pussy and been wanting to see you so what's the problem!?"
He could hear Erika suck her teeth.
"And as for me calling you my friend...what else was I supposed to refer to you as!?"
"..."
"Hello! You still there?...What was it that you would've rather me call you since friend apparently wasn't appropriate?" He continued.
Erika sighed. "You know what Dakota...lose my number, Goodbye!"
Before he could protest the call ended. After try to call her back for the third time he realized he was blocked. Dakota plopped down on his couch attempting to eat his food, as tried to piece together how he and the girl of his dreams went wrong.
The next day Erika changed her number and returned to Brooklyn, New York.
**********
Mya sat in her office nearly falling asleep after watching the hundredth music video, of artist on the rise that her label could potentially be interested in signing. She absolutely loved her job, but days like this when she's forced to listen to subpar music to please her boss were the worst.
He truly had zero taste in music.
His only mission was to sign whoever was trending whether bad or good, force them down people's throat and fake streams.
Nina was the first authentic artist to get signed in a long time. They didn't need to pay blogs to fake like they liked her music or spend millions on radio play, because the fans genuinely loved her music. Artist like her were why Mya loved doing her job.
Mya rolled her eyes as the next song began to play, but just before pre-chorus could end her phone rang.
Reeves was FaceTiming her!
She couldn't pause the song fast enough as she happily answered the phone with the biggest Kool-Aid smile.
"Hi baby! What's up?" She answered.
Reeves chuckled. "Nothing much love! I missed you so I figured I'd give you a call. How ya day been?"
Mya sighed. "Boss man has me listening to potential signees for the label and baby when I tell you these people sound like nails on a chalkboard...Wooh chile!"
"Damn Bae! They that had!?" Reeves asked laughing.
"Ugh! Yes it is that bad...I keep telling him we should focus on Nina because she has a huge buzz and we don't wanna lose momentum. But no! He wants bologna when he could have steak!" Mya ranted.
"Anyway! Sorry for my little meltdown. How your day?"Mya continued with a much happier tone.
Reeves smiled. "You good baby, I want you to be able to tell me about your day good or bad no matter how you gotta express it, I'm here love! But anyway my day was cool, I just had one of the best meetings which is actually why I called..."
Mya eyebrow raises. "Oop! What this meeting got to do with me?...You getting me some money!?" She quizzed jokingly.
If only she knew!
"It means things are moving along quicker then expected. So after some more paperwork and legal shit things will be perfect and I'll have some free time again. So next Wednesday , I have a special lunch date planned all you have to do is meet me at the airport."
"The airport!? Oh! He got money get it all for'em." Mya joked making Reeves chuckle.
"Yes! The private airport that is, but that's only if you're available?"
"Hmm...let me see!" Mya began scrolling through her calendar to check her availability next week. "Looks like I'm free on Wednesday...all I need is a time?"
"Let's say....12:30! I'll have a car come pick you up. But anyway I'll let you get back to work. I ordered you lunch too, your assistant should be bringing it soon."
"Aww! Thank babe you didn't have to do that! But okay I'll see you next week....and bring condoms!"
Reeves bust out laughing after Mya's last remark. "Of course! I'll see you later Ma!"
They soon got off the phone, leaving Mya smiling as she went back to listening to the mediocre music she was being subjected to. Her assistant dropped off a delicious sushi lunch from Nobu and she made sure to send Reeves a thank you text. She was so consumed with work she almost forgot about eating. Letting her mind wonder, Mya began to think about all the possibilities for her relationship with Reeves. But there was one that stood out the most.
Maybe she could have her career and relationship!
It's the her for me💖👑....anyways chile!
A/N:
Ryder finally comes home and shares her story with Bakari....In return he uses his big boy voice to put his foot down!😂 #aintnobreakupbih❤️
Now Ms.Erika! What the you got going on ma'am? 🥴
Who was wrong in the situation?
Sis better tread lightly though...I done told her Kota ain't the one or the two! Better act right while she back in New York.
Reeves plans a lil date to clap Mya's cheeks on a Private Jet😜🛩
But who thinks Mya gone show up? I know what my vote is😏