CHAPTER ONE
believe that
Royalty
"Why can't I have studio time today?" Royalty Lyon, the youngest Lyon child, questioned her father, Lucious, over the phone. She sped down a Manhattan sidewalk, phone placed against her ear, muttering hasty apologies as she barreled through the crowd. She wasn't sure why she didn't catch a ride with the family's driver. She assumed it was because she didn't want to rely on anyone.
Her destination was Empire Entertainment, which was why she had requested studio time from Lucious. She wanted to get in the booth and record a new song. Not for her fans, which she didn't have since she wasn't an Empire artist, but for herself. She enjoyed making music as a hobby. However, Lucious had been protesting for a few minutes, and she didn't know why.
"Your brother needs that studio time, Ro," Lucious finally admitted, and that reason wasn't enough for her. He needed to be specific since she had three brothers. When she asked him to elaborate, Lucious' tone became solemn. "You know which brother I'm talking about. Andre doesn't sing, Jamal is in one of his feminine moods today, so which brother is left?"
Now Royalty knew which brother he was referring to. Hakeem. As usual. "Can Hakeem give me an hour? All I need is—"
"No, he cannot!" Lucious yelled, interrupting her mid-sentence. His unexpected harshness made Royalty recoil slightly. "Your brother is making music for me. What are you doing? Nothing."
A sigh escaped her because Lucious had been harboring a grudge against her ever since she told him she didn't want to make songs for Empire. She had said that because she wanted to concentrate on her schoolwork. Just because Hakeem dropped out at sixteen to focus on Empire, didn't mean Royalty wanted to follow in his footsteps. She actually liked learning.
When Hakeem announced that he was dropping out, Royalty, Jamal, and Andre looked at Lucious anxiously, expecting him to kick Hakeem's ass, but he didn't. He gave Hakeem permission, which shocked them. The siblings tried to persuade Hakeem otherwise, but he only listened to Lucious.
Royalty was confident that if their mother had been present, she wouldn't have allowed it to happen. She didn't know Cookie directly, but from what she'd heard about her, she was a savage.
Where had Cookie gone? She'd been incarcerated for seventeen years. Royalty was one years old when Cookie got arrested for drug dealing, so she didn't remember her. Hakeem was two then, but he claimed he had no recollection of her either. Or perhaps he didn't want to remember her.
Royalty didn't know when Cookie would return, but Hakeem didn't want her to return. He resented her for leaving them. He constantly referred to Cookie as a deadbeat, and Royalty blamed Lucious because he had told them Cookie had no business selling drugs. He said she did it because she thought it was cute, so Hakeem believed she had chosen drugs over them.
Royalty didn't believe that. Something told her Lucious wasn't revealing the entire truth. As for what Jamal and Andre thought about Cookie was unclear. They never brought her up.
Finally, Royalty responded to her father. "Just because I don't want to make music for Empire, doesn't mean I don't want to make music at all."
"Then go make some music, but it won't happen in my studio."
"Dad—"
But he hung up in her face. She sucked her teeth and stuffed her phone into her pocket as she hurried down the sidewalk. She arrived at her location, 3353 Madison Ave—Empire Entertainment, a few minutes later. She dashed inside without greeting anyone. She was aiming for the studio, and Hakeem was there. As Royalty leaned in the doorway, he was jamming to one of his old songs. "Well, hello there."
Hakeem jumped as he looked across at her, startled by the suddenness of her presence. He rolled his eyes, irritated. "I'm busy, Ro."
She took a step forward. "I see that. The music constantly has your full attention."
"This is how I make a living, so yeah. If you're gonna hate, you can walk right back out that door."
Royalty frowned as Hakeem returned his attention to his phone. He hadn't been the same since becoming an artist for Empire. Royalty recalled how she and Hakeem used to be like two peas in a pod. They were now like two peas in two different pods. It saddened her because she had never been close to Andre and Jamal. After all, they were so much older. She used to lean on Hakeem, but she couldn't anymore.
In conclusion, the fame changed Hakeem, and she hated it.
Hakeem glared at her and rushed her out the door. "Well? Are you going to leave?"
"Yeah..." Royalty turned around and took a few steps towards the door, but she stopped to ask him, "Hey, Keem? One more thing. Are you ready to see her?"
"Who?"
"Our mom."
When those words reached his ears, all hell broke loose. "Why the hell are you bringing her up?"
Royalty shrugged. "I don't know. I keep expecting her to return soon."
"She better not. No one wants to see her ass."
"I do."
Those words set Hakeem off. His lips twisted into a scowl as his sharp gaze pierced through her. "Then you're fucking stupid."
Royalty rolled her eyes and crossed her arms instead of taking offense. "Hakeem, it's been seventeen years. You can't possibly hate her anymore."
"I do hate her, and you should too, because she thought selling drugs was more important than taking care of us," Hakeem argued.
"What if there's more to it than that? What if Dad didn't tell us the entire story?" she wondered. "You know how he likes to sugarcoat the truth to make himself look good."
"That's what you think of me, Ro?" Lucious spoke from the doorway. She had her back to him, which was a good thing since Lucious couldn't see how her eyes had bulged at that question. However, he could clearly see how her body had tensed.
She spoke with her back to her father, so he wouldn't notice the redness rising to her cheeks as she lied through her teeth. "U-uh-no!"
"Well, that makes me even angrier because you know what I always tell you. If you say something, make sure you mean it."
Royalty swallowed hard.
"Can you tell her to leave, Pop?" Hakeem insisted. "She's wasting my studio time talking about bullshit."
Lucious complied and walked with anger towards his daughter. "Didn't I tell you that you wouldn't get any studio time, Ro? So the fact that you came here to make your brother leave—"
She interrupted him. "I wasn't trying to get him to leave. I was talking about Mom."
All hell broke loose once more. "Your mother? Why are you talking about her ass?"
"Do you know when she's getting out?"
"That's none of your business," Lucious retorted.
"It is my business. She's my mother."
That comment irritated Lucious. "Has she been a part of your life? No. So she doesn't deserve that title. And it doesn't matter when she gets out because she's not coming anywhere near Empire. Believe that."
Hakeem gave a nod. "I believe you, Pop."
"Good. Can you please give your brother some space now, Ro? Take your ass home or something." Lucious wasn't leaving it up for debate. He waved her away and began talking about music with Hakeem. Royalty exited the studio and headed home, meaning what she had said about Lucious sugarcoating the truth. She knew he wasn't telling them the entire story about Cookie's arrest, but she was going to try to find out what he was keeping hidden. Believe that.
Jamal
Jamal was at home. When the doorbell rang, he hurried to answer it. Juanita, the housekeeper, had the same thought, but Jamal swiftly stopped her since he didn't want her to see who was on the other side of that door. She'd run and tell Lucious.
Who was the person on the other side of the door? Mateo, his soon-to-be boyfriend. Jamal had to sneak him in because that wasn't his place. It was Lucious', and if he ever found out Jamal was getting down and dirty with a guy in his house...yeah. Jamal's life would be over.
He addressed Juanita. "It's okay! I got it, Juanita!"
"Oh, okay, Mr. Lyon." She then turned and went away.
Jamal gingerly opened the door, looking behind him to ensure Juanita wasn't still there. She appeared to have gone to the kitchen, so Jamal opened the door to face his gorgeous man. Mateo said, "What took you so long?"
"I had a run-in with Juanita. Hurry and come in!"
Mateo hurried in, and Jamal shut the door behind him. The two men raced up to his room. Jamal leaned against his bedroom door, letting out a relieved sigh as Mateo peered at him. "Another close call, huh?" Jamal chuckled at his joke.
Mateo laughed. "This is insane, Jamal. How long will you keep sneaking me in?"
"Until I get my condo, which Lucious is taking forever to get."
"Probably because he knows he can keep you under control here."
"He sure is controlling." The thought of his unpleasant father made Jamal's skin heat up. "But enough about my dad." He beckoned Mateo, and Mateo didn't hesitate to close the distance between them, Jamal puckering his lips as Mateo pecked his. Jamal's face lit up as he said, "I missed you."
"I missed you, too."
Nothing more needed to be said. Those words were an agreement between them to have another, deeper kiss. Things got out of hand, and they ended up on Jamal's bed. Jamal quickly pulled his shirt up and over his head before lowering his hands to his belt. He began to unbuckle, but Mateo stopped him.
"If we do this, can we finally be together?" Mateo inquired.
Jamal let out a sigh. "You know how much I want to, but—"
"But Lucious."
That was the reason. "He'll never let us be happy together, Mateo, and I don't want you to be unhappy. I promise we'll be together after I get my own place."
"Fine."
Jamal exhaled another sigh of relief, pleased that an argument didn't break out because Mateo was known for his outspoken personality. They resumed their make-out session until someone knocked on the door, forcing them to freeze and stare at it, their skin turning pale. Was that Lucious?
Mateo's skin had completely lost its color, turning chalk-white. He was terrified to death. "Oh shit. Is that—"
"Hide in the closet!" Jamal exclaimed.
Mateo ran into the closet, careful not to make a sound. Jamal took a few deep breaths to prepare for what was about to unfold. He hoped Lucious didn't start looking around the room. Jamal couldn't risk him finding Mateo since they'd both be killed.
Jamal carefully opened the door, but it wasn't Lucious on the other side. It was Royalty. She was suspicious. "Hi...?"
Jamal laughed nervously for no apparent reason since Mateo was well-known to Royalty. She knew he'd been sneaking Mateo in. Jamal assumed he was just uncomfortable. "H-Hi! I didn't know you were home."
"I just got here, and I'm guessing Mateo is as well."
"W-What makes you say that?"
"Because you're shirtless, and your belt isn't fastened." Ro then stared passed him. "You can come out, Mateo!"
As Mateo came near, Jamal cringed, hoping Juanita didn't hear. "Oh...hey there, Ro."
She simply waved at him.
"Please don't tell Dad. He'll kill me," Jamal begged.
"Jamal, how many times has Mateo been here?"
"About ten."
"And I've never said a word," Ro stressed. "I'm not Hakeem. I'll keep your secret safe."
"This is why you're my favorite sister."
"I'm your only sister," she joked before disappearing inside her room.
Jamal laughed and shut his bedroom door once again. Mateo spoke hesitantly. "So...we're all good?"
Jamal gave him a nod. "Yeah, we're good."
Thanks to Ro.
MATEO GUZMAN
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