|Abel|
Swiveling around in his rolling chair, Abel hopelessly watched the clock hands move slowly around the clock. He was stuck in a very important meeting that should last an hour, but it felt as though he'd been sitting in the same spot for days. After the meeting with his staff, he was going to tie up any loose strings regarding his label and head home to rest.
His label in speaking, MDM, had just kicked off a year after announcing his last album and tour in the music industry. Abel felt he had done enough artist wise and that it was time to bring on a new wave of artists. Sometimes here and there he'd lend a hand or voice in collaboration with other industry friends, but he was truly done singing.
So far he signed his longtime friends, Nav and Belly, and he was hoping to sign more as he progressed. Along with the workings of his label he was heavily managing his organization HXOUSE and taking care of donations to charity. Busy was an understatement for the thirty year old.
Breaks were limited and have been for awhile, but he was grateful that he took a day off to hit the town with his close friends and business partners. They were clubbing during the weekend and Abel was still quite on a high from that. The nightlife had always given him a kind of euphoria that he could never get used to, but this kind of euphoria was far different than the others.
Abel had been so busy for years that it had been a long time since he felt a woman's touch. The last embrace from a lover was not too long ago—a year before his announcement of his last album. She was his first public relationship, and also his last. After their rocky union he vowed to never even get close to another woman. Either he couldn't do right or they didn't have time for one another. He practically sworn into celibacy... that was until his best friend La Mar showed him a dating app, which lead to his steamy club escapade during the weekend.
Now he couldn't get the mystery woman out of his mind. Her scent and the feel of her warm soft skin was still stained against his fingertips. With every swallow he could still taste her sweet essence on his tongue—she was mesmerizing. And he hadn't even gotten her name.
She went by WickedDesires on the forbidden app and as wicked was she on that night. Abel wasn't the type to hit again after hitting it, but he desperately wanted to be back inside of her at least one more time.
It has almost been two weeks and he hadn't heard from her. Not that he was expecting to but, he hoped that he was on her mind in memory as much as she was on his.
"Yo, Abel you hear me man?" The sound of La Mar's voice made his eyes travel from the clock and back onto his staff. Everyone eyed him quietly, waiting for his response.
Abel sucked his teeth at them staring and waved him off. "I'm here. Y'all can stop staring at me now."
His manager Sal chuckled from across the table, while La Mar shook his head.
"Yeah.. anyway, like I was sayin', you know social media is taking over completely so it shouldn't be too hard for us to find a female artist to sign—matter of fact.." He snapped his fingers, walking around the table to stand in front of the white projector screen.
After setting it up for a few minutes, he used the laptop plugged up to it to type and browse the internet until he found what he was looking for.
The screen glowed brightly showing a picture of a woman sitting with her leg tossed over the other, staring nonchalantly into the camera. Abel hardly kept up with social media so he wouldn't know who this woman was if he was standing right in front of her. She was beautiful though.
La Mar smirked in accomplishment, throwing his hand softly towards the screen. "I know you know who she is."
"Amala Dlamini?" Cash, another close friend of his answered in a questioning tone. Everyone else snickered in response.
"Correct." La Mar pointed at him.
Abel followed his friend's movement, watching him walk around the long L-shaped corporate table with his arms crossed behind his back. He wanted to laugh because he looked like an amateur substitute teacher in college, but refrained from doing so.
"She been in the game for a while but no one had a clue who she was until this year. Why?"
Abel laughed softly. "You're playing into this school principal role too good, my friend."
La Mar made a face making him laugh more. "Okay, fuck you."
"Amala went viral this year, kid." Sal laughed as well. "There's this catchy song she put out a few months ago; Say So. That's all you hear nowadays."
"Play it," Abel gestured toward the large speaker set up next to the screen. La Mar obliged taking a few seconds.
As the song flowed through the speakers, Abel nodded his head to it in approval. They were right; this song has been played and heard all around town for months. He couldn't escape the catchy tune if he wanted to.
Now that he could put a face to a song, he realized La Mar was on to something. If she signed to his label it could give them both a powerful push in the industry. As famous as Abel was for his upbeat, melancholy songs about love, sex, and drugs, he was still deemed 'underrated' in certain aspects. Pursuing his label was just another way for him to try something new and if he was successful with it he would be another permanent household name for sure.
When the song ended, La Mar leaned against the table with a sigh. "Well..?"
"Let's sign her," Abel decided, shrugging. "Sal, you'll manage her, right?"
"Yeah, but it might be hard. She's already signed with RCA and since she's going viral, I don't think they want to let her go."
"Right.. well you know what to do kid." Abel stood from his chair to stretch. "Is that all we have for today?"
"Yeah bro. Nav is comin' in later and Belly has a session tomorrow morning. He want you to help him with one of his songs for his album." La Mar picked up his phone.
"Studio session tomorrow... what else?"
"Pending. I'll hit you if it's something important."
Everyone else began to stand and file out of the meeting room one by one. Abel stuck around to help La Mar shut everything down. When the door creaked shut, Abel sighed and slid his 'XO' letterman jacket back on.
La Mar followed suit, picking up his bag and keys. "Aye, you ever hit that girl up from the club? I got her friend's number but I haven't heard shit from her."
"Nah, me either." He couldn't help but laugh as he followed him out of the room. "We both got played huh?"
"For the first time, too. That's wild." La Mar laughed as well.
They shortly parted ways after holding a brief conversation. La Mar promised to stop by his house after leaving the building and Abel practically threatened him to bring some weed and drinks on his way there.
He sat in his office for the next hour answering emails, calls, and looking out for any deals regarding his label. So far, none were as appealing enough for him to accept, which prompted him to trash them all.
Just in the middle of a call, there was a soft knock on his door. He looked up as it opened revealing one of his employees, Sire. She peaked her head in with a small smile asking with her eyes to be let in. He nodded while replying to his caller.
She stepped in fully holding a band of folders against her chest. The sharp heels of her red bottoms loudly clacked along the glossy white tiled floors as she took a seat in the chairs in front of Abel's desk. The slit in her skirt daringly rose as she settled in comfortably throwing her leg on top of the other. Patiently, she waited until he ended his call.
"Yeah, and we'll do a photoshoot after that," Abel nodded his head feeling her squinted eyes on him. "Tell them I'm not doing an interview... No, not this time."
"... Alright. Call my assistant and let her know. Thanks." He hung up and pushed away from the desk, standing from the chair. "What's up Sire?"
"I printed a copy of the contract like you asked." She smiled softly, holding the folders out to him.
He took them with a short nod. "Good, thank you. All we need to do is get her to sign these now."
"Hopefully, she will."
"Yeah... do you need something? I'm about to lock up in a minute."
Sire looked up at him with creased eyebrows before slowly standing right in front of him. He leaned against the desk crossing his arms.
"Yes, actually I do need something" she slid her hands up his chest, linking them behind his head. "I need you."
"It's been a while," she continued moving closer and closer. "I know you miss it."
"Sire." Abel sighed, taking her hands from around him. He held them down in front of them. "We agreed that it would be a one time thing—it can't happen again."
"Abel—" a round of knocks stopped her from speaking.
Abel eyed her a final time. "No, Sire."
"Come in!" He yelled to the door. La Mar stepped in shortly disregarding the irritated woman beside Abel.
"You wanna ride back together or no?" He asked. "I figured it'd be easier since we're going to the same place."
"Yeah, I guess. Freddy will drive the G Wagon, and I'll have Tate follow us in your car."
"Good." They dapped. La Mar finally noticed Sire and nodded at her. "Sup Si."
"Hey La Mar." Sire slickly rolled her eyes.
"Nathan was lookin' for you—said something about taking you out for dinner," he told her, making her shake her head.
"I'm not—"
"You should go anyway, Sire," Abel interrupted. "I told you I was about to head out."
With a defeated sigh, she nodded and headed for the door. Befofe she fully stepped out she turned around with one last look.
"Are you gonna call me later?"
"We'll see," Abel answered, although he knew he wouldn't be calling her at all.
And it seemed like she knew as well because she huffed and sharply left out of the room. As the door closed La Mar looked at his friend with an amused smile.
"Damn, give me whatever you been giving these bitches because they're all acting like fiends to get close to you."
Abel playfully scrunched up his face. "I don't swing that way, La Mar. Go on Tinder if you want some dick."
He started to cackle as La Mar glared at him. After gathering his things, they both walked out of the office playfully throwing jabs and insults to each other, while simultaneously bidding their team goodbye.
As expected, Abel's security and driver Freddy was waiting for them in the garage. They slapped hands in greeting before climbing in the back of his G Wagon.
The only thing on his mind as they cruised the busy Los Angeles streets was when and if he would ever see Miss Wicked Desires again.