"Shawty stoooppp." I was layin' on stomach tyin' to get some sleep, but Cliff kept touchin' on my neck.
"I'm sorry, it just looks so bad, like it hurts."
"I ain't cryin ova no lil' scratches. I'm skraight. " I opened my eyes and looked at her. I smiled at her and wondered if she knew how beautiful she was.
"Why you smilin?"
"I'm just thinkin' if you kno how beautiful you are and how lucky I am that chu mines."
She started smilin'
"Guess this lil'niggah did make you blush afta all huh. You wanted me from tha moment you bumped into me."
"Niggah what?! Wait a Mississippi minute now. I bumped into you? No, you ran them big ass boats into me!"
"Cliff my niggah you bumped into me. You saw a nigga was lookin' all fly and you wanted to holla at me. Peeped me from across tha club so you bumped into me then acted like you ain't hure what a niggah was sayin' so you pulled me into tha Paradise Room. "
"Please don't tell me you bein' serious?"
"Yep, Afta you kidnapped me and forced me into tha Paradise Room. You was actin' all shy but you really wanted a niggah to see you, talkin' bout some "WO-MAN" wit cho hand on ya hip. Had tha blond curls, red and gold jacket, short ass shorts, had that gold on ya eyes with that red lip stick to match that jacket."
"You memba' all that?"
"Every last detail. I was like "Damn, she look beautiful in red." Afta that night I just knew you was gon be stalkin' a niggah, and look at us now, you can't get enough of a niggah."
"Bwoy, please don't tell that version of how we meet tah nobody. Straight lies."
I turned over on my back and sat up a little.
"Nope, I'm stickin' with my version. I mean look whur you at now, in my hotel room, in my bed. How you get a key to my room?"
"How tha fuck you think? I stole it...well I had Keyshawn steal it fah me."
"Did you get to see my show?"
"A little bit, then I left. I wanted to make sure everything was set up by tha time tha show ended. You already kno you did good, you kno you a star."
"I kno, but I like to hear you say it, your opinion is tha only one that I really care about." She blushed again.
"Sooo what we doin' fah yo burfday?"
"Nothin' I'on celebrate my burfday like that. Bein' hur with you, in this room is enough fah me."
"No, we gotta do sumthin' even if it's a dinner or somethin'. You need to start celebratin' yo self. You work too hard to not celebrate yourself and all yo hard work."
"I'on kno Cliff...but what made you really come? You seemed like yo mind was made up."
"Honesty?" She asked me.
"Always and faheva. Earth and in Heaven."
"I was just scurd. Heyell I still am a little. Remember when you came in my office talkin' bout you wanted to take me sumwhur and I asked you "whur you gon take me? I advise you not to take me nowhur." I was being serious because the world don't let two men love one anotha in tha light. All tha love I've known otha than my mamas love was a love that wanted to put bruises on this beautiful body of mines. One that didn't have a problem with keepin' me in tha dark. It wasn't no having Sunday dinners, meeting family, or caring for Grandmuva, no makin' sure I ate, and damn sure what's no cookin' fah me. Your love came fast, and hard and I' ain't know how to handle it. It's still a little overwhelming at times. I don't want to mess this up."
I pulled ha closer to me.
"Money come and money go. If I can't make it in this music business wit you by my side, then fuck it. I'll do sumthin' else. I'm gon always protect you first. Whur is ol' dude now?"
"Only tha devil and Big L kno whur that man buried... Can I ask you somthin?" She looked up at me.
"Yeah, anything."
"Why didn't you send me tha Memphis post card?"
I looked up at tha ceiling.
"Honesty?"
"Always and faheva. Earth and in Heaven."
"My friend, as you called 'em was security while I was on tour. His name was Thaddeus Wilks, but we called him Big Teak. We fucked tha night before I was gon send tha postcard out and he found it. So I was dealin' wit havin' to tell him bout you and I just neva sent it."
"I'm sorry."
"You good. Just kno that a niggah love you so much. Your so beautiful to me and I'm always, always gon protect you." I leaned down and kissed her.
"I love you more." She laughed a little.
"What?" I asked her.
"You had a bitch so mad when you left. I had packed all yo shit. I ended up bein' reminded that I was worthy of love that was caring, love that was protecting and love that was pure. I was deserving and worty of walkin' in tha light with you."
"Did you put my shit back?"
"Yes, Bwoy!"
"Betta had, it would have been fucked up had I came home had tah do it myself."
I reached over and grab my phone off that nightstand. Cliff grabbed my chin and turned my head to tha side.
"Oh my God"
"What is it?" I asked ha.
"I didn't know I had put this big ass hickey on yo neck!" She ran ha finga over it.
"Stooppp touchin' it."
"Well, you gon have tah put somethin' on it, shit."
"Wait, I though it was my burfday." I told ha.
"It is,"
"So that means what I say goes today."
"LaMarques at least let me put some ice on it."
"Iight." She got out tha bed and walked to tha lil kitchen area. My dick was getting' hard just by watchin' ha walk. I texted Woddy and tol' em to push that meetin with tha record label back a couple of hours.
"Hure." Cliff tried to hand me a napkin with ice.
"Nah Shawty...use yo mouth."
She put a piece of ice in ha mouth then pulled tha covers back and straddled me. She lowered ha mouth to my neck.
"Aaaahhhhhh, fucckkk." I leaned my head back, givin' ha more access to my neck. Anytime ha mouth was on me felt good. She continued to kiss, lick and suck on my neck til tha ice had melted. She grabbed another piece and ran it from my neck all tha way down to by dick.
"Ahhh shittt..." I jumped a lil when I felt tha cold sensation. She ran tha ice up and down my dick then started suckin' it. "Hold up..."
"What's wrong?" She lifted ha head and looked at me.
"Nothin' com hure." I pulled her up to me and kissed her. I got out tha bed and pulled her to her feet.
"What are you doing?" She asked me.
"I wanna hear you say it."
We just gazed into each otha eyes for a minute then she smiled.
"I love you."
"Again"
"I love you,"
"Again" I told ha.
She got closer to me and wrapped her arms around my neck.
"I love you so much." She whispered in my ear.
I grabbed her hand and started walkin' towards tha balcony.
"LaMarques, what are you doing?"
"You know you mines, we ain't doin no hidin' I'ma fuck you in tha open."
________
I was sittin' on tha couch looking at my phone when I got Murda message. I just laughed and shook my head. I already knew this was gon happen and I was ten steps ahead of him. I had already reached out to tha record label and changed tha meeting to later in the evening.
"Good morning," Keyshawn came and sat down next to me on tha couch. We hadn't spoken since last night.
"Good morning. You hungry?" I asked ha.
"Um, just a little bit. I was gon try to catch breakfast downstairs or order room service" I handed her tha hotel menu. "Did you want somethin?"
"Nah, but I did wanna talk to you."
"Look I already kno it's-"
"Let me go first." She got quiet and looked at me. "First, I want to apologize. I shouldn't have gon that far. I'm not a niggah to lie or sugar coat anything so ima be real with you. You're a beautiful black woman and I would love to see whur this goes but I also kno you got a lot of things going on and I don't want me or anythin' else to be a distraction. I kno how to take lead and when to sit back and let tha woman take tha lead and this is somethin' you got full control ova'. We can talk about it if you want or never speak about it again, I'm cool wit whateva. Just kno whur I stand and that you can always count on me to be thur for you."
"Thank you Woddy."
"Sooo you ordering a smoothie, fruit or oatmeal right?"
"Um Niggah no. Um how bout bacon, eggs, pancakes and maybe hashbrowns."
"Gross, you know too much of that shit can kill you right?"
"And so can crossin' tha street. But at least if I'm crossin' tha street and get hit I'ma be full of bacon."
I just laughed and went to get somthin' to drink.
"What time are we leavin?"
"Later this evening' I guess afta tha meeting with the record label."
"I thought that was pose to be this mornin'"
I turned around and gave ha a look.
"Be forreal Keyshawn. You know that niggah wasn't gon be makin' no early meeting."
"You right, they probably still doing it." She laughed. "I'm so happy for them tho. Murda worked so hard now look at'em. Got record labels wantin' to sign him, and he got Cliff back and they so happy."
"Yeah, shit really lookin' up for him."
"Woddy, what about tha sex tape?"
"I thought I handled it when I handled Rome, but I didn't think about if he had already sent tha tape out. I'm just gon handle it if shit come out or come up."
"What you get him for his birthday?" I looked at ha crazy. "Niggah what!?"
"I'ain't get that niggah shit, he'on need nuthin' he bout tah be richer...he needa be getting' me somethin."
_______
"We only got a couple hours before Murda burfday dinner. Is we sittin' out hure all night or you gon go in and find whoeva you lookin' fah." Tru asked me.
"I wanted to catch him without having to go upstairs but...seem like I'ma have to go." I got out the car and Tru followed me. I went upstairs and knocked on the one door I said I would never knock on again. I didn't get an answer and I knocked again and still no answer.
"Move." Tru told me. I stepped back and he picked the door locks, and we stepped inside.
It was just the way I remembered it. Disgusting. I went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
"Fuck, she never has shit in this house to eat!" I said and slammed the refrigerator door. I walked into what use to be my old room that I shared with my brother. I looked in the nightstand dresser and noticed his medicine. He only had four pills left. That was only enough to last for two days.
"Yo you hear that?" Tru asked me. I got quiet and started listening. Sure, enough I heard moaning. I headed to the back master bedroom and kicked it open. There she was, my mom on her knees sucking some dude off. They both jumped and scrambled to put on some clothes.
"Where the fuck is King?" I asked her.
"Bitch you got some nerve bustin' up in my home askin' me bout my son. I outta beat-"She tried to run up on me and Tru pulled out his gun.
"Let me see." He looked around tha room. "You got about 30 things in hure that I could easily kill you with. I could kill you and have someone hure in less than 5 minutes to dispose of your body, make it like you never existed. I suggest you answer any questions she has if you want to live."
"And who are you supposed tah be huh? Ha new pimp? You can't turn no prostitute into a housewife. I don't kno where King is, out running the streets like he always does, but at least he comes back and knows where his home is unlike you. You thought after that shit went down at the club that nobody wasn't gone come lookin' for you...at least now I can let'em know you most definitely are alive."
Tru went to move closer to her and I put my arm out stopping him.
"If you do happen to run into him, make sure you tell him don't come home without some fucking money. Get tha fuck out!" She screamed.
"Let's go." I told Tru. She wasn't worth it. She was gone get hers one day. Just not today.
I never understood why she hated me so much. When I was staying here, she treated me and King as if we are her worst mistakes. She never cared if we were sick, if we ate or if we got hurt. To her King was just a reason to get a monthly check from the government and I was just a person who she was waiting for to die. I always thought that a mother's love was supposed to be unconditional.
We got in the car and even though my eyes were watering I could tell out the corner of my eyes that Tru was looking at me.
"We can drive around some more if you want to-"I told him.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Iight, I gotta meet up with my boy real quick and then we can head to tha restaurant." He said pulling off.
I was glad he didn't press the issue but knowing him for the little time I've known him. This wasn't over.
_______
I pulled into tha warehouse and saw a black ford King Ranch truck in tha corner. I flashed my headlights two times, and he flashed his back two time. That was our signal. I grabbed my pistol and put it in my back waistband.
"You gone be good for a min." I asked Winter.
"Yeah,"
She hadn't said much since we left her mom's house. I was going to let her have tonight and we would discuss tha shit later.
I got out tha car and my boy Christopher a.k.a. Crazy meet me halfway. If it was one person I could trust after everything went down, it was him. Ex-Navy Seal who was more dangerous than me.
"Niggah when is you gon get some Nikes or sumthin' always wearnin' damn cowboy hat and boots."
"Aye, that's what you pose tah wear. What I look like makin' Jordan richer. Nope." We dapped each otha and he handed me a folder with pictures.
"Crazy, this it?" I looked over tha photos and all I could really see was a dude dressed in all black with shades. I couldn't really tell much else. I did know one thing. It was multiple pictures of him goin' in and out of Club Platinum.
"Shit don't move til night Tru. That's all I could get. I'll send someone in to try and get a betta view."
"What's word on tha streets?"
"Shit been real quiet since you overloaded tha funeral home with bodies before you left. Ain't nobody trying to talk. More weight been movin' in and out tha club. I'm guessing cause of what happen it slowed down tha cash flow and they makin' up for lost time. Double shipments in and out almost every other night. On day's that it's not ol'dude in that picture coming it's another dude, lil' young cat."
"Iight, well try and get more info for me. See if you can corner him or sumthin."
"iight" We dapped eachotha. "When you rollin' back through Texas?"
"You'll know when I'm hure." I told him and got in tha car.
________
"You really had tah go all out huh?"
"What eva do you mean?" Cliff said lookin at me.
"I said a little dinner. Not all this fancy shit."
"LaMarques, I love you and a bitch can do whateva she wanna do fah her niggah, burfday or not."
"I'm sorry you said you what me?"
"I love you."
"What? Niggah what?"
"I said I love you."
"Niggah what?"
"Ugh, come hure." She grabbed my face and kissed me. We were kissing for a good minute.
"Gross" Woddy said sitting down at tha table.
"Woddy stop hatin, you just mad cause you ain't gettin' no pussy." I told him.
"Niggah I get's pussy." He said smiling.'
"Whur Keyshawn." Cliff asked him.
"She forgot ha gift in tha car. She comin."
"Niggah you let ha go back by haself?"
"Murda she ain't a damn baby, she can handle it."
'Happy birthdayyyyy" Keyshawn came behind me and gave me a hug and my gift.
"Thank you., you kno you ain't have ta get me nothin',"
"Well, I wasn't bout ta be like Woddy." She said sittin' down at tha table.
"Aye I told you, in about 30 minutes this niggah bout to be richer than he is now so I'm waitin' on my gift."
"Whur in tha heyell is Tru and Winta?" Cliff asked.
"I'on kno , they been missin' this whole time. He tha worst fuckin' security." I laughed.
"Speakin' of I need to call Big L and check on my club." She pulled out ha phone and I pushed it down.
"You trust him, right?" I asked her.
"Yes, wit my life."
"Iight then, trust he can handle this task, you gon need to rely on him a lil'mo anyways." I told ha.
"Why?"
"Cause if this record label talkin' bout sumthin' then I'ma sign and I don't want to be away by myself all tha time. Ima want you to come wit me."
"Tru said he on his way now." Woddy said.
We all talked a little bit and ordered drinks and appetizers.
"Dude from tha record label said he walkin' in."
"You nervous?" Cliff asked me.
"Nah, I stays ready, plus they want me," I gave ha a quick kiss.
"There he go." Woddy stood up and waved. We all turned around.
"Oh yes God!" Both Cliff and Keyshawn said. I smacked ha thigh. she stayed tryin' a niggah.
"Good evening, everyone I'm Christian with Soul Sound Records. It's nice to finally meet you." He shook everyone's hand and sat down.
"I don't want to take too much of yo time. I know your celebrating, but we would love to have you sign with us" He pulled out a contract from his brief case and passed it to me. I pushed it towards Cliff.
"Oooo shit," She covered her mouth and passed tha contract to Woddy he and Keyshawn looked at it and got big eyes.
"I assume everyone at this table is important to you and they seem to be very pleased with the numbers they see."
"I'm missin' a few people,"
"Well take yo time, read over it and let me know. Woddy has all my contact information if you decide Soul Sound is the place for you." He said his goodbye to everyone and left.
"Bwoy look at this." Cliff passed me tha contract. "That say 1 million."
"Yeah, but that's ova the course of a 4-year record deal not even including all tha expenses they gon take out for tour, studio and everything else."
"It's still more in yo pocket."
"I know that, but I want more in ya'll pocket. I want this shit set up to whur if I'm gone ya'll ain't got to worry about shit else fah tha rest of yah life."
"What you mean if you gon." Cliff asked.
"I'm just sayin."
"Well, say sumthin; else. Change those words up now, I'on wanna hure nothin' about you being gone"
"Calm down Shawty." She was really bout tah get mad at me.
"She right," Woddy said.
"Look lets just drop it and order some food."
"Who is that?"
Keyshawn looked up from ha menu and we all turned around. We saw some light skinned dude dressed in all black with huge chains around his neck coming towards our table. Two men following behind him with duffle bags. He came straight to our table and look a seat. Tha dudes with him just stood behind him on both sides.
"I do apologize on bargin in like this on ya lil celebration." He waived tha waiter down. "Yes, let me tha best bottle of champagne."
"Niggah what tha fuck?" I was about to go off. Cliff put her hand on my leg.
"I'm Zion with H.H Records. I wanna sign you to my label."
"How much you talkin?" I asked him, gettin' straight to tha point. I wasn't up for havin' to many more of these meetings.
He snapped his finger and one of the dudes standin' behind him put tha duffle bag on tha table and unzipped it.
"500k right now just for you. That don't even include the money you would get if you signed."
"I'm bout tah pass tha fuck out." Cliff said lookin' at all tha money.
"What about protection?"
"Niggah protection? What chu-"
"I can better answer that for you." We all turned around and this lady dressed in all black came and sat down at tha table.
"Oh yes God!" I said and looked at Cliff with a smirk, since she always wanted to play, I could play too. She just gave me a look and I laughed.
"If by protection you mean, you comin' out with your lady then don't worry about it. I'm Renee. I'm the publicist for H.H Records. You take lead on this and tell us what you want or how you want to come out to tha public. Well back you up 100%. That's not an issue for us nor will it be for you. We know how to handle shit." She winked at Woddy.
"You know them?" I asked Woddy.
"Nah," he told me.
"We been following your career for a while Murda. Since fallin' dropped. It's been nothing but hits since then."
"I'on kno." I told ha.
"Here's the actual paperwork side of things. I'm sure you'll be very happy with the numbers you see." She handed me the contract and I read over it. Shit looked and seem legit. I passed it to Cliff when she was done, she passed it to Woddy then Woddy to Keyshawn.
"Well?" They all nodded they head.
"It's a good deal," Keyshawn said.
"Yeah, looks good tah me." Woddy said.
"It's look all good in all but one thing." Cliff looked tha lady dead in ha eyes. "Ya'll come rollin' up in hure with all this money and promises. If you been followin' his career, why you just now approachin' him?" Leave it to my beautiful lady to not miss nothing.
"Well just like Murda H.H wasn't always poppin' we started out as a slaw record label until some things were done on the back end." She gave ol' dude a look. Then rolled her eyes. "And now we feel we're able to offer Murda something that other labels cant."
"Is that right? Well, he gon need a contract or sumthin sayin that all this money is his, no strings attached." Cliff said.
"Smart lady. I can see why your wit ha." Tha lady held up her hand and tha dude behind her handed her a piece of paper. She slid it to me. "A statement signed and notarized that the money given to you today is yours, no strings attached." I looked at it and it was signed and notarized. It looked legit to me.
"So, what do you say Murda? You ready to get to work?"
She passed me a pen and I looked at Cliff, Woddy and Keyshawn.
"Whateva you wanna do. We wit you 100%. Framily." Woddy said.
"Shit, let's do it then." I signed tha contract and handed it to her.
"Good choice. We're happy to have you here at H.H Records. We'll be in touch soon, with details on starting your first album. Happy Birthday and enjoy tha rest of your night."
___________
"WHAT THA FUCK WAS THAT RENEE? Zion yelled as soon as we got in tha car.
"What! I handled that shit. You were sinking the ship. I was sitting tables over and I could tell that he and her were together."
"Renee that's a whole dude."
"I don't give a fuck Zion. Let not forget who the fuck got us into this mess! You signed a deal with the fucking devil himself and now WE have to get ourselves out this mess. I don't care who he fucks or who he sticks his dick in. We need him and I got him to sign so as long as his mouth continue to pump out hits, I don't give a shit about his preference. "
"This shit better work out Renee."
"It will, I'm good at what I do. It won't be an issue, it just needs to happen sooner rather than later, so we can prepare for any hits that may come. I'll talk to him about it."
"I can't believe this shit."
"Tell me something Zion , were you going to be the one to tell Leon that you didn't have his money all because you didn't like where another man stuck his dick?
He didn't say anything.
"Exactly, we need him. Let just get this money before we all end up dead."
_______
"Biiiittttccchhhh! Look at all this we made tonight!" I held up a bag stuffed with money.
"I told you. Speak it out into to the universe and you will receive."
"I wonder who ol' dude was tho. I really don't care, just hope he come back. Cause he had lots of money to give."
"He really had his eye on you just like another someone." Whisper nodded her head out towards Duffy waitin' on me in tha parking lot.
"He so stuck on a bitch." I told ha.
"Or is it tha bitch is stuck on him."
I walked Whisper to ha car and just as I turned to head towards Duffy car an all-black on black wit dark tinted windows Range Rover pulled up. They rolled tha window down.
"Aye come holla at cha boy."
"Niggah, I'on kno you and ain't nothin fah free. Everything gotta price even to holla at chu..." It was dude from tha club. Big banks. He pulled out a bag and showed me some stacks.
"I see you a bitch that's bout ha money, I'm lookin to do business wit chu."
I looked at Duffy then went and got in tha car with ol'due. He'll understand. A bitch was about to get this skrilla.
"I'm Roulette."
"Lante."
"So , what chu got in mind?"
_______