𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 2- The Outspoken King
Destiny sat on the canopy bed of Mercedes, texting on her phone.
"What outfit number is this?" She asks.
The designer turned from the rack. "Twenty eight."
"Damn." Destiny looks to the bathroom. "Cedes! We have to go to Empire in like one hour."
"I think this is the one!"
Destiny brow raised. "Didn't she say that for outfit number thirteen?"
"It was five." The designer pulls a few dresses from the rack. "Why do you think I got here early?"
"Makes sense." Destiny throws up a hand. "Cedes come on."
A sound of the heels as she walks out, black dress shorts with a satin red button down blouse that had a deep v-neck cut.
The pair of gold LV heels on her feet.
Hair in a silk press; parted in the middle as it came pass the center of her back.
"Well?"
"Mmm, it's too plain for you."
Mercedes tilts her head looking into the ceiling high wall mirror inside her room.
Tucking a good amount of hair behind her ears to show her diamond studs.
"Yeah it is." Mercedes kicks off the shoes. "At this point I'm going naked."
"Go tell your dad that." Destiny points.
"I like my head on my shoulders, thank you." Mercedes sighs. "Just leave the rack for me, I'll make a decision tomorrow."
"You said that last week."
"Ira." Mercedes turns back. "I don't pay you to point stuff out? Just to design."
"It can be under the table money,"
Mercedes nods. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Ira."
"Will do," He sends a nod to her friend. "Destiny."
"Bye," Destiny waves.
Mercedes rolls her eyes, looking to the ceiling. "Gosh."
"You okay?"
A push back of her hair as she nods.
"Now why are we lying?" Destiny stands up, waking over to her. "I don't want to be the friend that points it out but, you lacking babes."
"What?"
"Come on, routine been off, music writing." Destiny gets back in her line of sight. "What's in that brain?"
"Stress." Mercedes plopped on the bed and falls back with a heavy sigh.
Destiny lays down on her stomach next to her.
"This about your brothers?"
"All of it." Mercedes lifts up. "I've been doing meet and greets for publicity with Christian. Trying to think of new choreography, lyrics, Anika has me running all over. I barely have time to breathe."
"Tell your dad."
"I did and the first thing out his mouth is building my image for my album." Mercedes shakes her head. "I'm just tired. I got the day off tomorrow, hopefully."
"Well we are going to make sure you take it. You can't be running yourself like this, foreal."
"I will."
"I mean it." Destiny points. "I'll yell at Anika and your daddy." Mercedes giggles leaning on her friend. "I'm serious Cedes."
"I'm going to be okay." Mercedes gets up.
"So wait. You and Christian are a thing?"
"To the world?" Mercedes gives her a look. "Yes. Anika wants to make us Empires new favorite couple."
"I get the press part but babe," Destiny shakes her head. "How does Christian feel about all of this?"
"Surprisingly well." Mercedes snatched up her romper and slips it on as she threw the outfit on the chair of clothes.
"Mmm, I bet." Destiny hums.
"Okay," Mercedes nods. "What's that mean?"
"He always wanted you, guess this makes it easier for him."
Mercedes brows pull. "That man don't want me."
"Righttt." Destiny nods. "So he just that nice?"
Mercedes laughs. "Men can't be nice?"
"Look at you," Destiny motions up and down. "No man would be dumb enough to pass up this golden opportunity to play house. Especially one that secretly wants you."
Mercedes sighs. "I think you digging to deep."
"Yeah?" Destiny brow raised. "Ask him."
"I will." Mercedes shrugs.
"Don't come to me looking like a dumb deer in headlights when he do." Destiny grabs her coffee off the table. "He trying to test drive you."
Mercedes didn't miss the chance to throw a pillow at Destiny.
"Damn, I'm just saying!"
"Go say it downstairs." Mercedes waves her off.
Destiny sticks out her tounge to Mercedes laugh.
The alert on her phone gets Destiny's attention
Mercedes looks at the rack. "I really don't want to wear a dress."
Destiny sighs. "I'll have to meet you guys at Empire."
Mercedes turns around. "You good?"
"Yeah, my mom got locked out the house and my brother isn't home." Destiny grabs her purse. "Fool went to Philly for the weekend. So I got to give her my key."
"The car should be our front. I'll text him and let him know to take you back."
"Thanks." Destiny points back. "Make sure you eat before you leave, Cedes!"
"I will!"
Mercedes texts on her phone.
Nothing but appointments and meeting reminders all down her screen. The need to throw her phone out the window but she refrained. Ever since her dads little speech on the yacht, her life got more busy and hectic. Trying to keep up an image everyone wanted for her.
Sitting on the bed, she scrolled on Instagram to see Marquis posting about the club and the strip renovations. Legend managed to get his own community to help. Even offered a job to a lot of the young guys needing work instead of having them in the streets.
Mercedes smiles at how he went in to the worse of places and came out focused. She couldn't say changed, because he was always this person. He just needed the right push to get him through. A slight laugh at how jail and leaving her did that for him.
Mercedes grabs her black slipper boots and headed downstairs.
Meanwhile....
Lucious stopped on the elliptical when the TV screens switched to show security footage.
Cookie popped up on the monitor, leaning out of the cab yelling at the doorbell
Anika walked in and mute the TV. "What is she doing here?"
A sigh from him as he shakes his head.
Lucious brow raised when he read the mouth of Cookie.
'Open this mother fucking door!'
Giving him a look, Anika walks off annoyed.
Lucious slings his towel over his shoulder as he walks out his work room. The doorbell ringing from the security footage
"I told you not to be down here when I'm working." Lucious points to Juanita.
Mercedes walks down the steps.
"Dad, did I hear the security bell?"
"Yeah." He goes pass.
"Who is it?" Mercedes hits the bottom.
"The woman who pushed one of my four headaches out." Lucious swings opens the front door.
Mercedes smiles. "Mom's here? That's what's up." She followed him.
Both walk outside to see the cab pulling in.
Cookie jumped out the backseat and closes the door.
"Uh, where's my money, ma'am?" The driver asks.
"Pay that Pakistani." Cookie tells Lucious, she smiles and hugs Mariah tight. "There's my baby girl."
A giggle. "Hi to you too,"
Pulling back, Cookie looks at her the smile dropping. "Where the rest of your clothes at?"
"Don't start." Mercedes laughs and takes her hand. "Come on."
"So you just gonna," Lucious attempted but both women went inside.
He waves them off and steps over to the van to pay.
Mercedes leads her mother inside and drops her hand so Cookie could take a good look.
A part of her felt sad to see her mother being the one on the outside looking in. With everything she sacrificed so they could be at this point.
This was supposed to be both her parents home but only her father lived inside and with another woman. Mercedes cared about Anika but nobody filled the mother role for her. Ms. Dotty tried but none of them were the woman standing here with her.
Cookie eyes a painting in particular.
Lucious closed the door. "What are you doing here?"
"Dad." Mercedes gives him a look.
"Checking out my house." Cookie says to Mercedes slight smirk but she hangs her head.
Lucious walks around Cookie. "That's a Klimt."
"Yeah, well, you can keep it." Cookie frowns. "It's ugly."
Mercedes eyes travel to her father. "Told you."
"Go in there and eat smart ass," Lucious messed with her head making Mercedes laugh and hold onto his waist. He smiles letting out a slight chuckle. "Go ahead and let me talk to your momma."
"Oooh this one of them grown folks business talks?" Mercedes brows quirk.
"Oh you got jokes?"
Mercedes laughs making a small space between her fingers. Lucious playfully slapped her hand down.
Cookie watched them two together and tried to ignore that empty feeling inside. When it came to their daughter, it was different. Mercedes leaned on Lucious more than anyone and trusted him before a soul.
Of course she wanted them to stay close but she didn't want Mercedes to become naive, not even to her own father.
"Go on." Lucious nods.
"Yes, sir."
Mercedes heads into the dining hall.
Lucious eyes flickered back to Cookie when Mercedes was out of ear shot.
"Now." Lucious speaks back up. "We've already settled our agreement, and my house was not part of the deal, Cookie."
Cookie scoffs. "I don't want no parts of this house or this tacky mess you got in it." She waves it off "I'm just here to check on my daughter."
"Our." He corrected.
Cookie gives a half smirk. "Yeah well, our, daughter. And to make sure you don't stab your son in the back."
Lucious head tilts confused. "And what are you talking about?"
Anika walks out half dressed. "Lucious, baby, can you help..." e double takes—a look up and down. Anika and her bad acting looks from Lucious to Cookie. "Oh, I didn't realize we had company. "
Cookie glares at them. "I'm hungry. "
A walk off, she gives Anika body an unimpressive glance
"Think I'll go eat with our daughter, Lucious."
Anika scoffs and heads back towards the room.
Lucious shakes his head and nods to Juanita. "Take care of them for me. I'll be out in a minute."
Later, in the dining room...
"Y'all ain't got no bacon?" Cookie asks, she watches Juanita place food in front of Mercedes. "Oh, you don't talk."
"I do talk."
Mercedes snorts, keeping her gaze on her phone.
"Oh that's funny?" Cookie asks.
"Kind of." Mercedes looks up. "That's enough, Juanita. Thank you."
A pat to her shoulder, the woman leaves the two.
Cookie points to Mercedes food. "You keep eating like that your ass going to look like Boo-Boo kittys."
"Who?" Mercedes says with a laugh. "You mean Anika?"
"I said her name right." Cookoe waves it off to her daughters laugh. "I'm serious, they better not be starving you."
"I'm fine I promise."
"Mmm." Cookie hums. "I seen your interview yesterday to. The ones with you and Christian." Mercedes looks up. "Press eating it up....and you looking miserable."
"It's just work, Ma."
"That not the work you need to be doing." Cookie tells her. "Need to keep your head in your music and dancing. Not the photoshoot with little Timberlake."
Mercedes shakes her head. "Now aren't you supposed to be Jamal's manager?"
"I am but I'm still your mother too." Cookie puts her drink down. "Don't let nobody play this game for you, Mariah. Not even your damn father,"
"I got it."
"I hope so." Cookoe soghs. "You to good for that. And why are you still living here? Should be on your own with your friends."
"Tried that." Mercedes picks at her food. "Got to prove I'm responsible enough to stay away from things."
"Let me guess, the streets?"
"I was just running tha streets like Tupac said I should."
Cookie smirks and breaks to laugh. "You are silly." Mercedes giggles, Cookie looks at her. "I know you got this but I don't want anybody taking advantage of you or your time. You're a strong girl Mariah, and you better remember that."
"I do." Mercedes smiles. "Told I get it from you."
"Damn sure ain't your daddy."
Mercedes chuckles
Lucious walks inside dressed out of his work out clothes.
"Your car is here."
"That's my cue." Mercedes scoots back from the table. Juanita handed her a duffel bag. "Thank you."
Lucious stopped her. "Work on that number for me and try that hook for the track 9 again. Anika also wants you and Christian for a photo shoot, People's cover."
A sigh as she nods. "Okay. Can you help me with one of my songs this week?"
"When we get time I will. Just focus on what I have for you right now."
Cookie brow raised
Mercedes nods but the hurt in her voice was there.
"Okay."
"Good, I'll talk to you later." He kissed the top of her head. "Love you."
"Love you to." Mercedes smiles a bit, it grows when she leans over to hug Cookie. "Bye."
Cookie leans her cheek up against Mercedes. "Love you."
The horn outside got her attention, frown showing. "I'm coming!" Moving back, she walks out. "The hell he think he is honking his horn like that!" Mercedes snatched the door open. "You want your damn job?!"
The honking stopped immediately, the closed door echoing.
Lucious walks around the table.
"Why you not helping that girl Lucious?" Cookie asks him. "I seen your black ass jump higher for Hakeem and I only been back for a few weeks."
"Mariah isn't Hakeem and doesn't need what he does." He sits at the side. "I know what I'm doing with her."
"That why you got her out here playing fake couple?"
"Christian is good publicity."
"Mariah is his publicity, not the other way around." Cookie points. "She is the reason people look at him. And who gave you this dumb ass idea. Anika? She on his roster ain't she?"
"Anika knows what she is doing just as much."
"She keep pimping my daughter out and I'm gonna know what I'm doing to."
"You not going to do anything."
"Mmmm."
"I wouldn't let none of that happen." Lucious glares back at Cookie. "Now you know how this business works but if it's one thing I did is protect that little girl through the dark parts."
"She's not a little girl anymore Lucious." Cookie points out. "You need to learn how to talk to her, everything isn't about music."
"Right now it is. This is her first album." Lucious defends. "All eyes on her and she needs to understand that."
"You tell Hakeem that to?" Cookie asks with a blink "When's the last time you told her you were proud of her?"
"What's this have to do with you coming here about backstabbing my son."
Cookie glares. "Cause you are."
"I'm not backstabbing my son." Lucious tells her.
"I know you have Hakeem and Mercedes performing at the opening of Laviticus. Put Jamal up there, too."
"No. It's only gonna be Hakeem and Mercedes."
Cookie sighs. "Don't do this, Lucious."
Lucious shakes his head. "Jamal doesn't belong on my stage. It's not his audience."
Cookie double takes. "His audience?" Lucious nods. "Jamal's music is universal, and you know it."
Anika walks in during this conversation.
"I've invested a whole lot of money into Laviticus. I'm not gonna have it branded a homosexual club." Lucious tells her.
Anika speaks from behind Lucious. "Cookie, you can talk as much mess as you want, but I have nine of Empire's top acts and none of them are gonna be there, so..." Anika shrugs it off, sitting down. "That night is not about Jamal."
"Excuse me, sweetie," Cookie gets Anika's attention. "this is a family matter involving two of my sons, and my daughter, and the family business that Lucious and I started with my $400,000."
"Excuse me, baby." Lucious tells Anika as he quickly scoots away from the table.
"Yeah." Cookie nods at Anika's taken back look. "With my money."
Lucious grabs her up by the arm. "Cookie, let me talk to you for a second." He drags her out.
"Get your hands off of me!" Cookie snaps as he takes her out the dinning room. "I'm not that tired heifer." She snatched her arms back.
"You signed a nondisclosure agreement not to say anything about the $400,000, or have you forgotten already?"
Cookie took a quick look to the room before back at Lucious. "She don't know that it was my $400,000 in drսg money that started this company, does she?" Lucious glares at her. Cookie nods when the silence answers her question. "I went away for a long time for you to build all of this." Her hard gaze softened for a moment. "I missed my kids growing up. I'm gonna make some things right. One of them definitely being Mariah. You don't see her, but I do."
"I see her."
Cookie scoffs. "When she has mic in her hand." Lucious glares. "You're not turning her into what kitty in there wants, and you're not shutting Jamal out no more." She snatched her bag from him. "It's not gonna happen."
"Jamal can be your problem but Mariah is under me, you remember that."
Cookie scoffs, a slight smirk. "That's my daughter Lucious. And you keep poking the girl long enough and that ass going to find out the hard way."
Lucious watched her leave, a look down—his eyes travel over to the photos on the wall. One with him and the twins. Then one with him and Hakeem but the one with him and Mercedes when she turned 7 stood out.
The stress before they all got to this part of life.
Flashback....
Lucious listened to the beats with his team.
"Still sound off. We been at this for hours."
"We got this." Lucious listens. "Play it back."
"Daddy!" Mariah ran in waving her doll.
"Bunkie what did I tell you man?" Lucious shouts.
"She slipped pass me."
Mariah tugs his pants leg. "Look daddy, look!"
"Not right now, go with your uncle."
"I wanted to show you something." Mariah put her hand on the buttons by mistake
"Hey!" The producer snaps. Mariah shrinks back as that made Lucious snaps his eyes to the man. "Get that damn kid somewhere! Making all that noise."
Vernon turned his glare to him
Mariah eyes watered. "I'm so-"
Lucious hand went to her shoulder making her look up but his eyes remained cold—staring at the man.
"Vernon, take Mariah for me."
"Da-"
"Go with your uncle."
Vernon took her hand when she reached. "Come on, Riah." He took her out the room. "Andre." He gets up and follows Vernon out the room. One of the guys closing the door behind them. "Take your sister to her room."
"Okay,"
Mariah took her hand back. "I want to stay with my daddy." She reached for the door.
Andre got to her. "Come on, want to find Jamal?" Mariah looks over to him. "Get him to sing your song,"
"I want somebody to play with."
"I'll play,"
"You will?"
"Yeah, come on." Andre takes her hand. "New doll?"
"Mhm!"
Vernon smiles a bit and gets a thankful nod from Andre. The yelling inside followed by a scuffle caught his ears making him go back inside.
Later;
Mariah colored in her book while Andre sat across from her.
"You know you're supposed to color in the lines,"
"I don't want to."
"Being a brat."
Mariah stuck her tongue out to his chuckle.
Lucious walked in. "Dre," Mariah kept her head down. "Go on and get something to eat."
"Okay." Andre nods to Mariah. "See you little bit,"
"Night, Dre."
Lucious eyes went back to Mariah.
"Am in trouble?"
Lucious takes a knee in front of her. "You think you are?" Mariah slowly nods. "Your not in trouble but I told you about interrupting me while I work."
"I'm sorry." Mariah turns to him. "Is that guy still mad?"
"You don't have to worry about him. Getting a new face soon anyway."
"It's because I got him in trouble."
"No. People have to learn respect." Lucious corrects her. "I don't care who a person is. They watch their mouth, especially around you."
"Won't you get in trouble then?"
"By who?" His brow raised. Mariah giggles making him smile. "But you also got to let me work." Mariah lowers her head with a nod. "How am I supposed to get you that new doll dream house in that magazine you keep waving in my face?"
Mariah laughs. "I'm sorry I got in your way."
Lucious shakes his head. "Give me a hug, big head." Mariah smiles and jumps on him, he caught her with a chuckle. "You know you and your brothers come first for me."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
End flashback
Lucious nods at the picture.
He meant his promise about protecting them.
Against anyone...
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