“I saw Lance’s story last night,” Denver revealed with a slight scowl.
Aspen took a sip of her orange juice and sighed. “That was one reason I was up. He didn’t come home but had the nerve to be upset with me for having an attitude. I don’t understand him sometimes.”
“I don’t understand him at all, and truthfully, he’s the only part of you I don’t understand, Pennie. Why stay with him when he’s disrespectful?”
It was no secret to Aspen and Lance that her family didn’t approve of their relationship, especially Savannah and Denver. Anytime Lance would come around, neither of them tried to hide their disdain for him. They kept it cordial for the sake of Aspen, and now the twins, but if they had it their way, Aspen would’ve ended the relationship a long time ago.
“Please, Dennie. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You never want to talk about it. That’s the problem. You know what that tells me?”
“What?”
“You know it’s wrong being in a relationship with him, but you feel stuck, obligated to stay because you’re pregnant now. Am I right?”
Aspen glanced away, rolling her tongue over her perfectly aligned top teeth. She hated how her brother could read her like a book. Out of everyone in her life, Denver and her best friend, Lavender, were the two people she could never hide anything from, even if she tried. With Lavender, she wasn’t as judgmental or pressing. If Aspen said she didn’t want to talk about it, Lavender would leave it at that, but Denver would press until Aspen talked or completely shut down.
Fighting back the tears threatening to spill over, Aspen repeated, “I really don’t want to talk about it. I’ve already had a rough night. Can we just let it go?”
Their eyes met, and Aspen could see the wheels turning in her brother’s mind. She breathed a sigh of relief when he sat back and held his palms up.
“Since I don’t want to get you and the twins worked up, I’ll let it go for now. Just know, it’s not the end of the conversation.”
“Thank you.”
For the remainder of their breakfast date, the siblings discussed baby shower plans and what they were going to do for their mother’s sixtieth birthday. Aspen was grateful for the brief distraction, but on the way to work, she found herself checking Lance’s location again. It was still off, so she checked the cameras at their house to see he wasn’t there, leaving her to wonder where he was at and who he was with.
“Aye,mane. I thought we were here to work and not fuck off,” Mahari griped, stopping the music and glowering at his cousin who was in the booth.
Throwing his hands in the air, Lance flashed Mahari a mischievous smirk. “Ain’t that what we’re doing?”
“That’s whatI’mdoing. Either get the women out the booth and focus, or I’ll sell this beat to someone who’s ready to work and will appreciate it.”
“And I know a few rappers who will jump on this immediately.” Justin chimed in and dapped Mahari up. “This shit is fire, Mahari. Let Lance be stupid and take an L if he wants to.”
Lance pointed at Justin with his dark, bushy brows meeting in the middle. “You’remybrother, right?”
“I am, and that doesn’t mean shit. You know I’m with whoever is right, and Mahari is right in this situation like he is in most when it comes to the two of you,” Justin answered and crossed his arms. “You need to chill with all the extra shit anyway, Lance, especially with the women. I’d hate for Aspen to show her ass.”
“That’s what I’m saying, mane.” Mahari agreed with a slight shake of his head. “Now, what’s it going to be, Lance? The ball is in your court.”
“He’s going to fuck around and fumble it,” Justin mumbled loud enough for only Mahari to hear.
Mahari glared at his cousin, waiting for him to answer. Lance was playing with Mahari’s time and money, and he didn’t like that. He let Lance slide more than others because they were blood and had come up together, but Mahari’s patience was running thin when it came to working with Lance.
The industry had changed Lance like Mahari feared it would. Everything he did was for show and for the love of money and fame, but for Mahari, it was for the love he’d had for creating since he was a kid. He took his job as a producer seriously, building it from the ground up with only his family by his side. That was his focus, but Lance had lost sight of everything they vowed before the success.
Finally, after minutes passed, Lance took his headphones off and exited the booth with the two women in tow. Mahari was disappointed but not surprised. When things didn’t go Lance’s way, he would throw a tantrum.
Chuckling with a shake of his head, Justin said, “I told you. Bro so wrapped up in the lifestyle that he can’t even keep his head in the game and out some pussy.”
“What the fuck you just say?” Lance bellowed and walked up on Justin.
“Take that confrontational shit outside, Lance. Not in my place of business. Family or not, you know I don’t play that,” Mahari warned.
“You know he’s not going to do anything. He’s got his chest out in front of them, but we all know what it is when Lance tries to go toe-to-toe with me,” Justin said.
Lance kissed his golds. “The only reason I’m backing away is because of my cousin, but better believe if we were elsewhere, I’d be on your ass, Justin.”
