AllFreeNovel
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“It was mad real, too,” was my way of answering in the affirmative.
“That’s what’s up. I told Blue you were coming through.”
“To Sparta?”
“Where else?”
My face went tight. “You ain’t tell that Black woman no shit like that!”
I could hear the laughter in his voice. “How you figure?”
“Because you don’t lie to your wife, so why would you start on this fine holiday?”
“Oh, word, Tobe? You ain’t pulling up on us today?”
“All the way out to Sparta?”
“Nigga, you only an hour away. You come out here to work; you can’t come to be with family?”
I broke character, cracking the fuck up. “Why are you so pressed about me coming out there, choir boy?”
“Because ya ass was in North Carolina with your lil’ mistress-boy—”
I fell out laughing hard as hell. When I could speak again, I asked, “Oh, this what we doing, chief? We being petty?”
“Maybe, but fuck that! This is where home is. I get it; you’re an artist, too. Your role is to create and produce. I ain’t been in this game as long as ‘Mr. May/December,’ but I treat mine like they should know where they belong. And plus,” Raj cleared his throat. “Wynter does have a few things to run past you.”
“For who?”
“Who the fuck you think, nigga?”
“I know she’s your wife, but Wynter’s written some heat for other artists, man.”
“Nothing’s surpassing my shit on the charts. She writes her best work for me. Last I heard, that was contagious.”
That was a small jab. I made no secret of Raj being my favorite contemporary artist to work with, and that said a lot. Brielle and Pixie’s talents knew no bounds, but Raj gave me endless vulnerability. It also helped that he, too, was a musician. His throat and mind in music was sick! The nigga hadn’t missed since he’d been married, and, coincidentally, reached out to me for heat. Together, we’d been creating chart-topping hits.
“Here we go!” I groaned much like Elia a few minutes ago when I teased her about having to work today.
“I ain’t begging. I’m about to head out that way for the holiday giveaway we’re doing with T.B., but dinner starts at six sharp, nigga.”
I was still undecided. In the back of my mind, I’d still been thinking about hitting up a club in Philly. A budding producer was throwing his birthday party tonight. He’d been trying to get on my line for a while now.
“All the way out toSpart—”
“Yeah. Sparta, nigga. All the way!” Raj snapped, partially in jest. “You want me to send the jet to pluck you at Teterboro? That’ll get your ass here?”
Raj could be a recluse to some. If you were lucky enough to be a part of his exclusive circle, it went a long way. I knew shit about the nigga I’d never breathe to a best friend.Tuh!I also understood this to be a power play. My boy didn’t like me spending too much time with Dale. He likely felt like it was him sharing his juice with another artist. So, just as Raj copped to, he wanted me and Dale to know where I belonged, which he felt was with him.
Shit!
I wanted to sleep in for a few more hours, workout, possibly get a hair and face cut, then get ready to party some more tonight.
“Fuck it. I’ll be there.” I brushed my hands down my face. “Lemme call to see if I can get up with my barber and do some shit. I’ll be there. And don’t think you laying down ya pimpin’ over here, my nigga.”
I could hear the smile in his voice. “You know it’s all love, brother. You got me, and I got you.” Shaking my head, my eyes rolled up to the fan on the ceiling. “One last thing.”
“What?”
