AllFreeNovel
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It was the classicBrunch Bunchscene, the three hosts sitting around a large oval table in a glass-enclosed room, posters bearing their likeness and the show’s logos adorning the walls.
“I love me some Duchess,” Kiara, the lone female host said, huge headphones nestled in her natural hair.
Troy, a radio host from back in the day, rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. “And I’d like to loveupon some Duchess!”
“Shut up!” Kiara said, laughing. “But seriously, I’m happy to see her getting the props she deserves. Not to mention that fine-ass prince.”
“Yeah, your girl is everywhere,” DJ Len said into the large microphone in front of his face, his long locs twisted into a knot on top of his head and covered in knitted fabric.
“She not my girl,” Cash said, slouching back in his chair, a scowl slashing across his face. His cap was pulled low on his forehead and his diamond necklace popped against the plain black T-shirt he wore that looked like Hanes but Dani knew probably cost five hundred dollars.
“What?” Troy rolled back from the table, his arms raised in the air. “You not managing her no more?”
Cash sucked his teeth. “Nah, bruh. I had to let her go.”
“That’s bullshit and he knows it!” Dani raged, tapping the screen, which paused the video.
Several people glanced in their direction.
She lowered her voice. “That’s how he wants to get back at me? Go around telling everyone that he’s the one who ended our arrangement? What are we, in high school?”
“That’s not the part I’m talking about,” Nyla said, pressing play.
There was more?
“I don’t know if that’s a smart move,” DJ Len said. “She’s more popular now than she’s ever been.”
“Yeah, but I don’t want that kind of popular,” Cash said.
“Why? What’s up?” DJ Len asked.
“Look at her. She used to be on the cover ofHypeandXXLmagazines and on shows that represent the culture, like yours. Now she’s doing royal concerts and hanging out with the queen. I heard next she’s going to be on MSNBC.” Cash pounded a meaty fist on the table. “What the fuck she know about politics?”
Nyla spoke over more arguing on the video. “Is that true? You going on Joy Reid?”
“No,” Dani said, her indignation leveling up, “but I could. I have thoughts about the state of the world. And who is Cash to say what my experiences should be?”
On the video, Troy mugged comically. “Are you saying she’s using him or selling out?”
“I didn’t say shit. You did.” Cash smiled like the cat who ate the damn canary since his attack landed.
She hoped it gave him metaphorical heartburn.
“Yeah, it’s like she’s forgotten where she’s from, getting together with that colonizer!” Troy said.
Kiara rolled her eyes. “Y’all just hate it when Black women outhere showing they got options. Nobody says nothing when some rando rap star smashes several white women or an athlete dates some ethnically ambiguous Instagram model. But when Duchess, who has done nothing but represent and prove she’s down for us, falls for a prince, suddenly y’all motherfuckers got something to say!”
“That’s different,” Troy said.
“Why?” Kiara clapped back.
“Cuz it is!”
“Yo, I don’t know about all of that,” DJ Len said, “but I used some of that body butter on my elbows and that ish is the truth!”
Kiara scooted closer to her mic. “Oh, you gotta try the moisturizing bath bombs—”
Nyla stopped the video. “That’s pretty much it. Thankfully Kiara had your back. And Len... kinda.”
