Chapter 18 #3
“I swear, I’m not on any bullshit. You’re fine as hell, and I know if I get you in my video, I’m gonna make all my money back and then some. Niggas are gonna be streaming and replaying my video every night just to see your pretty ass.” Mendeecees smirked.
“Damn, y’all still over here talking? I thought for sure you would have shot this nigga down by now.” Keynauri scoffed.
“Nauri, please get a life. He was asking me about doing an appearance in his music video. I wanted to make sure I asked all the right questions and got the details I needed,” I informed him. The frown plastered on my brother’s face couldn’t be hidden.
“I told you I wanted to talk business with her. You can relax those buff-ass shoulders, my guy.”
Mendeecees’s comment made me laugh because Keynauri looked like he was ready to fight somebody.
“What did you say to him?” Nauri inquired.
“I haven’t given him an answer. What do you have to give me?” I changed the subject when I noticed the duffel bags in his hands.
“I’ll let you know once you wrap up this conversation.”
I turned my attention back to Mendeecees, who was looking at me with lust in his eyes.
“If you can email me the information, I’ll consider it.
I need to listen to the song to make sure it’s something I even want to be a part of.
I’ll also need those accommodations we talked about and a wardrobe budget.
I don’t mind showing skin, but I won’t be giving the world a peep show of my pussy. ”
“Boogie! What the fuck?” Keynauri wore a horrified expression.
“What? I was just laying out my terms.” I shrugged as the two of them stared at me with two different expressions on their faces.
“I can do that. Put your contact info in my phone, and I’ll have my people get in touch with you with all the details you need. Thank you again.”
“I didn’t agree just yet.”
“I’m not worried. You will.” Mendeecees winked as I handed him back his phone. Keynauri stood there, glaring at both of us.
“Alright, I’ma get back in this studio. Your brother looks like he’s about to chop my head off, and we still have work to do. Take care, shorty.” Mendeecees stuffed his phone into his pocket before heading back into the building.
“You are ridiculous. I’m a grown-ass woman, in case you forgot. You don’t have to hover over me.”
“I don’t give a fuck how grown you are. I’m always gonna step in to protect you when I feel it’s necessary.
Mendeecees is a cool person, but he isn’t good enough to be with my baby sister.
I might be newly released, but I’m not new to the way these cats operate.
They’re always looking for the next bad bitch to have on their arm as a trophy, but behind closed doors, they cheat, beat, and break those women down.
I’ve already proven that I can do prison time for the people I love, and I don’t mind going back if I have to. ”
My heart sank to my feet. Even though I knew he was only blowing smoke, his words triggered me.
“I swear to God, if you ever put yourself in a position to be taken from me again, I’ll never forgive you.
I’ve already suffered enough due to your absence, and I’m still trying to heal from that shit.
You might think it’s funny to joke about, but you’re lucky you didn’t come home to me being six feet under.
At the end of the day, I’m gonna live my life how I want, and I don’t need you inserting yourself in my business unless I truly need help. ”
I wiped the tears from my eyes, trying to push my dark thoughts to the back of my mind. Keynauri didn’t know about the majority of the trauma I experienced, and I wanted it to stay that way.
“I’m sorry, Boogie. I wasn’t trying to make you cry.
” Keynauri moved one duffel bag to his other hand and hugged me.
“I know I come off overbearing, but you don’t understand how helpless I felt the last seven years.
I wasn’t out here to protect you or tell you which niggas to stay away from.
You mean everything to me, and I want to make sure you end up with a mothafucka who is gonna take care of you and love you the right way,” Keynauri expressed.
I probably should have told him I had already found him, but I couldn’t open my mouth to tell him the truth. A part of me was afraid he would be disappointed, and I wasn’t ready to hear his mouth. Of course, I was gonna have to tell him eventually because I was pregnant.
“Ease up a little. I know you love me, but I don’t need a parent.
I need my brother, the person I run to when life is hard or I need relationship advice.
You make it hard for me to open up to you because you can be judgmental and reactive at times, and I don’t like having barriers between us,” I admitted, knowing I was keeping quite a few secrets from him.
“I don’t want that either. I’ll try to work on my approach and loosen up a little bit. I want you to be comfortable talking to me about anything.”
“Well, I appreciate you for trying. If you keep it up, I might unblock you on IG.”
“Get out of here. I hardly use any of that shit anyway. Plus, I don’t want to see pictures of you and your hoe-ass friends half naked. I have East watching your page, so if there’s anything important going on, he’ll let me know.”
I did my best to hold in my laughter because he had no idea that Essex stalked my pages for his own personal reasons.
“What do you have to give me, sir?”
“Pop the trunk for me,” he instructed. I did what he asked and opened the trunk, watching as he placed the duffel bags inside.
“What’s in the bags?”
“Money. It’s six hundred thousand dollars between both bags.”
My jaw damn near hit the floor. I didn’t understand what was going on.
“Is something wrong? What do you want me to do with the money? I’m confused.”
“Naw, everything is all good. I’ve already made an appointment for you to meet with my accountant this week.
The money in those bags is for you and Noodle.
I would have given you a check, but Logic brought me the money this morning, and I didn’t have time.
You can keep it at the house or take it to the bank. It’s up to you.”
“I-I don’t understand. Why are you giving me so much money?”
“I want to take care of you the way I promised I would. This is a portion of the money Logic and East put up for me when I was locked away. You’ve been through a lot of shit, and I know I can’t make up for any of it, but I want to make sure you and my niece never need anything in life.
I know you’re independent and like to make your own money, but when it comes to bills, I don’t want you to worry about anything. ”
Again, my mind went to the fact that I hadn’t paid a bill in years because Essex took care of everything. It made me realize how spoiled I truly was because I hadn’t had a care in the world for so long.
“Thank you, brudder. I appreciate you for everything you’ve done for me and what I know you’re gonna do in the future because you’re bossy.
You really didn’t need to give me all of this money, but I’m not gonna turn it down.
Hell, I might go buy myself something real nice tomorrow. ” I rubbed my chin, making him laugh.
“Do whatever you want. Just know that I’ve got you, and nothing will ever change. I love you, Boogie.”
“I love you, too. I don’t care about the money or gifts. Having you home is the greatest gift you could ever give me. Just make sure you never leave me again. I meant what I said. I’ll beat your ass.”
“You have nothing to worry about. The only thing I’m focused on is my music and taking care of my family. Those prison walls will never see my black ass again.”
“I’m gonna hold you to it. I’ll text you when I make it home.”
“I know where you live now, so if I don’t hear from you, I have no problem pulling up.”
I cringed, thinking about him pulling up while Essex was home. My secrets were gonna come to a head sooner than I planned, and I wasn’t ready to face any of them, so I decided to enjoy myself and live for the moment. Hopefully, things wouldn’t blow up in my face.