Chapter 18 #3
“Hey, please be mindful that my baby is right here,” Sheree warned and he laughed.
“My hands are clean, Mari.”
“Now what did you mean by she passed the test?” Sheree asked after Jomie wiggled, trying to get out of Samari’s hold. She put Jomie down and let the toddler stumble around.
“Any baby too comfortable with men other than their father is suspect as hell. That means their mother isn’t shit. Your little shorty didn’t want to fuck with me.”
“I’m not cheating on my husband.”
Dom nodded.
“That’s good ’cause that means your girl won’t be on any hoe shit with Sao. You know how that goes.”
“So you’re trying to say if I’m a hoe she’s a hoe?” Sheree asked, dropping her hands to her hips.
Dom shrugged, offering a dimpled grin. “That’s typically how it works.”
“So then that means that your boy is a hoe because clearly…” Samari glanced at the room Dom had been in and he laughed but shook his head.
“Nah, different rules. That doesn’t apply. Sao isn’t built like that and I’m not a hoe. I’m a single man who appreciates variety, but when I find my one, I’ll be committed like a muthafucker.” His eyes swept Sheree. “Could have been you but somebody found you first.”
“Thank fucking goodness,” she mumbled, making him laugh and Samari smile.
“Aight, so are we recording or what?”
She nodded, and when Jomie stumbled to her godmother and crashed against her legs, Samari lifted her, brought their faces close for a kiss, then placed her back on unsteady feet.
“I’m excited. This will be my first time ever seeing you do this.
” Sheree beamed. She had been with Samari during the entire process of her career but only through details Samari provided.
Not once had she been blessed enough to tag along to the studio, a photoshoot or any interviews.
Sheree was proud of her girl. Her family was the love of her life but her marriage and daughter got in the way of Sheree being there for Samari the way she wanted.
Two hours later, Samari had recorded three new tracks and sat between Dom and Sheree who held Jomie in her lap. The toddler had sticky fingers from the fruit puff snacks Sheree handed over midway through the session to keep the toddler still so Sheree could be fully immersed in Samari’s session.
“You want to release an album or an EP?” Dom asked, bobbing his head to the track he was mixing. When Samari didn’t respond right away, he paused and let the track play before he turned his chair to face her and leaned back, folding his arms behind his head.
The minute she knew he was waiting for her response, she glanced at Sheree who was struggling to type a message to her husband to let him know she would be on her way soon while keeping the phone from the reach of her daughter’s sticky fingers.
“Don’t look at me. He’s talking to you. As much as I love your voice and fully support this venture, I don’t know a damn thing about how this works.”
Samari grinned and turned to Dom. “I haven’t really thought about it.”
“You need to. We’re spending money. It’s time to make some.”
Her brows pinched and he shook his head.
“I’m not on you about what we’ve spent. You didn’t ask us to do any of this, so that’s not the point.
Regardless of whether you asked or not, being in the studio is time and money spent.
In order for us to get a return on that, we need you to drop something.
I’m not saying you owe any of us anything, there’s no debt on your end, but I’m pretty sure you have bills just like the rest of us.
We’re trying to put money in your pocket, so EP or album? ”
Before she could answer, her mood instantly shifted when the reason why she was being posed with the question came walking through the door.
His eyes went right to Samari and didn’t let up until he leaned over her chair and delivered a kiss.
Right after, he pulled Samari to her feet, took her spot, and brought her into his lap.
“What’s good, fam. When did you get back?” Dom asked.
“Just now.” Asao kept the conversation vague.
He had no problem sharing where he’d spent his day with Samari but wanted to do so in private.
Dom was aware of the three-hour drive Asao had made to see his pops.
Samari knew that Leedren was doing time, but her girl wasn’t privy to those details and he wasn’t prepared to share them.
“I know you’re currently in denial about what this is, friend, but that’s definitely your man.” Sheree spoke in an amused tone with her eyes darting between the couple.
Asao swung his head to the side, taking in the woman seated next to him, then the toddler in her lap like he’d just realized they were there at that very second. Anytime Samari was in attendance, he had tunnel vision.
“The friend.”
Sheree arched a brow and he smirked.
“The friend, Sheree,” he clarified, remembering their last conversation. She nodded in approval and his eyes lowered to the toddler. “And Baby Sheree.”
“Jomie,” Samari clarified and shifted to adjust herself on his lap. He tossed his chin in acknowledgment. “What y’all in here working on?”
“EP or Album,” Sheree stated, locking her phone. Asao turned his attention to her briefly before it was back on Samari and Dom.
“He asked and I don’t know. Apparently, I’m costing you money.” She smirked at Dom who chuckled and addressed his boy.
“Your investment in her is a lot different than mine and Niles. I had to say it because you won’t. I also made it very clear that the money is not the issue because she didn’t ask, we offered, but the facts don’t change. We’re spending money. We need to make some.”
“This part isn’t as fun as watching you sing, so I’m going to let y’all have this. I need to get her home.” Sheree motioned to the toddler in her lap who was occupied with her mother’s cellphone.
“I’ll walk you out,” Samari said, attempting to stand, but Asao didn’t release her until she glared at him over her shoulder, bringing a cocky yet sexy grin to his face. He kissed her neck and let her go.
After collecting Jomie’s things, Sheree said her goodbyes and the two women walked outside. The second the door closed separating them, Dom spoke his peace.
“That’s your girl, but she’s our artist.”
Asao nodded in understanding. He had no argument to present. Dom’s time was money.
“If we do this together, that means all business decisions. I’m not going to come at you for handling business. What did you record today?”
Dom smirked. “That’s it?”
“What the fuck else is it supposed to be, fam? I know how to separate the two spaces I’m in with Mari. Are you gonna play the tracks or not?” Asao asserted.
Dom cued the first one and let it run. When Samari’s voice flowed through the speakers, Asao closed his eyes and dissected every bar, lyric, and combination of the first track.
When it ended, he handed over his thoughts.
“She needs to run the chorus again. You can bring the bass down and let her voice carry through the first and second verses. The third, bring it back up so it blends into the run at the end.”
“You in production no?.” Dom’s tone carried a hint of amusement but he wasn’t offended because Asao’s thoughts mirrored his own. He also trusted his boy and Track Killaz was developing a signature sound that was a blend of Dom’s skills and Asao’s leadership.
“You said it’s time to make money. I’m giving you my thoughts on what that looks like for the first artist on Track Killaz.”
“She’s claiming us now?” Dom turned to the soundboard and began making the adjustments.
“Mari is just trying to figure out how to have what she wants without giving someone the power to take it away. I’m not gonna push one way or the other. She trusts me but trusting me scares her.”
Dom turned to his boy, reading between the lines. Asao wouldn’t push because pushing was exactly what he’d done with Na’Mya. He demanded her trust that he would be the man she deserved as long as she gave him time to get there.
“If you’re in this, you have to be in this.
You can’t let the past control how you deal with things between you and Samari.
Regardless of whether or not she trusts you, if you don’t trust yourself, shit is going to fall apart.
You’re gonna carry what happened for life, no doubt, but how you carry it is what matters.
If she’s your second chance, don’t fuck it up. ”
Asao laughed arrogantly. “You trying to tell me how to move in a relationship when the only one you’ve ever had is with your damn self?”
“Don’t they say to love yourself so you know how to love someone else? Consider this stage of my life a gotdamn masterclass of discovery to prepare me for my future wife.”
Asao chuckled. “Play the next track.”
By the time they finished listening to all three tracks and Asao gave his thoughts, Samari still hadn’t made it back inside.
Dom received a text that his next session was on the way, so Asao dapped him up and asked his boy to send over the revised songs so he could listen to them in the car.
That was how Asao decided if they were where they needed to be.
When he stepped out of the building to find Samari standing next to a navy SUV, talking animatedly. She turned her head and smiled his way before leaning into the vehicle to hug her girl seconds before she closed the door and watched as Sheree backed out of the spot.
“Come ride with me.”
She turned to face him, arching a brow. “I’m supposed to be recording.”
“You did that. Dom is about to clean them up then you can come back and add whatever you think it needs, but for now they’re good.”
“You listened to what we recorded?”
“Yeah, man. You’ve been out here for twenty fucking minutes. I had to do something to keep me from interrupting the moment and scooping your ass up.”
She grinned. “You like the songs?”
He nodded. “Them shits are fire but you don’t need my approval. As long as you feel good about them, we’re running it.”