Chapter 18 #4
Asao approached, moving a hand down her back before he cuffed her ass and brought her body to his. Asao dropped his face into her neck and smiled as he delivered a kiss.
“You got my clothes smelling like you.” He pulled back and dropped his eyes to the denim shirt she’d swiped from his closet at the beach house. Beneath it, she rocked a graphic tee and black jeans.
He loved her vibe because she always matched his fly.
Asao wasn’t flashy. He loved simple things, but every time he stepped out he made a statement.
Samari at his side was definitely a statement because her pretty ass surely upgraded his image.
He was man enough to admit she added value to his life.
His ego would never get in the way of paying compliments to the woman he was pursuing.
“You want it back?”
“Nah, I told you my name is on you, which means you in my clothes is always a good look.”
His mouth and hands were on her again before he backed away and motioned toward his Jeep. “Come on.”
“Where are we goin?.” she asked as she allowed him to guide her to his ride. Once they were situated, seated side by side, he confirmed his plans.
“You shared your world, now I’m about to share a part of mine.”
“That sounds like a risk,” she teased but she also wondered what part of his world he would be introducing her to. Asao had a past tainted by corrupt decisions.
“If I trust you with my life, you have to trust me with yours.”
“Are you trusting me with your life?”
“Hell yeah.” His eyes dropped to her thighs and a smile blessed his handsome face. “That pussy is lethal, Mari. Every time I’m in it, my wellbeing is compromised.”
She choked on a laugh and punched him in the arm. “You always have to do too much.”
“I’m not doing enough but facts are facts. You’re carrying the strongest man’s downfall between them soft ass thighs, Mari.”
Asao drove them across town to a building not far from Local Cue. He parked in the back, removed a hat from the back seat, and pulled it low on his head. It was possible people would still recognize him but he planned on being as incognito as possible.
Samari glanced at the brick structure as they approached but Asao only smiled, dropped his arm around her shoulder, and brought her closer to his frame. After a kiss against her temple, he spoke confidently.
“Relax. You’re always good with me.” He knocked on the door and waited. A few minutes later a guy appeared. He was dressed in all black, including his ball cap with a hood tossed over it. The only thing exposed was bright skin and a sandy brown beard.
“Ahh shit, I know I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing.”
“Stop fangirling and let us in,” Asao joked, making the man laugh as he stepped aside.
“You blessing us tonight?”
There had been many nights in the past where Asao had stepped in the ring at Pass The Mic. He’d built his following underground before Niles came up with a plan to extend his reach outside of Crescent Falls.
“Nah, just trying to see who has next,” Asao admitted.
“We have a full house but what you looking for?”
“Not sure yet but if it’s here, I’ll know.
” Asao needed a female rapper but he would only share that with his boy B-Syde who had been waiting on him to pull up.
The last thing he wanted was people in his face trying to put in their bid to be on their label.
The goal was to hand select each artist who represented Track Killaz.
“That’s what’s up. Y’all be easy.” The man tossed his chin and Asao moved downstairs with Samari still tucked at his side into the basement of the building.
The bass from whatever track was playing thumped heavy and Samari went with the flow until they entered a massive room full of bodies positioned around a raised platform that appeared to be a makeshift boxing ring.
The music was loud, the smoke was thick, and energy pushed through the room in a way that only something like what they were witnessing could.
“What is this?”
“Pass The Mic,” he said casually, dropping his eyes to her.
“Wait, so that’s real?” she asked, looking around the open space before her eyes were on him again.
“Yeah. You heard of it?”
“Once but when I asked questions, I was shut down like this is a big secret.” She frowned slightly, watching as two people entered the ring, ducking under the ropes. A third entered and held up a mic before he announced the two competitors.
“Because it is. This is some underground shit. This right here is raw and unfiltered. Not everybody wants to be on a label or out there to the world. They prefer keeping their lyrics and messages free and clear of industry standards.”
“I can see that. I thought about being underground before I signed with Cobra. I liked the freedom to be whatever I want.”
His eyes were on her. “You still feel that way?”
“Sometimes but I believe my new label is going to give me the best of both worlds. If I want to get up there and talk my shit with no regard for an image created to sell records, I can. If I want to hit charts, I can do that too.”
“You trying to have layers.” Asao asked smugly?
“Trying, no. I have layers. Can anyone get in the ring?”
“Nah, you have to earn it, but the clout connected to the man you’re with might be enough to get you on the list. You trying to spit tonight?”
Asao turned to see his boy B-Syde approaching. He stopped beside him, extending a closed fist Asao met.
Samari’s eyes moved between the two men before she shrugged. “Maybe.”
“That’s gutter shit, songbird,” Asao said with a cocky grin.
“I have bars,” she admitted, bringing a smile to Asao’s face before he turned to B-Syde.
“Put her down.”
“You sure?” he asked.
Asao looked at Samari. “She claims she has bars.”
B-Syde chuckled. “Aight, I got you.” He pointed to the stage. “But I know that isn’t why you’re here. When you hit my line you said you were trying to lock something down. What are you looking for?”
“I need a dope ass female artist. She can’t be on no bullshit though and she has to deliver something worth hearing.”
“You want Fyre then. She’s dope as hell. Be up there shutting everybody down. You want an introduction?”
Asao shook his head. “Nah, I don’t want a performance because of what my name is attached to. I want to see what she can deliver with no pretense. Where’s she at?”
B-Syde pointed to a woman leaned against the wall. She had two other women with her, one on each side. While they were smiling, talking shit, and enjoying the vibe, Fyre was focused with her eyes locked on the ring, studying the two going at it.
She had shoulder length locs dyed a reddish, auburn color, a pretty round face, and a soft sexy vibe. She was in jeans and a black tank top with a track jacket open to expose her curvy figure.
“I’ll check her out,” Asao confirmed.
“Bet, she’s next. Your girl is up after her unless you want to chill first.”
Asao glanced at Samari. “You need a minute?”
She smirked and shook her head. “No, do you?”
He chuckled at her arrogance, letting B-Syde know they were good to go after Fyre finished her round.
When he walked away, Asao leaned against the wall away from the crowd, legs spread wide enough to bring Samari between them into his chest. With an arm loosely around her neck and the other tight around her waist, he relaxed, sending his focus to the ring where two young guys were going at it.
“You’re looking for people to sign.”
“Not people, just a female artist. When we start dropping, I want to make sure we fully represent the best our city has to offer.”
She nodded in understanding. “So this is the world you wanted to show me?”
He smirked and dropped his eyes to hers. “Yeah, this isn’t what you expected.”
“I didn’t expect anything. I was choosing to go with the flow.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I bet.” His lips brushed over the curve of her jaw before they fully touched her temple with a kiss.
“This was me not that long ago. I was hungry and wanted to prove I deserved to wear the crown. No matter how good I was, there was always somebody ready to prove they were better and that kept me grinding. You want to see what someone is made of, throw them in a den with lions and see if they make it out alive.”
“You miss this?” she asked, placing her hand over the arm around her waist.
“Yeah I do. The industry is full of bullshit and politics. Down here, it’s all about pure talent and sometimes not even just talent. If you have heart, you can make a name for yourself.”
She leaned her head back and smiled, watching him admire the two in the ring.
When they finished and a winner was selected, Asao nodded toward the ring. “What do you think?”
“The only reason he won is because he had the crowd.” Samari pointed to the guy who’d lost. “He was more focused on timing and delivery. He has a better cadence and flow but ol’ boy dropped lines that had the crowd hype.
‘Trying to play me, sweet talking like you wanna bae me. That’s not my thing, I’m checking for soft bodies outside the ring’.
” Samari grinned after she repeated the lyrics he’d delivered as a diss.
“Coming for someone’s character is a crowd pleaser.
But you’re right, if I was considering either of them, I would have gone with ol’ boy.
Down here you win based on hype, if you’re selling records you have to consider talent and how marketable someone is.
Industry beefs will only get you so far and that’s what he’s bringing by assassinating someone’s character. ”
“So you know something?” she teased.
He smiled arrogantly. “You better hope I do since you’re putting your career in my hands.”
“Aight, y’all. You know what time it is. The champ is here. Who’s trying to step up?” B-Syde announced when Fyre ducked under the rope to enter the ring.
“Man, nobody is trying to get embarrassed tonight. She has the crown, fam. Who’s next?” someone yelled from the crowd.
“For real though. She’s out here breaking muthafuckers down,” someone else yelled.