Chapter 21
Asao loved the feel of Samari tucked against his side, but he hated the reason she was attempting to hide under his arm. Tonight they had to be out in public and she was anxious about the potential whispers and stares from people who thought they had the right to present an opinion on her life.
He would be checking disrespect, regardless of who it came from, so Samari wouldn’t have to worry. The dinner they were attending was private, but the location was public, which meant the potential for those outside of her circle to have access. But he would be her shield, protecting her peace.
He guided Samari through a private entrance onto the renovated, antiquated elevator that delivered them to the roof. The sky was dark but the string lights and black silk strategically placed around the perimeter created a romantic vibe.
“What’s this?”
“Bella House.”
She nodded, fully aware of where they were. However, she was confused about why they were there. When a stylist showed up at the beach house to dress them, Samari began asking questions, but Asao didn’t provide details other than for her to pick a dress.
Samari had been easily distracted by the selection that arrived so she agreed and allowed the three women who took over the bedroom to fuss over her without giving them any pushback.
Dress and her hair and makeup were flawlessly done.
Her shoulder length hair was straightened and styled in spiral curls.
The shaved side had grown out just a little, so it was brushed and moisturized to enhance the texture.
When she stepped out of the bedroom in a black satin dress with an exaggerated scoop neck that gathered just above the curve of her breasts, held in place by spaghetti straps that allowed the back to drop so low that too much movement from Samari would expose her ass, Asao provided enough visual praise to confirm what she was feeling.
She looked damn good…
His hands and mouth were on her immediately but she only allowed him so much access to prevent him from ruining the glam team’s hard work.
He was dressed in black on black—jeans, henley, and retro Nigel Sylvester 1s.
They were a clash of styles that shouldn’t have worked but the two of them together blended with ease.
They matched each other’s fly but contrasted each other’s vibe which made them even more endearing.
Soft and sexy paired with rugged and arrogant.
“Why are we at Bella House?” Samari asked, attempting to curb the anxiety of potentially being in the line of fire from those judging her life without just cause.
Asao placed his hand at the small of her back, allowing the roughness of his fingers to skim over the smooth warmth of her exposed skin, turning Samari just in time to catch the smile of her best friend as she approached.
Sheree was dressed similarly in all black but her dress was strapless, hugging her body so beautifully that a smile blossomed on Samari’s face too.
When Sheree reached the couple and threw her arms around her girl, Samari relaxed. She glanced over Sheree’s shoulder to find Cantor dressed in black slacks, a button up, and suit jacket, watching his wife like a man in love.
“What’s this, Ree?”
Sheree’s eyes moved to Asao. “You didn’t tell her.”
He smirked and shook his head before his appreciative gaze shifted to Samari. “Nah, didn’t want her trying to talk me out of it. Happy anniversary.”
Samari’s eyes narrowed then her face paled. “Shit, it’s your anniversary. This is your party. I forgot your anniversary.”
Sheree hugged her girl again, this time delivering more love from how loving the embrace was. “It’s been a crazy week, and technically, you knew the date, not the plan. We threw everything together at the last minute.”
“But still…”
“Nope…” Sheree shook her head. “Not doing that tonight. I married that fine ass man and we’re celebrating. That’s the only energy I want tonight, and because you love me, you’re going to follow the rules.”
Samari playfully rolled her eyes and nodded. “I do love you, Ree. So I’m on script tonight. Happy anniversary.”
“Thank you. Now come see my mom before she curses me out.”
Samari smiled, happy to see her surrogate mother.
What hers lacked she found in Deena Lewis.
The women looped arms and were moving across the rooftop, pausing for Samari to hug Cantor and tell him happy anniversary.
Together for five and married for three, she loved the way he loved Sheree and prayed she would have that one day.
After a quick glance over her shoulder where she found a set of dark eyes protectively following her every move, she felt safe assuming Asao was the reason she would whatever her heart desired.
“How’s she doing?” Cantor asked after he made his way to Asao. It took a minute for him to hand Cantor his attention because he was caught up with the beautiful woman who had him ready to kill on her behalf and love her without parameters. The smile on her face settled something in his chest.
“Better.”
“I’m assuming you’re working on all that stuff that went down.”
Asao nodded and yanked a hand down his face. “My team is on it.”
Cantor nodded. “Your team been to Chicago?”
Asao smirked. “Nah, that was all me, how do you know though?”
“He’s not hiding and media is all over the recent adjustments to his appearance.” Cantor shrugged. “If we learned anything from all the shit that went down with Mari, it doesn’t take much for them to create a story but you’re not attached.”
Baller Alert posted about Mase heading into his building with a swollen battered face.
They were speculating that the incident was attached to the video that leaked last week, but not one source was bold enough to bring Asao’s name into the conversation.
Instead, they ran clips of his performance with Samari at the music festival alongside the vivid images of Mase and let the world draw their own conclusions.
“Samari is family, so I don’t care how that muthafucker gets what he deserves as long as the debt is paid.
Drinks are over there,” Cantor said, motioning toward the bar set up near the glass enclosure centered on the rooftop, a butterfly garden that had become a huge attraction in the city.
Tonight, however, it was roped off, not granting access to the handful of guests in attendance to celebrate the couple.
“’Preciate that, happy anniversary,” Asao offered before extending a hand to Cantor which he accepted and shook.
“You got next?” Cantor asked with a cocky grin which had Asao’s eyes shifting across the rooftop.
“If that’s what she wants, yeah.”
“What do you want?” Cantor asked and the answer came without effort.
“Her…” Asao confirmed with an arrogance that also asserted that what he wanted, was already his.
“I respect that,” Cantor expressed with a smirk and nodded before he walked off to join his wife.
The last place Asao wanted to be was around a bunch of people he didn’t know, watching him all night, desperate to ask questions he didn’t want to answer.
Sheree mentioned the guests were prepped with explicit instructions not to bother Asao or Samari with requests for pictures or conversation that centered on their careers, but he could not miss their stares and not so discreet way they took pictures anyway.
Regardless of how he felt, being here made Samari happy and that was all that mattered.
The beautiful smile on her face and the carefree way she existed proved being here was exactly where she needed to be.
As long as being here made her happy, he would take the hit.
She was his and he would always handle her with care.
“Stop…” Samari said softly and stepped in front of Asao, knowing anytime she was close all of his attention would shift to her. Even when she wasn’t close, she had all of him.
“Stop what?”
“Glaring at them.” A smile eased onto her face before she lifted a hand and smoothed her fingers over the crease between his brows. It had been there all night along with the irritation from having the attention of women who he had no interest in.
“What you want me to do, Mari? Smile every time they lower their phones and take pictures like I can’t see that shit. They aren’t slick and I better not see them shits posted online either.” His tone was clipped when he caught her wrist, removed her hand from his face, and kissed the inside.
“You can’t blame them. I want to take pictures too. You’re kinda cute,” she said, leaning into his frame as Asao’s hand dropped to the small of her back. When he dipped his head and the warmth of his lips grazed her skin, she smiled and extended her neck, allowing him more access.
Asao kissed the curve of her jaw then her shoulder, inhaling the light scent of pineapples and mango before he lifted his head and sampled her chocolate-flavored lips. The gloss had been replenished more times than he could keep track because he kept kissing it off.
“You’re cool with them thinking about your man?”
She arched a brow. “You’re mine?”
“You gotta ask?”
She shook her head slowly. “No.”
“Aight then. You trying to share?” He kissed her again.
“No.”
“Then stop telling me not to glare at them muthafuckers for being all in my damn face.”
Samari smiled. “We can go.”
He leaned in and kissed her neck, bringing her closer. “Nah, I’m good. Enjoy your people.”
“I did and I’m kind of ready to head out. I already told Sheree we were leaving.”
His protective nature surfaced and his eyes dropped to her face, searching for signs that he was going to have to check someone behind her. Samari looped her arms around his waist. “I’m fine, just tired. Stop looking like that.”
“Like what?” he asked.
“Like murder.”
Asao chuckled, placing a hand to her face and brushing his thumb over her cheek. “If you want to stay, we can stay. If you want to leave, we’ll leave. The choice is yours, Mari.”