Chapter 2
Stassi might have been a broke-ass bitch, but she shined like money as she stood on the porch of the opulent home.
“Wow,” she whispered in disbelief as she rang the doorbell.
She danced in her ankle boots as the crisp winter air cut through her.
“This nigga really set her up,” Stassi said.
“Get to the bag, sis.” Stassi was impressed.
The property was beautiful. It was so perfect that even the untouched snow on the ground looked staged.
She dug through her bag for her phone. “If this girl don’t hurry up, it’s freezing out… ”
Before she could finish her sentence, the door opened.
She was taken by surprise when coal dark eyes peered down at her.
“Oh, um… is, um,” she was speechless.
It was like her brain had cut off suddenly as she grasped for words.
He was dark and handsome and amused. He was holding back laughter as he watched her struggle.
She was sure he was used to this. Fan shit.
That’s what he assumed her reaction was.
With his decorated music career, she knew he had groupies lined up around the block.
He was that type of mogul. Popular and bossed up, and God, he smelled like heaven.
He looked at her like he knew he was gon’ knock her uterus out of the park later that night, and she hadn’t even said hello yet.
Dayton “Day” Night, Grammy award-winning producer, famous rapper, and co-founder of Dynasty Records.
He was the boss. He shared the title with Demi since they were partners, but he wore his status more openly.
Money dripped from his neck as diamonds glistened under the porch light.
It didn’t matter that she had been around him many times.
He was best friends with her sister’s boyfriend.
They were far from strangers, yet here she was screaming on the inside like she was a fan.
Her body just reacted around him. She didn’t know what it was about this man, but every single time they were around one another, she felt like a teenager.
Stassi was known to be a confident girl, but where Day Night was concerned, she turned into a stuttering, blushing mess.
It was pathetic, and she was embarrassed, but still, she couldn’t stop the daydreams that filled her mind when he flashed his 100-watt smile.
“You good?” he asked. The slight leer that decorated those espresso cheeks told her he had already surmised that she wasn’t.
“I’m sorry, yeah, I’m just…” She shook her head and then sighed. “I’ve had a rough day. Excuse me.”
He stepped out as she headed inside.
“If you looking for Charlie and Demi, you might want to give them a minute,” he said.
“I’m late, though? You sure? They haven’t started dinner?” Stassi asked, genuine confusion bending her brows.
“You would think this big-ass house wouldn’t carry sound the way it do,” Day answered. “Your sister’s range is insane.”
“She’s singing?”
Stassi was so confused, and Day smiled, rubbing his goatee as he glanced down at his feet. He was coy, and his reluctance to elaborate made Stassi smile. Was superstar Day Night shy?
“Nah, not singing,” Day answered.
“Then…”
“Screaming,” Day said. “On key.” He chuckled. “Demi a wild boy, man. House full of fucking people, and he can’t resist that girl for a few hours. That’s what love look like?”
“The jury’s still out on that,” she replied sarcastically.
Stassi knew that Charlie and Demi shared something. Passion perhaps. Maybe even lust. She wasn’t convinced that it was love. Love wasn’t supposed to decimate the way it had done in Demi and Charlie’s lives.
“You don’t like my nigga very much, do you?” Day asked.
She wondered if she was that transparent or if Demi had shared the tension of their non-existent relationship with his friend.
Either way, it didn’t matter. Her disdain for Demi would have to be controlled.
The last thing she wanted was to lose her sister or have a man be the reason they grew distant.
“I didn’t say that,” Stassi replied.
“You didn’t have to,” Day answered. “Your body speaks its own language.” He pulled a bag of weed out of his jacket pocket. “So, you going in, or you want to blaze one with a nigga and fix that fucked-up-ass vibe you got going on?”
Stassi pulled the front door closed and shrugged.
“I’m that obvious?” Stassi didn’t want to rain on Charlie’s parade.
She would seem like a hating-ass bitch if she walked into her sister’s home with an attitude.
She didn’t want that. She was sure her discontent had more to do with the day she’d had than anything else.
Energy could be misinterpreted, and Stassi didn’t want hers to give off vibes that would make Charlie feel unsupported.
“You’re dripping in disapproval,” Day replied casually.
She watched chocolate fingers pull out and split the bag as he lifted it to his nose. Wrinkles filled his forehead as he lifted a curious brow in challenge.
Stassi sighed. She never let her hair down.
She was always in pursuit of something. Hustling.
Working. Building. Chasing. Today, everything she had worked for had been lost in the blink of an eye.
Every responsible decision she’d made had gone down the drain.
“Lead the way.” Fuck it. Might as well cure a fucked-up day with a little medicinal therapy.
Day walked Stassi toward the back of the house.
“Where are we going?” She asked as she placed careful steps on the salt-covered ground while hesitantly glancing over her shoulder back toward the house.
“You ask a lot of questions; you don’t trust me?” He asked.
“Should I trust you?”
“Probably not.” He found joy in that statement; white teeth shined in the shadows of the tall house. He held out his arm so she could use him for balance. “Nice shoes.”
“Thank you. Next time you might see me in Keds since a bitch lost her job today,” she said, making light of the heaviness that filled her heart.
“That ass gon’ do the same thing in Keds or red bottoms,” he said as he allowed her to walk ahead of him slightly while holding onto her fingertips so he could get a better view.
“You are bold!” Stassi laughed. Her first laugh all day.
“Little bit,” he admitted.
“A lotta bit, boy,” Stassi shot back.
“My fault. No disrespect,” Day said. “A nigga just notice what he notice. That mu’fucka moving.”
“So mannish,” she said, shaking her head, but smiling because baby one thing Stassi did was squat her life away to maintain that ass.
He opened the door to what appeared to be a garage, and when they stepped inside, it illuminated, revealing five luxury cars and a staircase that led to a second level.
The way Demi had bossed Charlie up was impressive.
He spared no expense in providing for her.
She wondered if it were guilt or true love.
It didn’t really matter; as long as he was consistent with her sister, Stassi would keep her mouth closed about her reservations about his character.
She followed Day up the stairs and through a door to discover a recording studio.
“What doesn’t this house have?” She said, astonished as he pulled out a rolling chair for her.
“You’ve never been up here? This is where Charlie recorded half her album,” Day said.
“I haven’t even heard it. She’s super secretive about it,” Stassi replied.
“She’s nervous. It’s normal for new artists, but it’s fire. Your sister’s gonna be a star,” Day replied.
“Well, according to her following on IG, she’s already a star,” Stassi said.
“Nah, she’s popular. She’s covering other people’s songs. That’s just marketing. It builds anticipation. This album we worked on, though.” He shook his head. “She’s going to be outta here.”
“You produced the entire thing?” Stassi asked.
“Most of it, but we brought in some other talented producers too. Some new songwriters. It’s dope, though.”
“I can’t wait to hear it.”
Day sat in the chair across from her and turned her seat his way.
He rolled the blunt in silence as she took in his cool demeanor.
The quiet between them gave her anxiety, but he seemed comfortable in it.
He didn’t even look up. He just swiveled his chair slightly as he leaned over onto his knees, twisting the rillo between expert fingers until it was perfect.
His eyelashes lifted when he finally lent her his attention.
They were long and defined, shielding mystery in a stare that went from cold to curious instantly.
Pinched fingers lifted good weed to folded lips as he lit the blunt.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
The smoke hugged them, rising in the air around them. He took another hit, longer this time, then held it out for her.
One puff and everything that felt like a mountain before was reduced to molehills.
Stassi groaned as she leaned her head back against the chair and did a full spin in the seat.
She felt her anxiety dissipating. “This is the first time I’ve felt like I can breathe all day.”
“Sum’n on your chest? You good?”