Prologue #2
The moment they were applied was as critical as the combination. It was paramount that the particles were able to embed themselves underneath the first layer of skin for longevity in addition to my personal scent being one of the key notes of the final fragrance.
The glass bottles sounded on the marble countertop of my bathroom as I sat them both down.
There was something about putting my perfume on in the mirror that made it feel and smell even better.
Spraying blindly was never an option, even when crunched for time.
Racing against the clock wasn’t the case at the moment, but my actions wouldn’t change if it was.
“Alright, Lyric, twenty minutes.” I sighed, inhaling the uncompromising combination.
My reflection stared back at me, prompting a smile.
The flawlessness of my skin was tempting.
Every day, I concealed it with my obsession with a perfect beat, but tonight I was experiencing a change of heart.
The twenty minutes it would usually take me to polish my face could easily be spent with the three little people that I missed more than I could verbally express.
Forget it. The decision was made as quickly as possible.
A quick peek through my bedroom and at my vanity, I tilted my head and considered what I was getting myself into by stepping out for the evening bare-faced.
With a shrug, I used my fingertips and began making gentle tapping motions along my jaws, chin, and forehead.
The smoothness of my skin was so satisfying.
No matter how much makeup I piled onto it, I took good care of it.
Bi-weekly facials from my esthetician were part of my self-care routine that I wasn’t willing to sacrifice for anything or anyone.
They were mandatory, much like my next breath, for survival.
Palming my cheeks, I tore my eyes from the mirror and stepped into my bedroom.
The black button-down and fitted pants to match laid across my bed as if it was my first day of school or the first day of my new job.
With the excitement of family dinners brewing in my bones, I could relate to both sentiments.
The once monthly event left my cheeks red, blotchy, and burning from the constant laughter, smiles, and conversations that went on for hours.
Combined with my favorite season of the year and I was in heaven.
Autumn was the time of year that reminded me of just how blessed I was.
The amount of time I spent alone and at home sipping honeyed tea and cocoa while reading my favorite romance novels always left me in a state of bliss and thanking God for such a rewarding life.
One by one, I slid the threads onto my skin. The silkiness of the shirt caused small, fine bumps to line my arms, shoulders, and back. A chill ran down my spine, followed by an exaggerated shiver that made me feel tingly inside. My eyes watered slightly but cleared with a simple blink.
I pulled the black, thigh-high Manolo Blahniks up after I’d gotten my pants over my roundness.
The tail of my shirt covered far too much of my bottom half for my liking.
I quickly fixed the issue by tucking it loosely into my waistband, but not enough to see the empty belt loops that I had no intentions of filling.
I pulled on the black blazer and stepped closer to the wide, floor-length mirror that I was already staring into.
Perfect. I admired my reflection, noticing only a few things that were missing from the equation. In a few seconds, I was inside my closet and standing over my jewelry case. I tapped the combination of buttons that I knew would grant me access to some of my most prized possessions.
Clack.
The disarming of my safe sounded. I lifted the top and removed the Audemars that had been gifted to me for Christmas.
My oldest brother, Luca, had upgraded me, again.
I wasn’t complaining. Between him and Laike, I wasn’t sure whose gifts were better.
Next was the roped diamond necklace that I loved more than I cared to admit.
It was quickly followed by two bracelets that Luca had been generous enough to purchase as well.
The diamond earrings were already in my ears.
There. I smiled, stepping back and taking a look in the mirror inside my closet.
It was the same as the one in my bedroom.
I slid the head wrap from my forehead and watched my loose, barrel curls fall from underneath.
With a little fingering, they lie perfectly on my shoulders and hung slightly down my back.
I tidied up as I walked through my bedroom and bathroom to disable the lights.
On my way out of the garage door, I grabbed the large, black Chanel bag that was waiting on my kitchen counter.
The lights of my truck flickered as I unlocked the doors before stepping onto the custom epoxy flooring, a gift of Laike’s in addition to the garage and G-Wagon that was parked inside of it.
When he felt inclined, he utilized his God-given talent and architectural degree. Six months ago, I’d been blessed with his latest project, a fully customized two-car garage that he somehow attached to my home. His ministry wasn’t mine, so I’d never understand.
Numbers were my thing and I knew them well.
It was the reason I was the most sought-after accountant for those who didn’t exactly punch a clock to earn their money.
The people that couldn’t walk into a bank with the kind of cash they were seeing called me to clean their money and store it safely so that the biggest criminals – the government – of them all didn’t get suspicious.
But, just like Laike, sometimes I put my real estate license to use when my clients were searching for homes.
Selling homes weren’t my passion but the career allowed me to store extra cash in the bank to cover the expenses of my lifestyle.
The bill was hefty but selling two to three multi-million dollar homes a year covered it for the most part. My brothers covered the rest.
With the fob strapped to my visor, I lifted the garage and backed out slowly.
Once my front end was in the clear, I lowered it.
Remembering both Laike and Luca’s warnings, I stayed put until it touched the pavement.
Coming home to an unwanted guest inside of my home was their worst nightmare and when my garage was installed, the chances increased substantially.
With it came a gate that Luca had installed along with a new security system.
When it came to my safety they spared no expense or detail.
I was thankful for it, too. Between the two of them, my dad could hardly do his fatherly duty.
They were too busy thinking that I was solely their responsibility.
On my way. I texted my best friend and brother’s wife, Ever.
See you in a few. She responded, immediately.
It would, indeed, only be a few minutes. She and Luca lived only ten minutes away, higher in The Hills. Their home was a dream. Laike had designed it beautifully, but the final product was more than either of us had imagined.
I exited our thread after seeing her response and slid my finger down my screen. Teyana Taylor’s Let’s Build was next on my playlist. Without a second thought, I pressed play. Then, after taking a quick glance at my surroundings, I began to reverse out of my driveway.
The gate opened as I pressed the button to separate it into two parts. When I was out of it completely, I pressed another button to seal it, again. With Teyana’s voice booming through my speakers, I watched until it the metal met at the center.
The route to Luca’s place was as scenic as they came. Everything along it was beautiful. The same could be said for my home but the higher in The Hills, the more dreamy the entire environment became.
The narrow roads led to astonishing views and breathtaking homes that were owned by people whose skin resembled mine and those with a bit more melanin infused.
It was always a joy seeing Black faces watering grass, taking walks, and washing their cars in the driveway.
Channing was the epitome of Black culture, every inch of the city. And, we loved it for that.
It wasn’t long before I was pulling up to Luca’s gate.
I pressed the numbers required for entry, and the gate opened for me without hesitation.
The long, spiraling driveway was one of my favorite features.
It was much like mine but on a larger scale.
During our monthly Sunday dinners, it was iconic to walk outside and find our fleet of vehicles lining it.
I pulled to the very beginning of the gate without an issue.
There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I’d be the last to leave.
I helped Ever put my babies to bed after each of our Sunday dinners to take a bit of the stress off her and Luca’s hands.
Though they worked well as a team, it felt so good helping out.
I preferred the task alone, but she couldn’t help herself.
She never could when it came to her girls.
The little one that she was carrying would be making his debut soon, and I could only hope that she’d release the shackles she had clutching her ankles when it came to parenting.
It was her life. She had all the help in the world, but she still managed to care for the girls on her own.
With Luca’s help, of course, the tasks mostly stayed between the two of them.
There wasn’t a need to sound the bell when I stepped onto the porch.
Luca knew that I had arrived. His state-of-the-art security system and his insanely accurate intuition kept him on his toes.
When the door of his home swung open and he stood on the other side of it with Elle in his arms, I wasn’t surprised.
“Just weird.” I scoffed, shaking my head.
“Just ready,” he returned, pulling me inside and into his chest. “Hello to you as well.”
“Hello, Luca,” I responded, inhaling his familiar scent.