Chapter Eighteen
Channing
The Album Release Party I looked myself over in the mirror in my mama’s bedroom. I’d come to bring Koda to spend a little time with Grams and figured I might as well get dressed here to head to the party.
Tonight, I kept it casual and dressed myself in a black Armani polo shirt, black jeans, and my favorite black boots. Around my neck was a white-gold Cuban link. I wore the matching bracelet on one wrist and my white-gold Rolex on the other. A diamond stud adorned my ear.
As I looked myself over, I thought I looked good. After spraying on my favorite cologne, I packed up my belongings and headed out front to where my mama, Grams, and Koda were sitting watching a movie.
“Don’t you look handsome!” Mama said, smiling.
She never failed to make me feel like a chap again when she complimented me.
“Thank you kindly,” I said, striking a pose for her. “You think this will get me laid?”
She slapped my arm. “Boy, stop it!”
I chuckled. “I’m joking.”
“I bet you are,” Grams said.
“I’ll be by to get Koda sometime tomorrow.” I went over and scratched behind her ears. “You be a girl for daddy. Grams, don’t be feeding her all kinds of stuff. I packed her meals and her snacks.”
She gave me a side-eye but didn’t say anything, letting me know that she was gonna do whatever the fuck she wanted. I kissed her cheek and then my mama’s.
“I love y’all.”
“We love you too,” Mama said. “Have a good night.”
“Oh, I will.”
She shook her head as I walked out the door. I hopped in my car and made my way out of the driveway. The ride to the venue was only about twenty minutes. The line was already wrapped around the building. It seemed like all of L.A. was here to celebrate Raheem.
I had to give it to him. He may have been a shitty boyfriend, but he was a great artist. The people loved him and showed up for him wherever he went. I could see the fire marshal stepping in at some point tonight.
After having the valet park my car, I headed inside, bypassing the line of waiting patrons. Inside was already packed. As I scanned the crowd, I pulled out my phone to text Rhythm.
Me: Hey, are you here?
R&B: Right where you wanted me.
I smirked to myself as I made my way to the section I’d booked for us. I tapped lightly on the door then opened it to find her standing at the private bar, leaning over the counter, talking to the bartender.
“Got… damn,” I muttered as my eyes passed over her.
Tonight, she was dressed in a silky orange top with a few buttons undone, exposing her supple breasts, cut-off jean shorts that stopped right below her ample ass, and orange heels. Her smooth skin glistened with that shimmery shit I loved. Her hair hung freely with a middle part, and gold accessories completed the outfit. Her face was free of makeup, and she looked gorgeous.
She turned her head toward the door and smiled at me. Grabbing her drink, she strutted over to me as I closed the door.
“Hey,” she said, looking up at me with innocent eyes.
“Hey, baby.”
I slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her into me. Leaning in, I pressed my lips to hers. Much to my surprise, she cupped my face and opened her mouth to receive my tongue. An innocent peck led to her moaning into my mouth as the kiss turned lustful. It wasn’t until I grabbed her ass and she erupted in giggles did our lips part.
“I’m sorry. I got a head start on drinks,” she said, swiping her lip gloss from my lips.
“You good.” I stepped back and looked her over once more. “Damn, you look beautiful.”
She blushed. “Thank you.”
“Did you have any problems getting in?”
“Nope. Quick and easy.”
I nodded as I grabbed her hand. After I ordered myself a drink from the bar, I led her over to the seating area. I took a seat, and when she sat next to me, I pulled her legs into my lap.
“Comfortable?” I asked.
“With you… yes. It’s just a little weird sneaking in here.”
“We ain’t sneaking. We have privacy with not so many eyes on us. I mean, I’m not so much of an asshole that I’d ruin tonight’s event by flaunting this in his face.”
“Mmm, we kinda are.”
“You feel any type of way about that?”
“Nope.”
“Good, ’cause I swear I don’t give a fuck.”
She giggled. “So how long have you been in the music business?”
“Professionally, about twelve years. Personally, I’ve loved music my whole life. My mama said she used to put headphones on her stomach while she was pregnant, and I would go crazy in there. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been making beats and shit. I got put out of class so much for drumming beats with my pencils or on anything I could make a sound with.”
“I know your mama got on your ass about that.”
I chuckled. “She did. She’s threatened me more times than I can remember. My grandfather was the one who introduced me to the studio when I was six. Back in the day, he was heavy into music. He had all the equipment and thought he was gonna go big. Then he and Grams had my mother, and he put his dreams aside to make sure they could eat. He didn’t regret choosing his family over a career, but he always wondered ‘what if,’ you know?”
“I get that. Those questions keep you up at night.”
“Facts. Anyway, when I told Grams I wanted to pursue music, she encouraged me to go for it. She said there was no reason I shouldn’t live out my dreams, unlike my grandfather.”
“Can I just say I love your Grams?”
I chuckled. “Me and Grams are gonna have a problem if she doesn’t stop feeding my baby all kinds of shit. Koda is on a strict diet. I prepare all of her meals and pack them when she goes over there.”
“Prepare? Like you cook for her?”
“Yes. She has her own dog food seasoning and all.”
She laughed. “Oh, she’s bougie.”
“She definitely thinks she’s a princess.”
“If you’re this kind of dog dad, I can only imagine you with kids.”
“My kids will absolutely be spoiled, especially if I have a daughter.”
“With you taking care of your mom and grandma, I can see your daughter having you wrapped around her finger. All she’ll have to do is bat those eyelashes, and you’ll be a total sucker.”
“I can’t disagree there. My mother will be worse.”
“Your mom is a sweetheart. And I never would have guessed she had a grown son. She looks so youthful.”
“She had me young, which I think is another reason my dad didn’t stick around. Nigga felt like he was missing out on life and decided he’d rather be free than be a parent.”
“How old were you?”
“Five.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry. No child deserves that.”
“You close with your people? I mean, I assume you’re close with your father since you told me he’d hunt my ass down if anything happened to you.”
She giggled. “I am pretty close with them. It’s been hard being away from them for so long. I make a trip home at least one weekend a month. It’s been a while though. I suspect my mother will be calling me soon, asking where I am. I just didn’t want to bring this embarrassment home with me. She was already against me coming out here, and I don’t feel like hearing I told you so.”
“I get that. But hey, you’ve got your bestie out here now.”
“I do! I didn’t know how much I missed her until she came to stay. It’s been like a sleepover every night.”
“So, you live together?”
“We do. I moved out of Raheem’s a few weeks before we hooked up.”
“So it’s been over with him that long?”
“Yeah… why?”
“He just makes it seem like you’re still at home having problems.”
“He talks about me to you?”
“He’s only spoken about you twice, and both times were before I knew he was talking about you. The first time was a couple weeks ago when he was in the studio with Lady Lingo, working on a track. The nigga couldn’t catch the beat to save his damn life. You must have stressed that man out.”
“I packed my shit and left while he was out of town. He came by my hotel, asking me to come home, and I refused.” She shook her head. “Can I ask you something, Channing?”
“I may be inclined to answer.”
“I just need to know… have you ever seen them be intimate with each other?”
I sighed as I ran my hand over my head. I wasn’t a snitch, but shit, she asked.
“I haven’t seen him all over her, but the chemistry is there. She’s very affectionate with him, and he doesn’t seem bothered by it.”
I hesitated for a moment, contemplating if I should tell her what he said about things being “like that” with Imani. Technically, ‘like that’ could mean a lot of different things. I wasn’t sure of the extent of his and her relationship, so I decided not to divulge that bit of information. I was sure she had her own suspicions.
I looked over at her, and she simply nodded. For a second, she looked sad. I knew that shit had to be hurtful to hear.
“Well, I guess I dodged a bullet, huh?” she asked, taking a sip of her drink.
“I’d say you did.”
She downed the rest of her drink. “To hell with both of them. I don’t feel bad about fucking you now.”
“You felt bad?”
“Maybe that was the wrong choice of words. I didn’t feel bad. I felt like I did it for the wrong reasons.”
“And now?”
“Now… I’m thinking about doing it again.”
She set her drink on the table and straddled my lap. Her hands came to my face, and she kissed me slow yet passionately. My arms came around her waist with one hand resting on her back and the other planted firmly on her ass.
“Don’t start no shit you can’t finish,” I mumbled between kisses.
“We both know I can finish you,” she countered.
Memories of the way she rode my dick that night flooded my mind.
She mounted me, on her knees, and gripped the headboard as she rolled and lifted her hips as I gripped her waist. Her pussy was so wet that I felt like I slipped deeper into the muthafucka with every stroke.
“Shit!” I cursed as my fingers dug into her sides. “Goddamn, baby. Ride that shit.”
She smirked as she picked up the pace. Bending my knees, I thrusted upward to meet her. The sound of her ass clapping against my thighs echoed throughout the room.
“Fuck!” she yelled. “It’s so good!”
“I know, baby. You riding the fuck outta this dick too.”
She positioned herself on her feet and bounced on my shit like she was chasing her orgasm. She’d already cum three times, and the way her pussy was juicing up let me know she was gearing up for a fourth. Reaching between us, I strummed her clit, causing her body to shudder.
Her movements slowed but didn’t stop.
“Give it to me,” I commanded. “This pussy so fucking juicy. I need all that. Stop fucking playing with me and bust that nut.”
She wildly threw her hips, her cries of pleasure filling the room. The faster she rode me, the faster I strummed her clit. The next thing I knew, she bucked against me, and her pussy creamed as she came forcefully.
“Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck!” she yelled.
Her body shook violently, and her walls clenched around me, pulling my own nut to the forefront. I easily filled the condom as I erupted.
The memory was so vivid that I could see it in my head.
“I see you thinking about it,” she said, peering down at me. “You want this pussy to cream like that for you again?”
I grinned. “That’s a given. When we leave here, you’re mine. Am I clear?”
She smirked. “Crystal.”
Rolling off of me, she stood and went to the bar for another drink. I watched her walk away, adjusting myself in the process. Fuck Raheem. If he couldn’t take care of what he had, I had no issue picking up his slack. The better nigga would always win. In this case, that nigga would always be me.