Chapter 7 #2
"And you gave him the track for free, didn't you?"
Dom shrugged. "I'm a businessman. The kid is in my pocket. If we do this thing with Cap, then we'll need artists."
Niles and Dom were always about business.
"Ay, you're good, Jo. Let me know when you're ready to finish." The kid lifted his chin and went back to scribbling on a notepad. Asao assumed he was writing lyrics.
"You see why we need to do this?" Dom asked.
"What I see is you giving Jo a fire ass track I would have executed," Asao stated.
"Dom has more tracks than he got hoes and this muthafucker has a lot of hoes, Sao.
You know he's gonna always take care of home," Niles rattled off then locked his phone to officially join the conversation.
"But he's right. We need to do this. The money is good.
Cap is desperate, so he's taking pennies on the dollar ,which means we're coming out to the good.
I checked on getting the booths set up and everything Dom needs.
It's not unreasonable. He has most of that shit already.
Enough to make it work until we turn a profit and can invest in making a real studio.
It's a good look for us but we can't do it without you.
You have to agree. There's some shit we can't do. "
The mentorship. The craft. The growth of the artist. His role would be instrumental in the success of the "label".
"I'm in," Asao offered coolly.
"You are?" Niles looked confused. He was prepared to face more resistance, but after meeting Samari, Asao had taken her situation as a sign that they needed to do this.
"Yeah, damn." Asao chuckled and Dom nodded beside him.
"That's what the fuck I'm talking about," Niles said, nodding.
"But I need one thing…"
"Aww fuck, here we go,." Dom groaned.
"Whatever it is, consider it done," Niles said with a confidence that Asao could trust.
"Ol’ girl from last night…"
"Sexy from McCall’s?” Dom asked and Asao shot him a look that made his boy grin before he added, "She's fine as fuck, Sao. I got eyes, fool."
"If you want to keep your hands, make sure they don't get anywhere near her."
"Oh this is serious," Dom joked but the look Asao gave him had Dom adding, "Off limits. I got it. But what does she have to do with us taking over Cap’s place?"
"She's signed to Cobra. I want to dead that shit and get her over here with us."
"Which means pissing him off," Niles mumbled.
"He has pull, Sao. He can't control how we eat, not with your music, but he can get in the way of this by complicating how we move.
Your music career is one thing, this is an entirely different lane.
You said yourself, we don't want the attention.
Fucking with him is like shining a spotlight on your shit. "
"You worried?" Asao glared at Niles.
Niles’s face stoned over. "About him, fuck no." He made a motion with his hand like a gun. "But that doesn't mean in a legal arena, he doesn't have more pull than we do."
"I considered that but this is my one thing. If I sign on, you two back me with whatever it takes to get her here with us." There was no give in Asao’s confirmation.
"Why the fuck are you giving ultimatums like we don't fuck with you heavy, Sao? You move, we move. That's how it's always been and how it’s always gonna be unless some shit has changed." Dom was offended, which had Asao clarifying his position.
"Nothing has changed, family. I just need you to know this is a priority. She's a priority. You more than anyone can’t take the hit if shit gets fucked up. Your money is not just from my pockets. You have other things to consider."
"He doesn't give a fuck about that. You move, we move. Ain't that right, Dom?" Niles looked right at him and Dom agreed. Not out of fear, simply from loyalty.
"If this is what you want, it's what we want. So we doing this?" Dom asked, swinging his eyes between Asao and Niles.
"Why the fuck not,” Asao confirmed.
Dom grinned, leaning back in his chair, brushing a hand over his head.
"I'm on it. I already hit up the lawyer who drew up the artist contracts for us. Raaj hooked me up with her and he can get one together for the sale. We keep it quiet until it's done." Niles smiled, already processing.
"Bet," Asao said and Dom nodded his approval.
"What about Cobra? How do you plan on getting him to let her go?"
"I'm gonna make him think it’s about her not her music. Then I'm going to promise him something he'll never get."
"What's that?"
"Me."
"Nah, that's not a good move."
"He's too fucking eager and not smart. I plan on offering spots for his artists at our place. That connects him, or at least he will think so. After I get what I want, we shut him out."
Seemed easy enough. They just had to navigate how to convince Cobra he would come out to the good.
"She any good?"
Better than good…
"See for yourself." Asao pulled his phone out and the video of Samari was already in rotation. It was her live at a small venue. Intimate setting, singing acapella while she played the piano.
Niles took the phone and frowned at the screen, turning up the volume. "I knew she looked familiar," Dom said from beside him. He wasn't looking at the phone. Just heard her voice. "That's Samari Janaé. She had a few good hits, did a tour and everything, then just disappeared. What happened?"
"Cobra happened. He shelved her and won't let her go." Asao’s tone was laced with irritation.
"This muthafucker needs someone to go in his jaw," Niles growled.
"He's about to get it but first I need her release."
"She's talented as hell, Sao. How do you plan on making it about her and not the music."
Asao shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll make him think we're fucking and she's done with music."
Dom chuckled. "Not a far stretch from the truth. The fucking part, that is. I knew when you left with them, you were on some bullshit. What's up with her girl…"
"Married with a kid and Samari's best friend. So she's off limits too."
"Damn, why do all the fine women travel in packs?" Dom smirked and brushed a hand over his head.
"That's what you like. Everybody in the group fuckable because you like fucking groups." Niles shot him a knowing look and Dom grinned.
"I do. The more the merrier."
"Aight, so we're buying Cap out and taking Cobra’s artists?" Dom nodded. "I need to smoke something because shit is about to get crazy."
It was but that wouldn't deter Asao from getting things done. His soul had been linked with Samari’s after last night and he had to have her. Having her meant being her safe space and protection, which would start with giving her what she wanted most. The thing that had been taken, her voice.
"I assume she still wants to do music?" Niles asked, standing.
"Yeah, she does, and she will after we get her from under Cobra," Asao offered coolly.
Niles nodded. He could see Asao’s mind working but it was Dom who spoke. "You need her on some tracks. That would be dope as fuck and if you're trying to get her out there…"
"That's not what this is. I'm just trying to help her find her footing again. I don’t need to be connected to her music."
Niles grunted. "Get her over here with us. Your words, Sao. I see exactly what this is. You want to be connected to her pretty ass anyway you can.”
Asao smirked because he wasn't with the shits. "Is that a problem?"
"As long as she understands that fucking you over is not a move she wants to make, no."
"She didn't ask me for shit. I volunteered. This isn't about her looking for a come up," Asao made clear. He hadn’t caught any vibes from Samari that she was trying to use him.
"Then there's no problem." Niles moved toward the door. "I'm out. I want to get on this before Cap talks too much and somebody else thinks it's a good idea to put an offer in on his place."
"Like you won't convince them it's not."
Niles shrugged. "No point in playing my hand when I don't have to."
He left and Jo let Dom know he was ready to record. Asao put his focus on the kid, thinking about what he had just signed on for.
By eight, Asao left the studio after sitting through two more sessions with Dom.
Both were artists he wanted Asao to work with.
He didn't interact with them, just observed and listened to what they could do. Both had something to bring to the table. A female rapper who’d studied a few popular artists too closely but she had talent.
If she was coachable and would be open to settling into her own style, she had a chance.
She couldn’t write though, so that posed a problem.
The other was a guy, late twenties, who could write because his lyrics were on point but he wasn't a rapper.
It would take too much coaching to get him decent.
He wouldn't have that natural thing, which meant he would always require coaching and that meant time invested which would cost money.
They could use him as a songwriter but that would be about it.
On his way to the crib, Asao decided to make the call he had been avoiding all day. When she answered, Asao found himself smiling a little too fucking hard.
"Hey…." Her soft voice flowed through his line, communicating directly to his dick. It sounded more like a moan than a greeting and he knew that was just her voice. Nothing intentional. He didn't have a plan until this very minute. He knew exactly what he wanted.
"You busy?" Asao asked.
"Not really, what's up?"
"Can you come by my place?"
"It's almost nine," she stated smoothly.
He smirked at the implication in her voice. Did he want to fuck? Hell yeah, but he wouldn't try tonight. He wanted to see what she was about. Last night had only been a layer of who she was. He needed more.
"I just want to talk."
"Then we can meet in public," she countered.
"I don't do public unless I have to. Did I disrespect you last night or was I a man of my word?"
"That was last night."
"Yes or no, Samari?"
"Yes."
"Then I give you my word that all I want to do is talk. So can I get that?" he asked bluntly.
She was quiet and he expected her to shut him down but she agreed and he was smiling again, looking goofy as shit.
"What's your address?"
He thought about something then asked, "You driving?"
"Yes, why?"
"You weren't last night. I didn't want to assume."
"We were drinking. Neither of us needed to drive."
"Yeah that's smart but I'm about to text you my address. You eat?"
"Yes, did you?"
"Nah, I was gonna pick up something. Maybe Carver’s."
"I can get it on my way. Send me what you want.
" He smiled at the offer. Some shit Tori would have never done.
She would have expected him to have food waiting for her when she arrived.
He would have, because he was a considerate man, but to know Samari thought about him, felt different. He still gave her an out.
"You don't have to do that."
"I don't mind. Send me what you want when you send your address. I'll be on my way as soon as you do."
"Aight bet."
A traffic light caught him so he sent his address and order along with a CashMe transfer for fifty dollars, locked his phone, then hit a left to head to the crib.
He had been out all day and wanted to shower and get comfortable before she got there.
Asao planned on getting her into his studio to record some shit if she was willing.
Hopefully she would be because his mind was already spinning something dope that would work for both of them.