Chapter 14
Asao: I’m pulling up.
Samari was waiting in the lobby of her building as instructed by Asao.
He’d called and told her to head home and he would come get her because it was late.
She bypassed the argument, knowing that he would win.
She hurried to her apartment when she arrived, took a quick shower, and threw on comfy clothes, knowing they would be recording.
Her smooth brown skin was moisturized, leaving a lingering scent of mandarin that blended nicely with the few sprays of pineapple she’d added right before she left her bedroom.
With a stampede of nerves fluttering in her stomach, she walked into the night air and ducked her head to hide her smile as she made her way to his Jeep.
The door pushed open from the inside before she reached it and she eased into the passenger seat.
Asao’s sexy smile greeted her first before his eyes did a survey and he commented on her fit for the night.
“We ’bout to get our hands dirty? You look like you’re trying to be my rider instead of my songbird.”
She blushed at the prospect of being anything of his. “I can’t be both?”
Samari was in black baggy sweats that sat low on her hips and a matching hoodie she’d cut the bottom off as soon as she removed the tags after bringing it home.
The baseball cap on her head sat low, shielding her face and adding to the reason for Asao’s comment.
Her tiny feet were covered in slides and socks ,because as far as she was concerned, they were chillin’, and comfort was best for long hours in the studio.
His low set eyes gave the answer before his deep, raspy voice gave verbal confirmation. “You can be whatever you want as long as mine is attached to that.”
“Yeah I bet.” She brushed off the affirmation, trying to avoid the pull from his amused eyes and handsome face.
Asao didn’t push. When he navigated from the curb, Samari watched him like a creep.
She caught a glimpse of his cinnamon-hued skin as they moved through the city and warmed each time his beautiful brown eyes made their way to her.
He didn’t speak or make her feel uncomfortable for enjoying the view, so she didn’t shy away.
Handsome did very little to express what Asao had to offer.
She had no clue where they were going nor did she ask.
Not even when they pulled up to a free standing building not far from Crescent Manor she knew was utilized by hood hopefuls as a catalyst to realize their musical aspirations.
She had been there a handful of times and had even recorded in the makeshift booths.
“You’re cool with Cap?” she finally asked when he retrieved a key that let them through a side entrance.
“Yeah, we’re straight.”
“Oh, I figured, because you have a key.”
Asao’s long legs carried him through the room while Samari waited near the door, allowing him time to turn on the lights. She blinked a few times, needing her eyes to adjust before they moved around the space.
Gone were the old, worn wooden tables and metal folding chairs.
They had been replaced by two lounge areas and multiple tall boy tables and high chairs.
The dingy yellow walls were now painted dark gray to match the furniture and there was a graffiti painted sign on the rear wall above the stage that read Track Killaz.
“This isn’t Cap’s place anymore.”
“I was about to say this isn’t how I remember it.”
“You been here before?” Asao wasn’t surprised considering anyone serious about gaining support from the city had been either on their stage or in Cap’s booths.
“A few times. I recorded my first single here.” The cute smile on her face let Asao know she had good memories. “Somebody bought it from him?”
“Yeah, me and my people,” he said coolly, gauging her for a reaction.
“It’s nice in here. A lot nicer than it used to be for sure.” She moved around the room, doing a deeper inspection of the changes.
“You fuck with it?” he asked, watching her do her thing.
“My opinion doesn’t matter. Does the hood fuck with it? This is theirs. I’m sure you already know how many careers started in here.”
He smirked and nodded, walking toward her with the sexiest stride.
One of the things Samari loved most about Asao was the cocky, hood persona he balanced with a smooth ass demeanor that kept her panties soaked.
“Yeah, I do. They fuck with me, so they’re gonna rock with it. Come on. Let me get you in the studio.”
Like a woman under a spell, she followed him to the back and once again was impressed.
What she’d remembered as homemade booths were replaced with customized ones that rivaled the five-star studios where she’d recorded her album.
After the lights were adjusted to provide a soothing atmosphere, Asao leaned over the soundboard, flipping switches and turning dials.
When he had everything to his liking, he turned to Samari.
“What track we starting with?”
“’Challenge’,” she said with her brows pinched when she delivered her answer.
She’d run through the three tracks he’d sent her the night before.
She already had lyrics for each one but “Challenge” was her favorite.
She felt that one the most, possibly because of what inspired the words that flowed through her the first time she played it.
Asao’s sexy smile surfaced when he nodded. “You need anything?”
“No, I’m good.” She lifted the strap of her crossbody and pulled it over her head. She placed it on the shelf next to the entrance to the booth after removing her phone and stepped inside, moving right to the microphone.
“You good in there?” When Asao’s voice flowed through the speaker ,she grinned and nodded, lifting a set of headphones. She removed her hat, gathered her hair ,and situated it in a messy bun on top of her head.
“Can you let it play for me? I want to run through it in my head first.”
When she lifted her chin to look through the glass, Asao tossed his and cued the track, allowing it to play.
He leaned back watching as her chin lowered. She bobbed her head as she focused on her phone and he was occasionally blessed with the sultry rasp of her alto while she moved through the lyrics. She barely sang loud enough for him to catch the words because she used the moment as a test run.
Regardless, he couldn’t help but lock in.
Since she’d sang for him that first night, Asao had been addicted.
The melodic flow of her voice relaxed his body and caused his dick to ache.
He had the nastiest thoughts attached to that sultry voice and wanted to hear her moaning his name with praise for how skillfully he fucked her.
Wasn’t shit nice about how badly he wanted to explore her body to leave his mark so that not a damn soul who valued their life would consider her fair game.
“I’m ready.” She spoke, prompting Asao to nod and run the track back.
This time, when the heavy bass hit followed by the blend of horns, her voice followed.
First with a riff that moved slowly before the smooth, melodic tenor that had him ready to make promises about shit he had no guarantee of delivering just to keep her in his presence.
It didn’t fucking matter because he would beg, borrow, and kill, not just steal, if doing so meant keeping a smile on her pretty face and her voice in his ear.
I want your hands on me
Make me feel, touch the untouchable
Let me know this is real
I want your lips on me
Make me quiver, kiss the secret places
That will make my body shiver
I want your love in me
Make my heart beat, push life through my veins
All of you on repeat
Challenge my body, challenge my soul
Challenge my depths, make me whole
Her voice rolled over him, her words seeping into his skin. Her syrupy sweet vocals sensually assaulted his restraint. His control wavered with each lyric she delivered because he knew what inspired them.
I want your promises as my armor
Shield me from fear
Pour into parts of me that I wouldn’t dare
I want your trust in my heart
Give me loyalty
Heal damaged spaces that others left in me
I want your vision as motivation
See me for me, when I dream, bring it to life
You’re the high I reach
Challenge my body, challenge my soul
Challenge my depths, make me whole
Her voice was strong but he didn’t miss how she’d shrank into herself running the second verse. There was a rawness there that had his long legs carrying him to the booth.
Samari’s head was down and she was so wrapped up in the music that she didn’t realize she was no longer alone until his body towered over hers.
He didn’t touch her like he wanted, because when she lifted her head and her eyes locked on his, he saw what she made him feel.
She wanted him to save her and trusted he would.
He didn’t give a damn what haunted her in the dark or what her demons were.
He was going to slay them bitches one by one.
Samari was handing him her truth and he would flip that shit into a new reality, one where she slept peacefully at night and was no longer afraid of the dark.
The need to do so almost made him fucking laugh because he was the monster who hid in the shadows and lurked in the dark but wanted to be her light.
Challenge my body, challenge my soul
Challenge my depths, make me whole
She blinked like she was clearing the weight of her words but didn’t move. His eyes dropped to her lips before he ran his thumb over them with one hand and removed her headphones before he cuffed her cheeks and dropped her head back.
“You gonna let me carry all your problems?”
She shook her head and pushed her tongue between her lips, allowing it to glide over them. When his low set eyes narrowed, she swallowed thickly right before he spoke again, but this time the question was delivered as a demand.
“You gonna let me carry all your problems, Mari.”