Chapter 24 #3
Samari laughed and rolled her eyes while she examined a pair of black silk joggers.
They were split down the sides from the top of the thigh down to the ankles where they tied with silk ribbon.
Her style was simple and black appeared to be her go-to color.
Everything she wore worked for her look and always had a sexy twist to it with cropped or off the shoulder shirts and baggy, loose pants that sat low on her waist. There was always skin exposed to show her feminine side but her look was always comfortable and chill.
“Oh those are cute but I need them in red,” Fyre said as soon as she reached the back.
“Those don’t come in red because they’re from the Shadow series but she has something like that you might want. The split is front and back instead of on the side and they’re high waisted. Hang on, let me see if we still have them.”
Fyre nodded and pointed to the front. “There’s some woman up there spazzing because she’s trying to use an account but they won’t let her. She was about to catch these hands too because she got mad when ol’ girl at the register told her she had to pay or leave the store and I laughed.”
“Did she leave?”
Fyre shook her head. “Nope, she’s still up there pleading a ‘my man’ case but her man must not be her man anymore because her name is no longer on the account.”
Samari smirked, deciding to be nosy and walking to the end of the style area so she could see the front of the store.
She stared at the woman’s face, watching her yelling and pointing her finger at the sales associate, trying to figure out how she knew her.
She recognized the woman’s face and it didn’t click until the sales associate cut her eyes to the back then said something to the woman going off.
Both of them swung their heads toward the styling area and Samari knew.
That’s the bitch from the club…
Apparently the same one who had been using Asao’s name to buy things on his dime.
“This bitch…” Samari mumbled. Fyre was at her side, watching as Tori glared then headed their way
“You know her?”
“No, but she knows me. That’s Asao’s ex.”
“Wait, so she’s trying to use his account.”
“Yep.”
“Oh this is gonna be fun. She was mad as fuck that ol’ girl shut her down.”
When Tori reached Samari, she looked her up and down in disgust but internally hated that she could see everything about her that held the attention of the man she was still lusting after.
Samari was beautiful without trying. Deep chocolate skin that was smooth and flawless.
She was void of makeup but still had a glow.
The one side of her head that was shaved had some new growth and housed a short layer of tight curls but not even that took away from her allure.
Everything about her was simple but stood out.
Even now, with the nylon track pants and graphic tee she wore, Samari presented like she was ready for a spread in a high-end magazine.
“You know this is temporary.” Tori tried to assert confidence she didn’t feel. Seeing Samari in person further confirmed why Asao had moved on. She had stalked the singer’s pages and obsessively watched all her interviews trying to dissect what it was about her that kept Asao coming back.
“Temporary?” Samari questioned with amusement.
She wasn’t the type to throw hands over a man.
With Asao, she didn’t have to because he was hers.
There wasn’t a doubt in her mind, so she wouldn’t go to war to prove what was already understood.
She would, however, beat a woman’s ass over disrespect.
If Tori crossed that line, Samari would be dragging her.
“You have months, I have years…” Tori said before Samari cut her off.
“And I have my name on his account and you don’t…”
Tori’s eyes narrowed but Samari kept going as she stepped closer.
“That’s why you’re in my face, right? You’re trying to run up a tab with a man who doesn’t even remember what your pussy feels like, and yes, I know for sure he doesn’t because since he’s been in mine, that man has been acting brand new.
That’s what happens when you’re with a woman that feels like home.
Your walk changes, your talk changes, the way you love is different.
Baby, if you want to know your relevance in his life, peep how he shows up in the world.
That’s all me. Every fucking thing you’re trying to circle back to is all me. ”
Samari’s words gut punched. Asao was different.
Everyone had seen it. It wasn’t about how fine he was or how he stepped because he always had that.
It was about who he stepped for, something Tori had always wanted but he would never give.
Her mother always told her that a man who fucked you in the dark but wouldn’t love you in the light was not your man.
“Bitch please. I built that man. You’re welcome,” Tori asserted, still attempting to present as unbothered.
“Did you? Because from where I’m standing it seems like he built you.
” Samari’s eyes traveled the length of Tori’s body.
She reached into her purse and removed her bank card and held it up.
“If you want me to approve those purchases, just let me know. My man isn’t buying you shit, but I like doing charity work so… ”
“Oh you think that shit is cute. Trust and believe, whatever you think you have is temporary.”
“No baby, you were temporary. I’m not even pressed about that though because everybody has a past. What I need you to do is know your place because it’s not with him and won’t ever be again.”
“Bitch…” Tori moved so quickly that she managed to get a lick in but that was the only one because Samari did as promised and dragged her ass…
literally. She grabbed a fistful of Tori’s hair with one hand and tagged her face with the other while Tori swung wildly, unable to make contact with any relevant blows.
Samari wasn’t sure how long the altercation lasted, but when Fyre pulled her away, Tori had a face full of bruises that would teach her about running up on someone.
Security escorted Tori out the store with her yelling about suing for assault.
Typical dumb hoe shit. Got her ass tagged and then wanted to press charges.
Samari wasn’t fazed because everyone in the store could testify that Tori had thrown the first punch, so she was simply defending herself.
“Well that was eventful,” Ju’rae said amusedly. “We need to reschedule.”
Fyre and Ju’rae both looked at Samari who touched her face and shook her head. “No, I’m good.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, that was light work.”
“Definitely light work from the way you were tagging her ass. So the Manor really didn’t teach you no manners,” Ju’rae said with a smug grin, referencing the shirt Samari had on when they first met.
“The Manor raised me, so it is what it is,” Samari said as the ladies headed to the back to get started.
She thought about calling Asao but decided it wasn’t worth the conversation, at least not at the moment.
He couldn’t control a delusional woman. His only responsibility to her was to control his actions and how he stepped behind her.
And his actions proved that Samari could feel secure in their relationship.
“I’m proud of you, son. This is a big deal.
” The pride in Leedren’s tone had Asao feeling more like a man than he had in years.
He had very few regrets in life but there were also not a lot of things that made him feel as if he truly represented the Delane name properly.
At the top of that list was his career and now Track Killaz was part of that.
Each time his father stepped in the building, Asao felt like he had earned the title of a man worthy of his father’s praise.
Some would say his standard shouldn’t be so high because he was raised by a father who’d spent years behind bars, but that never diminished what Asao felt for Leedren.
He chose to do time because he was a man.
A man who loved his wife enough to keep her out of harm’s way.
“I know, old man. Now stop with all that emotional shit and let me know what you wanna do?”
The offer had been presented with a pure heart. Leedren didn’t want handouts but he also couldn’t see himself punching another man’s clock to put money in his pockets. A man’s pride was a double-edged sword.
“I’m in but I need to be a part of this. Not just a name that collects a check.”
“You’re an investor. That’s what investing is. You let your money make money, Pop,” Asao said with a smirk, knowing it was only going to piss his father off.
“Well, I’m not just investing. This is ownership which means I’m doing something around here.”
“What you know about music though, old man?”
“Not a damn thing,” Leedren said with a smirk.
“I mean shit, OG, you experienced some things. I have a track for you if you’re trying to get in the booth,” Dom said from across the room. Niles smirked but didn’t look up from his phone when he added his two cents.
“I can see that. We might be able to make that work.”
Leedren chuckled. “Nah, I’ll leave that to my son.” His expression turned serious. “But are you sure you want me in on this?” Leedren’s eyes moved from Asao over to Dom before they reached Niles.
“Hell yeah. We gave you enough hell as kids. We owe you this much. Wasn’t a whole lot of people willing to step behind a bunch of hardhead ass kids more concerned with tearing shit down than building it up.
You kept your hands on us, schooled us on the things we didn’t understand until we were a little older and had to experience those life lessons.
Part of the reason we’re here is because of you.
” Niles spoke from the heart and Dom co-signed.
“If we have it, you have it. Isn’t that what you used to tell us back in the day?” Dom shrugged as if it just made sense.