2. Mahari Creed
“Aye, mane. I thought we were here to work and not fuck off,” Mahari griped, stopping the music and glowering at his cousin who was in the booth.
Throwing his hands in the air, Lance flashed Mahari a mischievous smirk. “Ain’t that what we’re doing?”
“That’s what I’m doing. Either get the women out the booth and focus, or I’ll sell this beat to someone who’s ready to work and will appreciate it.”
“And I know a few rappers who will jump on this immediately.” Justin chimed in and dapped Mahari up. “This shit is fire, Mahari. Let Lance be stupid and take an L if he wants to.”
Lance pointed at Justin with his dark, bushy brows meeting in the middle. “You’re my brother, right?”
“I am, and that doesn’t mean shit. You know I’m with whoever is right, and Mahari is right in this situation like he is in most when it comes to the two of you,” Justin answered and crossed his arms. “You need to chill with all the extra shit anyway, Lance, especially with the women. I’d hate for Aspen to show her ass. ”
“That’s what I’m saying, mane.” Mahari agreed with a slight shake of his head. “Now, what’s it going to be, Lance? The ball is in your court.”
“He’s going to fuck around and fumble it,” Justin mumbled loud enough for only Mahari to hear.
Mahari glared at his cousin, waiting for him to answer. Lance was playing with Mahari’s time and money, and he didn’t like that. He let Lance slide more than others because they were blood and had come up together, but Mahari’s patience was running thin when it came to working with Lance.
The industry had changed Lance like Mahari feared it would.
Everything he did was for show and for the love of money and fame, but for Mahari, it was for the love he’d had for creating since he was a kid.
He took his job as a producer seriously, building it from the ground up with only his family by his side.
That was his focus, but Lance had lost sight of everything they vowed before the success.
Finally, after minutes passed, Lance took his headphones off and exited the booth with the two women in tow. Mahari was disappointed but not surprised. When things didn’t go Lance’s way, he would throw a tantrum.
Chuckling with a shake of his head, Justin said, “I told you. Bro so wrapped up in the lifestyle that he can’t even keep his head in the game and out some pussy.”
“What the fuck you just say?” Lance bellowed and walked up on Justin.
“Take that confrontational shit outside, Lance. Not in my place of business. Family or not, you know I don’t play that,” Mahari warned.
“You know he’s not going to do anything. He’s got his chest out in front of them, but we all know what it is when Lance tries to go toe-to-toe with me,” Justin said.
Lance kissed his golds. “The only reason I’m backing away is because of my cousin, but better believe if we were elsewhere, I’d be on your ass, Justin.”
Justin looked back and forth between Lance and Mahari. “Shit. I could’ve sworn I heard him say we can take it outside. That’s only a few steps away.” Justin rose to his feet and got in his little brother’s face. “I’ll follow you out there since you got some shit to get off your chest.”
Sitting deeper in his chair with his hands clasped together, Mahari watched to see how things would go down.
Since they were kids, Justin and Lance always fought.
Lance didn’t like being told what to do while Justin was only trying to provide him with guidance.
In Mahari’s eyes, nothing Justin ever told Lance was wrong, but Lance was the type who had to experience it to learn from his mistakes.
After seconds passed and neither of them did anything, Mahari spoke. “Lance, back away. We all know you don’t really want it with Justin, and Justin, we know you don’t want to hurt your brother. Either we can get back to work, or y’all can leave so I can figure out who to send this beat to.”
Without waiting for Lance to respond, Justin mushed his head and demanded, “Get your ass back in the booth, and I don’t want to hear any pushback. Ladies, you can leave. We have work to do.”
Mahari smirked at Lance as he dragged his feet and did exactly as Justin told him.
It was one of the hard parts about working with family and having them involved in your business, but it was also one of the rewarding parts.
If it were up to Mahari, he would’ve let Lance leave and fuck up.
He was tired of holding his hand and pushing him to do the right thing, but he understood why Justin did.
Three hours passed before they took another break. Without the distractions and with the right mindset, Lance was a beast in the booth. Mahari was proud of his cousin and couldn’t wait to get the track out for the world to hear.
Rising to his feet, Mahari and Lance slapped hands a few times before embracing in a brotherly hug.
“That shit so fire, Mahari!” Lance complimented with his fist to his mouth. “I’m not gon’ front; I would’ve been pissed if someone else copped that beat from you. It’s hard as fuck. When the beat drops, that’s what’s really going to have people going wild.”
“Hell yeah.” Justin agreed, bobbing his head as they listened to the playback. “The two of you are dangerous together. This the one right here.”
Mahari rubbed his beard, impressed with the playback himself. “I appreciate y’all. The way Lance rides the beat is exactly how I envisioned it. I’m glad you weren’t a goofy and didn’t mess it up.”
Lance gave Mahari the finger. “I would’ve bought it back if I had to.”
“Yeah, I hear you.”
The sound of Lance’s phone ringing caught Mahari’s attention. Lance looked at it and expelled a frustrated sigh. Mahari didn’t need to ask who it was, but he kept his comments to himself.
“Aye, let me get up out of here before Aspen gets home from her last shift. I haven’t seen her in three days, so I know she’s about to let my ass have it.”
“Three days?” Justin whistled. “I would never leave that type of room for my woman’s mind to wander.”
“I’m saying.” Mahari agreed.
“She’ll be a’ight. She knows where home is, and that’s all that matters. I’ll get up with y’all later.”
Lance left, leaving Mahari and Justin alone. Justin tipped his head to the side with a sinister smile pulling at his lips. Mahari swayed his head from side to side. His loose locs hit his cheeks with each sway.
“Don’t start your shit, Justin.”
“What?” Justin feigned innocent. “All I did was look at you.”
“You have something you want to say, but don’t speak on it.”
“I’m not, but we both know what it is, Mahari.”
Mahari didn’t respond. He sat back in his chair and started back working. He wasn’t in the mood for Justin’s theatrics, so he buried himself in his music.
If Mahari could live at the studio, he would.
Whenever he was in his head, creating was the best thing for him to do.
It soothed his soul in ways nothing else could.
The first time his father, Mason, got him a drum set and Mahari beat on it, it was the beginning of what would become his life.
After that, Mason slowly started introducing Mahari to different instruments, taking in which ones he truly liked.
He saw something in his son and poured into him.
Often, Mahari gave Mason credit for who he’d become and how far he’d come.
It was going on midnight by the time Mahari decided to leave the studio.
Justin had left hours ago to take his girl out, leaving Mahari to get lost in his world.
As he was locking up his studio, Creed, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
Observing his surroundings, he headed to his car and pulled his phone out to see his sister, Mahaley, calling.
“What are you doing up, Hay?” Mahari answered while swiveling his head around. Usually, he had security follow him out, but he assured them he would be good on his own. Still, it didn’t stop him from making sure no one was lurking in the shadows.
“I was finishing up my book and decided to check your location. When are you leaving the studio?”
“I’m getting in my car now. When will you release this book?”
“Probably in about a month. It must go through the editing process, and I want to give myself enough time to market it correctly.”
Sinking into his leather seats and listening to the purr of his engine, Mahari grinned and asked, “Have I told you how proud I am of you?”
“I’m the one who constantly needs to tell you that. You’re doing so well in life, Mahari. You followed your dreams and made them come true. I’m the proud one.”
“Listen to the pot calling the kettle black. Who do you think I was inspired by? You’ve been on your grind as an author since I was a teenager and never gave up until you reached your goals. Don’t for one second think you didn’t play a huge part in who I am and what I do.”
Hearing sniffles come from the other side of the phone tugged at Mahari’s heart.
He loved his sister more than words could express.
Being that she was the oldest, she always felt the need to protect him, but Mahari made it known he was her protector.
Since Mahari was born, they’d had a close relationship.
He absolutely adored Mahaley. They never let a day pass without them talking, even when Mahaley went off to college. Their bond remained solid.
“It’s too damn late for you to be having me cry, May May.”
Mahari kissed his teeth. “Aye, man. Go on somewhere with that shit.”
Mahaley’s boisterous laugh filled the speakers, gaining a half smile from Mahari.
“You know you love when I call you that.”
“And you know that’s a damn lie.”
“Whatever.” Mahaley giggled and changed the subject. “What artist did you work with tonight?”
“Our damn cousin.”
“Oh, goodness. What type of mood was he in tonight?”
“One that almost had him and Justin going toe-to-toe. You know Justin got his ass straight, and Lance ended up killing the track.”
“I’m telling you. All our little siblings need are us to keep them on track.”
Mahari snapped his head back. “What are you trying to say?”
“Now, Mahari. You know good and damn well you haven’t always been on the straight and narrow.
I don’t know what the hell went through your mind my first semester of college, but you did a one-eighty when I came home.
Don’t act like I wasn’t the one to get you together.
If you missed me, that was all you had to say. ”
Thinking back to the crazy shit he did, all Mahari could do was laugh. He was thirteen at the time, heading into eighth grade. Even though he and Justin were closer, he and Lance were the same age, so they hung around one another when Justin was off doing his thing.
Lance had the bright idea of them stealing and selling their product at school.
Mahari was hesitant but tried it anyway.
They didn’t even get away with their first job before getting caught.
It was around Christmas time, so security was on top of everything, everywhere.
Mahari had never gotten into so much trouble in his life.
That was the first and last time he tried anything like that while Lance lived to press his luck.
“Mane, you ain’t even have to bring that up.” Mahari laughed. “But yeah, I did miss you.”
“I know it.” Mahaley released a yawn just as the gates to Mahari’s house opened.
“Go ahead and go to bed, Hay. I just made it home.”
“Okay, good. I’m about to knock out. I love you, May May.”
“I love you too.”
Ending the call, Mahari pulled into his garage, killed the engine, and got out.
Mahari had worked hard to have everything he did in life, but there was something he was missing.
A woman. A family to call his own.
At the age of thirty, he’d had his fair share of dating, and so far, only two women had been able to capture his heart. He wanted to date with the intention to marry, but there was one thing stopping him. One woman stopping him, and he wasn’t quite sure he’d ever be able to move on from her.