“I’m sorry,” he whispered and leaned up. Novah stared at the wall to her left until he playfully bit her cheek. She held back a smile, and he pecked her lips tenderly.
By the seconds she could feel her anger for him dissipate. The things Novah felt for Durand was quite frightening, especially because she wasn’t sure if he felt the same.
“This is a baby. Our baby and I don’t wanna do this alone, Durand.”
Durand stared at her adoringly. His handsome chocolate face held a look of love on it as he peered her way.
“And you won’t. This baby is a blessing ma,” he replied before kissing her lips.
“This solo project is legit as hell. You got all the OG’s on it along with some newcomers. I see my boy Shyy, the princess of Detroit Naiyana and Kasam’s son Kj on some tracks. He’s sick with it for him to be so young. You also have some underground artists that I vibe with on it. Is Malano and Trill upset with you about this?” the radio host KD asked.
Durand chuckled. His hand was protectively on Novah’s belly as she sat beside him with a frayed Allure Boutique jean cap on along with oval designer shades like people wouldn’t know her. Her eyes couldn’t stop gazing over at him in his element. He was made to rap. Made to be a star and the more time Novah spent with him, the harder she fell for him. Never before had she been a groupie but damn if Durand didn’t make her wanna pull down her shirt and ask for a tittie autograph.
He was the shit.
Super talented and humble. The right recipe for success. He had no clue how rare he was, and Novah felt an instant high just from being near him. Because her hormones were raging, she was more open than she would usually be and it felt good to have his attention.
Even at the interview with so much going on Durand found a way to show her affection.
“Nah, them my brothers. We been close since we was all kids. My bond with them goes beyond music. We trust each other, and the minute I told them bout it, they was down. I’m a creative at the end of the day. I won't let anybody place a chain around my wrist. It’ll be Luca Gang to the day I die, but Durand is still his own man. I got a lot of good shit happening with me right now, you know?”
KD smirked at Durand as his eyes skated over to Novah. Novah held her breath as he looked her way. She found herself leaning on Durand for support as she silently prayed the radio host didn’t blow their cover.
“I see that. Your lyrics always spoke for you, but I have to say that once you go public with your personal life people gone go crazy on you. You ready to let them in on what you got happening right now besides your music?” KD asked with a sly smirk on his handsome face.
Durand matched his smirk. He glanced over at Novah who had just let him go, and she smiled at him. She subtly shook her head, and he nodded. Durand looked back to KD and laughed lightly.
“Nah. But what I can say is that I’m with someone and while it's new we both happy. We lived our lives exactly how we should have so that we could get to this moment where we at right now. I’m real fucking lucky; I’ll say that,” he replied smiling harder than Novah had ever seen him smile before.
His words made Novah tear up. The littlest things could garner a reaction out of her but to hear Durand discuss being happy with her was a surefire way to make her cry. She discreetly wiped her eyes before hugging his arm. Durand glanced down at her, and she blushed.
“You good?” he whispered.
Novah nodded. She leaned up wanting a kiss and Durand kissed her lips sensually before going back to his interview.
KD chuckled as he stared their way.
“I gotta say Detroit I never seen this side of Durand before. And man, you just broke a lot of hearts, but I get it. Real love is hard to come by. Nobody knows that more than me so when you get it make sure you don’t fuck it up. Now I see you got my nigga Tru on some of your songs. Is my guy doing good? I see he fell off the map once that Fed shit came down,” the radio host said switching topics.
Durand cleared his throat, and Novah grimaced at his question. Tru had been cleared on the human trafficking charges, but it was still a known fact that he’d been shacking up with the mistress for two years.
“He’s maintaining. Tru is a good dude. I won't speak on his personal life cause that’s not my style but character wise he’s a good nigga. His work ethic is legit, and I know that he’ll bounce back,” Durand replied.
Novah rolled her eyes still not feeling Tru as the radio host began to wrap up the interview. She watched Durand take photos and sign autographs before they were whisked away to a local news station. Durand was doing promo for his latest mixtape. A project he’d worked on without his group mates and Novah was getting a first-hand look at how hectic life was for him.
“We can grab the boys from your mom once I finish this interview. I had somewhere I wanted to take y’all,” he said glancing her way.
Novah nodded. Across from them in the SUV were Durand’s second assistant and bodyguard.
“Okay,” she murmured.
“I know you just got back, but you have to set a schedule for the promo tour. We already have a few people that are willing to go on the road with you, and of course, Naiyana said yes. I was thinking at least ten cities,” Durand’s second assistant said while smiling.
Novah cleared her throat irritated at the thought of Durand going back on the road to tour. Durand rubbed her belly as his eyes peered over at her.
“I haven’t said anything yet but Novah’s five months pregnant. I wanna be here for her as much as I can,” he told his assistant.
Durand’s assistant Patrice smiled. Her slanted hazel eyes widened in surprise as she stared Novah’s way.
“Of course, and wow. Congratulations! I couldn’t even tell you were pregnant. You must carry it all in your stomach. If you all can give me a calendar for appointments with the due date, I can make sure Durand’s hear or at least close to the city for all of them. Okay?”
Durand looked at Novah, and she gave him a tight-lipped smile.
“Yes, that’s cool,” Novah grumbled to Patrice.
Patrice nodded and went back to her Ipad. Durand nuzzled Novah’s neck, and she frowned. She knew it was her hormones and that she was emotionally tripping still it didn’t stop her from being upset with him.
“Please back up some,” she snapped with knitted brows.
She’d handled most of her pregnancy alone, and it had been hard. Durand had only known of the baby for a few days, and already he had her spoiled with back rubs and booty massages. To think of him going back on the road upset her.
“You good?” he asked looking her way.
Novah rolled her eyes, and Durand shook his head as he sat back in his seat.
“You grouchy as shit right now. You still beautiful as fuck though,” he mumbled and pulled out his cellphone.
Novah stared out of the window as her brows knitted together. Like her mind had done several times before she thought of Billie. With Dreux out of town and Billie’s mom being in rehab It wasn’t many people she could go to, to check on her girl. The last option was bitch ass Malachi, and although she hated him, he was looking like the only choice for her.
After watching Durand do an interview with Detroit’s Fox 2 News Station about his foundation that was giving away $100,000, to Detroit schools for their music classes, they picked up Novah’s twins, Karter, and King.
While Karter was quiet and to himself around Durand, King immediately took a liking to him. Durand showed King and Karter handshakes as the SUV pulled up to Novah’s spa.
Novah glanced over at Durand and shook her head.
“What’s going on?”
Durand whispered a joke to King and Karter, and King laughed.
“I wanna show you something. Come on lil dudes,” he replied and unsnapped the boys from their car seats.
Novah watched Durand grab her sons from their seats like he had kids his whole life and they exited the truck. Novah entered into her spa and smiled at her pretty recept
ionist.
“Hi, Ms. Royale and hey boys. I miss you two,” the receptionist gushed.
The twins ran over to hug the receptionist and Durand grabbed Novah’s hand. He gently tugged on it, and she looked up at him.
“What?” she asked quietly.
Durand shrugged. His eyes looked around the room and landed on one of the most handsome men Novah had ever seen. The man was tall with beautifully colored eyes and impeccable style. As he stood, Novah watched the women in the room fawn over him and Durand.
“What’s up nigga? Sorry to keep you waiting. I know your ass be busy. We can go to her office,” Durand told the sexy stranger.
He nodded, and Novah grabbed her boys before taking everyone to her office. Her sons went to their corner of the room and began to play with their toys while Novah sat at her desk. Durand and his friend looked down at her as she rubbed her belly.
“This my nigga Emory. He owns this building and a few others. When I saw his companies name on one of your papers at the house it clicked. I called him up and took care of your building.”
Novah smiled up at Durand confused by what was happening.
“What does that mean Durand?”
Emory stepped forward, and Novah was hit with his alluring scent.
“It means you now own your business. No more payments,” Emory replied and passed her the papers.
Novah’s heart pounded as she looked over the documents. She looked at her name on the title and tears clouded her vision.
“You did this for me, Durand?”
Durand nodded with his eyes on her.
“Of’course I did. You have to sign where the x’s are at baby,” he replied lowly.
Novah quickly read over the papers before signing. She then passed a few back to Emory, and he dapped up Durand before leaving out of the office. Novah stood from her seat and walked up on Durand. As she hugged him, she stared up into his eyes.
“Thank you so much. I didn’t see that coming, but I appreciate it,” she said while crying.
Durand nodded.
“Relax. I see your emotions are all over the place baby. The last thing you need to do is worry about paying a lease. I know you independent, and I love that about you but if I can help, let me. I wanna make life as easy for you as I can. I’m paying your house off too. Okay?”
Novah shook her head. She couldn’t accept that. She was always a woman that did for herself. And was proud of it. To Novah it was a huge difference between wanting a man and needing one. She didn’t need them for shit other than a release, but she wanted them for so many reasons. The biggest one being love.
“I can’t accept that. This was enough, and this will help me out so much baby.”
Durand cleared his throat.
“That’s a house where my daughter will be living so why wouldn’t I wanna secure that for y’all? I want you to worry about everything but paying a damn bill,” he told her, and his words made her think of her cousin Quez.
Durand was dotting on her much like Quez doted on his wife. She smiled but was still unsure if that was the right thing to do. The last thing she wanted to come off as was a user. That had never been her style.
“I don’t like you Durand because of your status. I’m not a gold digger,” she explained. “I can take care of myself. I have been doing that for as long as I can remember.”
Durand licked his lips as he stared at her intently.
“And I respect that but I wanna take care of y’all too, and I don’t want you to feel guilty for letting me do that. I work hard, and it makes me happy to be able to do this for you. Just get used to it.”
Novah simpered at his words.
“To being pampered?” she asked.
Durand chuckled.
“Yeah. Shit to not worrying about money. Regardless of what happens with us, I’ma set you up so good that money will never be an issue for you again. Now you can focus on expanding your spa. We can even bring in some of my friends to promote it. That’s the kind of stuff I want you to worry about. Okay?”
Novah nodded reluctantly before smiling wide. As she hugged Durand, she peered around him and at her boys. King stared back at her on the carpet with a big smile on his face.
“Hap-py,” he said slowly.
Novah nodded, and his words made Karter look up. Karter smiled as well, and they began to play again as Novah held Durand tightly.
Ten hours later the Lanai Island in Hawaii had Novah speechless. She couldn’t contain her grin as her boys played with Quinn’s daughter and oldest son on the beach. Novah stood in her shiny gold two-piece with her belly on display. She looked to her left and her eyes connected with Durand’s. He sat at the table with his group mate Malano. Both men nursed glasses of D’usse as Quinn stood beside Novah holding her nine-month-old son Qasim.
“So y’all shooting for another girl after this one?” Novah probed while smiling.
Quinn snorted. She looked cute to Novah in her black one piece that was low cut in the back showing off her flower tattoos. She wore her hair in long box braids that were decorated with hair jewelry.
“Hell no! I got my tubes tied girl. I can’t do any more kids. Three is enough for me. What about you?”
Novah shrugged. She felt like three was enough for her as well, but she had to admit that the thought of having a small Durand running around would be cute.
“I don’t know. I am tired now with the twins and my daughter isn’t even here but I don’t wanna say no just yet,” she replied.
Quinn smirked while giving Novah the side eye.
“Oh, I see what’s going on. Durand got you ready to risk it all for a little mini him, huh?” Quinn joked.
Novah laughed as she watched her sons play with Quinn’s kids. Quinn’s daughter was a gorgeous dark-skinned beauty with long curly hair and doe-shaped eyes then her son was the spitting image of his father, Malano. Even as a small child Novah could see Quinn son demeanor mimic his fathers. She thought of her boys and prayed they didn’t pick up any of Carter’s bad habits.
He had so damn many of them.
“I guess only time will tell. Everything is so new with us, and that’s crazy because I’m happy with him.”
Quinn nodded while smiling at Novah.
“I’m telling you it’s something about those men. Malano was the same damn way. I didn’t get pregnant right away like you did because I’d just had Harley, but I was instantly intrigued by him. I had never met a man like him before, and he’s younger than me. I kept trying to run from his ass, and every time he was on my head,” she laughed.
Novah smiled understanding where she was coming from.
“Same here. I cut him off twice, and both times he came back like this ain’t over, and the thing is I’m happy he’s determined to have me. I’m scared too though. I’ve never had anyone around my kids like this then there’s my heart.”
Quinn rocked her big baby that should have been walking while frowning.
“What's wrong with your heart?” she asked in a concerned tone.
Novah laughed.
“It’s filled with joy, and I don’t want that feeling to end. I fear that it might not last Quinn. So, a part of me is still holding back. He’s a rapper, and I don’t have time for the bullshit.”
Quinn sighed.
“I felt all of those things. We’ve both been with men that had money, so it's not like we’re green to this. With that comes temptations but hell a broke nigga will cheat on you. Don’t put restrictions on something that could be so beautiful. We have never seen him like this before. When he called and asked if we wanted to come out here to his beach house with you all, we were shocked. He never talks and you being here has shown us sides of him that I know I haven’t seen before. Even got Trill acting right at the moment,” she replied, and both women glanced across the beach at Trill who was walking with his daughters’ mother while holding her hand.
Novah smiled at the attractive pair. It was her first time meeting the woman,
and so far, she liked her. Actually, she felt the woman was too good to be with someone as scandalous as Trill. He stayed in the blogs with some mess going on, but that wasn’t Novah’s business so she would leave it alone.
“Gianna is cool. She needs to let Trill’s hoe ass go. He was even in some drama awhile back for messing with Draye’s girl Haven. That nigga not shit but anyway, Durand is a good guy, and from what you’ve been telling me you deserve him. You two deserve each other. Don’t block your blessings by letting the fear of the unknown creep into your heart. Embrace being happy. To me that’s the upside of love,” Quinn said while smiling.
Novah soaked in Quinn’s words and peered over at Durand. He was looking hella daddyish in his white linen shorts, and his white snapback on that was turned to the back. He licked his full lips, and she watched him give her a deliberate once-over. His intense dark eyes set her body ablaze as he looked her way. Novah grinned at him before giving Quinn her attention.
“The upside of love?” she asked with furrowed brows.
Quinn swallowed hard as her own eyes connected with her husbands.
“Yeah. I know for me I was upside down in love when I was with Hayward. He used my love against me and hurt me repeatedly. However, when I got with Malano things turned around for me. The upside of love was being happy again. The upside of love for me was being with a man that would do anything to make me smile — being with my best friend. I’m sure you know what I’m saying,” Quinn replied and smiled at Novah before walking off.
Novah went over to her boys and copped a squat on the warm sand. The sun was setting, and she was ready for a nap, but everyone was still on ten, so she’d decided to stay up for a few more hours.
“How you like it?”
His words came first, then his alluring scent than his warm body as he rested behind her. Like he’d been doing since he learned of the pregnancy his hands went to her protruding belly. She watched her boys have the time of their lives as he rubbed it in circular motions.
“I love it here. How long have you had this house?”
Upside of Love Page 4